Have you seen this type of High Wheel, Penny Farthing?
03-16-24, 09:43 PM
#1
bironi
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 266
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 98 Post(s)
Liked 291 Times
in
118 Posts
Have you seen this type of High Wheel, Penny Farthing?
I saw this picture at Clark's Restaurant near Cosmopolis, Wa. today. I've never seen this version. I like the young man's style. Riding the boards might require some mellow calm. He appears to have that covered. Any insight?
Likes For bironi:
Likes For P!N20:
03-16-24, 10:01 PM
#3
Senior Member
If there's not a U-joint just above the fork, if the fork pivots about the axis of the long steering tube between the handlebars and the fork, the front wheel is gonna have a ton of wheel flop, due to the axis inclination, and huge trail. With hands off the steering, it is metastable on center and wants to flop extreme right or left, just from the rider and bike weight.
Above: Notice he is descending the stairs (stable), whereas ascending the stairs it will wheelie. The reverse of typical penny farthings.
Above: Notice he is descending the stairs (stable), whereas ascending the stairs it will wheelie. The reverse of typical penny farthings.
Likes For Duragrouch:
03-16-24, 10:45 PM
#4
bironi
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 266
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 98 Post(s)
Liked 291 Times
in
118 Posts
Thank you for the quick responses.
It would have been fun to try out all the early machines when I was young.
I don't have the money or body to give it a go today.
I didn't have the money when I was young either.
Perhaps another life.
It would have been fun to try out all the early machines when I was young.
I don't have the money or body to give it a go today.
I didn't have the money when I was young either.
Perhaps another life.
Likes For bironi:
03-17-24, 02:54 AM
#5
Full Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Marin County, Alta California
Posts: 385
Bikes: Since new: 86 Rodriguez Tandem, wife's 87 Gitane Team Pro, 92 Burley Rock-n-Roll, 85 Fisher Comp, 88 Puch Pro, two 92 Bridgestone X0-1s; later: 66/67 Gitane Champion du Monde, 70 Gitane Super Corsa, 70 Carre, 87 Gitane Team Pro, 77/78 Ritchey Tandem
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 149 Post(s)
Liked 366 Times
in
161 Posts
There was a time many decades ago when I was really into antique bicycles and had seen a few Stars in person. Those I recall had a complicated lever actuated drive which is apparent in the image of the guy going down the stairs but not in the original post…I did a quick google search and there is actually a Star with the lever drive for sale on ebay right now.
Likes For Markeologist:
Likes For 100bikes:
03-17-24, 06:20 AM
#7
Full Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Mason Ohio
Posts: 238
Bikes: '85 Schwinn Madison, '46 Higgins Ultralite, 1950s Wally Green, '85 Trek 660, '82 3Rensho Export, '90 Trek 970, '91 Schwinn Paramount, '78 Dawes, '78 Trek 730
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 77 Post(s)
Liked 263 Times
in
108 Posts
Neat attempt to improve safety of the high wheel design. It was common to be injured or died from "a header" when the big wheel hits an object and the rider pivots head first over the wheel.
Eagle High Wheels run $7 to $10K..
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item...-wheel-bicycle
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item...-wheel-bicycle
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item...safety-bicycle
Eagle High Wheels run $7 to $10K..
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item...-wheel-bicycle
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item...-wheel-bicycle
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item...safety-bicycle
Likes For brewerkz:
03-17-24, 10:33 AM
#8
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,627
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1670 Post(s)
Liked 1,825 Times
in
1,062 Posts
I ~believe~ the bike in the OP is an Eagle.
distinct from the Star
Donald Adams' "Collecting and Restoring Antique Bicycles" relates both were considered 'speed machines' in their day, usually winning short distance events. Both were challenging to mount and suffered from 'washout' in gravel corners due to the light front ends.
The biggest issue* with the Star is that the rider had to lift their leg/foot after each pedal stroke - tiring on distance rides!
The biggest issue* with the Eagle is apparent in the patent date: it was introduced after the chain-drive safety and was quickly rendered obsolete.
*Well, apart from the issues with the design of penny-farthing style bicycles in general.
distinct from the Star
Donald Adams' "Collecting and Restoring Antique Bicycles" relates both were considered 'speed machines' in their day, usually winning short distance events. Both were challenging to mount and suffered from 'washout' in gravel corners due to the light front ends.
The biggest issue* with the Star is that the rider had to lift their leg/foot after each pedal stroke - tiring on distance rides!
The biggest issue* with the Eagle is apparent in the patent date: it was introduced after the chain-drive safety and was quickly rendered obsolete.
*Well, apart from the issues with the design of penny-farthing style bicycles in general.
Last edited by tcs; 03-17-24 at 10:44 AM.
Likes For tcs:
03-17-24, 10:37 AM
#9
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,627
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1670 Post(s)
Liked 1,825 Times
in
1,062 Posts
The 'e-bike' of its day:
Steam boiler between your legs on a machine prone to crashing with poor brakes - what could possibly go wrong?
Steam boiler between your legs on a machine prone to crashing with poor brakes - what could possibly go wrong?
Likes For tcs:
03-17-24, 11:10 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Peoria, IL
Posts: 4,476
Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1829 Post(s)
Liked 3,376 Times
in
1,580 Posts
Thanks for that clarification!
A long time ago, I took a photo of a bike at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. I think this was a display of some of the Schwinn collection, but that's just a guess.
There is at least one bike in the general configuration of an American Star, but it has the direct drive of this Eagle. Seems likely that it would be an Eagle....
By chance, there is an American Star at the Wheels 'O Time museum (very!) close to me. I was visiting it last fall and grabbed a few photos...
Steve in Peoria
A long time ago, I took a photo of a bike at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. I think this was a display of some of the Schwinn collection, but that's just a guess.
There is at least one bike in the general configuration of an American Star, but it has the direct drive of this Eagle. Seems likely that it would be an Eagle....
By chance, there is an American Star at the Wheels 'O Time museum (very!) close to me. I was visiting it last fall and grabbed a few photos...
Steve in Peoria
Likes For steelbikeguy:
03-21-24, 12:54 AM
#12
Senior Member
Post #2 and #5: One of those has the fork backwards. Me thinks on #2, as the wheels are so close together. #5 mimics modern steering geometry, with an inclined steering axis, but then the folk droputs projected forward enough to reduce some of the caster/trail to improve stability by reducing wheel-flop, which, as I mentioned earlier, was a big concern for that bike descending the stairs in #2.
03-21-24, 07:58 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Madison, WI USA
Posts: 6,157
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2363 Post(s)
Liked 1,749 Times
in
1,191 Posts
Likes For madpogue:
03-21-24, 09:30 AM
#14
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,627
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1670 Post(s)
Liked 1,825 Times
in
1,062 Posts
03-22-24, 12:59 AM
#15
Senior Member
Yeah I see what you mean. And it flipped in #5 does appear to put the tire contact center just barely ahead of steering axis intersection with the road, it's close, but unstable. Flipped the other way, massive amount of caster, not necessarily bad given the bike, but the inclination of the steering axis will result in a lot of wheel flop, like choppers, only worse.
03-22-24, 04:13 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 701
Bikes: 1984 Bianchi Tipo Corsa, 1985 Cannondale SM600 (24/26)
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 235 Post(s)
Liked 349 Times
in
190 Posts
I don't think that's Penny Farthing; looks like a Farthing Penny.
03-22-24, 06:37 AM
#17
weapons-grade bolognium
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Across the street from Chicago
Posts: 6,345
Bikes: Battaglin Cromor, Ciocc Designer 84, Schwinn Superior 1981
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 985 Post(s)
Liked 2,378 Times
in
891 Posts
“Thread of the Week”
03-22-24, 08:53 AM
#18
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,799
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1393 Post(s)
Liked 1,329 Times
in
837 Posts
This entire thread makes me thankful for the invention of the "safety cycle," which had the added benefit of getting women interested in cycling.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
