And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
There are annual races for these held in and around Frederick, Md (my approximate neck of the woods). It never ceases to amaze me watching those things wheel by...
A singularly dangerous ride, especially at speed. The most common accident, since the driver sits almost on top of the "penny" wheel, is to be pitched forward on a bad bump (probably why this guy is on the pegs). Lots of fatalities back in the day due to head injuries. The ride can carry two if the second guy steps up on a moving P-F and uses the foot pegs.
Johnny Knoxville and Ryan Dunn rode penny-farthings in one of the “Jackass” movies. The stunt ended when Johnny took a header off his bike and landed full-force onto his face on the pavement.
I can ride one. It's been a while, but like any bike, once you know how, you don't forget. A few observations. The pedals are fixed to the wheel. Once you let it get spinning like this, you have to ride it to the bottom of the hill and then slow down as you go up the next rise, you can not put your feet back on the pedals, they are spinning too fast. There are no brakes. The tires are solid, not inflated, with a heavy wire core that is how it is pulled together. His position, on the pegs, is the final location he can be in, it gives him the most control. It also prepares him to jump. If that wheel hits anything, the bike stops and rotates the rider into the ground. Jumping up and over, clearing the handlebars and taking whatever happens next, is preferable to being punched into the ground like a dart. There is a reason that when chain drive bikes allowed bicycles to have two wheels the same size, using different sized sprockets to create a gear ratio, they were called "safety bikes."
that guy does. bet the club meetings are mostly the sound of crickets.
ReplyDeleteJesus, he's wearing sandals.
ReplyDeleteHe's nuts.
Good for him. At least he's not dull.
Where do you find replacement tires for that ? A guy who not only thinks outside the box, he found a box in the attic and resides there instead.
ReplyDeleteWho rides it? Charter members of the Hell's Angles Geriatric-division- San Francisco chapter, maybe?
ReplyDeleteBat-shit insane. Love the guy but what I cannot figure out is how his giant balls are fitting in that tight speedo outfit!
ReplyDeleteMark Twain learned to ride a bicycle like that. He said, "Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."
ReplyDeleteHere he explains how to do it; but be warned, put all beverages out of reach before reading!
http://www.online-literature.com/twain/1323/
The Bike is a penny-farthing which was popular during the late Victorian era. The still are being made.
ReplyDeleteDan Kurt
From the look of his mouth and where he is sanding on the mount pegs, I'd say the thing started rolling before he could get on the seat.
ReplyDeleteThere are annual races for these held in and around Frederick, Md (my approximate neck of the woods). It never ceases to amaze me watching those things wheel by...
ReplyDeleteA singularly dangerous ride, especially at speed. The most common accident, since the driver sits almost on top of the "penny" wheel, is to be pitched forward on a bad bump (probably why this guy is on the pegs). Lots of fatalities back in the day due to head injuries. The ride can carry two if the second guy steps up on a moving P-F and uses the foot pegs.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Knoxville and Ryan Dunn rode penny-farthings in one of the “Jackass” movies. The stunt ended when Johnny took a header off his bike and landed full-force onto his face on the pavement.
ReplyDeleteI can ride one. It's been a while, but like any bike, once you know how, you don't forget. A few observations. The pedals are fixed to the wheel. Once you let it get spinning like this, you have to ride it to the bottom of the hill and then slow down as you go up the next rise, you can not put your feet back on the pedals, they are spinning too fast. There are no brakes. The tires are solid, not inflated, with a heavy wire core that is how it is pulled together. His position, on the pegs, is the final location he can be in, it gives him the most control. It also prepares him to jump. If that wheel hits anything, the bike stops and rotates the rider into the ground. Jumping up and over, clearing the handlebars and taking whatever happens next, is preferable to being punched into the ground like a dart. There is a reason that when chain drive bikes allowed bicycles to have two wheels the same size, using different sized sprockets to create a gear ratio, they were called "safety bikes."
ReplyDelete