Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Velocipede

Today's picture was taken in 1921, and shows a couple of Biker Dudes. The large wheel bicycle was known as a Velocipede. The guy on the motorcycle appears to be a traffic policeman, and it looks like he might be writing the other guy a ticket.
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15 comments:

  1. Overspeed and missing brakes?

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  2. This has the feel of a gag photo. The velocipede has some sort of what looks like advertising stuck in the front wheel. Unfortunately, I can't quite make out what it says. Cool pic.

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  3. I sure that they are real.
    But how do you get up on and off that thing with out killing yourself?
    The brakes were built in, if you stop pedaling your wheel stopped turning. You never could coast on them, always had to keep your feet pedaling.
    R

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  4. Anonymous: I didn't mean that the machines aren't real, just that the writing of the ticket is posed.
    As for mounting and dismounting, there is a great youtube video on how it's done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Ocy0SPgcM&feature=related

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  5. Weren't those bikes also called Penny Farthings because of the size of the tires & the size of said coins? Our British friends & followers will know the answer.

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  6. Judi: They are indeed known as penny farthings and also known as ordinaries.

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  7. GeezerNYC,
    very cool video. Did you see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vqTpw6L2pI&feature=related?

    Makes one want to search e-bay for a penny farthing.

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  8. That is indeed a Penny Farthing. Velocipede is an umbrella term for wheeled human powered vehicles, these days mainly referring to precursors to the modern monowheel, bicycle, tricycle, and quadcycle, including the Penny Farthing.

    I actually had the chance to ride a few years ago. If you ever get the chance to do the same, my recommendation is to do it not while facing downwards on a slight hill.

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  9. "The velocipede has some sort of what looks like advertising stuck in the front wheel."

    I think it's an ad for "Advance Cycle", GeezerNYC.

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  10. Mathan: Thanks for the youtube tip. There are a number of interesting penny farthing videos there. Also, xoxoxoBruce, I think you are right about the Advance Cycle, though I still can't make out the third word. Looking forward to tomorrow's Motorcycle Men.

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  11. How about a Bicycle week after this?

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  12. Or, maybe we could see some WW2 heroes. I had a couple of cousins and an uncle that served.Two came back and one didn't come back. One came back,less a leg.
    Al

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  13. "But officer, your speedometer still reads 35mph..."

    GeezerNYC, I had forgotten "Ordinary" - thanks.

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  14. I like the hat on the guy with the bike.

    I want to ride one of those.

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  15. btw in russian bicycle is still called "veliciped", they've kept this name since the very beginning, as those two-wheeled mechanisms just appeared in russia

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