Making The Largest ebike - The Penn-E-Farthing

[@wcarver2150]

Almost a forgotten art: Just having a good ol' time with your mates

[@TimSzabo]

0:54 such a funny sight to behold :)

[@KevinSmith-os5yz]

The motor should be on the big wheel, then no frame flex.

[@caminoprojectUS]

i think that if you put a wire tension truss on the back of the frame it would make the contraption much stiffer. using the middle of the arch as a brace point and drawing tension from the seat and the wheel mount.

[@pattheplanter]

@@Ziraya0 Two wheel drive?

[@peachmelba1000]

I kept hearing these guys, conspiratorially whispering to one another, "We're rather silly, aren't we? Aren't we?!"

[@BobMonkeypimp]

Once that frame is stiffened, you need enough power/grip to pop a wheelie. First Penny-Farthing wheelie would be awesome.

[@SamBarker]

On one of my practice runs I did manage to pop a wheelie, however the limiting factor would be my skill not the power of the motor 😅

[@stapuft]

@@SamBarker i have a feeling, if you wanted to, you could invent a mechanical way to redistribute your COG in order to make it easier.....like a weighted flagpole type thing that orientates itself to keep your COG where it should be.

[@dziadWSZEWIED]

@@SamBarker 4:50 f.u.c.k all repti ba.star.d saxo coburg von gotta

[@ahaveland]

...and the last!

[@runetinfolive550]

@@SamBarker r u a repti too ? like your repti quieen ? r you afraid coming out of this?

[@greenatom]

I've always wondered "Why?!" is the front wheel so large? Horribly dangerous. It didn't occur to me it was for speed. Thank God for chains and gears.

[@fionafiona1146]

Admittedly getting around at all at the time was dangerous and they were in traffic with horses as well so people didn't have similar have such expectations as we would apply.

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

"why" Patrick McGoohan's Question

[@petevannuys5642]

🥵🤔

[@Gadottinho]

@@petevannuys5642 😋😜😈🤫🥵🥵

[@sagichdirdochnicht4653]

@@fionafiona1146 Let's say the the quality of street surface was worse, which is of course maybe not *great* for penny farthings. HOWEVER the streets were still around a billion fucking times safer. Because what kills and insures the most people in the streets are cars. Cars are heavy machine, that often weight well over 1 ton and they are way to fast then they have any right to be inside of a city. So dude, honestly, getting around back there was a lot safer, because the absolute biggest danger didn't exist yet.

[@thescubersteve5214]

Yeah that frame was never intended to handle the transfer of any thrust from the rear wheel. It'll be interesting to see what you come up with.

[@OneWheelMan]

It can be done! I think they were using lighter lower powered motors here...not sure if those frames were more sturdy or not kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXvKeZ-VeMaKe5Y

[@ahaveland]

Solution - put the hub motor on the big wheel 🙂

[@ahaveland]

@@CalmoOmlac Yes, pedals would be difficult, but wouldn't need them - just extend the axle as a footpeg instead.

[@ahaveland]

@@CalmoOmlac I don't let pedantry get in the way of a funny idea!

[@Savannah-sd]

@@ahaveland They're being pedantic, and incorrectly so, in another comment thread. They're getting dragged with how idiotic they're being.

[@grimsley9989]

Watching you all mess about on the packed streets with you full size and miniature penny farthings was the one thing I didn’t know I needed to see. That was amazing!

[@GoingtoHecq]

I think that the frame of the penny farthing is inherently unstable when powered by the rear wheel. The rear wheel is only there to stop you from falling off backwards like a unicycle. I think you should instead focus on applying electric power to the main wheel, probably with a small, electric, friction drive motor.

[@doktormerlin]

an alternative would be to shorten the spokes and just mount the motor in the front, together with a freewheel like they did for the small ones. However I don't know if adding a freewheel is a problem for Guinness

[@caseyb1346]

@@doktormerlin With a normal motor and ebike batttery, a light tap of the throttle is going to have you flying down the road above 60kmh due to the size of the wheel. It may be possible to get it to work using maybe 12 volts instead of 48, but good luck finding a controller that runs that low. Maybe a 24v system...? Or rewind the motor to have a much lower kV.

[@doktormerlin]

@@caseyb1346 I'm not so sure about this. The bigger wheel would also increase the torque, which should result in less RPM from the motor. However if that doesn't work you can find a motor controller with an analog throttle, on which you could add a resistor to the throttle wire. That would then limit the throttle range so even a full throttle would only result in 10% at the motor controller

[@rustyudder]

it would just mean more tq to run the big wheel which would affect acceleration but the top speed should increase with the time it takes to reach the top speed.

[@tiggy2756]

Use high wattage geared ebike hub laced into the large wheel , geared should be better than direct drive as more low down torque to drive the very large wheel . Over volt the motor as well as your not running it for long for record attempt so heat wont be issue , don't think you would be able to enter wheel size into controller for speedo though . Should be stable as motor torque should transfer weight to rear wheel . Be scary ride but large wheel would give some stability and think geared hub should have the large amount of torque to drive large wheel also geared hub freewheels motor so less chance of nosing over on power off

[@allareasindex7984]

Sudden stops on a penny-farthing were often fatal when the rear wheel lifted off the ground, the whole bike pivoted up and over the front axle and the rider face-planted onto the road from way up high. That’s why they wore little beanie hats with a tiny visor. Safety first.

[@worldcomicsreview354]

There was an old German tractor that could "cough" it's single cylinder engine going uphill, and start reversing at full speed. The instinctive reaction was to slam the brakes on, which flipped it over on the driver.

[@Xenro66]

Absolute deathtrap lol, love it! Also love seeing people's reactions to the penny-farthing. What a weird contraption. Hope you smash that world record!

[@randallmason9687]

Not if I get the record first!!

[@reubydoi7111]

Surely it's a Pen- E- farthing

[@JadeEyedWolf]

I think the fundamental flaw with this design is using the drag wheel as a power wheel; it was never designed for that. Move the hub motor to the big wheel, and I think you'll be golden :)

[@vstrvcvrtv]

That's what I was thinking, the chain could run on the underside of the forks

[@debug8377]

if someone decided to make a gas powered penny farthing it should be called "penny farting"

[@Dan_Kornfeld]

Looks absolutely brilliant! Some foot pegs on the forks, above the cranks and pedals wouldn't go amiss. Keep doing what you do!

[@OliB150]

That looks hilarious and dangerous - an entertaining combo! I also never joined the dots of you and Tom until this and recognising the road you both test on!

[@DaveHax]

I love these videos, great job 👍

[@ICNCSSCR_SCCS_SSR]

I like your vids davehax!

[@monsterlovers100]

this makes me feel like we have come full circle as a civilization

[@TexRobNC]

20k subs?! Geez, been a while since I've found a gem like this. I think it was Matt's Off Road & Recovery pre-100k subs. This was great, keep em coming!

[@NavigatedChaos]

Where did you get your Penny Farthing kit? I assume it's expensive but still interested. Also I love this video. Next up an electric tall bike? Or maybe even your own version of a enclosed tricycle e-bike. Something like the Elf. Edit: I got so many idea's now...

[@OneWheelMan]

Unicycle.com has them, and I'm assuming that's where all of these are from

[@Eikenhorst]

@@OneWheelMan That is what is written on the box at least

[@AlanDarden-ys4uw]

Nothing says 1800s like a Penny Farthing

[@etherealblue]

Where did you buy it? I can only find a penny farthing that big for like $2,600 US

[@spyder7758]

You need a freewheel hub so you still have footrests and might as well give the power to the front wheel

[@elliotmarks06]

Love to see this channel getting new videos!

[@ChazMeister_]

Wow, I saw you in Windsor on these during the Jubilee. That's so cool!

[@ffwast]

I'd like to see the giant wheels on a more conventional ebike design (or recumbent!)

[@snewl5324]

I've lived in Cambridge most of my life, but it really takes on a new light from the perspective of a penny farthing

[@Sharklops]

Got recommended this video from Tom's and glad I did. Subscribed and looking forward to more!

[@AdmiralThumbs]

The overall design surrounds the assumption that it's front wheel drive. Reinforcing the frame will only get you so far. What if you added a hub motor to the front wheel instead?

[@blise518B]

Hub motor in the front wouldn’t have any torque. I think the small scooter wheel rubbing against the big one would be better.

[@Sadamitsu]

5:06 oh, look at those old fashioned people who still ride horses. They must have been surprised to see you and realized how far progress has come

[@AlexusDelphi]

Would powering the front wheel work better?

[@chrisgenovese8188]

this group of blokes look like fun to hang out with. subbed to see the fastest penny farthing!

[@KellyWu04]

Now we need a helmet top hat

[@arghjayem]

The smaller penny farthings are intriguing. What if you took say something like a Shimano Alfine hub gearbox and put it on one of the smaller penny farthings, bolting the crank to the gearbox instead of running a belt or chain off of it and giving a penny farthing gears?

[@andyland00]

The failure to get over Cambridge's Garret Hostel Lane Bridge (better known by a different name) is so perfect. Astonished you made it across King's Parade without flattening any tourists!

[@TealCheetah]

I love that it's three of you up to shenanigans.

[@PothePerson]

I saw someone on a Penny Farthing twice in a week while I was driving past Saffron Walden. Looks like you're in Thaxted/Cambridge area so maybe it was one of you. Don't think it was a year ago, though.

[@xaytana]

What about just attaching the motor to the penny wheel? It'd need more power on launch, yes, but the frame becomes irrelevant, plus it would drive like the original bike then, rather than being driven by a swinging rear wheel. The frame is inherently not designed to have the rear wheel powered, either electrically or by pedal, and there's really no way around this considering the exclusion sphere the front wheel has, the way the bike is mounted, etc.; front wheel drive really is the only realistic way of powering these, especially electrically. I also almost want to see a bike made with two penny wheels, just for the stupidity of it. A reverse penny-farthing (a farthing-penny?) would also be interesting, especially with a better seating position; solid mount the rear wheel and put the front on a fork, with a seat somewhere between, this could even be a proper seating position rather than a straddling position, possibly even a slightly reclined position like a recumbent bike depending on how far spread the wheel are, though steering then would probably work better with a hub center steering mechanism and levers rather than a central pivot.

[@xaytana]

@@CalmoOmlac Tell me where I said anything about, or even implied, putting pedals on a hub motor. Oh wait, I didn't, in fact the only mention of pedals I made was in comment that the frame doesn't support a powered farthing wheel, no matter how that wheel is powered. For all intents and purposes for projects pertaining to the penny-farthing, pedals aren't really needed in the first place, thus why there's no mention of pedals being used anywhere. I don't even know how you came up with the idea that I was talking about putting pedals on a hub motor. It's pretty obvious that if you're putting a hub motor on a wheel with pedals, the pedals would have to come off. Rather than point out the obvious and make moot arguments, work on your comprehension and communication skills, might as well work on logical thought while you're at it.

[@xaytana]

​@@CalmoOmlac You chose such a stupid hill to die on. Let's look at the Wiktionary definition for bicycle: A vehicle that has two wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is _usually_ propelled by the action of a rider’s feet upon pedals. Contextual keyword being _usually._ Do you understand why this definition uses that word? Because bikes, both modernly and historically, have had means of propulsion that aren't pedals. Let's look at the synonymous term of pushbike from the same source, from Oceanic English Vernacular: A pedal bicycle, as distinguished from a motorized bicycle. Let's look at some derived terms of bicycle from the same source: Autobicycle: (archaic) Motorcycle; Bicyclelike: Resembling or characteristic of a bicycle; Motorbicycle: (dated) Motorcycle; Balance bicycle: a bicycle with no pedals. There's also undefined terms, such as e-bikes or electric bicycle, of which uses a motor for propulsion, either independently or in a hybrid setup, of which neither is a motorcycle. Among other antiquated vernacular and undefined terms. Not to mention that the term motorcycle itself is a derivative of bicycle. As you can see, _bicycle_ doesn't necessarily mean a pedal bike. But this is also irrelevant considering the term of _penny-farthing_ of which the term only defines wheel arrangement and disproportionate size of the wheels. While what's shown here is a penny-farthing pedal bicycle converted to a penny-farthing hybrid motor-pedal bicycle, of which the pedals are mostly irrelevant, that doesn't mean that a penny-farthing non-hybrid motor-only e-bike cannot exist. This can even be extended to having a penny-farthing motorcycle if someone were to ever make one, or a penny-farthing cargo bike, etc. This could also be extended beyond just bikes, let's look at trikes and quads, nothing says you can't have a penny-farthing in either of those configurations, the only constraint is that the front wheels are larger than the rear wheel(s). Your argument is entirely incorrect and irrelevant. Stop equating the term penny-farthing to bicycle. Stop equating the term bicycle to pedal bikes or push bikes. Fact checking yourself for a minute or two would've saved you from looking like a twat, and this comes after making yourself look like a moronic cunt in your previous comment. How about you go educate yourself instead, as you're clearly lacking any education beyond primary school, go learn some words and etymologies, develop some basic comprehension and communication skills, develop some logical thought skills while you're at it; I'm becoming redundant at this point because you continue to make pointless arguments. But most importantly, stay out of intelligent conversation, as you're quite clearly unintelligent, and while you're at it piss off with your moronic shit. I can't tell if you're a child, an old cunt that can't keep up and feels the need to argue, just simply mentally deficient, or a combination of the latter and one of the two former; wouldn't be surprised if there's some behavioral issues at play as well, such as ego issues, probably superiority issues as well considering how you think you're intelligent and correct, etc. Either way, if you can't intelligently contribute to a conversation, don't inject your moronic shit into it. Get off the internet, touch some grass, teach yourself some things; it'll benefit you and everyone you interact with.

[@catmantech]

I'd try and get an e-bike hub for the main large wheel. Maybe have a chat with Andy Kirby who is on KZbin and does e-bike conversions and kits to see what he can come up with.

[@kameljoe21]

I wonder if you can make the big wheel peddles free wheel when using the rear electric motor. My thought would be using the hub off 2 bikes that have this desgin and adapting them so that once you peddle you apply friction to which moves the bike and when you stop the bike keeps rolling. I am pretty sure that is how the thing works. The main shaft idles the wheel and the sprocket only works in one direction. Pretty much if you can reverse one of them you can build the whole hub and then place the peddles on the sprocket to which would drive the machine. The flex is going to be tricky to fix as you really have no other point to stiffen it up.

[@stevengoomba6490]

I love penny farthings so much that I am ecstatic when someone makes anything remotely related to the concept. I look forward to the record breaking process! Also is there a link or brand for the kits you used? They’re a super niche products so I imagine it was either difficult to find and/or expensive.

[@Drago0900]

Yeah but they historically, one pot hole you ded.

[@ianking8197]

Thank you for that video - made me smile on a very dreary day in Adelaide 😁

[@goingoutotheparty1]

I have the 'Reverse issue ' a lot , the programmable ones can do themselves but for PWM (BLDC) swapping Green and Yellow phase power has worked for me in the past, swap them both

[@cazza358]

Absolutely love this video. Going around some beautiful English towns on a penny farthing with a top hat on just for fun. Brilliant.

[@wullxz]

Does the top hat come with the bike or do you have to buy one from another source before you're allowed to drive Penny-Farthing-Bikes?

[@kentakahashi9635]

You can use torque arms, which are able to transmit the power of the motor directly into the fork or how it is called on that bike on the rear wheel

[@AhsokaTanoTheWhite]

If yobbo's rode around the neighbourhood with hop hats on penny farthings, I wouldn't even be mad.

[@psocretes8183]

I do like your (bike) inventions. I think i'll stick to my folding Brompton though. That mono wheel was quite a thing too.

[@MaNNeRz91]

I'm trying to work out what town you're in by the Caffe Nero in the background 🤦🏻‍♂️😆 (I deliver to them I'm not obsessed with neros) 👀 Windsor! the only one I haven't been to! 😆😆

[@OperationDarkside]

If you do the speed record, please, for the love of everything every diety has to offer, put on a lot of safety gear.

[@larryr6046]

Awesome video! I'd totally buy this for the name alone. My commute has some steep hills I'd like to try this on. It's pretty tough on a regular bike in the lowest gear.

[@Badpvppaladin]

Pretty sure they had chains

[@984francis]

What a brilliant bunch of mates!

[@xinaesthetic]

I saw a tandem penny-farthing out around Pewsey Vale or thereabouts a few weeks ago. I wonder if there's any documentation of that bike online.

[@KnomChomper]

Those speed wobbles seemed so scary from your perspective but looked hilarious from the other camera.

[@RSpudieD]

This is just so silly! It did look like You all were having a lot of fun riding around the kitchen and around town!

[@vlognblog.]

Ohh sick, I love old and goofy bikes

[@nelson-haha89]

Did you guys know the historically accurate way to coast a PF is by flopping your legs over the front of the handlebars? That's a real thing I learned from old pictures.

[@clobberelladoesntreadcomme9920]

I had to check the date to make sure this vido wasn't posted in 2010 because it's so wholesomely pointless. I love it.

[@fatihdalgic4230]

Very nice 😎, why didn't you put the hub motor to the front penny wheel?

[@TheLucas2696]

Tbh all I could think about when i saw that 56" wheel was using two of them to make a giant regular bicycle

[@xinaesthetic]

I've seen a tandem with two wheels like that...

[@Kevin_Aus]

The hats complete the look. Love it

[@Metal-Possum]

The answer is to use a front wheel motor, they're spaced at 100mm which is likely what your Penny used for a rear wheel anyway. They also don't have a ghastly excess amount of axle or ugly freewheel threads, so they can look quite clean and tidy when done right, which makes it that little bit more stealth.

[@zogworth]

You'd have to gear the hub down an absolutely ridiculous amount though

[@Metal-Possum]

@@zogworth You misunderstood me. You use a front wheel motor in the rear wheel.

[@petevannuys5642]

If you want sudden brake need very quickly get down there and dangerously high ?

[@AllDayBikes]

1:53 I don't know why but that one line made me laugh my ass off, thankyou haha

[@fratink]

I feel it's worth pointing out that they did have the technology to make a freewheel hub. They just hadn't made them. The gearing mechanisms in a pocket watch are not that dissimilar and arguable just as complex. They also had chains back then as well. I'd argue that it just wouldn't have been cost effective / nobody thought of it.

[@Blox117]

gears are over 2k years old

[@clobberelladoesntreadcomme9920]

Also I think people expected to be that high up because bicycles were gonna be just like riding horses.

[@adrianjayne6580]

just put the hub motor in the front wheel and you wont have any issues with the frame flexing. also make sure you turn your rear fork back the way it was originally. the rake is essential for stability.

[@wgoode97]

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that was the reason for the instability. It's like trying to ride a bike with the front fork flipped 180º: it doesn't "want" to be like that

[@kyle8952]

This bike is designed for the rear fork to be flipped.

[@adrianjayne6580]

@@kyle8952 yea and he flipped it backwards in the video if you watched it

[@DaiAtlus79]

10:06 - you need two pairs of arms to reinforce the frame - on from the first wheel to the frame around 45-37 degrees, then tie the bottom forks into this to stop the wobble, or diminish it.

[@joeydr1497]

Grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain’t

[@Ididathing]

Mate you should change the thumbnail to a side on shot of the penny ebike

[@SamBarker]

You might be on to something there good sir, thank you

[@patxile.361]

Hello , Where do you buy that penny farthing , txanks from Spain

[@countertony]

Presumably you could 'just' fit an internal-geared hub to the front wheel of the small penny-farthing to give you the overdrive. Be a hell of a wheel-rebuilding operation though.

[@Tickle..Tipson]

this is probably the most british video ever

[@draggonhedd]

Some of that wobble is due to the change of rake you've induced on the front forks with the change in the rear wheel size, placement, and geometry. This is then exascerbated by the limp noodle frame

[@XavierBetoN]

Hub motor was not opted for penn-e-farthing, why not use drone motor using friction drive and use reduction ratio of that 56" wheel?

[@raychambers3646]

Where did you get the smaller P / F from for £ 60 .ps a new sub.

[@Eremon1]

Weird, unique and entertaining. Brilliant I'd say.

[@jordankrause7419]

Good to see it in action mate!

[@silkyz68]

You could sell that Min-E-Farthing, that looks like a lot of fun

[@mrmaniac3]

I was thinking an extended frame to the nose of the front wheel could work, but then I remembered front wheel steering

[@TheMainCore]

Haha, this video was DELIGHTFUL! Loved the farting around with the big and the smal bikes around town.

[@kudosbudo]

From Penny Farthings to chained bicycles it was only a few years. They had the tech just wasn't used to make chains that small. Penny Farthings came out in 1871, first rear chain driven bicycle in 1879 so it only took 9 years for tech to be made available for bicycles.

[@Gribbo9999]

And 24 years after that, bicycle makers used the technology to carry out the first powered heavier than air flight!

[@glennthompson4166]

Man i started laughing when ya got the speed wobble , ive had it happen on motor bike before , lol

[@r.blacky341]

Cool people you are, nice to see have fun like we as children have,we are never to old to do crasey funy things!

[@FarmerFpv]

I think because you turned the fork around and changed the rake angle it has changed the bending moment. With the fork the other way it compresses rather than bend inward,

[@Bianchiboy]

Penny Farthing... hell yes!!!! Everybody take note, this is important

[@therandomman6647]

Everybody gangsta til the pennyfarthing does a wheelie

[@johnydelgado7901]

Reverses wheel. Forgets to bolt it down. bruhhhh that made my brain melt

[@jeffh4581]

Love it. Smile on my face, good sir!

[@money.3]

0:55 it should be a loading screen

[@kalidwapur]

Seeing the three stooges going in circles on dumb bikes in the kitchen fills me with joy!

[@4thfrom7]

The beginning of this video looked exactly like the F1 Monaco GP this year.

[@bagofnails6692]

I thought that the defining design feature of a penny farthing was not the oversized front wheel, or the pedals directly attached to it, but the fact that the handlebars are underneath your legs.

[@neurokinetik64ES]

"These are high quality forks, they cost me 8 pounds!" XD

[@AppleGeniusInc]

0:55 That has to be the most British thing I have ever seen 🤣🤣

[@colinloeffler3633]

The speed wobble may also be coming from the imbalanced pedals since they are not exactly axially symmetric. Not a problem at slow speeds but maybe noticeable at silly speeds

[@kellymoses8566]

Changing that giant tire must be fun.

[@PaulKentSkates]

I'm friends with the guys at GRIN. They made a few electric penny farthings about 5 years ago. My buddy wiped out on it pretty hard.

[@shadowwolf9329]

I would won't even think about trying to ride this bike

[@ChristianThierry]

You should consider extending the wheelbase if you plan on having a stable ride at higher speeds. Might mean you add some extra pair of foot pegs to the frame.

[@TimpBizkit]

It's like the bike on "This is a Swytch bike" advert.

[@basilwatson1]

where did u buy the big penny-farthing from

[@bensnipes7288]

So if you have to stop in traffic....is it rude to use the cars roof next to you as a kick stand?