HiWheel Sources
aka Penny Farthing, Ordinary, Boneshaker
(those available on line)


Bikes:
Mesicek & Synove (Czech Republic)
Rideable Replica
Ordinary Bicycle Company (UK)
Penny Farthing Dan (Australia)
In ramping up to shepherd the return of the Busycle to Boston, I had the privilege of riding an almost exact replica of the 1891 Eagle. HERE is my 2009 SF to Salt Lake Mayors' Ride on it. The 2010 Mayors' Ride was put on hold by a car that turned left in front of us. Supported by a Busycle towing 40-foot Rock Star bus, our SF to DC on the National Bicycle Greenway, then never got off the ground. Instead, now the Eagle and I live in the downtown bicycle heaven of Indianapolis.
Martin Krieg Downhilling the Eagle HiWheel Bicycle
Martin Krieg Mounting the Eagle HiWheel Bicycle
Randy Mitchell at 2006 San Jose NBG Day ride to Palo Alto
Emergency Dismount (on Ordinary 5 seconds)
On his ride across America in 1984 the legendary Jack Castor (also talked about below) rode the 3,347 miles from SF to Boston in 44 days! Of which 12 of those days were centuries. He did not walk down any hills. Instead he threw his legs over the bars. It was 16 years later, in 2000 in New Zealand (at the Oamaru Penny Farthing Cycle Tour), that he crashed while doing so. As he was being filmed by a TV crew....

HERE is a ride that toured his collection in Half Moon Bay, near the ocean where he lived. We also saw his friend, Eddie Andrieni (also RIP), in fighter plane action.
Other Important Links
Victorian Cycle Museum/Library
Golden Oldy Cyclery
Official Info
Peter Matthews & Gary Sanderson, both 69, 2004 HiWheel TransAm
Mount and Pedal Dismount by Martin Kreig
Brooks Saddles London Nocturne Race June 2012
4-10-05 Stanford HiWheel Races

Spencer Bowen, Bob Bowen, Jack Sebben, Marty Wilson, Pete, Raina, Len Peshota, Tom, Steve, Brodie Hamilton, Bill Robertson, Martin Krieg, Mike Sutton, Adam Barron, Christopher Warnock, Greg Barron.
Steve Stevens pictured here as Uncle Sam. The Uncle Sam on a Penny Farthing Bike is a century old theme in Patriotic Parades.The bike (an 1885 Columbia Expert) is Red White and Blue with 13 stripes down the backbone and red/white tire on blue rim. The blue fork is starred white and the shoes are stripped red/white on the toe and the heel counter is a blue field with white stars. Uncle Sam has style. Read Steve's journal about his record breaking 29 day coast to coast bike ride
Hear the 3-19-06 Podcast (35:35)
See the second leg of his around the world tour!
Jack Castor pictured at Stanford Ctty Day 2004
Listen to his interview w/M. Krieg Visit his museum!
Epic Ride We Enjoyed with Jack
Coasting the hills with the legs over the bars serves a couple of purposes. It takes energy to pedal down the hill, even when not resisting the pedals. Trying to retard the bike with the pedals can really put the legs to work. On the other hand, hanging the legs over the bars allows the rider to completely relax the legs. They get a nice rest, and are ready to go vigorously again. I have twice coasted nine miles, and once six miles, on an ordinary. I find that coasting legs over is the most pleasurable thing I do on the ordinary.

On my ride across America in 1984 I did not walk down any hill. I did walk down the steepest couple of hundred feet of a steep hill in New York, until I could see that it was safe to descend on the bike. Then I weaved back and forth across the road, on the pedals, until I could control the bike with the bike, and eventually I coasted the rest of the hill, legs over. I did get a surprise at the bottom, because I came to a four-way stop when the road levelled out. You can brake very heavily, legs over, if you lean back. A true wheel with no " bounce" (being vertically out of round) is a necessity for heavy braking. The dangerous moment occurs when the wheel is nearly stopped. I have twice seen the brake lock a wheel, causing a header, when the bike was nearly stopped and the rider was in the act of dismounting. The road had recently had a chip seal resurfacing, and the tire brought a chip up to lodge under the brake spoon.

By the legendary Jack Castor
SF to Boston
3347 miles
44.5 days
75/miles day avg
12 centuries
Finished June 6, 1984

Jack's 1984 TransAm Ride Itinerary
11/14 RIP

Peter Matthews Intl.
HiWheel Trick Riding Champion
Greg Barron, Rideable Replica owner, at his shop standing in front of his top of the line Ordinary, a nearly exact replica of the 1886 Gormully and Jeffrey Penny Farthing
Martin Krieg
gets ready to meet with Critical Mass riders at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco

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