FANTASTIC job, los buenos!!! You gotta take some pics of it being ridden!

i was inspired by this thread and the steampunk article and finished mine last night! i couldnt find a pipe strong enough for the spine cuz all i have is a ton of emt so i used some gazelle forks it turned out buetifully! i would have posted it earlier but i have been ridin it all day!:D i am soo happy with it, this is the first bike that i made that has absolutly no reason for existing other than because i could make it.
i think penny fakethings should also qualify as tallchoppers, cuz they basically are just the seat is on the chopper forks and it is turned around, but that shouldnt stop it from being a tallchopper.

That is ingenious! You were out riding that in the snow? Man, you are brave!

East Hill

You were out riding that in the snow? Man, you are brave!

East Hill

yes but the roads arent that bad right now, the most dangerous thing about the snow right now is if i accidentally hit a big chunk of snow or somthing it endo's because of its itty bitty wheelbase, aside from that it rides surprisingly the same as any other bike the only difference is height the pedals turn with the handlebars and the stares i get :D
the mounting is real easy all i need is a curb or a small snowbank, i put my foot on the back wheel next ot the forks to stop the wheel from turning and the put my other foot on the pedal and i can just ride away!

ill see if i can find a camera and someone to use it
thanks

Just back from Verity's Titanic outing. Alas, she will sail no more, but oh, what glory!

I was in the town square - there are some big stone pillars (I think they're for chaining sacrificial virgins to) and a lovely flat hardpack gravel surface for Doing Civic Things On. I've got Verity propped up against the pillar and am dithering over her when a voice comes from behind:

"'Ere mate, is that hard to ride?"

Three kids on their way somewhere, drawn by the very silly bicycle.

"Dunno - I haven't managed it yet! Only just finished it... want a go?"

Half a second later the kid is up the thing like a spider monkey and away! And blow me if Verity don't not only work, but look pretty darn elegant as well! He does half a dozen laps of the square with his mates taking mobile phone pics, absolutely loving it, even getting some flicky little skidettes going on, then gets cocky and takes her to the street.

feckhe'sgonnadieohfeckohfeck

On the smooth tarmac all is looking good but then our kid overdraws his account - he bunnies the front wheel up onto the pavement again and the little rear wheel just doesn't want to follow. The whole thing separates gently at the spine-headtube weld and deposits him on his arse in a heap!

Once he gets up, Our Kid is bruised but unbowed - Verity is sadly now a Pennyfakething Separable. The kid and his mates head off to wherever they were going, and I go home with a big stupid grin, two parts of a bike and lessons learned.

Lesson 1: Find the Jackass Generation to test your inventions!
Lesson 2: Weld better.
Lesson 3: Gussets, baby, gussets.

Just back from Verity's Titanic outing. Alas, she will sail no more, but oh, what glory!

I was in the town square - there are some big stone pillars (I think they're for chaining sacrificial virgins to) and a lovely flat hardpack gravel surface for Doing Civic Things On. I've got Verity propped up against the pillar and am dithering over her when a voice comes from behind:

"'Ere mate, is that hard to ride?"

Three kids on their way somewhere, drawn by the very silly bicycle.

"Dunno - I haven't managed it yet! Only just finished it... want a go?"

Half a second later the kid is up the thing like a spider monkey and away! And blow me if Verity don't not only work, but look pretty darn elegant as well! He does half a dozen laps of the square with his mates taking mobile phone pics, absolutely loving it, even getting some flicky little skidettes going on, then gets cocky and takes her to the street.

feckhe'sgonnadieohfeckohfeck

On the smooth tarmac all is looking good but then our kid overdraws his account - he bunnies the front wheel up onto the pavement again and the little rear wheel just doesn't want to follow. The whole thing separates gently at the spine-headtube weld and deposits him on his arse in a heap!

Once he gets up, Our Kid is bruised but unbowed - Verity is sadly now a Pennyfakething Separable. The kid and his mates head off to wherever they were going, and I go home with a big stupid grin, two parts of a bike and lessons learned.

Lesson 1: Find the Jackass Generation to test your inventions!
Lesson 2: Weld better.
Lesson 3: Gussets, baby, gussets.

This is a great short story. I loved it. :D

great lessons as well, useing jackasses is always safest, you wont be able to fix the bike if you hurt yourself, breaking it!

Just back from Verity's Titanic outing. Alas, she will sail no more, but oh, what glory!

I was in the town square - there are some big stone pillars (I think they're for chaining sacrificial virgins to) and a lovely flat hardpack gravel surface for Doing Civic Things On. I've got Verity propped up against the pillar and am dithering over her when a voice comes from behind:

"'Ere mate, is that hard to ride?"

Three kids on their way somewhere, drawn by the very silly bicycle.

"Dunno - I haven't managed it yet! Only just finished it... want a go?"

Half a second later the kid is up the thing like a spider monkey and away! And blow me if Verity don't not only work, but look pretty darn elegant as well! He does half a dozen laps of the square with his mates taking mobile phone pics, absolutely loving it, even getting some flicky little skidettes going on, then gets cocky and takes her to the street.

feckhe'sgonnadieohfeckohfeck

On the smooth tarmac all is looking good but then our kid overdraws his account - he bunnies the front wheel up onto the pavement again and the little rear wheel just doesn't want to follow. The whole thing separates gently at the spine-headtube weld and deposits him on his arse in a heap!

Once he gets up, Our Kid is bruised but unbowed - Verity is sadly now a Pennyfakething Separable. The kid and his mates head off to wherever they were going, and I go home with a big stupid grin, two parts of a bike and lessons learned.

Lesson 1: Find the Jackass Generation to test your inventions!
Lesson 2: Weld better.
Lesson 3: Gussets, baby, gussets.

BRILLIANT!

Boy, and I think I tell good stories! This is a classic.

East Hill

Inspired by Johnny Payphone, me and a minion built this abomination last weekend:

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/andygates/pennyfakething/boystoys.jpg

Ready to test-ride:

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/andygates/pennyfakething/rockandroll.jpg

Fear!

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/andygates/pennyfakething/thefaceofterror.jpg

Igor poses better than he rides:

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/andygates/pennyfakething/extremechuffy.jpg

Need to make some changes before it's good, but not bad for a first tallbike, I think :)Nice bike how does one go about getting a minion ?Is that anything like a henchman? I need a minion or is that a henchman?

Our bike club started a chapter in Ghent, Belgium, and this pennyfakething was built by the founder, Klaas. However he seems to have defected to Klunker League Now, better known as "Drunker League Now". At any rate he is a master craftsman and all of his bikes are beautiful, but I particularly love this one:

http://www.pennyfakething.com/bikes/klaas.jpg

Here's another one from XnTrick bikes (http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~talizmar/xntrick/TopSeecrit.htm). He's given it apes to make it easy to mount.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/Pennyfakething003_0001.jpg

XnTrick looks a bit shaky on that latest video :D . I did like the symbolism of him riding off into the sunset.

East Hill

Yeah, you should film your first attempt in case hilarity ensues, but you'll look better if you learn to ride the thing well before you film any bike.

How about an internally geared pennyfakething?

Our bike club started a chapter in Ghent, Belgium, and this pennyfakething was built by the founder, Klaas. However he seems to have defected to Klunker League Now, better known as "Drunker League Now". At any rate he is a master craftsman and all of his bikes are beautiful, but I particularly love this one:

http://www.pennyfakething.com/bikes/klaas.jpg



Oh my, - that is just sooooooo beautiful :love:

How about an internally geared pennyfakething?

Sounds like the best way to preserve some of the original lines of an ordinary. This guy, for about $300:

http://www.unicycle.com/images/catalog/bicycles/cokerwheelman.jpg

has internal gearing and brakes and all that. They're very easy to ride. There's a boricua guy in my neighborhood who souped one up:

http://a161.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/16/l_b3f04fe7af7655dcd327a32e5d461ab0.jpg

Ah, yes, and I've set up http://www.pennyfakething.com

I just gotta say...i like it.

Sounds like the best way to preserve some of the original lines of an ordinary. This guy, for about $300:

http://www.unicycle.com/images/catalog/bicycles/cokerwheelman.jpg

has internal gearing and brakes and all that.

That one is actually a coaster hub. An internally geared hub IS available that might fit (check bearing size and spacing), but the hub alone is over $1000US.

Thats a Great Moustache. Fully required to properly ride that bike :lol:

Um...... time to revive a great thread :):thumb:

Ever since I read that issue of Steampunk magazine I've been haunted by the urge to construct a pennyfakething. Save that as an older lady with a disability any pennyfakething I might build would end up as a display item only; - which of course would be a shame.
When in need of inspiration I go to Google Patent Search and check out anything bicycle related that was patented before 1900. After 1900 (shrug) let's face it everything went downhill ;)

A certain Mr Edward Burstow patented his 'Velocipede' in 1881 and this was a design which I've always thought was utterly delightful. The British Postal Service used them for a time because they were far more stable than a hi-wheeler and could carry a good load.

http://postalheritage.org.uk/collections/museum/transport/pedalcycles/images/OB1996.252-3-pentacycle.jpg

http://www.google.com/patents?id=aL9QAAAAEBAJ&dq=Edward+Burstow

Now if I could convert Mr Burstow's delightful 'Hen and Chickens' pentacycle over to the pennyfakething concept I'm sure I would be onto a winner. :D

I have a unicycle that I can not ride, maybe this is my answer to being able to get up on the thing. training wheels...

I have a unicycle that I can not ride, maybe this is my answer to being able to get up on the thing. training wheels...

:lol::D Could be a good idea Floyd. There's a trader selling cheap unicycles here in NZ at the moment and I must say I have been tempted to buy one for experimental purposes.

Another pennyfakething video........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOXAB19lqxQ

That latest video is of my XnTRICK Cycles (http://xntrick.co.uk) one.

About the comments about me being wobbly in the earlier video:

1. The saddle was loose and kept swivelling round
2. The road we had choosen had deterioated and developed quite a 'crown'

Your latest pennyfakething is certainly a nice ride. I enjoyed watching your video and I can feel myself becoming dangerously inspired:thumb:

After seeing a Hen'n'Chickens in person at the Canberra bicycle museum I am pumped to make one using the pennyfakething method as well. In fact, at pennyfakething.com I'm planning to build and post EVERY design using an ordinary wheel, rebuilt with the fakething style.

The one I saw had a lever that would lift up the four wheels and allow you to ride like a unicycle at speed.

After seeing a Hen'n'Chickens in person at the Canberra bicycle museum I am pumped to make one using the pennyfakething method as well. In fact, at pennyfakething.com I'm planning to build and post EVERY design using an ordinary wheel, rebuilt with the fakething style.

The one I saw had a lever that would lift up the four wheels and allow you to ride like a unicycle at speed.

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/Sianelleofavelorn/unicycle_smiley_gray.gif?t=1213049735

:eek: I'm trying to get my head around the image of a giant hi-wheel unicycle at speed :eek:

I wonder how many folk were actually brave enough to use that lever :twitchy: