>>1712682>didn't even have good wheelsAncient wheel technology was more sophisticated than you let on. For instance, Egyptian chariots had tensioned spoked wheels. Quite clever. I'll note that this was prior to the Greeks inventing screws/threads.
>>1712736>Towns streets were to narrow, shitty pavementTrue. In the US at least, the first major push for smooth paved roads came from the League of American Wheelmen (pic related).
>>1712684>>1712746>It needed Pneumatic tyresNah. First it was iron bands, then solid rubber tires. Penny farthings very often had solid rubber for ~20 years before Dunlop's pneumatic tire. Then again, one of the early variants was called a "boneshaker" for a reason.