Penny farthing surprise...

[Carwash]

How would you stop at traffic lights/junctions without falling off? Track-stand on an ordinary? Or plan ahead and arrange yourself so that you can lean against a convenient lamppost?

 

[Arch]

How would you stop at traffic lights/junctions without falling off? Track-stand on an ordinary? Or plan ahead and arrange yourself so that you can lean against a convenient lamppost?

Either of those (I'm not sure if you can track stand, but I bet someone can), or just jump off and on again...

We had a chap used to come to roadshows for us to demostrate the penny, he used to ride it across London if the show was local enough. Mounting and dismounting becomes relatively easy, once you know how (I've never been on one myself, but I know the theory!)

 

[Carwash]

Can't imagine you'd have much room to jump off and on again safely in the thick of London traffic. But I suppose it must be doable.

 

[Arch]

Can't imagine you'd have much room to jump off and on again safely in the thick of London traffic. But I suppose it must be doable.

A good rider can jump off and land just beside the bike. If you were riding in primary, you'd have plenty of room. Getting back on is just a case of one foot up on the step ready, then hop hop, hup!

 

[Brains]

Joff Summerfield, the man that rode around the world in 2005-08 on a penny farthing (and also builds them) is giving a lecture next Wednesday evening to the local Explorer Scouts on Shooters Hill.

Currently the lecture is open to all Uniformed Scouts/Explorer Scouts and Leaders. However if people were interested we could potentially open it up to others.
(And you get to ride up to one of London's highest points).
What say you ?

 

[Landslide]

Can't imagine you'd have much room to jump off and on again safely in the thick of London traffic. But I suppose it must be doable.

Step onto the bonnet of the car next to you?

 

[tyred]

Just think how long it would take to true up the front wheel.

 

[Arch]

Step onto the bonnet of the car next to you?

That would confuse them!

 

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I built myself a penny farthing, or corectly called an Ordinary cycle, to learn to ride on, and since have bought an original, C1879 machine.

I ride in traffic, no problem, I can go very slowly and very nearly balance stationary, still moving but very slowly. If you plan ahead you rarely have to get off, roundabouts, traffic lights etc no problem.

This is me:-
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz0ldq7UZDQ&feature=related


There is three parts, sorry about the tarmac in part two, not sure on editing as I am no good woth computers, better with things from a century or two ago! hehe

Cheers

Dave

 

[buggi]

Step onto the bonnet of the car next to you?

as long as it's not gary r's bonnet

they've got a penny farthing like this in a shop near me.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vqTpw6L2pI&NR=1

 

[unclebaldie]

OK.....another lurker de-cloaking.....

Buzzy Bee, where did you get the Ordinary from ? Does anyone still make them ?
I know it's strange , but I would like to try one.

(Gordon Bennett, what a hell of a way to de-cloak.... )

Phil

 

[snakehips]

I believe a couple of people are planning to do tonight's DunRun on new penny farthings

 

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I got it through the veteran cycle club, a year or two back, people do make them, but they are as dear or nearly as dear as the orriginals, so best to get an original in my eyes, I mean that won't loose value.

Nothing strange about wanting to try one, I had the same feeling about 5 years ago, so set too, one week and made a crude replica, that I remade, a bit again and learnt the principles on, if I crashed and bent it, I could just weld it up etc.

Well worth having a go on one if you can.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Bigtwin]

There is a bloke who rides one with a freewheel around the Woking area.

 

[Arch]

Wow! We should get a Cyclechat team together for this:

http://www.theknutsfordgreatrace.com/

it's 2010, so there's plenty of time....