Three Reasons To Ride A Modern Penny Farthing Bike

By Author: Jose B. Warner
Total Articles: 15
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You may have heard of the Penny Farthing bicycle, or you may not have, though you’ve probably seen one. If you’re here for more information, stick along for the ride. If not, today’s your lucky day. Have you ever seen those old school bicycles that are sporadically displayed in ads and popular images of the late 19th century? The bicycles with one large one in the front, which the pedals attached directly to the axle, with no mechanical drive system, and a smaller wheel behind? That’s a Penny Farthing.
The Penny Farthing bike incorporated a large front wheel in its design to which the pedals were directly attached, and featured a smaller, fixed rear wheel. The larger wheel made it possible for the rider to attain fairly high speeds by virtue of the fact that the circumference of the wheel magnified the efforts of the rider in the absence of a drive system. In addition, the larger wheel, at least at lower speeds, helped to mollify the roughness of the early roads over which the first riders traveled. Although at high speeds it was said that the lack of a suspension system made for a rough ride, at ...
... slower speeds the large wheel absorbed some of the imperfections of the road.
So now, with that crash course on the Penny Farthing, here are a few reasons in defense of your burgeoning interest. While there are quite a few reasons you might already have yourself for wanting to get a Modern Penny Farthing Bike and learning to ride, here are a few more to add to that list.
1. It Offers An Alternative To Other Bicycles
Riding a modern Penny Farthing bike is a totally different experience from riding a modern bike with chain-driven gears. For one, the speed you can attain from a modern bike is largely due to the mechanical advantage offered by the gears. With a modern Penny Farthing bike, your gear ratio (since there are none) is effectively 1:1, which means that for every revolution made by your legs, the wheel will revolve one time as well. A Penny Farthing still is capable of reaching speed, however, but it will take more strength and endurance to get there.
Riding a Penny Farthing requires a finely tuned sense of balance since the rider will be so much higher off of the ground than he or she would be with a modern bike. Turning a Penny Farthing demands a fine sense of balance as well.
2. There Are Still Groups Dedicated To Racing Them
Learning to ride a Penny Farthing bike doesn’t have to be an exercise in obsolescence, and it doesn’t have to be a novelty either. There are still many groups that are dedicated to racing them, and some Penny Farthing riders make a real sport out of the affair. If you teach yourself to ride a Penny Farthing, or a Penny, you can take that skill to a whole new recreational level with Penny Farthing racing.
3. Learn A New Skill - It’s Fun
As we stated, it’s an entirely new skill as compared to riding other bicycles with different designs. Because you’ll need to recultivate your sense of balance and learn to power the bike without the advantage of gears. Along with the fact that it will present new physical challenges, learning to ride a modern Penny Farthing bike will demand attention and problem-solving skills.
These are only a few basic reasons for learning to ride a Penny Farthing bike, though you may very much have your own. A good place to start learning to ride a Penny Farthing is with a Penny Farthing, after all, and if you’re looking for one take a look at Unicycle.com. Don’t let the name fool you - if you’re looking for a modern Penny Farthing bike, Unicycle.com is a great place to start. Take a look at their site or give their team a call at 800-864-2925 today.
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