You seem to forget my point. Money, imagination, skilled people and desire, you can cut short the time of innovation. Have you ever wonder why war bring forth invention because the great desire to help with the war effort or make money off the war so money, imagination, skilled people, and desire come together to kill our fellow man...
All the pieces of the bike were there rubber for tires, peddles being invented in France, and so forth... Same with steam powered armor wagons all the pieces were there for it as well... what was lacking imagination, money and desire... people come later...