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The penny farthing was considered an improvement on the Velocipede. It was popular between 1873 and 1885. It was designed for speed and could reach speeds of 20mph. The problem was getting on and off. You could leap onto the bike as it moved or use a mounting block, find a handy wall to use as a prop or just fall off. It was not a very safe bicycle therefore but it triggered the invention of safer bicycles. From 1879 onwards the first "safety" bicycles appeared. These incorporated a chain and by 1885 bicycles began to look and operate more like they do today! |
Roll over this photo to switch between the Penny Farthing in the museum's collection and a photo of a gentleman and his Penny Farthing in Tiverton. | ||||
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