tcs

Cyclists have raced from Lands End at the tip of Cornwall to John o'Groats at the tip of Scotland since 1885. This past summer 55 y.o. Richard Thoday broke C.P. Mills' 133-year-old record for riding the distance on a penny farthing. Tough climbs, bad weather, traffic...end to end smile!


There's no date on the calendar for when you have to quit dreaming big.

FiftySix

Very cool.

I noticed the part where his GPS nav got him lost. Perhaps a paper map and compass from the 19th century would have served him better?

FiftySix

I thought of this thread when I came across the "safety" penny farthing in the link below. Comes with a 19th century tech front lamp.

https://houston.craigslist.org/bik/d...023941636.html

JanMM

Surprised to see an ordinary referred to as a safety bicycle!

John E

Yup -- it is anything but. However, you have to admit the post reports on an extraordinary feat.

JanMM

Indeed!

FiftySix

Possibly trying to jump on the 19th century "safety" bandwagon for a bike where the small wheel leads the large wheel?

tcs

Riders of the 1870s and 1880s knew only too well the inherent dangers and challenges of the light, simple & efficient penny farthing. By the early 1880s there was a significant movement to invent a safer design, like the dwarf ordinary, the Kangaroo, the Eagle, the Star, the Facile, Crypto-Dynamic's geared ordinary, and the bike that got it right and was largely ignored, Lawson's Bicyclette.

In the transition period, roughly 1885~1893, the terminology was the ordinary (penny farthings), the safety (diamond frame bikes with equal-sized wheels, a chain driving the rear) and the ordinary safety (encompassing the designs in the first paragraph).

tcs

Theses days the ultra-marathon bike racers ride pretty much continuously, punctuated by the odd 20-minute nap. The great ultra-marathon bike racer Pete Penseyres once expressed wistfulness for the 'gentleman's days' of long-distance record setting, when one rode for 16~18 hours and then got a good night's sleep.

It appears from the video that Mr. Thoday is in the 'gentleman' class!

BobbyG

Inspiring!

Nice use of helmet and bike blinkies, front and rear.

1AvidCyclistCat

I wonder if the roads were paved and or following exact riding route.
Did he use a heavy iron penny farthing, like back in the day 130 years ago?
Nonetheless, it is quite an accomplishment and to be admired!

1AvidCyclistCat

Bravo! Executed with courage and ridden with bravado!

tcs

One can't ever make an exact comparison about such things. Thoday used the modern 'record' route with a bridge over the Firth of Forth - Mills had to take a ferry in 1886. OTOH, Mills used pacing riders to guide him while Thoday rode alone. I personally doubt Mills' top quality 1886 steel racer was in its day in any way measurably inferior to Thoday's modern, low cost Asian-built machine.

john m flores 

That may be the most British thing I’ve ever seen lol. What a wonderful achievement and good to see that he raised money for a good cause.

I believe that this is the bike he used: https://www.unicycle.co.uk/52-udc-mk...ing-black.html

Wildwood

Have your own custom Penny Farthing.
NAHBS award - North American Handbuilt Bike Show

FiftySix

Oooof. That main tube is a like a prank or a joke. Tallerico Cycles' modern high-wheeler

Something smoother for me please. Antique Replicas - Rideable Bicycle Replicas

tcs

Serious modern reproduction come out of Bolwell's in Australia, Mesicek in the Czech Republic, RBR in California, Richards in England and Standard in Sweden. As mentioned UDC offers a relatively modest priced modern interpretation in their MK4.

Wildwood

I know nothing of penny farthing design, tube selection, ... nothing. But looking at the RBR Superior, it looks beefy, like the Tallerico. Besides, who knows the weight of the owner of the custom. Maybe room for fatter tires for an off-road cross America expedition?!?


Antique Replicas: Superior - Rideable Bicycle Replicas

FiftySix

It's the 6 piece (or more) main tube of unmatched diameter pipe of the Tallerico hob knobed together that seems like a joke or prank. They admit to making their creation out of scrap.

I'm sure they had fun making it and the "people" liked it, so they got an award. Kinda like winning an ugly dog contest, I suppose.

tcs

The better 1880s original pennys and the best of the modern reproductions used tapering, ovalized tubular steel backbones with carefully engineered strength and flex. Hopefully, Tallerico was spoofing everybody because otherwise they merely illustrated their ignorance of bike design.

1AvidCyclistCat

That looks like chrome plated chrome moly...