POD...MAR 5/15...Penny-farthing

Cheers

Great deal! I remember learning about Penny Farthings in school, and I like how they have become an 'at-the-moment-fad'.

March 23, 2012

An absolute bargain! Love them!

March 22, 2012

Very cool! Thanks for the background info too!

March 22, 2012

That is so cool! Thanks for the info, too!

March 21, 2012

Awesome find. Thank you for the info, I never knew the reason behind the name.

March 20, 2012

Once again an interesting history lesson. Can't imagine being able to get on and off of them.

March 20, 2012

Very cool. I love the info too. Thanks for shraing.

March 20, 2012

very kool!

March 20, 2012

what a neat find - love the uniqueness of this bike - hard to believe they had tires that big and it worked! :)

March 19, 2012

I love seeing old photo's with people riding these! Awesome find!

March 19, 2012

POD...MAR 5/15...Penny-farthing

3-10-12...I found this miniature replica of a Penny-farthing [and a tricycle] at a secondhand shop for a dollar. I think these bicycles are the coolest looking bikes ever. They were popular in the 19th century. It looks really small in this photo but it measures 8 inches tall by about 8.5 inches long. [P3109722]

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penny-farthing
— n
( Brit ) US name: ordinary an early type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a small rear wheel, the pedals being attached to the front wheel

[C20: so called because of the similarity between the relative sizes of the wheels and the relative sizes of the (old) penny and farthing coins]

*copied from ~ Dictionary.com
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Penny Farthing
The Penny Farthing is also referred to as the "High" or "Ordinary" bicycle, and the first one was invented in 1871 by British engineer, James Starley. The Penny Farthing came after the development of the French "Velocipede", and other versions of early bikes. However, the Penny Farthing was the first really efficient bicycle, consisting of a small rear wheel and large front wheel pivoting on a simple tubular frame with tires of rubber.

*copied from ~ History of the Bicycle by Mary Bellis / about.com Guide