# Ammaco Penny Farthing Bicycle?



## TenorClef (23 Aug 2011)

Anybody have one of these?


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## mickle (23 Aug 2011)

I don't have one but I've very many hours of experience of them. Both in action and in the workstand. I certainly know how to hot-rod them to optimise their useability. 

Why? Have you got one or are you thinking of getting one?


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## Hilldodger (23 Aug 2011)

TenorClef said:


> Anybody have one of these?



One, no. Ten, yes.


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## TenorClef (23 Aug 2011)

Don't have one but I do enjoy classic bikes. I have a Pashley Sovereign and like the look of this particular bicycle because it seems a bit safer than those giant ones you see on youtube. If you've rode one can you tell me if you can get a full leg stretch and are they heavy? I've got a short leg about a 27-28" inside leg so I doubt i would even reach the pedals on those old classics...

The only other one I've come across is the Quax Penny Farthing which seems closer to the original but with a hefty sized front wheel.


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## RecordAceFromNew (23 Aug 2011)

700c wheel and direct drive? You will be touching a heady 7.5mph at 90rpm!


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## TenorClef (23 Aug 2011)

RecordAceFromNew said:


> 700c wheel and direct drive? You will be touching a heady 7.5mph at 90rpm!



Does this mean i will need a man with a red flag to walk in front of me?


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## Theseus (23 Aug 2011)

RecordAceFromNew said:


> 700c wheel and direct drive? You will be touching a heady 7.5mph at 90rpm!




You could always fit a Shlumpf unicycle geared hub and increase it by 50%.


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## TheDoctor (23 Aug 2011)

I've ridden one of the Ammaco ones - one belonging to Hilldogger, in fact.
Not sure it's a *terribly* useful mode of transport, but good fun.
One with a bigger wheel would be better IMHO.
Time for n+1 for a rather tall value of one?


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## TenorClef (23 Aug 2011)

TheDoctor said:


> I've ridden one of the Ammaco ones - one belonging to Hilldogger, in fact.
> Not sure it's a *terribly* useful mode of transport, but good fun.
> One with a bigger wheel would be better IMHO.
> Time for n+1 for a rather tall value of one?



Hmmm? They seem to pop up occasionally on ebay so if I can bag one that doesn't cost the earth i'd probably get one for fun.....not serious riding as my Pashley is my main ride.


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## mickle (23 Aug 2011)

They are really good fun, if only slightly faster than walking speed. 

I'd recommend losing the front brake (it's a 'fixed wheel' after all) and using a bar with a greater rise and narrow centre section to improve knee clearance.

The stock saddles are grim and the wheels should be treated to a good truing straight from the box too.

The best bit of advice is:_ *lean back!*_ Keeping your centre of gravity behind the back wheel minimizes the likelyhood of 'coming a cropper'.


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## machew (7 Sep 2011)

Don't you need, by law, two brakes on a bike?


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## mickle (7 Sep 2011)

machew said:


> Don't you need, by law, two brakes on a bike?



Not if one of its wheels is a fixed wheel.


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## Smurfy (7 Sep 2011)

RecordAceFromNew said:


> 700c wheel and direct drive? You will be touching a heady 7.5mph at 90rpm!




I looked at getting a Quax Penny Farthing a year or so back, it has a 36" wheel so you'll go a little faster. As far as I can see it's the largest Penny you can have with pneumatic tyres, anything bigger will have to have solid rubber tyres with a join.

http://qu-ax.com/en/products/fun1/Penny-farthing

http://www.unicycle.uk.com/qu-ax-penny-farthing-3.html

I toyed with the idea of buying a Quax and fitting a unicycle hub gear which would give 36" x 1.5 (a respectable 48" gear!). Unfortunately the cost of the hub gear is absolutely prohibitive. Would make a nice project/experiment for someone with lots of money, although if anyone has that amount of cash they might as well buy the hub and find a frame builder to make it.

http://www.unicycle.uk.com/unicycle-spares/hubs-bearings/kris-holm-schlumpf-geared-unicycle-hub.html


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## Smurfy (7 Sep 2011)

TenorClef said:


> like the look of this particular bicycle because it seems a bit safer than those giant ones you see on youtube.



If it's safety you're after then you could get one of these, putting the small wheel in front significantly reduces the risk of 'coming a cropper' because your CofG will be much further back. I think it's quite an attractive hi-wheeler, but the thing that puts me off is that it would have to come from the US, which probably means huge airfreight cost, and the wheel would probably look like a pretzel by the time you get hold of it. I wondered if Joff Summerfield (Round the World Penny Farthing rider) could be persuaded to design/build one. Does anyone on here know him?


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## TheDoctor (8 Jan 2012)

Holy Thread Resurrection SpamMan!!!


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## gaz (8 Jan 2012)

TheDoctor said:


> Holy Thread Resurrection SpamMan!!!


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## Ordinary Bicycle Co (9 Jan 2012)

Original Crypto Bantam had geared hub so the idea of fixing a geared hub is nothing new. I'm sure there must be a cheaper option than the schlumpf. I've been looking around the unicycle forums for one.


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