i always thought that the whole concept was a lot of rubbish until yesterday
then i was offered an opportunity to ride a penny farthing!!!!!
1800's extremesport
getting on was a true act of faith as they offered no instructions as to how to get off, and didnt even explain what the braking system was.
If you ever get the offer to do it ,dont hesitate
after i returned from my 3rd ride i was feeling so stoked, then they told me that the 1980's replica I was riding was valued at a mere $25,000.
so much for your carbon fibre babies!
so im wondering what things others have unexpectatly found themselves doing
I rode one when I was about 16. Never again, no wonder the next version of the bicycle was introduced as the "safety bicycle"
Braking? Well simple physics suggests that any braking system that works thru the wheels will only be good for 0.1 g before sending the rider over the handle bars. That's about 50 metres to stop from 36kph.
Fortunately I was paying attention at high school, did the quick sums and decided the best way to stop was by side swiping the wall of the garage. I lived to tell the tale. I only did one lap.
How is that $25,000 value arrived at, hours spent making it or insurance value or dreaming?
AND WHERE'S YOUR HELMET?
now that is freakin awesome! I don't think I will ever have the chance but yeah I'd grabit!!!
How do you stop, and wouldn't you fall off if you did?
Looks like fun all the same - great post.
youd be suprised how slow you could ride it. with some reasearch i now know the theory of how to stop AND dismount.
couldnt find one for sale in Aus , but replicas from the US from 900-2500
soo tempting.
it really was like nothing else Ive ridden
1. Build Penny Farthing replicas
2. RRP = $25,000
3. ???
4. Profit....I'll start in Melbourne. Probably too late.
First thing that sprang to mind was this myspace.com/jackthompsonofficial/music/song/mulga-bill-s-bicycle-74727451-117294239?play=1
was one of my favourites as a kid.
I haven't seen her for a year or so but there has been a "quirky" youngish lady that regularly rides a penny farthing bike around the Attadale foreshore area (and the Freo region also ) and has been for quite a few years...
The quirky comment comes from the stuffed toy bear or dog that she has on the ride with her.
She is very accomplished at riding the bike !!!
IIRC, the little trailer (with a penguin) behind her penny farthing was actually for a bit more stability- the trailer was extra weight to stop it tipping forward if she had to stop in a hurry.
I think she was caught on google street view in cottesloe
name of Armstrong? and is a top notch racer
stephen
One of my partners friends rides a Penny Farthing around Brisbane all the time, Usually North side, I will try to get her to get a pic of his and find out where he got it from.
Several years back on the ferry from Philip Island to Crib Point there was an English guy who was in the process of riding around Australia on a penny farthing. His helmet was a pith hat. Still, that wasn't as strange as seeing a lycra clad cyclist riding along a winding country road on a unicycle.
nice find gizmo. I think 36" would feel a little to safe
i have found a builder in the US and apparently my legs mean i am a 48" wheel priced around $1600 US with $680 US for freight it is rather tempting.
when i think about it , ive never had a new bike in my life...hmmmmm............
here we are 3 days later and just the thought of the ride gets the adrenaline pumping
Is it just me- or can I see a 48" fibreglass wheel rolling out of the Kalgoorlie Skunkworks soon
stephen
landyacht .....here is a site you may be interested in, 'National Penny Farthing Championships' very interesting web site
I was just looking at the Makers Fair website again and clicked on the Flickr photos.
Great photos and some very interesting gadgets and costumes. What I liked was that there was young and old getting into it. If the SA fair is as good will be a great event. The big 4 wheeler penny farthing was quite a sight. Tassie hosts the National Penny Farthing Championships, and this year the person responsible for the web site accidental spelt it as the "Penny Farting Championship", now corrected of course.
They should have tinkerers classes in school, getting kids interested in things.
