Penny-farthing

Origins and development Eugène Meyer of Paris is now regarded as the father of the high bicycle This prevented headers but left the danger of being thrown backwards when riding uphill. Other attempts included moving the seat rearward and driving the wheel by levers or treadles, as in the "Xtraordinary" and "Facile", or gears, by chain as in the "Kangaroo" or at the hub, as in the "Crypto"; and was a salient example of conspicuous consumption. Attributes The penny-farthing used a larger wheel than the velocipede, thus giving higher speeds on all but the hills. In addition, the large wheel gave a smoother ride, were, for the time of its prominence, outweighed by its strengths. While it was a difficult, dangerous machine, it was simpler, lighter, and faster than the safer velocipedes of the time. Two new developments changed this situation, and led to the rise of the safety bicycle. The first was the chain drive, originally used on tricycles, allowing a gear ratio to be chosen independent of the wheel size. The second was the pneumatic bicycle tire, allowing smaller wheels to provide a smooth ride. 's 1885 Rover safety bicycle (right) The nephew of one of the men responsible for popularity of the penny-farthing was largely responsible for its demise. James Starley had built the Ariel (spirit of the air) high-wheeler in 1870; but this was a time of innovation, and when chain drives were upgraded so that each link had a small roller, higher and higher speeds became possible without the need for a large front wheel. In 1885, Starley's nephew John Kemp Starley took these new developments to launch the modern bicycle, the Rover safety bicycle, so-called because the rider, seated much lower and farther behind the front wheel contact point, was less prone to a header. In 1888, when John Dunlop re-invented the pneumatic tire for his son's tricycle, the high wheel was made obsolete. The comfortable ride once found only on tall wheels could now be enjoyed on smaller chain-driven bicycles. By 1893, high-wheelers were no longer being produced. == Characteristics ==

The penny-farthing is a direct-drive bicycle, meaning the cranks and pedals are fixed directly to the hub. Instead of using gears to multiply the revolutions of the pedals, the driven wheel is enlarged so the radius from the hub to the outer wheel is comfortable for the rider to reach the pedals fixed to the hub. But the rider needs to be able to both mount the saddle and reach the pedals. If the wheel is too large, this will not be achievable. For instance a 5'9" cyclist due to their leg length could at best ride a 50"–54" high wheel depending on the height of the saddle. Construction The frame is a single tube following the circumference of the front wheel, then diverting to a trailing wheel. A mounting peg is above the rear wheel. The front wheel is in a rigid fork with little if any trail. A spoon brake is usually fitted on the fork crown, operated by a lever from one of the handlebars. The bars are usually mustache shaped, dropping from the level of the headset. The saddle mounts on the frame less than behind the headset. One particular model, made by Pope Manufacturing Company in 1886, weighs , has a 60-spoke front wheel and a 20-spoke rear wheel. It is fitted with solid rubber tires. The rims, frame, fork, and handlebars are made from hollow, steel tubing. The steel axles are mounted in adjustable ball bearings. The leather saddle is suspended by springs. Another model, made by Humber and Co., Ltd., of Beeston, Nottingham, weighs only , and has wheels. It has no step and no brakes, in order to minimize weight. A third model, also made by Pope Manufacturing Company, weighs and has forged steel forks. A brake lever on the right of a straight handlebar operates a spoon brake against the front wheel. All three have cranks that can be adjusted for length. Operation It is generally advised to mount a penny-farthing from flat, level ground, since mounting on a slight incline may prevent the cyclist from gaining momentum and possibly result in loss of balance. Similarly, dismounting on an incline is also advised against. Speed moderation, as with other types of bicycles, is an important safety measure. In particular, freewheeling and sudden braking are discouraged due to the increased danger of falling and of being ejected from the vehicle in comparison with a modern bicycle. Changing direction on a penny-farthing also requires caution, due to its more restrictive steering. Generally, riding a penny-farthing is comparable to riding other types of bicycle in respect to anticipating hazards, signalling, and defensive cycling. Penny-farthings are legal to ride on UK roads. File:Zbraslav 2011, jízda elegance (07).jpg|A rider stands on the mounting peg to lift his other leg to a pedal File:Zbraslav 2011, jízda elegance (19).jpg|The rider astride the bicycle File:Zbraslav 2011, jízda elegance (22).jpg|A second person can be carried on the mounting peg Performance Frederick Lindley Dodds, of Stockton-on-Tees, England, is credited with having set the first hour record, covering an estimated distance of 15 miles and 1,480 yards (25.493 kms) on a high-wheeler during a race on the Fenner's Track, Cambridge University on March 25, 1876. The furthest (paced) hour record ever achieved on a penny-farthing bicycle was by William A. Rowe, an American, in 1886. The record for riding from Land's End to John o' Groats on a penny-farthing was set in 1886 by George Pilkington Mills with a time of five days, one hour, and 45 minutes. This record was broken in 2019 by Richard Thoday with a time of four days, 11 hours and 52 minutes. Until the 21st century, the last paced hour record to be set on a penny-farthing was probably BW Attlee's 1891 English amateur record of . In 1884, Thomas Stevens rode (and walked) a Columbia penny-farthing in 103 days from San Francisco to Boston == In popular culture ==

from 1885 with the small wheel in front The bike, with the one wheel dominating, led to riders being referred to in America as "wheelmen", a name that lived on for nearly a century in the League of American Wheelmen until renamed the League of American Bicyclists in 1994. Clubs of racing cyclists wore uniforms of peaked caps, tight jackets and knee-length breeches, with leather shoes, the caps and jackets displaying the club's colors. In 1967 collectors and restorers of penny-farthings (and other early bicycles) founded the Wheelmen, Davis, California; and Redmond, Washington.{{cite web == Events ==

• Each February in Evandale, Tasmania, penny-farthing enthusiasts from around the world converge on the small village for a series of penny-farthing races, including the national championship. • In October there is a bicycle ride from the statue of an 1890s bicyclist on a penny-farthing in Port Byron, Illinois named "Will B. Rolling" to a similar statue in Sparta, Wisconsin named "Ben Bikin'". • In 2004, British leukemia patient and charity fundraiser Lloyd Scott (43) rode a penny-farthing across the Australian outback to raise money for a charitable cause. • In 2012, the first Clustered Spires High Wheel Race took place in Frederick, Maryland, USA. This is the country's only race of its kind - a one-hour criterium race around a course through the historic downtown district.{{cite news == See also ==