Ordinary Bicycles

penny. farthing.

Did you know that the "Penny Farthing" was so called because the relative size of its two wheels were similar to those of the two British coins, the "penny" and the "farthing" and not because one farthing plus one penny was the cost of corrective dental surgery for a gentleman who had "Come a cropper?"

Of course, the Penny Farthing had emerged to replace the pre-suspension, pre-pneumatic tyred "Boneshaker."

get ready to be boneshaken, sirrah!

So named because of its rough ride. Since nobody had put two wheels and differential gears together yet, the Boneshaker had a very low max speed and riding one not only shook one's bones, but also taxed one's cardio system. A lotta spinning was required. The only way to get these bikes to go any faster was to get a bigger driving wheel. Hence, smashing your face. And loosing your tophat.

dude came a cropper

Once the Rover Bicycle Company, of England, put cranks, a chain and two gears of different sizes together we got a bike with a greatly reduced likelihood of smashing one's face. Hence, the beautifully named "Rover" was given its other, super-boring name, "Safety Bicycle."

safe, and "cogent," apparently

Forever afterward, the absolutely crazy looking Penny Farthing would be known as the "Ordinary Bicycle," which is funny to me.

"ordinary?"

Criminals of Gotham City do not laugh at the Ordinary. They cower in fear before...

via Lovely Poison and the Bicycle is Art tumblers

No one laughs at extreme sportspeople, or crazy freak bike engineers, either. MARVEL, instead at these two amazing bikes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vqTpw6L2pI&feature=bf_next&list=PL04979FD3D1F83567

mountain bike penny farthing

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

monster truck penny farthing

Well done, Bike Riders! Far, far from ordinary!