Hitting a rock would be painful. Those guys are fearless.

I saw them doing a crit race in Belgium last week. And not just for the show either. Serious speeds on those cobble stones. The guy in the Belgian championship jersey is, well, the Belgian champion.

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Grotefoto-QEU3C3JI.jpg

An 1899 Columbia shaft drive "safety" would be a proper gentleman's conveyance, and period correct.

BTW: Where is your jacket, tie & hat in your outfit?
Scandalous to go about half dressed in public!

-Bandera

You'd be wrong about the uni. When you fall on a unicycle there are no handlebars to go over. Basically you just hit the ground running and bring yourself to a stop.

Hi-wheel riders actually used to coast with their legs above the bars at times. Now that's nuts!

Yes, indeed, the jacket was hot, the hat, too, and the tie or ascot would be proper especially for a night on the town. I could get away with just a tie if I were a laborer at work.

I would have been alarmed by the the wheel wiggle as soon as it started. That crash looked painful.

They make great wall decor.

The Victoria era actually ran from 1837 to 1901, during the time Queen Victoria reigned as queen. As for paved roads, the Romans were paving roads in 500BC, using stone, and you can figure that large streets cities, where there was heavy traffic, used similar technology even long before the first bicycles.

Has anyone tried using a front brake? I can imagine what it feels like to be alarmed at the oscilation and not be able to do anything about it! In the jeep 4x4 crowd, whe call that a death wobble! This is often caused by loose tie rod ends.

I think that guy took his fall artfully. I think he was ready for that.

Looked like his knees took a beating though!

How about a high wheel safety? 1890 Eagle High Wheel Bicycle : Lot 12

That's all I need to know. Bad idea.

Pennyfarthings are so Plebeian.

You wanna be all Victorian and stuff get yourself a proper tricycle.

» 1901 Beeston Humber No 27 Convertible Tricycle The Online Bicycle Museum

This way you can have something uber cool and not risk your neck literally every time you attempt a ride.

No, it's a face-plant at mach 10, with a much different and more dangerous pivot point.

If you're just going to diddle around a parking lot (if you can ride one of these no-handed, you're a wizard) whilst checking your pocket watch and pontificating in an olde timey accent, then, by all means, knock yourself out. However, if you're seriously thinking of putting in some miles and showing up at gigs on this thing, you'd do well to keep looking.

I can't say enough good things about penny farthings,or highwheels to the wheelmen. I bought a RBR Boneshaker a few years ago and absolutely love riding it. I'd never even seen one before,but by watching a few YouTube videos (especially one by Highwheelin Martin Barnes,Brit ex-pat in Canada) , I felt confident...... It's easier than you would think. Treat it like a scooter to get going,pushing it along to get your speed up (3-4 hops), then just step up and on the saddle. It's the original fixie, so be prepared to pedal immediately. It's easy to ride slow,as a large wheel balances easier than a smaller one...... Physics,you remember that class ,right?..... To dismount ,just take your left foot ,reach back and fish around for the rear step and as soon as you find it, it's a scooter again..... You can even use your right foot as a brake on the rear wheel in this position.....I've had it for 2 1/2 years ,no falls yet ,and I ride often...... Ridden in Manhattan with some Wheelmen.....try it , you'll like it. Princeton

I saw this on my local CL.

[h=2]Vintage Highwheel, Penny Farthing - $900[/h]http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/4796814036.html

http://images.craigslist.org/01616_j...FX_600x450.jpg