Are Penny-farthings road bikes?
06-24-10, 07:10 AM
#26
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I saw a guy riding one a couple of years ago in the Stanford Univ. area. He was riding northbound on El Camino (a busy street) and was approaching a red light. I though "oh boy...is he gonna have to dismount?" As he rolled to a stop, he casually reached out his right hand and grabbed the stop light pole. Looked like he had done it before.
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06-24-10, 07:29 AM
#28
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Probably a pretty good deal. I had to do a case study in business school where we compared a lot of average items to 1920's prices and wages, to see what percentage of wages it was, an exercise at showing how cheap things have become. Food, just basic staple groceries (just flour, coffee, sugar, vegetables, nothing processed) were like, 30% of household income. Something like a bicycle, nice radio, would be like, 3 or 4 months wages for the average person.
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One might expect the price of a high-wheeler to be more, but not sure. Certainly these bikes would not have seemed cheap to anybody.
06-24-10, 07:58 AM
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Based on inflation $150 in 1900 equals $3800 today. Given the dramatic increase in incomes in the last 110 years, not many people had $3800 to shell out on a bike back then.
To add some context, a Model T Ford could be had in 1922 for $300.
To add some context, a Model T Ford could be had in 1922 for $300.
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06-24-10, 07:59 AM
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Is a penny-farthing more or less difficult to ride than a unicycle?
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06-24-10, 08:18 AM
#31
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SWAG, would say that the Penny Farthing would be substantially easier, given you don't have to balance front and back.
My guess is that a Penny Farthing is not that difficult to ride, once you get the mounting and dismounting bit down. Emergency braking would appear to be a ***** (hence the addition of the dual caliper rear brake.)
Problem is the distance to the pavement if you fall.
My guess is that a Penny Farthing is not that difficult to ride, once you get the mounting and dismounting bit down. Emergency braking would appear to be a ***** (hence the addition of the dual caliper rear brake.)
Problem is the distance to the pavement if you fall.
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You could fall off a cliff and die.
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You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
06-24-10, 08:58 AM
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that's awesome
06-24-10, 02:36 PM
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Yet many people seem to have had them. Perhaps we're trying to assess this based on the price of high-end bikes?
06-24-10, 07:37 PM
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06-24-10, 08:08 PM
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My friend's dad works at a shop that makes completely custom penny farthings (i don't think there is any other way to make them)
His dad was telling me that every bike is built from the ground up for one specific rider.
However, they are not cheap and will run you about $5000 each.
He said a few days onto the job he was offered to ride one that was close to his size and he declined. I think despite him working at the shop he still hasn't been on one.
His dad was telling me that every bike is built from the ground up for one specific rider.
However, they are not cheap and will run you about $5000 each.
He said a few days onto the job he was offered to ride one that was close to his size and he declined. I think despite him working at the shop he still hasn't been on one.
06-24-10, 08:20 PM
#40
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Hang on, I just thought of something.
Now, I'm not the most well-informed guy in the world when it comes to the internally geared hub, but would it be possible to build one for a penny-farthing? You'd have to make a one-off hub, some kind of design where the axle/BB/whatever replaces the input shaft in the hub, and whatever other modifications are necessary. Somebody who knows more than I do about these things: Would this be feasible?
Now, I'm not the most well-informed guy in the world when it comes to the internally geared hub, but would it be possible to build one for a penny-farthing? You'd have to make a one-off hub, some kind of design where the axle/BB/whatever replaces the input shaft in the hub, and whatever other modifications are necessary. Somebody who knows more than I do about these things: Would this be feasible?
06-24-10, 08:45 PM
#41
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Jaco- yes, it's doable, but defeats the purpose; if you want a geared bike, just get one. (I say this because they do have geared hubs for unicycles).
I think a lot of the difficulty associated with riding these is because back in the day, when you learned to ride a bike, that's what you started on- not like you rode a safety bike for years and then went to the big wheel. That seems to be the issue in Mark Twain's essay.
One of the big problems with these is that no pneumatic tire is available, so that's a solid tire you're riding around on.
I've seen a guy locally at a parade on one, a guy was at the Tweed Ride on one, and one of the LSR members spotted a former LSR member riding one locally. So there are a few around.
I suspect the crash problem is not so much that crashing is worse, as that you're more likely to crash in the first place. You just can't slow down much before you're going over.
My Worksman cruiser with 26" wheel is geared 2:1- so same as a 52" wheel. With that gearing, 13 mph or so is a good cruising speed, 17 mph is doable, and maximum speed I've reached pedaling was 23 mph. At faster speeds, it really helps to have a coaster function, which I don't think the classic high-wheels had. (I think the Coker Wheelman did, though.)
I think a lot of the difficulty associated with riding these is because back in the day, when you learned to ride a bike, that's what you started on- not like you rode a safety bike for years and then went to the big wheel. That seems to be the issue in Mark Twain's essay.
One of the big problems with these is that no pneumatic tire is available, so that's a solid tire you're riding around on.
I've seen a guy locally at a parade on one, a guy was at the Tweed Ride on one, and one of the LSR members spotted a former LSR member riding one locally. So there are a few around.
I suspect the crash problem is not so much that crashing is worse, as that you're more likely to crash in the first place. You just can't slow down much before you're going over.
My Worksman cruiser with 26" wheel is geared 2:1- so same as a 52" wheel. With that gearing, 13 mph or so is a good cruising speed, 17 mph is doable, and maximum speed I've reached pedaling was 23 mph. At faster speeds, it really helps to have a coaster function, which I don't think the classic high-wheels had. (I think the Coker Wheelman did, though.)
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06-24-10, 09:08 PM
#42
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Funny. I saw a guy riding a pfar on my commute today. That's the second time I've seen him in as many weeks. This time, he had a stiff headwind and the expression on his face was not very pleasant (he didn't wave back this time).
I'll ride my safety bicycle over that thing any day of the week.
I'll ride my safety bicycle over that thing any day of the week.
Last edited by rydaddy; 06-24-10 at 09:13 PM.
06-24-10, 09:21 PM
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yep. And the (high quality) reproduction ones I've seen needed the spoke tension checked very frequently. When I toured with a group that contained 7 Ordinaries, they were checking the tension of the wheel every day (approx every 75km).
They also discussed their headers. Of the seven, only two hadn't taken a header.
They also discussed their headers. Of the seven, only two hadn't taken a header.
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06-24-10, 09:30 PM
#44
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Someone out here made a giantfarthing
Unfortunately I can't find anymore photos and i dont remember how the drive train works, maybe just a chainring for each crank that link with the front wheel hub. The rear wheel is 700c
Last edited by hairnet; 06-24-10 at 09:50 PM.
06-25-10, 03:46 AM
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06-25-10, 05:12 AM
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Hang on, I just thought of something.
Now, I'm not the most well-informed guy in the world when it comes to the internally geared hub, but would it be possible to build one for a penny-farthing? You'd have to make a one-off hub, some kind of design where the axle/BB/whatever replaces the input shaft in the hub, and whatever other modifications are necessary. Somebody who knows more than I do about these things: Would this be feasible?
Now, I'm not the most well-informed guy in the world when it comes to the internally geared hub, but would it be possible to build one for a penny-farthing? You'd have to make a one-off hub, some kind of design where the axle/BB/whatever replaces the input shaft in the hub, and whatever other modifications are necessary. Somebody who knows more than I do about these things: Would this be feasible?
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
06-25-10, 10:08 PM
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I really don't think anyone would ever undertake this sort of thing because they want a legit geared bike, or at least I wouldn't. More like an exercise in "why not?" I think it would just be neat.
06-26-10, 12:50 AM
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...First I've heard of one in the Davis area, though. Not that I'm surprised.
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