I’ve acquired a brand new column on the Outdoors internet presence:
Undecided about that inventory photograph–I imply they may as nicely have simply gone with this:
I notice that occurring and on about how batteries are destroying biking and humanity simply makes me sound like an previous fuddy-duddy, however I’m positively cutting-edge in comparison with the members within the 2023 British Penny Farthing Championships:
I’m stunned old-timey bicycle lovers not solely settle for however appear to truly embrace the time period “penny-farthing,” which I’d suppose they’d discover type of cutesy and patronizing. If something suppose they need to keep on with “odd,” because it drives dwelling the concept this configuration must be the default, and that the bicycles the remainder of us journey immediately are merely “security bicycles” designed to coddle the fearful and incompetent. However what do I do know? Actually, the one factor I do know concerning the high-stakes (actually excessive, they’re sitting like seven ft up within the air) world of elite penny-farthing competitors is that you just by no means fuck with the race officers:
That had higher be a Victorian-era hydration pack:
Talking of anachronisms, there are approach too many stars on that flag:
True odd riders refuse to acknowledge any territory that was granted statehood post-safety bicycle:
Additionally, what’s with that modern-looking brake?
Spoon brake or GTFO:
[Photo: Classic Cycle]
As for the racing, it’s as thrilling as you’d suppose it might be–watch as a man dressed like a waiter clambers aboard his lofty steed and takes the opening shot:
With no cogs or gears of any variety it’s all about wheel dimension, which is why the new dialog in the beginning is all the time, “What diameter you operating?”
Additionally, don’t let the EF jersey idiot you, that’s not Lachlan Morton. Penny-farthing racing is likely one of the only a few types of various biking into which he hasn’t caught his sunburned nostril and wispy moustache…but:
However give it time.
In 2023 it’s straightforward to dismiss penny-farthings as quaint and ridiculous, however whenever you see them in motion you actually do start to understand what a sight these early wheelmen should have been as they rolled throughout the panorama:
At this time it’s laborious to imagine that there was truly a time bicycles would have appeared futuristic, however remember they have been mainly the primary type of land transport that didn’t both belch steam or shit.
Talking of belching steam, this man’s not fucking round with the aerobars:
And talking of horses, each horses and penny-farthing Q-factor have been measured in palms:
Anyway–spoiler alert–right here’s the boys’s winner:
And right here’s the ladies’s winner:
Am I loopy, or is {that a} crabon fork?
After the race, it’s time to confront the chilly realities of lives within the current, corresponding to methods to get your high-wheeler onto your hybrid Toyota:
I’m wondering if the early wheelmen had bike racks on their buggies and drove to the group journey…
