Big Wheel Keep On Turnin'

Everyone gawked in disbelief as Brian Birkner rounded the corner on his high-wheeled bike at the 2021 Victorian Chautauqua. Most people have never seen a penny-farthing bicycle, let alone someone riding one. The two-wheeled contraption that rose to popularity in the 1870s and 1880s became the latest fad for sporting types, adventure-seekers, and racers. 

Commonly called a penny-farthing, the first machine to be called a bicycle was also known as a high wheel, high wheeler, or ordinary. The design featured a front wheel that was roughly four times larger than the back. The two wheels were compared to the sizes of a penny and a farthing, thus earning the bicycle its playful nickname. The pedaled devices not only looked dangerous – they were. A good bit of practice and skill was required to ride one, and the advantage of the large front wheel was that it required fewer rotations to reach a faster speed. Because of this, racing them was a fairly common and exciting activity. 

British Currency Coined The Term

Two British coins were used as examples for the different sized wheels of the first 1870s bicycle. The comparison caught on and the bicycle became widely known as a penny-farthing.

Birkner enjoys showing off his replica bicycle, which features authentic details and some welcome safety features. It also is designed to break down for transport and be easily reassembled at its next destination. Birkner rides it easily but notes that dismounting it is the more important and difficult to learn. Braking, or slowing down, is controlled by either the legs or a hand brake located over the front wheel. But braking must be applied gingerly. If done too aggressively, the large front wheel will abruptly stop, causing the whole frame to roll forward over the front wheel, flinging the rider over the handlebars and to the ground. 

During the Victorian Chautauqua weekend, Birkner recalled that he must have mounted and dismounted his high wheel over 100 times. Passersby couldn't resist asking questions about his unique bygone mode of transportation, and exchanges were often followed by a request for him to ride it.  

Authentic Rider

Brian Birkner loves his replica high wheel bike. It’s safer to ride than an antique model yet it has authentic details clear down to the stamped leather seat and the bell on the handlebar. He completes the dapper look by dressing the part.

It's no wonder few people have seen a high wheel since their peak manufacturing years spanned less than two decades. With the exception of collectors and hobbyists, the "safety bike" nudged out interest in the earlier models by the turn of the 20th century. The newer bikes resembled modern-day bicycles with two wheels of the same size. Being lower to the ground was less intimidating, allowing a broader audience to partake in recreational cycling. Putting the word “safety” into the name certainly allayed concerns associated with the more perilous high wheel.

Birkner and his bike will be returning to the 2022 Victorian Chautauqua. He will present a talk about penny-farthing and cycling history under the Burlington Tent. His passion for the period sport is ever-present, clear down to his 1880s clothing. Birkner is a Potomac Region member of a national organization called The Wheelmen. He hopes to bring other riders with him in 2022 so they, too, can enjoy the historic mountaintop setting and entertain those in attendance.