Penny farthing surprise...

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Carwash

Señor Member
Location
Visby
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

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Carwash said:
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

Señor Member
Location
Visby
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

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Carwash said:
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

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
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 ?
 

buzzy bee

New Member
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
 
OK.....another lurker de-cloaking.....

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

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

Phil
 

snakehips

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

regards.jpg
from.jpg
snakehips.jpg
 

buzzy bee

New Member
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
 
Top Bottom