Touring - Touring on a Penny Farthing?

Apparently its possible as this guy did about 22,000 miles, visiting 23 countries along the way.

Here's the article. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1084411/Around-world-11mph--Adventurer-takes-wheely-long-ride-penny-farthing.html)

If he's the same guy as the one who dropped by the PBP in 2003 to see us riders off, then I saw him and his penny farthing there. :)

Thats... AWESOME!!

Makes me really want one of those bikes. Good for him! What a cool adventure.

How do you mount those things? Running start?

How do you mount those things? Running start?

Like this ...

http://www.wuk.at/hochrad/historisch/mark_twain_1_eng.php

Yeah, I passed him this summer. He was going west to east on the transam, I was going the other direction. What an animal!

Here's the story on Crazyguyonabike. It is a truly epic cycletouring tale:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/joff1

He is a very self-sufficient tourist who even does his own dentistry (with the help another cycletourist, pliers and strong drink) complete with photos.

One hard fellow he is, regarding both the ride and the dentistry! (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3Tzut&page_id=72762&v=72&part=2)

I met him outside my flat on sunday about 2- 3 miles from his finish in Greenwich. My girlfriend phoned me up to say a guy on a pennyfarthing just rode by her on the Thames path. I ran outside, took a picture and had a quick chat, he was very cheerful, not surprising after more or less completing a tour like that!

Love his cycling helmet :D

Blimey. What a stunning effort, and a fantastic achievement and experience! I bet he's got mixed feelings about finishing. I can't imagine ever going back to work after something like that. Nor can I imagine what I'd do for next year's trip.

I also love his helmet.... I really want one now.
pith helmet! man thats cool.

i have been following this guy on a crazy guy over the last year or so & he's got to be the most crazy ever, i mean its pretty hardcore to cycle round the world for a couple of years anyway, but to to it on a penny is just insane, i think he deserves a medal! i also love his helmet & i beleive it saved him atleast once when some boulders or rocks fell down from a pass he was going through. A true essentric brit, i hope he does somes talks/slide shows, don't know about anyone else but i'd pay good money to hear about his adenture & see some of his amazing photo's.

Like this ...

http://www.wuk.at/hochrad/historisch/mark_twain_1_eng.php

I guess I have A.D.D. Other than having use of assistance, I got lost on how to mount one ogf those things.


And other than a novelty, what was the purpose of those bikes? Why would they be designed that way?

I guess I have A.D.D. Other than having use of assistance, I got lost on how to mount one ogf those things.


And other than a novelty, what was the purpose of those bikes? Why would they be designed that way?

Have you studied the history and physics of the bicycle at all?

Have you studied the history and physics of the bicycle at all?

Sorry I didn't know that was a requirement for owning a bicycle and/or participating in this thread.

Without the sarcasm: the penny farthing was basically the original design of bicycle, a fixed wheel by design. It has certainly been superseded by more modern designs for most peoples' use, however, I'm sure riding one has a charm all its own. This fellow apparently thinks so, and is doing something marvelous astride it. Bravo.

edit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Ocy0SPgcM

and to get a feel for the 'gay 90's' (1890's) appeal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvYSuJPAbEM

Apparently its possible as this guy did about 22,000 miles, visiting 23 countries along the way.

I remember reading a book written by the first person to cross America by bike in the 1880's, who did it on a penny-farthing. I couldn't recall his name or the name of the book, and I couldn't find it after a brief Google search.

Thomas Stephens was the first person to cycle around the world. On a Penny farthing no less, back in 1884!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Around_the_world_on_a_bicycle

Without the sarcasm: the penny farthing was basically the original design of bicycle, a fixed wheel by design. It has certainly been superseded by more modern designs for most peoples' use, however, I'm sure riding one has a charm all its own. This fellow apparently thinks so, and is doing something marvelous astride it. Bravo.

edit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Ocy0SPgcM

and to get a feel for the 'gay 90's' (1890's) appeal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvYSuJPAbEM

But why was it designed this that way? It seems almost as hard to ride as a unicycle. Was there a purpose for the really large front wheel and small rear wheel? I guess I'll have to do some research on this.

If I remember correctly, one of the first bicycles did not have pedals but they where closer in design to the modern bicycle we have today than the penny farthing was.

The guy the op was about must be the one in the pith helmet at the start of this video. It said in the article that he entered the penny farthing championship in Tasmania. IIRC he entered the novice competition although I am not sure how he qualified for the novice catagory after cycling half way round the world on one :)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_y88hnCimi0&feature=related

But why was it designed this that way? It seems almost as hard to ride as a unicycle. Was there a purpose for the really large front wheel and small rear wheel? I guess I'll have to do some research on this.

If I remember correctly, one of the first bicycles did not have pedals but they where closer in design to the modern bicycle we have today than the penny farthing was.

I think to start with they just attached the cranks/pedals direct to the wheel. The only way to go faster was to have a bigger wheel. Then they developed a drive train using a chain and cogs which enabled the use of different sized cogs and a 'normal' sized wheel, ie like a modern fixie.

Thomas Stevens documented his travels, you can download his book from Project Gutenberg, I read the first half a while back and it makes quite interesting reading compared to today's experiences, very little motor traffic, a lot of unpaved roads and many people had never seen a bicycle before. Worth a read...

Congratulations and much respect to Joff on making it all the way around. Have to say I'd rather cycle around the world three times on a penny farthing than have a tooth yanked out like that ;-)

I think to start with they just attached the cranks/pedals direct to the wheel. The only way to go faster was to have a bigger wheel. Then they developed a drive train using a chain and cogs which enabled the use of different sized cogs and a 'normal' sized wheel, ie like a modern fixie.

Yes. The wheels were sort of the early version of a gearing system ... different sized wheels gave you different speed levels kind of like with a fixed gear today.

I've got some info about it (written by my father) on my website:
http://www.machka.net/pbp/Machka.htm

And here's some more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny-farthing

I think to start with they just attached the cranks/pedals direct to the wheel. The only way to go faster was to have a bigger wheel. Then they developed a drive train using a chain and cogs which enabled the use of different sized cogs and a 'normal' sized wheel, ie like a modern fixie.

Yep, I was doing some noodling on this and came up with the same thing. With a smaller wheel, you would just have to spin too fast to get anywhere.

I'm still surprised they did not start with a drive train. They may have not had a drive chain of reasonable size but they certainly had gears. I suppose a gear box would have been kind of heavy.

I remember reading a book written by the first person to cross America by bike in the 1880's, who did it on a penny-farthing. I couldn't recall his name or the name of the book, and I couldn't find it after a brief Google search.

That would have been a challenge even on a modern mountain bike on the roads of those years. Summerfield was challenged on a number of roads but this guy had them all the way across the country!

I remember reading a book written by the first person to cross America by bike in the 1880's, who did it on a penny-farthing. I couldn't recall his name or the name of the book, and I couldn't find it after a brief Google search.


Thomas Stephens was the first person to cycle around the world. On a Penny farthing no less, back in 1884!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Around_the_world_on_a_bicycle


Thomas Stevens documented his travels, you can download his book from Project Gutenberg, I read the first half a while back and it makes quite interesting reading compared to today's experiences, very little motor traffic, a lot of unpaved roads and many people had never seen a bicycle before. Worth a read...

Thanks for your replies and the references. Some of my recollections from the book are that he carried a revolver, once had to hang over the edge of a railroad bridge holding his bike, and referred to a Chinese man by the presumedly un-PC 19th century term, "John Chinaman."

I'm still surprised they did not start with a drive train. They may have not had a drive chain of reasonable size but they certainly had gears. I suppose a gear box would have been kind of heavy.

When you think of what's involved in a complete drive train, even a simple one(i.e. fixie), there can be a lot there. You've got to deal with two gears, how to attach those gears to their respective components(pedals and rear wheel) as well as finding, or more likely in those days, making a chain small enough to fit on a bike. The design came about in the 1800s, they didn't have quite the resources we have now.

How do you mount those things [penny farthings]? Running start?

A subsequent posting had a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Ocy0SPgcM

I had a disaster with someone dismounting. In 1971, I was riding the Wolverine Bike marathon on Belle Isle in Detroit, a five mile long loop, so at the starting point were a lot of cyclists congregated, including some penny-farthing riders. One dismounted and fell onto my back wheel, bending it by about thirty degrees :-(
Without much of an excuse me, he went on his way. I lost about three hours while my mother got me a new one and trucked it over. So give them wide berth, it's a long way down when the fall and they've got momentum.

Blimey. What a stunning effort, and a fantastic achievement and experience! I bet he's got mixed feelings about finishing. I can't imagine ever going back to work after something like that. Nor can I imagine what I'd do for next year's trip.

Goodness gracious indeed! ON a pennyfarthing...and a long tour, to boot.

Before I left on my world tour in 1998, a buddy i was talking to about trip preparation said to me:

"you don't think after this trip you will be able to just go back to work and have things pick up where ya left off? Impossible. You'll be a complete misfit, totally out of tune with the pulse of the world, won't really be able to keep a traditional job, et cetera.

In my case he was right. I've been in and out of the private and public sector since 2000, but now am pretty much self employed. In fact i've thought of turning to touring full time. The money i'd save in rent (living on the bike/wild camping etc) would buy me a good health insurance policy; and stock trading would provide the rest.

Could never get on a pennyfarthing....too afraid of heights.

roughstuff

The penny farthing was the simplest method of developing a reasonably geared bike with minimum weight with the technology of the time. Early ones were in the 50 pound area while the late ones got down to the 25 to 35 pound range as improvements were developed in steel tube manufacture, ball bearings, wheel making etc. The early bicycle demand was the major driver for developments in all these areas.

The bicycle chain was not developed until after the penny farthing became popular and early versions left something to be desired. The roller chain was not developed till about 1880 as I recall. Earlier designs were block chain.

Until decent chains were available the modern configuration of bike was not possible. The transition was in the 1885 to 1890 period in England and a few years later here. By 1889 you could buy a bike with a layout that looked almost modern. It was a fixed gear single speed, the bike design of the 1890s bike boom.

The freewheel was developed in 1898 by Sachs I have read and the coaster braked freewheel hub in about 1899. Early derailleurs and gear hubs followed though the gear hub was dominant for a long time, at least in England. Early derailleur developments were mostly French.

I admire somone willing to do a long tour using an 1880 technology bike. Takes guts. I also wonder how much time was spent walking the bike due to lack of low enough gearing.

Before I left on my world tour in 1998, a buddy i was talking to about trip preparation said to me:

"you don't think after this trip you will be able to just go back to work and have things pick up where ya left off? Impossible. You'll be a complete misfit, totally out of tune with the pulse of the world, won't really be able to keep a traditional job, et cetera.

In my case he was right. I've been in and out of the private and public sector since 2000, but now am pretty much self employed. In fact i've thought of turning to touring full time. The money i'd save in rent (living on the bike/wild camping etc) would buy me a good health insurance policy; and stock trading would provide the rest.



You should start a thread on what you've written above ... in fact, just copy and paste it into a new thread, and give it a catchy title!! This is worth a discussion of its own. :)


My longest tour was 3 months, but even it was enough to make me a partial misfit ... and both Rowan and I are now preparing for a somewhat nomadic lifestyle.

My longest tour was 3 months, but even it was enough to make me a partial misfit ... and both Rowan and I are now preparing for a somewhat nomadic lifestyle.

My wife and I did a two month cross country honeymoon ride to get to Boston to start a new profession and had to be here by July 1. So our tour was both fun and utilitarian and we thus quickly settled into a "purposeful" urban lifestyle, but we continued to be deeply involved with cycling, that, for me, satisfies my nomadic yearnings. Nonetheless, I still think about my my dream intended trip around the perimeter of the US; now that would be nomadic.