TWO locals who use the most up-to-date bikes as Ironman contestants are getting enjoyment from one the oldest-style cycles, Penny Farthings, which were all the rage in the Victorian era.
Dan and Catherine Talbot have each purchased replicas of the first official “cycle” that emerged in the 1880s and like nothing better than taking them for “a spin”, as was the case last Saturday when they rode from Busselton to Dunsborough for coffee.
But that was a mild ride for them.
When his bike arrived in Perth from America he was so keen to ride it that he put it together and rode it to Busselton, stopping overnight in Mandurah. He has also ridden a 500km tour of the South West over five days on the bike to help raise money for Princess Margaret Hospital.
Dan and Catherine took part in a unique event at the annual Evandale village fair and national Penny Farthing championships in Tasmania in February, riding 100 miles in 12 hours on a Penny Farthing.
“We are the first couple to have done it,” Catherine said. “Anyone who rides that distance gets a certificate for the achievement. We did it in about 11 hours, but had a few stops along the way.”
So how did they get into Penny Farthings?
“Dan grew up on a farm in Brunswick and his father had one, so he has been interested in them since he was young.
“He bought one in America, Colorado, and went to Evandale with it in 2011.
“I used to ride along behind him on my racing bike, but it was a bit boring because of the difference in speed (they normally ride up to 20kmh on the Penny Farthings as opposed to 30-40kmh on their racing bikes).
“I decided I wanted to get one also and spotted one for sale on e-Bay in February, which had been made by a bloke in Queensland and was lucky enough to buy it and the owner was good enough to ship it to Tasmania for me, so I could pick it up and use it in this year’s event in Evandale.”
Catherine said that while they were comfortable and easy to ride, there were some aspects to Penny Farthings that had to be mastered.
“Most don’t have brakes and are fixed wheel, so the trick is to make a decision before you descend a hill. Some people get off, while some put their feet out sideways. You also have to learn to get on and off them.”
