So why and when was the iconic large Penny Farthing or High wheel popular? And why was it so enormous? First off, let me put the sheer size of the wheel in context. A bike today may have a circumference of about 0.7 metres. In 1870, a Penny Farthing wheel was around double this size at 1.5 metres.
The primary reason for the wheel size was speed. In 1817s bicycles were new, and in some countries seen as a ridiculous and dangerous invention. Developments like gears, rubber tyres and light building materials were yet to be invented. However, for a few English engineers in 1870, it seemed the only way to achieve the greatest speed was to increase the distance covered per revolution of the bicycle pedals, and this meant upsizing the circumference of the wheel to a ridiculous amount. This increase in size and the timely invention of rubber gave birth to the Penny Farthing and its hugh iconic front wheel. It certainly had a much more comfortable and faster ride than the previous smaller wooden wheeled bicycles.
However, within only about 20 years, smaller chain driven wheels with pneumatic tyres were introduced and considered much safer. With the addition of gear systems in 1902, bicycles were very comfortable with adjustable speed.
So goes the story that the iconic large wheel was short lived due to the danger of riding such a thin and offset bicycle. You could say the Penny Farthing was pedalled out of the market!
Oh Yeah, the handlebars were quite a reach in 1870.
(image source – newyorkhistoryblog.com)
The primary reason for the wheel size was speed. In 1817s bicycles were new, and in some countries seen as a ridiculous and dangerous invention. Developments like gears, rubber tyres and light building materials were yet to be invented. However, for a few English engineers in 1870, it seemed the only way to achieve the greatest speed was to increase the distance covered per revolution of the bicycle pedals, and this meant upsizing the circumference of the wheel to a ridiculous amount. This increase in size and the timely invention of rubber gave birth to the Penny Farthing and its hugh iconic front wheel. It certainly had a much more comfortable and faster ride than the previous smaller wooden wheeled bicycles.
However, within only about 20 years, smaller chain driven wheels with pneumatic tyres were introduced and considered much safer. With the addition of gear systems in 1902, bicycles were very comfortable with adjustable speed.
So goes the story that the iconic large wheel was short lived due to the danger of riding such a thin and offset bicycle. You could say the Penny Farthing was pedalled out of the market!
Oh Yeah, the handlebars were quite a reach in 1870.
(image source – newyorkhistoryblog.com)