Seriously, presumably you'd technically need to stick a brake on the back wheel (even though it would do very little good) in order to be street legal? Obviously a brake on the front wheel would be pretty lethal... Do you ever have police questioning the legality of it?
Where do you get tyres? Is there a cottage industry of penny-farthing-tyre-makers out there somewhere?
What are the parameters for the safe descent of hills - i.e. what's the longest, steepest downhill you'd consider tackling on the machine?
Are all the parts necessarily custom made, or are you able to use some conventional bike parts (e.g. rear wheel, headset?)
What's the technique for an emergency dismount, and how easy is it to do in practice?
Hi Simon . . little late answering but I have only just joined and have been reading the P/F items .... Legality: a spoon brake slows the machine down slightly actioned on the front wheel, so together with fixed drive it is street legal. I have owned and ridden an 1874 P/F with a rear brake and would have to agree wih you that it was more effective than the current front spoon brake.
Tyres are readily available both for the UK type machine and the new aluminium velocity rims.
Rule when approaching the descent of a hill is if you cannot see the bottom don't ride down . . get off and walk. Victorian times it was common practice to place your legs over the handlebars in case you came to grief and thenyou were able to jump clear . . OUCH !!
Modern day riders of these wonderful but dangerous machines when descending have been known to stand on the mounting peg whilst holding the handlebars, apply the spoon brake and at the same time place there shoe sole on the rear wheel . . don't know how long the sole lasted ?
Most parts are available from certain persons in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Cezch Rep, U.S.A. should you be inclined to make your own.
Cheers . . The Ordinary Man