I'm trapped in the house recovering from some minor surgery and wistfully reading cycling adventures of yore. In 1905 Francis Birtles rode 8,000 miles across and around Australia on a Royal Speedwell:



It strikes me how much this looks like a 650b randonneur. The Australian manufactured Royal Speedwell sported 3 speeds and a freewheel. He states that he was pedaling 85 lbs, 25 of which was the bike.

Another view of the bike:



The story of his trip is here.