Penny farthings

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Winged wheels
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Penny farthings

Post by Winged wheels »

How hard is it to ride a penny farthing? Anyone got one and learnt from scratch? Any tips? I fancy one and new ones are available online :?:
drossall
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by drossall »

Call it an Ordinary if you want anyone who knows to answer :lol:
1982john
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by 1982john »

Famed around the world cyclist Mark Beaumont is planning to set the hour record on a penny farthing. The record is something like 23 miles!
Airsporter1st
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by Airsporter1st »

I had a guy come past me on the coastal path at Lytham St annes, riding a penny farthing. He looked totally relaxed and was clearly enjoying the ride and the attention he got. I'm guessing that once you get up on the thing, it would be quite easy to ride.
pwa
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by pwa »

I'd imagine it would be a pain on a ride with lots of stop/start. Having to dismount and remount at every red light.
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by Cyril Haearn »

I rode a small one, had maybe a 36" wheel, quite easy and maybe fairly practical, would get attention too +1, the gear might be a bit low

I collect books, almost nothing else but I do have a model ordinary, with a 5 inch gear. That might be too low even for Tigerbiten :?
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Mick F
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by Mick F »

Is it possible to have a small penny-farthing and use some sort of hub gear system to make the gearing bigger and variable?
Mick F. Cornwall
tatanab
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by tatanab »

Mick F wrote:Is it possible to have a small penny-farthing and use some sort of hub gear system to make the gearing bigger and variable?
There was a type whose name escapes me for now, essentially a small wheeled penny with cranks part way up the forks and chain drive to a sprocket on the wheel, hence a "geared up" penny. Build that wheel with a hub gear and there you have it.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Yes, Schoumpf did a Direct crank gear set version of their speed drive/mountain drive IIRC
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by rjb »

Mick F wrote:Is it possible to have a small penny-farthing and use some sort of hub gear system to make the gearing bigger and variable?

If my memory is correct I believe specialised produced a half size machine with gearing in the hub. Some were sold to the public but they were really a publicity thing. Can't find any reference to them now though. Maybe 20 years ago.
Perhaps it was called a halfpenny groat. :lol:
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fastpedaller
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by fastpedaller »

1982john wrote:Famed around the world cyclist Mark Beaumont is planning to set the hour record on a penny farthing. The record is something like 23 miles!


I wonder if the machine has to be direct drive or may include a hub gear? If direct drive that limits the gearing and could make the record hard to beat (depending how long the legs are!)
drossall
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by drossall »

Mick F wrote:Is it possible to have a small penny-farthing and use some sort of hub gear system to make the gearing bigger and variable?

... said the guy who invented the safety bicycle...

(Well OK, not the "variable" bit. That came later.)
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by Cyril Haearn »

"There are many types of musical instrument"
Said the man with a wooden trumpet

Irish proverb
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pjclinch
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by pjclinch »

[XAP]Bob wrote:Yes, Schoumpf did a Direct crank gear set version of their speed drive/mountain drive IIRC


It was originally for unicycles. I had a go on one and while I couldn't get the gear-change (ankle button tap) because I'm not a good unicyclist it certainly gave a very good turn of speed compared to my normal ride. The one I tried had a 24" wheel and geared up by 1.5, so about the same as a Coker, while I usually ride a 26" Muni.

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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Penny farthings

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Do you ride a unicycle from A to B?
Please tell us more!
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