Penny farthing

[dmacuni]

Originally Posted by stingingkneeben

72! blimey is there a reason for the high number ?

As it's a low rider wheel, I think the high number of spokes is more for bling than anything else. Lots of chrome = lots of cool on low riders....

[Loves this thing]

Brilliant build, I like the back wheel, gives it a bit of bling
Must be awesome to ride

[Loves this thing]

Didn't see your post about the bling, touchè.

[dmacuni]

Howdy all,

So months after initially conceiving my penny project, designing it, getting it fabricated, tweaking it, getting it all prettied up, and now switching out the rear wheel, i can finally say that Lady Mini Penny III is now finished!

So I ended up switching the bling 16" rear wheel out for a 12" wheel (complete with a 12" schwalbe big apple). It has really changed the feel of the ride, she's a lot less twitchy now that the fork actually has some angle on it! haha. Has also dropped a lot of weight from the rear end, meaning it's easier to ride on the front wheel

I had a 52 spoke 12" wheel lined up on ebay, but the seller bailed at the last minute, so for now the normal 20 spoke kids bike wheel will have to suffice. I have designed a foot brake (similar to a scooter brake) for the rear wheel, and will be testing it out on a downhill penny race happening in the Adelaide Hills in a couple weeks time.

http://tinyurl.com/penny-race

The route is along Mt Barker Road, which is the windy road on the RHS of the photo in the above link, and into the Devils Elbow which is the hairpin at the bottom centre of the photo......downhill against full size pennys, it should be awesome fun, or suicide, time will tell.......

I'll be sure to get some videos and post a link here.

Also, hopefully i'll have Lady Mini Penny III at unicon next year, i'll start taking reservations now if you want to have a ride, haha

Cheers,

Dmac

[Loves this thing]

Very nice, I like the clean lines. Hope it's as much of a pleasure to ride as it is to look at.

[Eddbmxdude]

Hi dmacuni,

I've got a question. How have you made the front forks fit in a bike headset?
Is it a normal pair of bike forks with unicycle bearing holders welded on the bottoms or is it a unicycle frame adapted to fit the headset?
Got any closeup pictures?

Cheers,
Edd

[dmacuni]

Originally Posted by Eddbmxdude

Hi dmacuni,

I've got a question. How have you made the front forks fit in a bike headset?
Is it a normal pair of bike forks with unicycle bearing holders welded on the bottoms or is it a unicycle frame adapted to fit the headset?
Got any closeup pictures?

Cheers,
Edd

Yo Edd,

I picked up a nimbus 29er fork on sale, and we chopped off the seat tube just above the section where it tapers in. I had an old set of mtb forks with a 1" threaded steerer tube, so we chopped the steerer tube off them, and inserted it into the seatpost tube of the fork.

The steerer tube is pinned with 2 pins at right angles to each other, and then welded in place at the bottom of the tube. The crown race of the bike headset is then inserted on the steerer tube, and spaced out with a couple of shims to make it a snug fit (as we had to cut the spacer off when we were cutting up the old mtb fork).

The head tube of the frame is salvaged off an old mtb, and takes a 1" threaded headset. The fork then fits perfectly into the frame setup.

Hope that makes sense! Next time I have the fork out (not sure when that will be???) I'll grab some photos of the fork set up for you.

I'm really happy with how she's turned out, and how she rides. Now to make her bigger sister, the 36"/16" version.......haha.

Cheers,

Dmac

[Eddbmxdude]

Ah nice, exactly what I was after, cheer for taking the time out to type that up
Looks amazing mate, hopefully I'll find time to build one soon!

[gazza]

I want to make one of those

[dmacuni]

Originally Posted by gazza

I want to make one of those

Hi Dmitry,

I think the Triton version would be a Blingy Farthing..... haha. I'd love to make a 36"/16" version. If I win the lottery you'll be hearing from me

Cheers,

Dmac

[gazza]

Originally Posted by dmacuni

hi dmitry,

i think the triton version would be a blingy farthing..... Haha. I'd love to make a 36"/16" version. If i win the lottery you'll be hearing from me

cheers,

dmac

:d

[TonyMelton]

These guys are racing each other in the Bupa Challenge Tour in Adelaide on penny farthings. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/...-1226176681437 Perhaps you know them, DMac?

John Hannaford modified his Quax penny farthing frame (from Unicycle.co.nz) to fit a disc brake, and a freewheeling hub. Very tech!

[dmacuni]

Originally Posted by TonyMelton

These guys are racing each other in the Bupa Challenge Tour in Adelaide on penny farthings. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/...-1226176681437 Perhaps you know them, DMac?

John Hannaford modified his Quax penny farthing frame (from Unicycle.co.nz) to fit a disc brake, and a freewheeling hub. Very tech!

Hi Tony,

They seem to have popped up under the Adelaide Penny radar! Even my mate who is one of the Adelaide Penny diehards hadn't heard of them until he saw their article in the local paper. I'd like to get in contact with them and have a look at the qu-ax in real life. Very tempted to get a 36er version of my mini penny made......

On the topic of mini penny madness, we had the Mt Lofty Halloween Screamathon on Saturday. About 40 riders rocked up, on everything from choppers, to tall bikes, to double bmx's, and even one crazy guy dressed as "V" who hit 40km downhill by coasting on the back pegs of his mini penny (what a loon!). Good thing there was a magura mounted on the mini penny before the downhill shenanigans began....haha.

Cheers,

Dmac

[TonyMelton]

I've PM'ed you their email address.

[jbtilley]

Forgive if this has been posted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGGlODF7_RY

How long before I can get that tire for my muni?