Tagged with 'udcpenny'

Our friend Neil Laughton has set 3 new Guinness World Records for riding a Penny Farthing without using your hands: 10km - 23 mins, 23 secs; Furthest distance in an hour - 26.0 km and Fastest average speed over 100m - 29.6 kph.

Theses records were acredited by Guinness and he was presented at the track with the awards.  The record used a 56" UDC Penny Farthing.

On the 10 October 2019, Global Cycling Network (GCN) set-up a world record attempt to try and break the one hour world record for Penny Farthings. The previous World Record was set by WA Rowe in 1886, 133 years ago! The attempt used slightly modified UDC Penny Farthings.

On the 20th July 2019 Richard Thoday will attempt to break the Penny Farthing world record for Lands End to John O'Groats. All in the name of charity raising funds for Children in Need.

Our new UDC Mk4 Penny Farthings are very nice, but a few of our customers like to add a personal touch to their Penny Farthing.

Customization

We've just completed another custom Penny, but this one was a little bit different. This Penny  was a little bit of a restoration as well as customization.

Usually our customers contact us wishing to purchase a new Penny Farthing and ask to change colours and components before we send it out. However, this Penny was actually sold a few years ago and has seen a decent amount of mileage. It unfortunately came to us in a bit of a bad way, as at the recent World Cycling Revival event it was involved in a bit of an accident during a polo match!

Penny Farthing Restoration

As you would expect it had the usual bumps and scrapes from being used. It also had a destroyed front wheel from another Penny running over it. We had to rebuild the front wheel with a new UDC 54" rim and spokes. The whole Penny was also treated to a new coat of paint in lovely "Postbox Red" (RAL 3020). While everything was apart we gave everything a good clean  and service. Finally we re-wrapped the handle bars which finished it off nicely.

Different Components

There is also a few different components on this Penny compared to the standard Penny. Besides the colour, the first thing you will probably notice is the cranks are shorter. It has a pair of the Venture2 cranks in 114mm. With the 54" wheel and these shorter cranks it means you can get up to a decent speed. There is also a Brooks saddle in black which fits the "style" of the Penny Farthing perfectly. Finally there is a pair of Shimano M324 SPD Pedals Which are double sided, one side SPD the other a flat pedal, perfect for this Penny.

Customizing your Penny Farthing

If you want to build your perfect Penny Farthing, please give us a call and we can discus this personally with you. We always make sure that you get the best components that work together both technically and visually.

To see a few of the other custom Penny Farthings we have done please have a look at our "Custom Penny Farthings" product.

We have recently released the fourth generation of our Penny Farthings, here is a quick summary of all the changes.

Immediately Noticeable

The first big change that is immediately noticeable is that the Mk4 now comes with a rear brake. All Mk4s have the Tektro R539 Long Drop Brake mounted on the rear forks. To make sure the brake is in the perfect position we have made slight adjustments to the frame and fork. On a bike the brake would normally be mounted on the outside of the forks, but on a Penny Farthing you would kick the brake every time you mounted or dismounted. So, to stop this happening we have made it so the brake can be mounted on the inside keeping it nicely out of the way. You will now find that the internal cable routing exit port is located on the right-hand side, just above where the cable attaches to the brake calliper. This keeps the cable nice and tidy, no need for the cable to cross over.

The New Cranks

The next big change is the cranks, Mk4s now come with Nimbus VCX+ ISIS cranks. These cranks are picked from the Unicycle world and are prefect for the Penny Farthings. Firstly, they are a super tough 6061 T-6 aluminium crank which will handle almost anything. These cranks also have three pedals holes at 100/125/150mm. This means you effectively have three pairs of cranks in a single pair. On Unicycles and Penny Farthings you change the gearing by changing the length of the cranks. Longer the cranks the easier it is to climb up that hill, shorter the crank the faster you can go. Now with the VCX+ cranks you can swap your pedals up and down the holes, depending on the riding you’re doing. Just remember to set both sides in the same hole.

 

UDC Penny Farthing Spring Sale

Over the next month, all the UDC Penny Farthings have a 30% discount! This means the Mk3 was £1090.00 and is now available for £763.00. We also have the last two Mk2.5 available in custom colours for a crazy, £696.50!!

What customers have said about UDC Penny Farthings

Allshaft
I bought the 48" Penny Farthing and it is fantastic. Nick and Roger both were so knowledgeable, helpful and accommodating through the entire process. They were always quick to respond to all my questions. They were also very accommodating to my additional requests for the build of my bike so it would be just how I wanted it. It's a great product.

Anders
Both my UDC bikes are 2.5 models. I have many times recommended your bikes to various customers and am prepared to continue doing so. It's one of the very best bikes on the market and the price is unbeatable. My 54 is from 2013 and the 52 is from 2014.

Ben
I have been a rider since I can remember and have raced BMX and MTB since 1982 (not 1882) and I have always trained on the road...but when I got my UDC Penny Farthing as a gift, I could not believe how much fun it is to get back to the real roots of cycling! The raw beginnings of two wheel transport and the direct drive speed make for a no excuses ride that you literally have direct control over. It's not a difficult ride and its simple to learn, a little skip, a hop onto the sear and feet to pedals you are doing it! I'm working on getting to race proficiency and then who knows!!! Great bike, great value and ultimate fun on one big and one little wheel!!!