Wow, that sounds epic gilabear, thanks for sharing. I have to ask, were you guys riding Moultons? I see that Mount Roraima tops 9,000' - the air's pretty thin up there!! 👍
Great presentation! I can imagine spending twice as much time and still not covering all of the interesting details on these bikes. I've spent enough time on the Classic Rendezvous list and reading Vintage Bicycle Quarterly that I was familiar with most of these details, but it was still fun to hear your stories behind the bikes. Thanks! ... also.... I saved a lot of your articles from the bike mags over the years too, so that has helped my education on these cool machines too.
Thanks a lot for watching and the great comment Steve. I'm happy you enjoyed the show - and yes there's a lot more to say and show about all these bikes. I do have a longer video about the Victor highwheeler that's based on a talk I used to give on it to the second graders at my wife's class every year. At the end I ride it too. I enjoy CR and VBQ too! That's so cool you saved my articles, I'm flattered. Thanks for making my day! ❤️🙏🚴
Jim,that is one of the best videos I’ve watched in a long time ! Your presentation and honest humor are refreshing. I read your column in RBR every time it’s out. Thanks, Dave
I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the video so much Davidide, I had a lot of fun showing these bikes! Thanks a lot for watching and reading my weekly column in RoadBikeRider.com, I appreciate your support a lot 🙏
Thanks Jim for the history lesson. I'm fortunate to know you through the industry and it'd be great to get together and share our many stories of our years in and around cycling and bikes. We both have many years of memories.
Great to hear from you Steven, it's been awhile since I've run into you at a bike event. Thanks a lot for watching the video and commenting. Maybe at the Sea Otter we'll run into each other. Without Interbike that has become the main show. It would definitely be fun to share cycling stories and I know you've had an amazing life in cycling.
Thanks a lot for watching and commenting Sam, I'm glad you enjoyed the video enough to want a penny farthing! I don't know if you're interested, but you can see what it's like to ride one here in another video I made about mine: th-cam.com/video/671CtqCds2Y/w-d-xo.html
So wonderful and worthwhile to watch. What an amazing thought, that French families repaired the trauma of being cooped up in WWII by taking to the road for the weekend on randonneur bikes. If it was a French lady's bike yes, a randoneuse would be right? Or touring bikes to us! Also, it's stunning that you can pay relatively little ($ 1200, but it would be more now) for the pinaccle of cycle craftsmanship. And great to hear mention of Bob Jackson, have one in my workshop in Harare.
Thanks so much for watching and the awesome comment Stewart, appreciate it! I show a photo of the book about René Herse by Jan Heine in the video but I didn't explain that it was Jan and his writings about Herse that taught me a lot more about their history. It's a wonderful book. Here's a little more on it if you haven't seen it: www.renehersecycles.com/shop/print/books/rene-herse-the-bikes-the-builder-the-riders/ Also, you could very well be 100% correct that I should have called it a "randonneur." To explain, the reason I used "randonneuse" is because on the original René Herse order forms and the correspondence between the buyer Richard Payne and René Herse, Herse consistently refers to the bike as RANDONNEUSE [he used all caps]. Maybe a true Herse expert will see our conversation and explain what's correct. Since I had the original order form in front of me, I checked on more thing: Mr. Payne bought his Herse for approximately $4,700 in 1975. The $1,200 I mentioned was what I recently paid for the Cinelli MOD B - the blue bike with the chrome lugs. Lastly, regarding the Bob Jackson I mention with the Cinelli Bivalent hubs, it is a truly special bike built by the legendary Spence Wolf at Cupertino Bike Shop. Here's a link to my video about it in case you'd like to see that lovely machine: th-cam.com/video/6ZgGBCHphsM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=MIPekiAWmwLY1yxt Thanks again for watching and the great comment!
TH-cam suggested this vid to me. Great vid, especially because my late father had a Moulton in the 1970s, but a very different one to yours. Very heavy steel tubing, Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub, 16 inch (iirc) steel wheels. It weighed a ton and was very difficult to ride at a decent pace. He didn’t ride it much; I rode it more than he did. After having it about 8 years, he sold it to the owner of the bike shop where I worked: the owner was a real Anglophile and had a couple of Minis. I can’t wait to check out the rest of your videos 0:09
Thanks a lot for watching and the great comment. It's so nice to hear about your father's Moulton and you riding it. That might have been a Moulton Deluxe, the bike that came before the space frame Moulton I show in the video. Those are still out there on the used market and a good one can achieve a decent price. Thanks again! 🙏
@@Jordanmilo In case you want to see one again, here's a MK 3 on sale on eBay right now Jordan - not sure if this link will work but here it is: www.ebay.com/itm/126690325996?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item&srsltid=AfmBOopCgZz7Xql49v8W6J8kjMabwQJHv1WTF2bufdm7GDwwRXI7z1uJPqc
Hi Jim, very interesting talking! I learnt many new things about bikes from this video, and of course now I know how to lacing wheel spokes thank to you! Keep up the good work mate! Best from Argentina.
Thanks for watching and the great comment Andres! I'm so happy to hear you found my wheel building video helpful too! Really appreciate you letting me know. I bet the cycling is beautiful in Argentina, maybe someday I will get to ride there. Thanks again! 🙏
Thanks so much Peter, happy you enjoyed it so much. I've actually raced my Victor twice so I know how fast and exciting they are when you get them up to speed. The other thing I did that was telling is that I did a century ride in Connecticut, 10 times around a flat 10-mile course, timed by an official at an antique bike meet. That would have been in the early 90s. I wanted to see how fast I could go and I managed to complete the 100 miles in 7 hours. I was completely trashed at the finish and had to take a nap 😴- but it showed me that they can go pretty good for such heavy bicycles with a rider sitting up high in the wind. The century we did in Scotland I mentioned in this video was much tougher with lots of hills we had to walk up and sometimes down too, rain off and on throughout the day and a tricky course we got lost on several times. That 100-miler took me (us) 15 hours to complete - believe it or not.
@@JimLangley1 I believe it because you are a Veloiste Extraordinaire. How did you manage it? I'd last 3 hrs. on a good day. Will gmail you with a short question about steel frames, but not the Penny-farthing sort.
Outstanding presentation and amazing collection of bikes! So cool that you knew Moulton. Got interested in his designs and read his book after recently recommissioning my Mini but have never ridden one of the bikes. The Raleigh imitations compensated for the lack of suspension with fat tyres, but which were slow. But now we're told fat tyres can actually be faster. So maybe we should go back to smaller wheels!
I'm happy you enjoyed the show so much Ben. Thanks a lot for watching and the great comment. Those Raleighs actually rode pretty well on the street but a Moulton has a unique ride. Even the very early ones before the space frame felt pretty light and quick and smoothed the bumps. I hope you get to try one sometime - and one still in good riding condition.
@@PappaMike-vc1qv thanks a lot for watching and commenting PappaMike, so glad you enjoyed the video. Regarding recumbents please look at the comments below. Another person asked about them and if you read my reply you’ll find some links to famous recumbents. FYI I was one of the people that helped popularize recumbents in the early 1980’s by building them, riding them and writing about them in Bicycling Magazine. But I couldn’t bring one to show during the presentation because I no longer own one. Thanks again!
Thanks a lot for watching and commenting Dennis. I had to sell one of my Moultons and wish I still had it too. They're fun to ride and just as much fun when people see you on them and ask if they can try your "funny bike with the little wheels." They do turn up regularly on eBay and other places if you ever wanted to get another one. Thanks again!
@JimLangley1 One of the big regrets is that I am an engineer and admire Moulton's work. Also, I got the bike for free. It was hanging in the back of a bike shop I worked at, and I asked the owner what he wanted for it. He said, "Can you get it out of here today? " He used to quip that I should wear a bowler when I rode it. Take care.
You missed what I consider the most important innovation in bicycle evolution. In 1869 William Van Anden of Poughkeepsie, New York patented the first freewheeling system on a bicycle which he called the Dexter. I have started the William Van Anden Memorial Cycling Club. To be a member all you have to do is next time you climb a major hill and start freewheeling down the other side, shout “Thank you Willie!“
I enjoyed this video so much and I'm a New subscriber. I worked in the bicycle industry in the 1970 - 1990s. I have ridden a reproduction of the first bicycle you showed. The brand was "Boneshaker"
Thanks so much for watching and subscribing, appreciate it 🙏 I believe the Boneshaker you rode was by Rideable Bicycle Replicas out of Oakland, CA. They’re still making bikes. Thanks again!
Nice video and presentation. Can we relocate the seat to the opposite side and to steer the smaller wheel? This way can minimize the chance to tip forward and face down.
Thanks for watching and the most excellent question philoso! Actually, during the time the highwheeler (penny farthing) was still super popular, the bike industry was already trying to come up with a safer bike and they came out with a bike just like you describe. It was called the American Star. To prove that you couldn't go over the front, someone rode it down the steps of the Capitol Building in Washington DC. The funny thing about that design was that while you could not go over the front, you could now fall off the back 😀 If you would like to see one of the bikes, here's an online picture of one: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Star_Bicycle#/media/File:39_x_24_Star_Bicycle.jpg
Thanks a lot for watching and correcting what I said about the Pinion gearbox, appreciate it. It makes sense as I read that Porsche was involved in its development. Here's a link to their site for anyone who would like to learn more pinion.eu/en/we-are-pinion/ Thanks again.
Thanks for watching and commenting Bob. You're probably right about the hammock saddle on the Dursley-Pedersen. The design feature that makes that bike so innovative and popular with some cyclists who can't get comfortable on "standard" bikes is that the frame puts you in a standing cycling position. Riding a D-P feels similar to what standing and pedaling feels like on a standard bike. The long hammock seat does a great job of supporting this riding style too. Thanks again!
Awesome presentation, but one note, the Rene Herse did make bikes during the war, and most people in France rode during the war after France surrendered because gas was rationed into non-existence. During the occupation there were also many members of the Rene Herse teams that would take their bikes on overnight rides into the countryside from Paris to load up with contraband food to circumvent german rationing.
Thanks a lot for watching and for sharing the details about René Herse building bikes during the war and their use - and especially how they circumvented German rationing via bike, that's great to know. Thank you 🙏
You forgot the Dursley Pedersen, made by a Dane, Mikael Pedersen in British Dursley. It is still being produced intended for modern equipment also. It is much more stable than any new bike!
Thanks for watching and commenting Finn, I appreciate it. I would never forget about the Dursley Pedersen though. Visiting museums and collections around the world I've seen them many many times. And in my shop here in Santa Cruz there used to be a couple of customers who brought the modern ones in for service to me. They're very pleasant to ride and just as interesting to look at. I think they're still made and sold so I googled a bit and came up with this website that appears to sell them today and also has some photos: www.utopia-velo.de/fahrrad/pedersen-fahrrad
@@davidpalk5010 Because it was expensive to produce the special frame for the Pedersen bike (easily to be found as pictures on the Internet) though about 80.000 became made during its Production time, the Factory went broke. But today it is again being produced also able to use modern equipment for bikes, opposite the old and original versions. Finn. Denmark
Inventor Michael Pedersen went back to Denmark and died, but some years ago his bones became excavated and were returned to a Grave and a Memorial in Dursley in Britain (The protection time for his original grave had ended. And several of his family were present at the transfer flight and Ceremony)! During a Ceremony, his own composed Music became played, and several Original Dursley bikes were present when he returned to the place for a large part of his life. Before that he had got a Patent for a special valve which made him rich. Finn. Denmark
@@JimLangley1 Near to my home, just outside Copenhagen, we have a named "Free State": Christiania, on a former unused Barracks area, and after it became Occupied they restarted a Production of the Special Pedersen Bike, which has spread to now several production places. They also started making a three-wheeler, heavy duty cargo bike which is used for children's transport, and is very practical (Christiania bike). Denmark is the place to be if using bikes, though an American Ambassador (During Trumps first time) claimed it was because: "Danes couldn't afford to buy a car"!!! She wasn't thanked when she left again! Finn. Denmark
Roger, Roger, Roger - it's so nice to hear from you after all these years, hope you're doing great! Thanks so much for watching the video and reaching out - and for asking THE question 🤣The answer is, YES, I did finally acquire some different Viking head badges, and they're among my favorites. Have a great Thanksgiving and thank YOU for making my day with this comment.
2:02 back in the mid-1800s Instead of this giant big wheel bike I think I would’ve rather had a 1869 Guillemot and Meyer, maybe? I couldn’t afford either one of them.
Thanks for watching and the interesting comment K-Effect. That bike you mention is among the ones out there that bicycle historians debate as to its origins, so it's hard to know if it's actually a real bike from 1869. In any case, it sure is interesting to look at and read up on. Meyer does get credit for inventing wire spoke wheels. So he did know a thing or two about bicycles. velocipedegallery.com/blog/eugene-meyer-transitional-velocipede-1873 Thanks again for your comment!
Thanks a lot for watching and the really interesting question. I have not ridden any modern penny farthings with rear brakes so I can't speak from experience. Hopefully some people who have will see your question and weigh in with their comments. What I can tell you is that on the bikes I've ridden extensively - 3 different types, 2 antiques and 1 reproduction of an antique - the thing is that almost all your weight is on the front wheel. On roads with bumps, at a certain speed, the rear wheel will slightly come off the ground. That makes me think that in order to get a rear brake to slow the bike sufficiently you would want to put more weight over the rear wheel when braking. You could do that as a rider by leaning back. And someone designing a modern highwheeler could I imagine, change the frame geometry to put the rider's weight a little more over the rear wheel. Those things ought to help a rear brake slow and stop the bike. As for safety, the main thing is to realize that obstacles you must ride over could cause a faceplant if you're not careful. So something like a speed bump or a branch on the road. If you don't see them and hit these things at a low speed, they can cause a bad crash. Riders have 2 options: stop and walk around the obstacle; or what most people do is keep a keen eye out for things like this and then pedal right over them. The key thing is to keep pedaling. If the front wheel keeps turning it will roll over things in its path. But you mustn't stop pedaling. This is a little scary at first because it's a big bump and the bike feels like it's going out of control, but as long as you keep pedaling it'll settle down. Thanks again for the question.
Thanks a lot for watching and the video link GrayPlayer. Here's a video of installing a tire on the rear wheel of a penny farthing with my friend Greg Baron of Rideable Bicycle Replicas th-cam.com/video/nM2DhWbDlC4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vIYn5jd4599T0obZ
Thanks for pointing out that a recumbent could have been included isolani. If only I owned one, I could have included it. But I don't anymore. There's even a huge Santa Cruz connection - or Watsonville actually, because of Gardner Martin and Fast Freddy Markham who set the speed record in the Gold Rush, remember that? www.bentrideronline.com/?p=1744 I never owned a Gold Rush, but I did road test the Ti Rush jimlangley.net/ride/easyracers.html. Also the Lighting R-84 from Tim Brummer jimlangley.net/ride/lightning.html The recumbent I put the most miles on was a copy of the Avatar, the bike David Gordon Wilson designed. avatar2000.com/~avatartw/ I rode 2 double centuries on that bike and rode it a lot for commuting and errands. That was a fun bike and ultra comfortable. Thanks for watching and the great comment.
I climbed Mount Roraima (Venezuela) with Alex Moulton's cousin. When he learned I was a cyclist, he opened up about his brilliant cousin.
Wow, that sounds epic gilabear, thanks for sharing. I have to ask, were you guys riding Moultons? I see that Mount Roraima tops 9,000' - the air's pretty thin up there!! 👍
Amazing bikes and thanks for sharing your story as well!
My pleasure Sun. Thank you for watching and commenting, appreciate it!
Great presentation! I can imagine spending twice as much time and still not covering all of the interesting details on these bikes. I've spent enough time on the Classic Rendezvous list and reading Vintage Bicycle Quarterly that I was familiar with most of these details, but it was still fun to hear your stories behind the bikes. Thanks! ... also.... I saved a lot of your articles from the bike mags over the years too, so that has helped my education on these cool machines too.
Thanks a lot for watching and the great comment Steve. I'm happy you enjoyed the show - and yes there's a lot more to say and show about all these bikes. I do have a longer video about the Victor highwheeler that's based on a talk I used to give on it to the second graders at my wife's class every year. At the end I ride it too. I enjoy CR and VBQ too! That's so cool you saved my articles, I'm flattered. Thanks for making my day! ❤️🙏🚴
Jim,that is one of the best videos I’ve watched in a long time !
Your presentation and honest humor are refreshing.
I read your column in RBR every time it’s out.
Thanks, Dave
I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the video so much Davidide, I had a lot of fun showing these bikes! Thanks a lot for watching and reading my weekly column in RoadBikeRider.com, I appreciate your support a lot 🙏
Thanks Jim for the history lesson. I'm fortunate to know you through the industry and it'd be great to get together and share our many stories of our years in and around cycling and bikes. We both have many years of memories.
Great to hear from you Steven, it's been awhile since I've run into you at a bike event. Thanks a lot for watching the video and commenting. Maybe at the Sea Otter we'll run into each other. Without Interbike that has become the main show. It would definitely be fun to share cycling stories and I know you've had an amazing life in cycling.
TY! Lots of fun. Now I want a penny farthing!
Thanks a lot for watching and commenting Sam, I'm glad you enjoyed the video enough to want a penny farthing! I don't know if you're interested, but you can see what it's like to ride one here in another video I made about mine: th-cam.com/video/671CtqCds2Y/w-d-xo.html
Thanks from Boulder County for bike history lesson! Ride on!🤘 Not incidentally, good job with audio👍🙏
@@DougGrinbergs thanks so much for watching and your generosity Doug, appreciate it very much! 🙏
So wonderful and worthwhile to watch. What an amazing thought, that French families repaired the trauma of being cooped up in WWII by taking to the road for the weekend on randonneur bikes. If it was a French lady's bike yes, a randoneuse would be right? Or touring bikes to us! Also, it's stunning that you can pay relatively little ($ 1200, but it would be more now) for the pinaccle of cycle craftsmanship. And great to hear mention of Bob Jackson, have one in my workshop in Harare.
Thanks so much for watching and the awesome comment Stewart, appreciate it! I show a photo of the book about René Herse by Jan Heine in the video but I didn't explain that it was Jan and his writings about Herse that taught me a lot more about their history. It's a wonderful book. Here's a little more on it if you haven't seen it: www.renehersecycles.com/shop/print/books/rene-herse-the-bikes-the-builder-the-riders/
Also, you could very well be 100% correct that I should have called it a "randonneur." To explain, the reason I used "randonneuse" is because on the original René Herse order forms and the correspondence between the buyer Richard Payne and René Herse, Herse consistently refers to the bike as RANDONNEUSE [he used all caps]. Maybe a true Herse expert will see our conversation and explain what's correct. Since I had the original order form in front of me, I checked on more thing: Mr. Payne bought his Herse for approximately $4,700 in 1975. The $1,200 I mentioned was what I recently paid for the Cinelli MOD B - the blue bike with the chrome lugs.
Lastly, regarding the Bob Jackson I mention with the Cinelli Bivalent hubs, it is a truly special bike built by the legendary Spence Wolf at Cupertino Bike Shop. Here's a link to my video about it in case you'd like to see that lovely machine: th-cam.com/video/6ZgGBCHphsM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=MIPekiAWmwLY1yxt Thanks again for watching and the great comment!
Only 327 views. That's criminal!
Great talk. Lovely bikes.
Cheers
Thanks so much for watching and the nice comment Brian! Glad you enjoyed the bikes. Thank you 🙏
Congratulations for this lecture !
Really appreciate you watching and the nice comment, thank you 🙏
TH-cam suggested this vid to me. Great vid, especially because my late father had a Moulton in the 1970s, but a very different one to yours. Very heavy steel tubing, Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub, 16 inch (iirc) steel wheels. It weighed a ton and was very difficult to ride at a decent pace. He didn’t ride it much; I rode it more than he did. After having it about
8 years, he sold it to the owner of the bike shop where I worked: the owner was a real Anglophile and had a couple of Minis.
I can’t wait to check out the rest of your videos 0:09
Thanks a lot for watching and the great comment. It's so nice to hear about your father's Moulton and you riding it. That might have been a Moulton Deluxe, the bike that came before the space frame Moulton I show in the video. Those are still out there on the used market and a good one can achieve a decent price. Thanks again! 🙏
@ I think it was labeled as a Mk. 3. Triangular rear suspension, with the rubber ball up high.
@@Jordanmilo In case you want to see one again, here's a MK 3 on sale on eBay right now Jordan - not sure if this link will work but here it is: www.ebay.com/itm/126690325996?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item&srsltid=AfmBOopCgZz7Xql49v8W6J8kjMabwQJHv1WTF2bufdm7GDwwRXI7z1uJPqc
Hi Jim, very interesting talking! I learnt many new things about bikes from this video, and of course now I know how to lacing wheel spokes thank to you! Keep up the good work mate! Best from Argentina.
Thanks for watching and the great comment Andres! I'm so happy to hear you found my wheel building video helpful too! Really appreciate you letting me know. I bet the cycling is beautiful in Argentina, maybe someday I will get to ride there. Thanks again! 🙏
Thanks!
Thanks so much for helping support the channel Kneedeep, much appreciated 🙏💯🚴
Wonderful, Jim! One of your best. -- Attended a Penny-farthing velodrome race outside London some years back. Extremely fast and amazing to watch.
Thanks so much Peter, happy you enjoyed it so much. I've actually raced my Victor twice so I know how fast and exciting they are when you get them up to speed. The other thing I did that was telling is that I did a century ride in Connecticut, 10 times around a flat 10-mile course, timed by an official at an antique bike meet. That would have been in the early 90s. I wanted to see how fast I could go and I managed to complete the 100 miles in 7 hours. I was completely trashed at the finish and had to take a nap 😴- but it showed me that they can go pretty good for such heavy bicycles with a rider sitting up high in the wind. The century we did in Scotland I mentioned in this video was much tougher with lots of hills we had to walk up and sometimes down too, rain off and on throughout the day and a tricky course we got lost on several times. That 100-miler took me (us) 15 hours to complete - believe it or not.
@@JimLangley1 I believe it because you are a Veloiste Extraordinaire. How did you manage it? I'd last 3 hrs. on a good day. Will gmail you with a short question about steel frames, but not the Penny-farthing sort.
@@peterharrer3261 I'm happy to see if I can help with your question Peter.
Outstanding presentation and amazing collection of bikes! So cool that you knew Moulton. Got interested in his designs and read his book after recently recommissioning my Mini but have never ridden one of the bikes. The Raleigh imitations compensated for the lack of suspension with fat tyres, but which were slow. But now we're told fat tyres can actually be faster. So maybe we should go back to smaller wheels!
I'm happy you enjoyed the show so much Ben. Thanks a lot for watching and the great comment. Those Raleighs actually rode pretty well on the street but a Moulton has a unique ride. Even the very early ones before the space frame felt pretty light and quick and smoothed the bumps. I hope you get to try one sometime - and one still in good riding condition.
@@JimLangley1
I had a 3 speed that was pre-space frame. It was fun to commute on.
I definitely regret selling it.
Fantastic video. It would be amazing to see some famous recumbents.
@@PappaMike-vc1qv thanks a lot for watching and commenting PappaMike, so glad you enjoyed the video. Regarding recumbents please look at the comments below. Another person asked about them and if you read my reply you’ll find some links to famous recumbents. FYI I was one of the people that helped popularize recumbents in the early 1980’s by building them, riding them and writing about them in Bicycling Magazine. But I couldn’t bring one to show during the presentation because I no longer own one. Thanks again!
17:13 I do regret selling the Alex Moulton that I had. It was a 3 speed, but was not a break apart model. It did have the rubber suspension.
Thanks a lot for watching and commenting Dennis. I had to sell one of my Moultons and wish I still had it too. They're fun to ride and just as much fun when people see you on them and ask if they can try your "funny bike with the little wheels." They do turn up regularly on eBay and other places if you ever wanted to get another one. Thanks again!
@JimLangley1
One of the big regrets is that I am an engineer and admire Moulton's work.
Also, I got the bike for free. It was hanging in the back of a bike shop I worked at, and I asked the owner what he wanted for it. He said, "Can you get it out of here today? " He used to quip that I should wear a bowler when I rode it.
Take care.
@@dennisdose5697 🤣what a great story, thanks for the laughs Dennis!
You missed what I consider the most important innovation in bicycle evolution. In 1869 William Van Anden of Poughkeepsie, New York patented the first freewheeling system on a bicycle which he called the Dexter. I have started the William Van Anden Memorial Cycling Club. To be a member all you have to do is next time you climb a major hill and start freewheeling down the other side, shout “Thank you Willie!“
@@arlin411 Thanks for watching and the awesome comment - “Thank you Willie” is right. Thanks again!🙏
I enjoyed this video so much and I'm a New subscriber. I worked in the bicycle industry in the 1970 - 1990s. I have ridden a reproduction of the first bicycle you showed. The brand was "Boneshaker"
Thanks so much for watching and subscribing, appreciate it 🙏 I believe the Boneshaker you rode was by Rideable Bicycle Replicas out of Oakland, CA. They’re still making bikes. Thanks again!
Nice video and presentation.
Can we relocate the seat to the opposite side and to steer the smaller wheel? This way can minimize the chance to tip forward and face down.
Thanks for watching and the most excellent question philoso! Actually, during the time the highwheeler (penny farthing) was still super popular, the bike industry was already trying to come up with a safer bike and they came out with a bike just like you describe. It was called the American Star. To prove that you couldn't go over the front, someone rode it down the steps of the Capitol Building in Washington DC. The funny thing about that design was that while you could not go over the front, you could now fall off the back 😀 If you would like to see one of the bikes, here's an online picture of one: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Star_Bicycle#/media/File:39_x_24_Star_Bicycle.jpg
The Pinion gearbox does not use planetary gears! Rather it uses side-by-side shafts like on conventional manual transmissions, in 2 stages.
Thanks a lot for watching and correcting what I said about the Pinion gearbox, appreciate it. It makes sense as I read that Porsche was involved in its development. Here's a link to their site for anyone who would like to learn more pinion.eu/en/we-are-pinion/ Thanks again.
Can see where Dursley-Pedersen got the inspiration for their saddles 🤔💙
Thanks for watching and commenting Bob. You're probably right about the hammock saddle on the Dursley-Pedersen. The design feature that makes that bike so innovative and popular with some cyclists who can't get comfortable on "standard" bikes is that the frame puts you in a standing cycling position. Riding a D-P feels similar to what standing and pedaling feels like on a standard bike. The long hammock seat does a great job of supporting this riding style too. Thanks again!
Awesome presentation, but one note, the Rene Herse did make bikes during the war, and most people in France rode during the war after France surrendered because gas was rationed into non-existence. During the occupation there were also many members of the Rene Herse teams that would take their bikes on overnight rides into the countryside from Paris to load up with contraband food to circumvent german rationing.
Thanks a lot for watching and for sharing the details about René Herse building bikes during the war and their use - and especially how they circumvented German rationing via bike, that's great to know. Thank you 🙏
@@JimLangley1 you're welcome!
put pinion 18 speed hub on the big wheel bike, like the kervelo.
Thanks for watching and mentioning the KerVelo, that's a very interesting bike!
You forgot the Dursley Pedersen, made by a Dane, Mikael Pedersen in British Dursley. It is still being produced intended for modern equipment also. It is much more stable than any new bike!
Thanks for watching and commenting Finn, I appreciate it. I would never forget about the Dursley Pedersen though. Visiting museums and collections around the world I've seen them many many times. And in my shop here in Santa Cruz there used to be a couple of customers who brought the modern ones in for service to me. They're very pleasant to ride and just as interesting to look at. I think they're still made and sold so I googled a bit and came up with this website that appears to sell them today and also has some photos: www.utopia-velo.de/fahrrad/pedersen-fahrrad
Why would it be more stable? Why did it not catch on if it is superior?
@@davidpalk5010 Because it was expensive to produce the special frame for the Pedersen bike (easily to be found as pictures on the Internet) though about 80.000 became made during its Production time, the Factory went broke. But today it is again being produced also able to use modern equipment for bikes, opposite the old and original versions. Finn. Denmark
Inventor Michael Pedersen went back to Denmark and died, but some years ago his bones became excavated and were returned to a Grave and a Memorial in Dursley in Britain (The protection time for his original grave had ended. And several of his family were present at the transfer flight and Ceremony)! During a Ceremony, his own composed Music became played, and several Original Dursley bikes were present when he returned to the place for a large part of his life. Before that he had got a Patent for a special valve which made him rich. Finn. Denmark
@@JimLangley1 Near to my home, just outside Copenhagen, we have a named "Free State": Christiania, on a former unused Barracks area, and after it became Occupied they restarted a Production of the Special Pedersen Bike, which has spread to now several production places. They also started making a three-wheeler, heavy duty cargo bike which is used for children's transport, and is very practical (Christiania bike). Denmark is the place to be if using bikes, though an American Ambassador (During Trumps first time) claimed it was because: "Danes couldn't afford to buy a car"!!! She wasn't thanked when she left again! Finn. Denmark
Did you ever acquire a VIKING head tube badge?
Roger, Roger, Roger - it's so nice to hear from you after all these years, hope you're doing great! Thanks so much for watching the video and reaching out - and for asking THE question 🤣The answer is, YES, I did finally acquire some different Viking head badges, and they're among my favorites. Have a great Thanksgiving and thank YOU for making my day with this comment.
2:02 back in the mid-1800s Instead of this giant big wheel bike I think I would’ve rather had a 1869 Guillemot and Meyer, maybe? I couldn’t afford either one of them.
Thanks for watching and the interesting comment K-Effect. That bike you mention is among the ones out there that bicycle historians debate as to its origins, so it's hard to know if it's actually a real bike from 1869. In any case, it sure is interesting to look at and read up on. Meyer does get credit for inventing wire spoke wheels. So he did know a thing or two about bicycles. velocipedegallery.com/blog/eugene-meyer-transitional-velocipede-1873 Thanks again for your comment!
How well do newer-built penny farthings perform with rear braking? ...and does it reduce many of the safety hazzards?
Thanks a lot for watching and the really interesting question. I have not ridden any modern penny farthings with rear brakes so I can't speak from experience. Hopefully some people who have will see your question and weigh in with their comments. What I can tell you is that on the bikes I've ridden extensively - 3 different types, 2 antiques and 1 reproduction of an antique - the thing is that almost all your weight is on the front wheel. On roads with bumps, at a certain speed, the rear wheel will slightly come off the ground. That makes me think that in order to get a rear brake to slow the bike sufficiently you would want to put more weight over the rear wheel when braking. You could do that as a rider by leaning back. And someone designing a modern highwheeler could I imagine, change the frame geometry to put the rider's weight a little more over the rear wheel. Those things ought to help a rear brake slow and stop the bike.
As for safety, the main thing is to realize that obstacles you must ride over could cause a faceplant if you're not careful. So something like a speed bump or a branch on the road. If you don't see them and hit these things at a low speed, they can cause a bad crash. Riders have 2 options: stop and walk around the obstacle; or what most people do is keep a keen eye out for things like this and then pedal right over them. The key thing is to keep pedaling. If the front wheel keeps turning it will roll over things in its path. But you mustn't stop pedaling. This is a little scary at first because it's a big bump and the bike feels like it's going out of control, but as long as you keep pedaling it'll settle down. Thanks again for the question.
43:11 I wonder how many miles he peddled?
Question: The first bike, the penny farthing... where did the name 'bone shaker' come from ? Would I ride a penny farthing again, no way.
Never mind.... you answered already
@@WaltJubal thanks for watching and commenting Walt, appreciate it! 🙏
This video explains how the wires were tightened on rubber tired wagon tires.th-cam.com/video/ecVDWho7VT8/w-d-xo.html
Thanks a lot for watching and the video link GrayPlayer. Here's a video of installing a tire on the rear wheel of a penny farthing with my friend Greg Baron of Rideable Bicycle Replicas th-cam.com/video/nM2DhWbDlC4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vIYn5jd4599T0obZ
disappointed no recumbent.
Thanks for pointing out that a recumbent could have been included isolani. If only I owned one, I could have included it. But I don't anymore. There's even a huge Santa Cruz connection - or Watsonville actually, because of Gardner Martin and Fast Freddy Markham who set the speed record in the Gold Rush, remember that? www.bentrideronline.com/?p=1744 I never owned a Gold Rush, but I did road test the Ti Rush jimlangley.net/ride/easyracers.html. Also the Lighting R-84 from Tim Brummer jimlangley.net/ride/lightning.html
The recumbent I put the most miles on was a copy of the Avatar, the bike David Gordon Wilson designed. avatar2000.com/~avatartw/ I rode 2 double centuries on that bike and rode it a lot for commuting and errands. That was a fun bike and ultra comfortable. Thanks for watching and the great comment.
Recumbents didn't change the world. Recumbents are mechanical oddities for eccentrics, not a successful design concept for general use.
Penny farthing.