What trade did the Wright brothers practice before becoming famous aviators?

Before becoming aviators, the Wright brothers practiced bicycle manufacturing and repair.

Wilbur and Orville Wright operated a bicycle business in Dayton, Ohio. Their work with bicycles gave them practical experience in machining, balance, chains, bearings, lightweight construction, and customer-focused manufacturing.

The brothers applied this hands-on knowledge to aviation. They built and repaired their own test equipment, made many components themselves, and used their bicycle-shop tools when developing gliders and powered airplanes. Their business also helped finance their experiments.

People sometimes describe the Wrights simply as bicycle mechanics, which is broadly correct but incomplete. They were also designers, machinists, publishers, and careful experimentalists. Their bicycle experience was especially useful because aircraft design required dependable control and lightweight mechanical systems.