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.
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Mark Hill riding his 45 year old penny farthing bicycle around Battersea, 1934.
I'm guessing with chain and sprockets, the only way to gain any mechanical advantage was to increase the size of the drive wheel. 1 rotation of the pedals equals 1 rotation of the wheel, so make the wheel bigger to get more speed.
They were called neck breakers because if you went over the bars (easy to do going downhill) you could suffer severe injury to your head and neck. When the chain drive bicycle was introduced it was marketed as "the safety bicycle" and the penny-farthing became obsolete. A buddy had a small Bridgestone penny-farthing that he would ride around the kitchen table. Al_in_Ottawa
Hang on to the bars, push it along, step on the rear foot peg, and haul yourself up. Start pedaling. There is not a coasting mechanism. The wheels and pedal move all the time. You have to use a lot of core strength to ride. Your hands on the grips are pulling up when pushing down, and you have to push down with your arms when you are slowing down. You're trying to back pedal. To get off.. almost stop and hop off. Helps to have a big guy to help.
This guy's riding on a wet city street when coal heating was in vogue. None of those things seem to have a front fender - how come he's not decorated with a muddy stripe down the front of his natty suit?
Archaicly cute, but ultimately a stupid invention. No brakes, because stopping means you have to get off the bike. And a sideways fall of any type virtually guarantees severe hip/pelvic, spinal, arm, and head injuries. This machine made walking, zeppelin travel, or even riding a motorcycle seem far more sensible by comparison, which latter is saying a lot. I'm surprised anyone ever made more than 10 of them.
But it's obviously been well-garaged, or it wouldn't have survived 45 English winters.
I will admit that I've never ridden a penny farthing, but that is a fair distance from the ground for a man of his age.
ReplyDeleteI get it: front wheel a penny, rear wheel a farthing - old coinage.
ReplyDeleteThe guy is probably about 30 years old.
ReplyDelete30 years old? Try again unless he faked the wrinkles and dyed his beard and hair grey. Closer to 60 I suspect.
DeleteNever understood the logic behind those things. I guess they're mechanically simpler than a chain-driven bicycle, but they look unsafe.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing with chain and sprockets, the only way to gain any mechanical advantage was to increase the size of the drive wheel. 1 rotation of the pedals equals 1 rotation of the wheel, so make the wheel bigger to get more speed.
DeleteWithout chain and sprockets
DeleteThey were called neck breakers because if you went over the bars (easy to do going downhill) you could suffer severe injury to your head and neck. When the chain drive bicycle was introduced it was marketed as "the safety bicycle" and the penny-farthing became obsolete.
ReplyDeleteA buddy had a small Bridgestone penny-farthing that he would ride around the kitchen table.
Al_in_Ottawa
Hang on to the bars, push it along, step on the rear foot peg, and haul yourself up. Start pedaling. There is not a coasting mechanism. The wheels and pedal move all the time. You have to use a lot of core strength to ride. Your hands on the grips are pulling up when pushing down, and you have to push down with your arms when you are slowing down. You're trying to back pedal. To get off.. almost stop and hop off. Helps to have a big guy to help.
ReplyDeleteThey have a very rough ride, it'll rattle the fillings out of your teeth.
ReplyDeleteThis guy's riding on a wet city street when coal heating was in vogue. None of those things seem to have a front fender - how come he's not decorated with a muddy stripe down the front of his natty suit?
ReplyDeleteThe stripe will be on his back.
DeleteThe front wheel doesn't kick up any dirt?
DeleteThey are a joy to ride; smooth and silent with a great view. The long backbone is a big spring plus the saddle has springs as well.
ReplyDeleteSTO
Archaicly cute, but ultimately a stupid invention.
ReplyDeleteNo brakes, because stopping means you have to get off the bike.
And a sideways fall of any type virtually guarantees severe hip/pelvic, spinal, arm, and head injuries.
This machine made walking, zeppelin travel, or even riding a motorcycle seem far more sensible by comparison, which latter is saying a lot.
I'm surprised anyone ever made more than 10 of them.
But it's obviously been well-garaged, or it wouldn't have survived 45 English winters.
My grandparents had one of those in the garage when I was a kid. Never knew what became of it.
ReplyDelete