Even worse, the position of the rider over the front axle meant that any sudden stop caused by hitting a stone would hurl the rider forward headfirst. Hitting the ground with the head could be, and sometimes was, fatal. The popularity of penny-farthings waned with the development of gears, allowing the ratio between pedal and wheel to be varied.
The second breakthrough was the pneumatic tyre, which gave a smoother ride. Meyer produced a classic high bicycle design during the s. He is regarded as the father of the British cycling industry. Ball bearings, solid rubber tires and hollow-section steel frames became standard, reducing weight and making the ride much smoother. Penny-farthing bicycles are dangerous due to the risk of headers taking a fall over the handlebars head-first.
This prevented headers, but left the danger of being thrown backwards when riding uphill. Being a bicycle lover, I sometimes nerd out on all things related to bicycle history. My bookshelf at home has an impressive bicycle section containing hundreds of photographs and articles detailing old-fashioned bikes. When cruising through one of my heavy coffee table bicycle books last weekend, I found a beautiful picture of a penny-farthing.
Like any modern-day bicycle enthusiast, I was amazed at the fact that people used to ordinary ride such a mechanism. With its humungous front wheel and tiny rear wheel, it was quite a curious mode of transportation. Intrigued, I set out to research the history of the penny-farthing. The main purpose of this invention was to make bicycles faster. Although Meyer invented what is known to be the first version of the penny-farthing, a Brit named James Starley perfected and became famous for the design in
0コメント