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IVCA
RALLY & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS When you dislike flying, spending days on aeroplanes to reach your destination can put rather a dampener on an overseas trip. But even 2 days to get there and 2 days to get back tailed to take the gloss off my recent trip to Austria to take part in the 1998 International Veteran Cycling Association rally. The IVCA is a collection of old bicycle enthusiasts (that1s old bicycles, not old enthusiasts, although there are a good few people who qualify on both counts) from all around the world. The annual rally is a chance for people to show off their hikes, to discuss their latest restoration techniques, to race (if body and machine are up to it), and to meet “old bike” people from all around the world. The 1998 rally, in Zwettl, north west of Vienna, attracted about 230 people from Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United States, France, Belgium, Ireland, England and Australia (me). On display were bicycles covering the whole history of cycling from the pre-pedal draisines through to the relatively modern racing machines of the 1930. There seemed to be at least one or two of everything -MacMillans, boneshakers, penny farthings and safety bikes of all sorts from early fixed wheels solid tyred to geared pneumatic tyred racers, with a few tricycles, a couple of tandems, the odd dursley pedersen’s and a “sociable” to add variety. I didn’t really expect the owners of these machines - especially the really old ones - to ride their bikes, but these guys are nuts - not only to they ride the bikes, they race on them! ! Yes, you could have been the World Champion draisine racer. Also present this year were quite a number of new penny farthings. There are number of the “old bicycle” purists who don’t agree with what they call “replica” PP being involved in IVCA events because, they say, they are not real old bikes. So, unlike in Australia and NZ, in Austria the “original” and “replica” penny farthings raced in separate categories. If you are thinking of going to future IVCA rallies (or for that matter, any old bike rally) with your new penny farthing, check whether your bike will be accepted. (I understand that only “originals” will be allowed at the 1999 IVCA rally - but I haven’t confirmed this with the organisers yet). Perhaps the most remarkable bike on display in Zwettl was this one. It was found about 4 months ago in a nearby castle and was in remarkable condition. It is thought that even the leather and paintwork are original this is being verified by museum experts) . Imagine wandering thought your local castle and finding this!! Pity about the lack of centuries-old castles in Australia. For those into racing their old contraptions, the rally started with the traditional Century ride. Zwettl’s offering was 10 laps of a 10 mile course. Fortunately the countryside in Austria is beautiful because you needed something to take your mind off the hills and the weather. A good deal of the course was uphill (and a real hair-raising decent) and when you have icy winds, driving rain and thunder and lightning crashing around your ears you do begin to wonder what you are doing atop a penny farthing! The racing consisted of a 10 mile road race (also very tough due to the hills and wind - though thankfully no rain) and one mile races around a trotting track. To provide entertainment for the crowd one evening we also had a night “races” - which were great fun but involved very little serious racing. A tight street circuit with sharp corners, people on both sides of the road, cobbles and tram tracks isn’t conducive to racing - but, as it followed a reception with the Mayor of Zwettl and a very nice dinner, I don’t think anyone really felt inclined to race anyway! On our “day off ” we were treated to a steam train ride to the neighbouring town of Raabs to join the festival for the start of the rape seed harvest. With everyone (or nearly everyone anyway) in traditional costume it was a very colourful parade through the town. The Europeans are really keen on dressing up - their costumes were stunning. If you are interested in old bicycles - whether as a collector, restorer or racer - participating in an IVCA rally is an experience not to be missed. And it is a great excuse for a holiday in Europe or America (even if it does mean flying to get there) Canberra
Heritage Bike Ride ACT OzHPV Canberra Challenge 1998 By Peter Heal There is a strong group of HPV (Human Powered Vehicles) riders in Canberra. It’s only a small group which has evolved over the past 9 or so years. Probably the presence of Wayne Kotzur and his frame building business in the area has had something to do with this as Wayne is a devotee of HPV’s of the wheeled kind and for the past 9 years has had a major role in organising the ACT HPV Challenge. The Challenge has become an annual gathering of HPV enthusiasts from around Australia who come under the disguise of taking part m a competitions event but really just come to talk, eat, and breath HPVs for a weekend. This years event came together like always right at the last minute with the Canberra OzHPV members taking last minute obstacles on the run and each doing the job they were assigned in their usual (seemingly) efficient manner. OzHPV members generally fit in a ride between organising duties or give up their riding for the weekend to run the Challenge, something many participants don’t realise me think . Friday night saw many rocking up from around country including Perth on Saturday morning there were something like 40 happy campers on site. Fine weather graced us for most of the Saturday which in Canberra with it’s altitude and clear sky’s means mega UV and sunburn for the unwary. This year there seemed to be an abundance of trikes of all types as well as a whole new batch of two wheelers from home builders Not a lot of thought or effort has been put into fairings by home builders which 1 find surprising but perhaps comfort is the main reason for riding a recumbent anyway. There was a fully faired Ian Humphries low racer for about 15 minutes using a Peter Heal fibre nose cone and corflute body but tins was removed after a few 6Okm. runs up and down the main straight showed not enough benefit considering the overall event, so it was hastily removed This left a solitary Zipper front fairing and Peter Heal’s front and rear fairings to promote the aero cause. There were enough different and interesting bikes around to keep every body enthralled. There were carbon fibre bikes, there were new recumbent tandems, there were front wheel drive bikes and there were trikes, trikes and more trikes Ian Humphries had put in a lot of work pre event to arrange for seven test trikes to be on site from Australian manufacturers namely Greenspeed (of course), MR Components, Freedom Tri Sled Ian had enlisted a team of HPV riders who were all somewhat the same height and after the events on Saturday, the trikes were put through their paces with riders swapping from trike to trike and doing cornering, coasting and general quality of finish assessments. This was my first time on a trike and coasting the back roller coaster hill at 60+ km. and not being able to use the brakes was “exciting” to say the least Ian’s report on these tests is featured on the OzHPVweb site and apparently will be in some overseas magazines- well done Ian for getting OzHPV on the map. Saturday evening saw the Scout BBQ feast which was greatly appreciated. At about this point the locals nick off home leaving the campers in charge of the site. A significant thunderstorm rumbled through Canberra about 9.00pm making things interesting for the campers and washing gravel and debris on to the track. No major injuries were experienced, over the weekend although. there were some spectacular come offs in particular Harry Gordon’s front wheel drive Roller Blade Bike skated off sideways m the 200 metre drags due to a lack of grip for the roller blade wheels on the damp bitumen. Robert Braunsthal also did a “specy” crash and slide in the water on the skid pan during the shopping race. A special thanks to The Canberra Tradesmen’s Union Club & Canberra Bicycle Museum who were very kind this year again supporting the event and donating a significant sum of money towards the running of the Challenge and we thank them very much. Thanks also go to the many helpers who organise things like tents, timing gear, loud speaker systems , walkie talkies etc, etc. Do 1 need to list the individuals? Yes - Duncan Cleland, Chris Curtis Michael Carden Lindsay & Paul Segal Don Thomas. New Zealand Penny Farthing Bicycle Event By Gary W. Sanderson From “The Wheelmen Newsletter” The city of Oamaru in New Zealand’s South Island hosts an annual Victorian Fete including a 5-day Penny Farthing Bicycle Tour and the New Zealand Penny-farthing Bicycle Championship Races in November of each year. The spectacular 1998 event began with a 5-day tour highlands from beautiful Queenstown through the Otago highlands to Oamaru on the eastern coast. The ride followed much of New Zealand’s Heritage Trail through the towns that originated in this country’s cold rush era (1860-1890). We visited picturesque Arrowtown, Cromwell, Omaku St. Bathans. and Naseby. where townspeople told us bits of the areas colourful history. We stopped at local museums and stayed in small town hotel, and homes The distance travelled varied from 15 to 45 miles each day, supported by vehicles that carried all our baggage and riders with bicycles if needed. Food and drink was always available so none had to suffer from low blood sugar at any time. The camaraderie that developed among fellow travellers was as good as it gets. Thirty plus people took part in this tour including Wheelmen Jack Castor (AZ), Nolan Bay (CA), Steve Stevens (IL), Gary and Irene Sanderson (WI/NJ) Kathy Ham (Aust), Paul Farren (Aust) Nikki Armstrong (Aust) and Peter Matthews (Ire.) and they all want to do it again next year. Saturday, November 28, was race day in Oamaru with about 40 riders participating. The race course was six blocks long on streets in downtown Oamaru. Races included a straight line sprint, a slow race, a slalom. a veteran riders (over 40 years old), a ladies championship, a super veterans (over 60 years), a ladies championship and an open championship race. The races were exciting with some photo finishes, and the overall champion was Andrew Wegener from Brisbane, Australia on a bicycle he had built himself. The final event held on Sunday, Nov. 29, was the Tyne Street Grunter- to determine who could get to the highest point on the steepest street in town. After much struggling and grunting by the thirty contestants, John Davy from Christchurch, NZ, nosed out two lady riders, Charlie Farren of Melbourne, Australia, and Pip Sutherland of Christchurch, NZ, to take first place in this colourful event. The races provided excitement for the spectators, and a great deal of enjoyment for the contestants. The varied types of races provided opportunities for the young and the old, the fast and the slow, to participate. Racing was important to the Penny -Farthing bicycle riders of yesteryear, and the Oamaru proved again that a race program can add fun and interest to gatherings of Penny-Farthing riders in our time as well. One of the most interesting aspects of this event was the Penny Farthing bicycles themselves. Among the active riders only the machine ridden by Nolan Bay (a Gormly-Jeffrey) was an authentic antique. Most of the machines on the tour, and in the races were made by the riders or by today’s custom builders such as Philip Levi (Edlee bicycles), James Spillane (Whitneys), Robin Willan (Willans) etc. These machines are true to the early high bicycle tradition and their builders deserve our recognition for helping to keep this tradition alive. The Oamaru Penny-Farthing riders are already busy planning next years event. Anyone who enjoys riding their Penny-Farthing bicycle, and who wants to have a memorable (but affordable) experience should plan now to participate in the 1999 Oamaru (New Zealand) penny-Farthing Bicycle Tour and Championship Races. 2nd Annual Oldtime Bicycle Races In Memory of Ted Harper Win-Del Velodrome, Windham Centre Ontario, Canada. By Larry Strung “Thank you very much for the splendid weekend, and I hope to see you all next year.” Those were the parting words from Brian McRath. Little did Brian know how inspirational his words were, or how well they captured the spirit of this event. Brian, you see is 85 years old and still an active bike racing competitor. For his obvious enjoyment and infectious optimism, Brian was awarded a medal for “Person who most obviously enjoyed the weekend “ Other award winners were Jennifer Gallegos for “Best effort - regardless of finishing position,” even though she did shut down all of her competitors in the Pre-WW1 I handicap final; and Del Nichols for “Best display of Sportsmanship”- for freely sharing his bikes with fellow competitors. No awards were given for traditional 1st 2nd and 3rd placing in event races. Race commissar Keith Davidge administered the handicapping system. Such was his skill, and the integrity of the competitors (no sandbagging here) that many races had exciting-to-the-wire finishes. This year the High Bikes had the largest entry, with races divided into heats of 4 riders. The first heat was won by Steve Garden while the second race was dead heated between Ron Miller and yours truly. The high bike final was won by Steve from fan Kay and Ron Miller. As noted already Jennifer Gallegos won the Pre-WWI Racing Bike Final on her 1895 Minute Man, to the chagrin of Glen Norcliffe, who only just overcame 14 year old Ben Porath for 2nd Honor and prestige were restored to your author by winning the Pre- Final from lames Hopkins and Earnie Gallegos The Master’s Riders Final saw crafty race strategy by Mike Barry defeat Allan Essery, with del Nichols 3rd. Ernie Gallegos leads Brian MeGrath, Jame Hopkins and the rest of the pack on the 1st tap of the Pre-WW11 final The Old Time Races were in conjunction with a regular Ontario Track league meet, so our riders were able to catch their breath while watching some of Ontario’s finest track bike racers show their stuff. Most impressive was the performance of former world champ Gord Singleton. At 45 years of age, Gord appears to have lost little of his fitness or speed. In several of the modern bike races Gord was able to use his famous sprint to defeat much younger riders, including even the current Ontario Sprint Champion. I think many competitors at this year’s Master’s Games are going to be in for a rude surprise! Saving the best for last, the races were again concluded with an Olympic pursuit. This year’s format pitted six person teams composed of two high bikes, a vintage track bicycle, a master rider, and two modem track bikes. Again, Keith’s handicapping skills produced a margin of victory of 1/8th of a second’. Beyond just the racing, a large part of the enjoyment of the weekend came from admiring the many bikes. Mike Barry brought a small portion of his impressive collection including road racers such as his ’36 Umberto Dei ’50 Bianchi, and ’50 Willer Mike was able to give a history demonstration of the development of the derailleur with this display of bikes. More important than the bikes was the pleasant mix of people who attended- The young racers on the modern bikes showed interest and enthusiasm towards the old bikes and their riders. Ontario Track Champion Keith Thoreson again tried his hand at riding a high bike. He provided an ego boost to many high bike riders by posting a timed lap appreciably lower than the old hands. Ted Harper’s widow, Brenda and son Ted were in attendance and genuinely seemed to appreciate the event. Ex-6-day racer Smokin’ Joe Demaever regalled all with stories of yesteryear while other former racing stars such as Alien Essery Brian MeGrath, Peter Cridland, and Mike Barry showed that they are not yet ready to hang up the hat. Many people camped over Saturday night in order to participate in the ride to Deli for breakfast Sunday. This ride is fun because of its run what-ya-brung nature. Bikes varied form Ron’s 1882 Andrews 56 inch Ordinary, through Mike’s impressive 30’s era road racers, all the way to a carbon fibre Colnago (owned by a member of the local modern bike club, the Silver Spokes). The objectives for the meet were met again this year, that is to be a casual weekend for friends to enjoy together, messing around with old bikes. Why not join the fun next year? The
9th International Cycling History Conference All of the papers were of good quality. Nick Clayton described “William Jackson: A Forgotten Pioneer of the Modern Tricycle.” The paper based on Clayton’s meticulous research gave an account of Jackson’s work in France during the 1860’s and 1970’s on an advanced version of the tricycle and on an early monocycle. Bruce Epperson spoke on the “Failed Collossus: Albert Pope and the American Bicycle and Automobile Industries 1878-1900.” He provided details on the characteristics of the Pope Company, related its expansion and diversification, its collusion with other manufacturers in the bicycle trust, and the factors that led to the failure of the company. Selected other papers included Glen Norcliffe’s study of “Bicycle Related Patents in Canada.: Phillip Mackintosh’s “Francis Willard and the morality of Cycling.” And David Herlihy’s “The Cryptic Michaux/Olivier Relationship.” Nicholas Oddy discussed the “Contour Road Books of Harry Inglis.” Frank Barto provided an account of “Sunset for Sun Tour.” And Gertjan Moed addressed “Issues in Bicycle Restoration.” A hard back collection of the papers will be made available. Wheelmen Annual Meet - 1998 Indianapolis July 8-12, 1998 Kathy Ham and Phillip Levi travelled from Australia for this year’s Wheelmen meet, the 31st annual get-together for veteran cycle enthusiasts from throughout America. Other Velocipede Society members to attend were Peter Matthews from Ireland, and “locals” Steve Stevens, Gary Sanderson, Jack Castor Nolan Bay, Bob Balcomb - and I imagine our newest member, Del Nichols, was along as well. For Kathy, the week commenced with a July 4th parade in Eveston. It was organised by Harold, the former Eveston Fire Chief, who rode a Draisienne in the parade - and the chanting as they passed the Fire Station was unbelievable! Steve Stevens, Gary Sanderson and Jim Guthrie rode from Chicago to Indianapolis for the meet, with Kathy and Irene Sanderson driving the sag wagon. The meet celebrated a Wheelmen Meet held in Indianapolis exactly 100 years ago, and the purple meet ribbon presented to all participants was a copy of the one given back in 1898. The century badge, with a design based on the key of the city of Indianapolis was also a copy of last century’s badge, and was produced by Wheelman James McKenzie, who also came up with the Buffalo badges from some years back. Kathy again rode her Rudge Rotary Tricycle and was presented with a special ribbon for exemplary costume - so all that searching throuqh maqazines was worthwhile’ Highlights of the Meet included a lap of the indianapolis Car Racing Circuit - a spectacular sight, with over 200 Wheetman out on the track. Kathy was also selected to ride on the Major Taylor Velodrome on the Friday night, as she was the only Meet participant on a tricycle this year Apart from many great memories, a treasured memento of her trip is her very own bicycle lamp, manufactured by Ham & Co of Birmingham. Australian
Cycling History Resource Centre Opening
The official opening went very well. Lots of people came including television and newspaper representatives. The format for the opening was: Hosted by myself, I introduced Jack Hepher, that well-known cycling personality, ex-racer, previous owner of the Bundanoon bike shop, owner of a collection of cycles, including a pennyfarthing and a kangaroo, and enthusiast always willing to share his knowledge. Jack spoke well, saying how pleased he was that there was somewhere in Australia where the history of cycling was being preserved. Next there was a slide show put together by Rob Tucker. This was really a commercial forour website. If you’re looking for it, it is at http//www.ctuc.asn.au/bicycle . Just as the Tradesmen’s Club is open 24 hours a day, we’re also accessible 24 hours a day and we’re GLOBAL. Rob has been responsible for creating the database that contains information about our books, magazines, posters, and memorabilia. I was pleased to present a token of our appreciation to those people who had been kind enough to donate their time in helping us set up or giving us magazines, photos, etc in the way of a souvenir thermal mug with the Resource Centre logo on it. Trevor Scott, the President of the Canberra Tradesmen’s Union Club, did the honours and unveiled the plaque for the Australian Cycling History Resource Centre, saying how proud the Club was to be able to facilitate the fruition of this project. I concluded by inviting all present to enjoy the refreshments provided by the Club’s catering department. Then those who were keen went outside to watch the pennyfarthing demonstration riding by Rod and Steven. Some even received lessons on how to ride, much to the amusement of others. The Canberra Times reporter took advantage of this and a full report was in the next day’s newspaper. Well, now that we have been “opened”, what of the future? The Canberra Bicycle Museum is still open 7 days a week inside the CTUC where you can see a very good display of representative cycles complete with a catalogue as a guide. The new Resource Centre will be open on Wednesdays from 10am to 5pm and other times by prior arrangement, especially for members of the “friends”. We are treating this new address more as an annexe, but where the true work of collating and researching cycling history goes on. So there are now two addresses to visit- Bicycle Museum in Badham St and Resource Centre in Rosevear Place. THE CENTURY RIDE - CLEVELAND TO HOBART Saturday February 14th 1998 written by Di Sullivan, Evandale Twenty-one starters this year, a great response to the annual challenge to ride 100 miles on a penny farthing in one day - from point to point, the way centuries always used to be run. There was a great scurry around the town at about 5am as bikes and riders were rounded up for the start. Great planning on someone's part had seen quite a few of the bikes ridden to Cleveland the previous evening, thus limiting the early morning transport needed. The group of riders and supporters, numbering about 40, gathered at St. Andrews Inn for breakfast. There was a photo call outside, much to the astonishment of passing early morning motorists, then at promptly 6.30am 20 intrepid adventurers mounted their machines and headed south along the Heritage Highway towards Hobart. The first excitement of the day came at Campbelltown, where a huge Alaskan Malamite dog adopted Nicky Armstrong, and proudly bounded along beside her as she rode into town. If he'd been stuffed Nicky probably would have souvenired him, to keep company with the three owls she carried in her pannier. But he was definitely real, so Joanne Bracken was appointed honorary dog catcher, and ably returned him to his owner. Ross was the first official stop, and we were met by the Mayor, Ken Von Bibra, delighted as always to see us bringing extra visitors to his home town. By this point the group had divided into roughly three groups - Nicky, the Sullivans, Nick Bromage, Paul Farren and Peter Jones out in front; John Hennessy, Hod Bracken, Stephen Passlow, Hans and Stuart Jany, Noel and Pip Sutherland and Nolan Bay in the middle; Gary Sanderson, Janis Munro, Andrew Wegener, Steve Stevens, Jack Castor and the "Old Farts" (Bill Carter and Bob Cations) to the rear. Next stop was Antill Ponds, at the rest area at the start of St. Peters Pass. By now the sun was shining, and the kettle was boiling under the gum trees. Perfect way to spend a day! On towards Oatlands, and the start of the long climbs. They didn't seem as bad as they were when we covered this route nine years ago - a good day weatherwise made a big difference. Still the hills took their toll, and the distance between the first and last rider increased dramatically. Stephen Passlow led the group into the stop at Jericho, followed by Peter Jones and Rodney Bracken. Here we saw the first retirements. Bob Cations packed up the bike, having ridden 80km to this point a wonderful effort for someone who back in December thought that he'd never be able to ride a bike again. Janis Munro succumbed to "Cyclists Knees Syndrome" - as Bill Carter explained, "I was riding along talking to this bird, and all of a sudden her knees went to jelly". Janis was disappointed at having to retire from her first effort at a century, and swears she'll be back to go the whole way next year. The stop at Jericho was marked by the non-appearance of the "Gang of Four" - Paul Farren, Nicky Armstrong, and Michael and Ryan Sullivan missed the turn, then not wanting to ruin their run-up for the big climb up Spring Hill, opted instead for an additional refreshment stop on top of the hill. They all assure us that they conscientiously made up the three kilometres that they had "cribbed" at the end of the ride. The big descents also took their toll. Nick Bromage found that he’d ordered the new Edlee just a tad too big, and was forced to do a lot of walking. Stuart Jany rolled the tyre from his new machine, necessitating an emergency dismount and retirement from the ride. By Kempton the day had warmed considerably, and Andrew Wegener was forced to admit that a bidon on the bike wouldn't be a bad idea after all. This was Andrew's first ride at anywhere near this distance on any type of bike, and it was a matter of "so far so good". Soon Mount Wellington came into view, and those still riding knew they were in with a chance of a finish. The next stop was at the motel where we were all to stay, and the plan was to regroup here and ride into Salamanca Place together via the bikeway. Stephen Passlow and Nicky Armstrong led the group in here, followed by Paul Farren. It was a first time penny farthing century ride for both Nicky and Paul, despite the many miles they have both completed on Audax trials Then came a large proportion of the starters in fairly close proximity -it comprised the experienced century riders: Rodney Bracken, Peter Jones, Michael and Ryan Sullivan and Noel and Pip Sutherland, and five more who were completing their first century. Hans Jany, Andrew Wegener, John Hennessy, Nick Bromage and Bill Carter. A wonderful achievement in particular for Bill, who was mindful of his "dicky ticker" for the whole hundred miles. In retrospect, the stop and regrouping was not a good idea. The group just wanted to ‘get it over with’, but there were still four riders out on the highway. As the light was fading, the decision was made to commence the run into Salamanca. Steve Steven and Gary Sanderson were only two blocks away - as they came to a halt at a red traffic light, Gary reached for a street pole for support, clipped the edge of the kerb, and fell heavily, bruising his hip. While Steve was able to overtake the rest of the group, Gary was unable to remount the bike, and forced to retire virtually within sight of the end of his first ever century ride. Nolan and Jack were following not too far behind - they opted to complete the ride with circuits of a block near the motel, guided and supported by Phillip Levi in the "Popemobile". We learnt that open roads, despite the traffic hazards, are better than bike paths for rides in a large group. Bill Carter came to grief when the group was forced to sqeeze up for a gateway, fortunately hurting no more than his pride. A leisurely drive back to Evandale was organised on Sunday, with a lunch stop at Richmond and cake all round for Kathy Ham's birthday. Thus ended our ninth Velocipede Society Century Ride - an unforgettable experience, as were the eight before it! Congratulations to the 17 riders (aged from 13 to 761) who made the distance, it really is an awesome achievement. International Veteran Cycle Rally held in Indianapolis, USA in 1998 Australians attending were Nicky Armstrong and Phillip Levi.Edlee assault at Indianapolis An unexpected trip to the USA came my way only two weeks prior to my departure. I had to make a personal delivery of a "Classic"model Edlee to Bill in Santa Fe, New Mexico so that he would have his bike in time for the Wheelmen meet at Indianapolis. I quickly packed my gold plated Edlee as well so that I had a bike to ride when I got to the USA, and though the bikes arrived without damage, their boxes were very battered about and opened. When travelling with bikes in a box overseas I can recommend placing plywood inserts on the inside bottom of the box as well as the top. Hey! FRAGILE labels don’t mean a thing to the people loading aircraft; I had them spread all over my boxes. Upon arriving at L.A. I boarded a domestic flight to Alberquerque where I was met by Bill who drove me to his home in Santa Fe. What an amazing town with its Mexican style architecture on homes as well as city buildings. We assembled our bikes and took a ride downtown and amazed many onlookers." Hey Phillip get onto the otherside of the road", a familiar sound for a while as I got use to these people who like to drive on the wrong side. We stop out front of the Governors building to peruse the American Indians sitting on the ground with their display of personal craft. I am very interested in this culture and spent some time talking with them about their work until I heard some humour flying around as some were trying to convince their chief that he should have a ride on my bike. I picked up on this and boldly approached the chief and asked him if he would like a ride. Sternly he looked me in the eye, ignored my question and replied, "how much would this bike cost me?" My response was "I will swap you a bow and arrow" to which he quickly said "a bow and arrow I do not have but how would a scalp do?" Back home to pack for the long drive of 1300 miles through Texas, Okalahoma, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana to Indianapolis to check in at the Marion College which was to be our base for the next few days. Some familiar faces of Jack, Nolan, Gary and Irene and James and Billie Jo warmed my heart as we exchanged greetings and then it was all go. Over 200 Wheelmen descended upon Marion College with all types of old bikes, and to my delight 7 Edlee’s grace the fleet. We went on night rides city rides but the highlights for me was the demonstration race meeting and parade of old bicycles at the Major Taylor Velodrome which was only a mile from the college. The next day was the ride to the Indianapolis 500 Speedway track where we had to exercise discipline as we rode the track. This cheesed Jack Castor and I, as we were weaving to warm up our tires to take those fast corners we were told to keep our speed down to under 50-mph. What a blow! No drifting the rear on those fast bends, however it was very nostalgic for me. Following our lap of honour we visited the Speedway Museum and Hall of Fame, what a buzz to see the winning cars on display from race one up to current day. Next day fun rides and swap meet on the college grounds followed by the Annual General Meeting of Wheelmen members. My turn came to say something and they got it right between the eyes. I told how I read that Wheelmen promote parades, costume as well as racing but I see no racing. On behalf of Australia I challenged America to a race next year at Missouri, I told them that I had ‘Black Thunder from Downunder’ (Steve Passlow) wanting to come and tan their butts and from what I hear of the Americans I don’t think you would back down from such a challenge. As Jack Castor shrivelled into his seat upon this suggestion, suddenly a stir in breathing and a few chuckles came forth as they got my message. So on the eve of the finale banquet, James Allen, who is the host for the next meet in Springfield Missouri, was asked to stand and say something of what people might expect to happen at that meet. He then accepted the Aussie challenged in the form of a relay race. I suggested it could be called the "High wheel America’s Cup". Personally I don’t think the Yanks stand a chance at winning it, but the Canadians will give us a run for our money with riders such as Larry Strung. Assie’s, we need riders for Missouri, you have ample time to prepare and save some dollars. Farewells were shared on that last day as contented people headed for their homes. Jack Castor very kindly drove me north to Dearborn outside of Detroit to the famous Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. We spent 2 days trying to take in all the wonderful exhibits of things such as early vacuum cleaners to a gigantic steam locomotive. Plenty to see but two days will only give you time to have a quick look in case you are planning a visit. In the village was a collection of famous people’s homes that were dismantled from their original site and rebuilt at the Greenfield Village. Among them was the house that Henry Ford was born, Mark Twain’s house, the Wright Brothers first Bicycle shop in which they built their first aeroplane. The highlight for me was the complete buildings that Thomas Edison invented his many wonders. South to Dayton Airforce Museum then back to Springfield, Missouri where I had left my gold bike to discover it had been sold at a very good price now that the Aussie Dollar was to benefit me this time. My long time friends met me in Sprigfield to show me around some more of the country in their 12-m. Motor home, to find on the next day I was feeling unwell. Next day worse, then the third day convulsions which put me in hospital at Shawnee, Oklahoma. I was diagnosed with a serious urine infection, had to cancel my flight home, given antibiotics for only 1 week at the end of I started to deteriorate to the point of seeing doctor, Urologist and Ultrasound specialists in Las Vegas. Infection of the testicle. At this point I had no travel insurance cover left and had to pay almost US$1,000 up front for their services. Wow, second pain! BUT, the delay enabled me to be in Milwauke, Wisconsin with the aid of Steve Stevens just at the time that some wheelmen were riding in the famous ‘Great Circus Parade’. It was doubtful that I could participate in my condition but Steve took a bike for me to ride just in case. I tried the seat first, then a short ride, no problem! The great parade was a site to behold, over a 100 old circus wagons beautifully restored, transported by train along with elephants to do all of the unloading to maintain authenticity. Riding the parade itself we were not permitted to wear sunglasses or tinted glasses, as it did not meet with their conditions. To me that was the highlight of my tour even though the bike that Steve had for me to ride was a ‘Kennedy’ and that I had been unwell, it was all worth it. Thanks Steve for talking me into going! Back home to reality now after a great experience and success in terms of orders for bikes that will keep me extra busy until March 1999. My health is back to normal as well. 27th-28th of September 1997 For the third time a well organized rally took
place in Bmo and again it was irgnored by neary all of the regular participants
to international veteran bicycle events. Brno will be organizing the IVCA-Rally
in the year 2001, thus their yearly September rallies are part of me preparation
for the big international event. As usual this years meeting was dominated by
racing events, the organising club 'Favorit Bmo' being very attached to modem
bicycle racing. The 'Mile of Bmo' opened the meeting in the 'Bmo Fair Ground' on
Saturday, and after that race the rally moved to the nearby 'Bmo Racing Track'.
Sprint racing events for some veteran cycle classes made the day short, Josef
Zimovek of the Czech Republik won all the high wheel events. In the evening the
rally moved to the 'Ralec-Jestrebi' castle. In the baroque park of the castle a
hot-air balloon rising took place and yours truly was invited to an
unforgettable ride in the warm autumn evening sun. A supper with dancing closed
the first day of the Moravian rally. With brilliant weather on the Sunday a 18km
trip went to the caves of 'Skalni Mlyn' a famous curiosity in the Moravian
limestone. After the prize giving and visting the caves by a small train, by
boat and by cable car the event came to an end. It was a well organized veteran
cycle rally, happy with warm autumn weather, which should have been much better
attended by international visitors. Brisbane
Valley QLD Penny Farthing Tour
The Australian National Pennyfarthing Races and Evandale Village Fair 1998 from "The Wheelmen Newsletter", April 1998. written by Gary W.Sanderson, USA Sixty-two Penny-Farthing riders traveled to the village of Evandale in Tasmania, Australia to participate in the National Penny Farthing Races. This included four riders from the USA (Nolan Bay, Jack Castor. Steve Stevens, and Gary Sanderson), one rider from England, three riders from New Zealand, and riders from each of the seven states of Australia. The event was organized by the Evandale Village Committee chaired by Mrs. Di Sullivan (a Wheelmen). Di made sure that all Penny-Farthing riders were well cared for and in fact the Sullivan household was turned into a repair shop, bicycle parking lot, and general meeting point for the duration of the event. Tasmania, an island the size of the state of Georgia that lies in the Pacific Ocean south of Melbourne, has hosted the Penny Farthing Bicvcle Races for 16 years. Tasmania is noted for its natural beauty and warm welcome for visitors. From Los Angeles California it is a 14 1/2 hour flight to Launceston (via Sydney), and Evandale is only 2 miles from this airport. The Evandale races are an important part of the Penny Farthing racing tradition that has become established in Australia and New Zealand. In contrast to the United States, where the Wheelmen concentrate on collecting antique bicycles and showing these machines in organized rides and parades, the Australians are heavily involved in racing their Penny Farthing bicycles. Interest in racing has produced another characteristic of the Australian scene that contrasts with the situation in the USA. Namely the quest for speed created great interest in "building your own machine.", and in using modern materials and efficient designs in the construction of these machines. Other consequences of this emphasis on racing is the great interest of spectators, and the involvement of a significant number of younger people in the racing of Penny Farthing bicycles. On reflection. one must conclude that this is all consistent and appropriate to the antique bicycle tradition since racing, youthful riders and innovation were all prominent characteristics of the bicycle world in the late 1800s. The program started on the evening of Friday, February 13, when most of the 22 riders that had signed up for the Century Ride mounted their machines and rode 30 miles from Evandale to Cleveland and St. Andrew's Inn which was to be the start of the Century. Next day we were taken from Evandale back again to the starting Point, in time for breakfast, before a mass start at 6:00 a.m. The ride took us to Hobart, the state capital, and a very hilly but pretty seaport town. That evening all the century riders and the ride support people dined together in a cozy motel in Hobart. On Sunday everyone went out to the historic Village of Richmond for a picnic lunch before heading back to Evandale, or other destinations during the week before the actual races. The race weekend began on Friday, the 20th with a one mule free-for-all race down the main runway at the Launceston Airport. It was 62 bicycles flying down the tarmac with a strong tail wind to increase speed. And at the end, fire trucks stood ready to spray streams of water over the heads of riders crossing the finish line. This is an exhilarating experience that no Penny Farthing rider should miss! Saturday, Feb 21 was Race Day in Evandale. During the night before, the village had been transformed with bales of straw stacked around each turn of the race course, and central streets were blocked to all traffic except bicycles and pedestrians. About 20 different races were staged throughout the day, including slow races, drop out races, senior (over 50) races, sprints and the championship races. All races were hotly contested and the winners were recognized with trophies. Brett Richardson from Western Australia won the National Championship, but many other strong riders were present to win important races and provide serious competition at all times. The 30 mile road race was held Sunday, starting in Evandale and looping through the countryside to end up at a country estate called Clarendon House. Casual riders took a more leisurely and direct route (10 miles) to Clarendon House and provided an audience for the racers at the finish line. We all had a picnic lunch then on the lawn of Clarendon House, after which awards were presented and riders posed for a group photo. The weekend of races ended with riders bucking a strong head wind on a leisurely return to Evandale, to pack bicycles and belongings for the trip home. Good-byes were said with many promises to meet again in Evandale, or some other Penny Farthing event. This was truly an exciting event for both riders and spectators. New Zealand Pennyfarthing Championships Our trip to the National Pennyfarthing Championships was made all the more memorable by the addition of a cycle tour on pennyfarthings before the event.. It is a long way to go from Canberra to Oamaru for one day of racing, so the 30 riders met a week before on Sunday 16th November at Valentine’s restaurant. We were bused up to Mt Cook Village, and after a meal and a good night’s sleep, were ready to commence the mostly downhill ride over 3 days to Oamaru. This was an opportunity to meet and to get to know the other riders as well as see some of the countryside It was a time for some of us to practice riding our bikes again. I am not all that confident on a pennyfarthing, especially when the strong cross winds were blowing. The organisers, Noel and Pip Southland, thoughtfully brought along a truck and allowed me to swap bikes when I needed to. At times there was a tail wind, and I clocked Paul Farren freewheeling at 40kph. When applying the brake, besides the smell of rubber, some paint blistered off the brake spoon. Breakfast, lunch and accommodation was arranged for us, the evening meal was at our own expense, although we ended up all eating at the same place. The camaraderie was great. New riders like Nicki Armstrong and Margaret Passlow were welcomed by the veteran riders. George Csiky‘s wife Greta, who had not brought a pennyfarthing, was able to share one with others. The Edlee team gave each other tips and discussed tactics. The racing On Friday, the one mile sprint on the airport runway was exciting, the results were – Paul Davies (Aust), Steve Passlow (Aust), Jon Hume (NZ) Ladies: Pip Sutherland (NZ), Nicky Armstrong (Aust), Annemarie Driver (Aust) On Saturday, the course was up and down the main street of the Heritage Precinct, with the turn around point a bit hairy. Oamaru’s Neil Plunkett was the organiser of this event, as well as being responsible for overseeing the Victorian Fair held at the same time. The streets were closed and an entry fee charged for spectators who came to see the cavalcade of horses and veteran cars, steam engines, stone sawing competition, market stalls, arts and crafts, food outlets, and a Victorian fashion parade. The racing interspersed these during the day. There was a mixture of bikes, original and replicas, and some just bolted together bits such as Mr Moon’s exhaust pipe. However, all in good fun. The results were – 100 yard sprint: Jon Hume (NZ), Steve Passlow (Aust), Paul Davies (Aust), 20 yard Slow race: Jon Hume (NZ), Noel Sutherland (NZ), Georg Csiky (Germany) 50 yard Slalom: Noel Sutherland (NZ), Ian McColl (Aust), Tony Brady (NZ) Veteran riders: Steve Passlow (Aust), Rod Driver Bracken (Aust), Phillip Levi (Aust) Biathlon: Jon Hume (NZ), Noel Sutherland (NZ), Jon Davey (NZ) Super Vets (+60yrs): Tony Brady (NZ), Jack Castor (USA), Nolan Bay (USA) Ladies: Pip Sutherland (NZ), Nicky Armstrong (Aust), Kirsty Louden (NZ) Championship: Paul Davies (Aust), Jon Hume (NZ), Steve Passlow (Aust) Best presented cycle and rider: Jeanette McIsaac (NZ), Annemarie Driver (Aust), Keith Guthrie (NZ) Saturday night dinner was arranged by the committee in the soon to be restored old warehouse in the Historic Precinct street. On Sunday, the fine weather brought the locals out to see who could ride the furthest up the very steep Tyne St. Some bikes suffered from front wheel spin when the smooth tyre had no traction on the road. Won by John Davey, Paul Davies, Steve Stevens. Then a 30km country ride for a picnic lunch. On this occasion other veteran cycles accompanied us. It was pleasing to see that some dressed according to the period. We were grateful for the lift back to Oamaru, it being a very warm day. Thanks to Noel and Pip Sutherland for bringing the truck and mini buses. Western Australia, 24 hour Penny farthing record attempt. By Steve Passlow Garry Clark’s chosen route was a sealed surface around the grain silos, and the ride had to be completed before the canola crop came in. So at midday on Saturday October 12th, Garry wheeled out the new 60" High Wheel and set out on the challenge of a lifetime. The first twelve hours went perfectly according to plan, with distance covered right on schedule, and only eight stops for intervals of one minute each. But the darkness of the midnight to dawn stint brought some problems – the lighting set-up caused Garry to cast a huge shadow of a strange man riding a penny farthing, on an angle, onto the silos, and he found himself "spooked out" by it. The dawn brought wind and rain which lasted for the whole morning, and a decided headwind down one side of the silos called for extra effort on each lap. All of these factors caused Garry to lose pace which he was not able to make up. Local support was great, with good media coverage ensuring that there were people there to cheer him on at all times. The party lasted all night! Garry swears that the ride would not have been possible without the support of his "trusty lieutenants", Steve Passlow and Dennis Bunn, who went out of their way to ensure that all went smoothly – even to the extent of attaching 40 reflectors to the foam blocks which lined the 663.1 metre circuit, to provide some extra guidance during the dusk to dawn stint. And so he persevered – and was pleased to dismount at midday on Sunday, having covered 409.6 km in the 24 hours. A truly magnificent achievement! Although it is short of the 512 km covered by Phil McDonald to set the Australian record back in 1986, and Josef Zimovcak’s 520 km for a world record last year, it has set the other Western Australians riders a mark to aspire to. Though I’m told, seeing the pain he had put himself through, there were no ready volunteers for a re-run at the end of the ride. Report of the Jack Wardlaw collection Auction June 1997 The late Jack Wardlaw’s complete collection of bikes has now been dispersed. The auction was held at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on June 22nd. There was an interesting mix of watchers and serious bidders, some were dealers and others just dreaming. Many of our "Friends" were seen at the auction, some even bidding against each other, all taking home real bargains. Phone bids came in from overseas. Some bidders ended up with a whole tea chest of pedals, or handlebars, or saddles. One guy bought all the transfers. There now will be lots of swapping going on. I’m not sure what happened to the spanners, there were hundreds of them, all the same size, and carefully mounted in showcases. Jack had been trying for the Guiness Book of records. The Canberra Bicycle Museum was pleased to have acquired the 1937 Manx recumbent. This is particularly important to the collection as Canberra is the home of the newly created OZHPV Inc, representing recumbent riders in Australia. There is a growing strong following of these modern machines. The Museum also went away with Jack’s favourite "Wheels", a colourful contraption made of wheels, which looks great ridden in a parade. The most sought after item, the Singer tricycle, went to the Farren’s in Victoria. Jack can now rest assured that all his beloved bikes have found a good home. International Veteran Cycle Rally Appenzell, Switzerland, May 1997 Condensed from report by Brian and Betty Cooper and Derick and Pat Watson, Cambridgeshire, England Friday May 9th – Century Ride Several brave souls started at 5am from the Locher Brewery. We started at 10am. The course was very hard starting with a three mile climb, but the downhills more than made up for it. It was very well organised with plenty of refreshments on route. A round trip through Appenzell as an alternative programme was planned for those who did not participate in the century ride. The Flea market….. there was heavy rain and a hail storm……... The Evening Town Centre Races for cycles with wooden or steel wheels was quite a spectacle and very entertaining. They also held team events for Boneshakers, Pennies and Safety cycles…… Saturday May 10th – World Championships Racing started at 11am…the course had a few sharp bends and there were two accidents….. Results were- Class1 Hobbyhorses: Franz Heini (CH), Jens Liebscher (D), Heinz Kunz (CH) Class2 Macmillan-like: Anton Mittelbach (CZ), Ruedi Weibel-Kunz (CH), Kurt Maag (CH) Class4 High Bicycles: Josef Zimovcak (CZ), Alan Skeavington (UK), Fredi Gmur (CH) Class5 Tricycles with solid tyres: Rosmarie Jordan (D), Bertha Hanggi (CH), Karoline Kaiser (A) Class7 Safety Bikes with solid tyres: Paul Farren (AUS), Julian booty (UK), Ellis Cooper (UK). Ladies: Josephine Booty (UK), Jana Uhlirova (CZ) Class 8 Safety bikes with pneumatic tyres and fixed wheels: Urs Schuler (CH), Walter Ulreich (A), Ernst Oberli (CH). Ladies Anna Schaublin (CH) Class 9 Safety Bikes with pneumatic tyres and free wheels: Lukas Persy (CZ), Joannes Stealens (B), Pieter Janssens (UK), Class10 Racing Bikes up to 1940: Nils Niemeyer (D), Walter Schmidl (A), Martin Strubenreiter (A) Class11 Tandems and Multicycles: Leo Dekker (NL), monika Grundmeyer (D), Vladimira Uhlirova (CZ) Class13 Replica high Bicycles: Josef Aimovcak (CZ), Josef Mesiek (CZ), Bjorn Can de Plas (B) Class14 Children, High Wheels: Benjamin Willems (F), Tereza Uhlirova (CZ), Karim Swakat (CH) Class15 Women on High Wheels: Iva Zajicek (CZ), Manuela Kaiser (A), Linnea Van de Plas (B) Class16 Women on Safety Bikes: Ina Liebscher (D), Gisela Liebscher (D), Joan Hunter (UK) At 4pm the Costume Ride took place around Appenzell, about 300 riders taking part. There were some beautiful costumes which must have taken months of preparation, and it as nice to see the bikes of different nations to compare them with our own. The streets were lined with people……. We don’t think we have ever seen so many spectators on a route before and they were so interested in the bikes. We had an aperitif in the main square…….. The Gala Dinner was held at the ‘Gringel Aual’, almost everyone came in their costume which really gave the evening a great boost……….Between the third and fourth courses the local Amateur Dramatic Society put ona Summer and Winter display of period costumes of the region and showed what activities they did, e.g skating, skiing,etc. A big thank you to the organisers and Appenzel residents for your hospitality The first West Australian Penny Farthing and Antique Cycle Race by Alan Naber Saturday 31st May saw the revival of the last centuries favourite sport of the rich and famous, pennyfarthing cycle racing. The first West Australian and York Penny Farthing and Antique championship attracted 12 riders. The race took place around the streets of York and between the showers. The first race, a handicap event saw the slower bikes start well and Australian Champion Steve Paslow only managed a 3rd place. The event was won by Greg Chaplin on a 1940 postman’s bike, second was Gary Clark from Albany riding a 58 inch Edlee. The first original West Australian built machine was a 1920 Percy Armstrong Racer ridden by Alan Naber from Perth and was placed 6th. The second race ‘The York Penny Farthing Championship’ a scratch for pennyfarthings saw some closer racing and some hairy riding at the rather slippery second bend. An impressive standing start saw tussles between Garry Clark, Denis Bun, Steve and son Simon Paslow all from Albany… The finish saw Australian Champion Steve Paslow 1st, Denis Bun 2nd, Simon Paslow 3rd riding the York Motor Museums 52 inch Bayliss Thomas. Nicky Armstrong from Kalamunda and first time out on Edlee put in a good ride. Anyone interested in taking part in future events in WA should contact Alan Naber on 08 9332 3956. Exhibition Races by Ian Bray The 5th Heritage Bike Ride, with it's pilgrimage to George Burston's birthplace at Kilmore, was a continued celebration of doing things differently, and the Saturday 'exhibition' races were no exception. Having volunteered to be race organiser, the grievous responsibility belatedly dawned, and the potential vision of the jewels of the Farren Collection strewn in pieces around the circuit continued to haunt me! We're keeping quiet about the historic race precinct - it still contains all its trees and Jeff might just like to "improve" it for the 3rd Grand Prix. The circuit, actually a long rectangle with a wriggley 200m back 'straight' connected by some crossings of Kilmore Creek to the straight main straight with its finish in front of the grandstand (actually the Kilmore Fire Station, packed out by a curious crowd of eight and the Ladies Auxiliary serving afternoon teas) with a following uphill runoff. One tightening narrow bend made the multi lap events interesting, especially as riders' enthusiasm grew during the afternoon. Fortunately however no-one emulated Mulga Bill. Announcing and race calling was shared between local organiser Jim Lowden and Charlie Farren. A great variety of machines were able to be demonstrated in genteel and not so genteel racing mode -a tribute to the many hours of fine tuning recently spent to help make The Most riders maintained a sensitive balance between Race Rule 6 (HAVE FUN!!!) and Rule 5 (Vintage riders shall adopt an appropriate speed for exhibition racing and their machines, many of which are older and more delicate than the riders) The events and results * The George Burston Memorial Pennyfarthing Relay was keenly contested by four teams and appropriately won by Rob Reid Smith, Keith Lowe, Nick and Martin O'Brien, all involved in the 1988 B & S Centenary Ride, closely followed by the inaugural "Edlee" team of Charlie Farren, Janis Munro, Don Lemin and Mr Edlee himself, Phillip Levi. * The Jock Wicking Memorial Tricycle Perambulation followed and provided a wonderful and rare (can I say unique, Paul?) spectacle with a dozen of these majestic machines sweeping along at much more than parade pace. Won by Joan Taylor who I think is still surprised! Can't recall the placings. Special mention to Janette and the second little Dexter/Beeston. * The Bill Bannon Memorial Ride for Solid Tyred Machines was a more rapid affair with lots of machines competing. Victory to Derek Powell on a red Singer solid tyred safety from George Casasayas on a green Singer STS and Adrian Cox third. * As could be expected, the Theodore Dunlop Memorial Amble for Pneumatic Tyred Machines was keenly contested at much more than an amble, being won by Warren Meade from Bairnsdale on one of his restored early racers. * Last, but first, in the The Harry Stokes Memorial Pennyfarthing Slow Race Heats were Adrian Cox (first ever slow race), Nick O'Brien, Phillip Levi and Bruce Hargrave. Marking lanes amidst Peter Matthews' trick riding performance is not recommended. We had all indulged in the opportunity to participate by this stage, and took time out for refreshments while a series of races for Kilmore children were conducted. Upon resuming: * The Ladies Handicap Race was modified to the Ladies Scratch Tricycle Race, with now tricycle specialist Joan Taylor taking out the honours after a rather unnerving excursion in the main straight gutter, with Charlie Farren second and Robbie Stockfeld third. * Winner of The Harry Stokes Memorial Pennyfarthing Slow Race Final - Bruce Hargrave * Local organiser, historian and race caller Jim Lawden got rather excited at this stage, and one and a half laps into the two lap premier event, The George Burston Memorial Pennyfarthing Open Race, decided a three lap spectacle was more appropriate. Official Results: 1st Keith "Stepladder" I. Lawe, 2nd Nick O'Brien, 3rd Ian Bray. For Jim Lowden's results, reverse 2nd and 3rd placings. * The intended Miss 'n' Out Race for Pneumatic Tyred Machines and Pennyfarthings turned into a general Butchers Picnic event of four laps with virtually all riders and machines participating and finishing intact despite the inherent risk from widely differing speed capabilities and consequent multiple lapping. I think Warren Meade won this one also! We can add to history if anyone can recall the other placings! Report of the CANBERRA HERITAGE BIKE RIDE25-27th April 1997by John Wigzell, South Australia South Australians Julie and John Keay, Phillip Levi and Marlene and John Wigzell received a warm welcome from Annemarie and Rod Driver over the attended the Heritage ride. The Friday night dinner was held in one of the many trams preserved in the Tradesmen's Union Club. A visit to the Two-up game in the marquee was an eye opener to most. On Saturday we had a pleasant tour on the bike paths around Lake Burley Griffin in mild autumn weather. Lunch to suit all palates was available at the Canberra markets. Dinner was held in the Downer Observatory Club; an interesting group tour through the observatory followed. Sunday morning about 30 riders gathered at the bicycle storeroom. The first view of the 500 interesting cycles arranged in rows was almost overwhelming. Julie and Marlene borrowed safety ladies bikes, John Keay rode his newly completed "Antelope", Phillip rode the gold plated "Edlee" and I rode my well used replica. We visited historic landmarks and a photo of the complete group was taken at the National War Memorial. Some lucky Asian tourists had the opportunity to ride a PF for a photo session. We had lunch in the sunshine at Glebe Park before returning to the storeroom for coffee and cake. Later, we drove to Annemarie and Rod's home for pizza and salads. A quiet evening, as the guests persisted in immersing themselves in the comprehensive selection of cycling books from the Driver's library. The extensive bike paths, colourful autumn foliage and sunny weather, combined with the camaraderie of the old bike fraternity resulted in a very successful event. This was our first trip to Canberra in 30 years and we now realise we must allow for a longer stay next time. NATIONAL PENNY FARTHING CHAMPIONSHIPS EVANDALE February 1997 By Di Sullivan THE SLOW RACE: Final heat Noel Sutherland of New Zealand, James Allen, USA, and two Queenslanders, Michael Heaton and Sherryn Ryan. And the slowest this year was - Sherryn Ryan! What a wonderful effort! Sherryn has shown some form in this one before, but never taken it out. James Allen was second - the slow is one race which the American Wheelmen condone, and he seems to have it down to a fine art. Michael Heaton was third, with Noel the one to miss out. THE SLALOM took somewhat longer, with 32 heats to run in the first round and the usual scramble to find those pairs of riders. The only tumble was from Pip Sutherland, who went straight over the top at the start of her heat. Tough lady -picked herself up straight away! There were a lot of heart-stopping near misses, as riders took risks with the witches hats. After round three we were down to eight: Dulwich Hill boys Paul, Geoff and Mitch, Queenslanders Michael Heaton and Robert Wegener, both the Doubes from South Australia, and Ryan Sullivan as the sole Tasmanian. The NSW boys stamped their dominance in this event in the next round, with all three progressing along with Michael Heaton. The semis produced the fastest times recorded for the day - Michael won the first semi in 8.93 sees, but there was a surprise result in the second when Paul Danelutti defeated defending champion Mitch Patsiavas, in a time of 9.82 sees. Mitch had to be content with the bronze this year, with a time of 10.76 sees over Geoff Olsen. Paul took the silver, and a big win to Michael Heaton from Queensland, in a time of 11.63 sees. THE SPRINTS produced some stunning racing, despite the damp surface. Ian McColl took out the first heat, from James Allen. Michael Doube was off to a great start in the second heat, but was overtaken on the line by "Sticky" Bunn, who was really starting to get the feel of things - this was the fastest heat of the day. Michael Sullivan won the next, from a fast-finishing Kristi Richardson. Brett Richardson and Stuart Jany raced neck to neck in heat 4, with Brett just taking the honours. Rodney Bracken just pipped Trevor Ryan in heat 5, while Michael Heaton won heat 6 easily from Stephen Passlow, Mitch Patsiavis defeated Andrew Wegener for the win heat 7, and Pip Sutherland became the first lady to qualify for a major final for some time when she defeated Phillip Levi in the last heat. It was all-out from the start in the final. Brett Rishardson was the winner, from Mitch Patsiavias and Michael Heaton. THE NATIONAL PENNY FARTHING CHAMPIONSHIP was a truly heart-stopping experience this year. The full field of eight lined up for a start, and spectators suddenly emerged from shelter. We thought they'd all gone home! Even the crews from both television stations had stayed around for the big event. Michael Sullivan led out, but within a lap had settled at the rear of the bunch. He shares Harry Clarke's views on the rain! Rodney Bracken took over the lead, and was still in front at the bell, with the rest of the field bearing down ominously. When they rounded the final corner, it was for a full-on sprint between Stephen Passlow and Brett Richardson, with Stephen taking out the championship by inches. They were travelling at such a speed that Brett couldn't stop his bike when he reached the post office, and tumbled over the barricades. Geoff Olsen finished strongly to take out the bronze, with Peter Jones the first Tasmanian finisher. THE LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP A full field lined up, with Pip Sutherland being the one to break Gill Head's run of eight consecutive titles. We all felt some remorse that Gill wasn't there to defend her crown, but her words at the Saturday evening dinner were greatly appreciated. Sally Thomson was second, again, just ahead of Kristi Richardson. THE JUNIORS, and Stuart Jany successfully defended the title he won last year. First time riders Phillip Dixon and Sean Hennessy took the silver and bronze. THE VETERANS, and a huge field (18) entered for this one. Michael Doube successfully defended his title, with lan Bray again close behind in second, and Phillip Levi surprising us all (and not least himself!) finishing very strongly in third. THE SUPERVETERANS attracted a field of 6 this year - watch out for a few new faces in this category in '98! Harry Clarke again proved triumphant ( despite the wet!) with Alan Sumner in second and a fast finishing Thomas Atkinson in third. CHRISTCHURCH TO OAMARU, NEW ZEALAND PENNY FARTHING RIDE , 20 -22 NOVEMBER 1996 by Ian Bray On the road again! With our current enthusiasm for penny farthing touring this 3 day 250km warmup ride motivated Janis and I to take part in the 1996 Zealand Penny Farthing Championships in Oamaru. An added attraction for me was to visit a Kiwi friend in Christchurch whom I had not seen for 10 years. Our early arrival in Christchurch gave time for some sessions of diverse cross-training, including bush walking at Arthurs Pass, lizard hunting in the Port Hills and some strenuous photo sessions with the Japanese touros. Not to forget the famous NZ ice creams! Examination of the advance weather forecasts gave some cause for concern Melbourne's weather in comparison is calm and stable Our apprehension was unnecessary - Wednesday dawned fine and clear. Noel and Pip Sutherland's Charter Trucks. HQ was an early focus. On being trucked in (Noel's offer to save 7km in our legs for later in the day proved irresistible!) we were pleasant y surprised to re-acquaint with Bill Haylor, well known to Evandale as Wrong Way Bill, over from the UK. After congregating in the central Cathedral Square, photo sessions and Peter Matthews' polished display of trick riding, we were farewelled by the Wizard of Christchurch and the Mayor Vicki Buck - the former’s protective spells somewhat offset by the latter's doubts re our sanity. After a slow exit from Christchurch (enlivened by numerous traffic lights and a stiff climb over the railway overpass the only hill for the day), and morning tea at the "Big Cookie", we too began to wonder - lunchtime found us facing two thirds of the daily distance still to cover into a fairly stiff headwind. However, the flexibility of our itinerary, the good backup vehicle arrangements, and (of course) FOOD, came to the rescue, and after some more serious cycling, we rolled into Ashburton ,our evening destination, more or less on schedule. A happy hour or two and excellent evening meal were provided by the Tinwald Cycle Club at their clubrooms, more evidence of the New Zealand reputation of 11 out of 10 for hospitality. Riders were billeted with TCC members. We returned the kindness of our host, Neil Wylie, with a pennyfarthing riding lesson. Neil, with track riding and Suntour experience, was a natural, and only required 10 minutes to learn on Badger. The easiest lesson I’ve given. Regretfully for Neil, Badger had to travel on, and Day 2, after some pre-departure time with the Tinwald Primary School children, settled into what was now a comfortable routine. Continued easy riding through the rich FLAT farming land of the Canterbury Plains, numerous crossings of wide rivers flowing swiftly with the snow - and on our right and surprisingly very close, always those inspiring mountains. Riding conditions continued to be excellent, with around two metres of sealed shoulder. Traffic, while at times heavy, was always courteous - prewarned of course. by our backup vehicles at both front and rear of the group. These conditions continued with lunch in the sunshine of the rose garden of The Oasis" tearooms. All good things eventually end, and on approaching our overnight stop at Timaru we encountered hills and rush hour traffic. Our arrival at The Cycled bike shop, where tired pennies were billetted and received much needed TLC, was heralded, by the Timaru Town crier. Janis and Badger promoted the adjacent fast food shop, scoring a gratis hamburger in return. We all adjourned to the "Loaded Hog" Eatery, where a pre-dinner riding demo provided some drama when the new high-tech carbon fibre replica (ah, alas for tradition!) owned by entertainer John Davey, alias "The Amazing Mr. Moon", suffered a backbone failure in the hands of the equally amazing Nick Dwyer of Clarendon Arms Hotel (Evandale) fame.
Schwinn Auction April 1997 By Gabe Konrad, (written for "The Bicycle Trader,USA May 1997 )If you've kept up with the cycling press, especially the industry journals, you've probably read about the trials and tribulations of the Bicycle Museum of America. Many factors, including low ticket sales, a lack of major financial backers, and poor management, forced the Museum to go out of business. James Hurd, the museum's historian, disappeared, and has become a scapegoat for finger pointers and blame-layers. The Schwinn family, owner of the bulk of the museum's bicycles and memorabilia, took possession of its collection. Because of the rise and fall of the Museum, the bankruptcy of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, and other financial fiascos, the Schwinn family collection - one of the world's greatest assortments of bicycles and cycling momentous – was auctioned on April 6 1997 in Chikako, Illinios. The wares on the block had been documented by a beautiful, colour catalogue; copies are still available from Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Hindman's operation is relatively large by Midwest standards. Her spacious, renovated warehouse thus seen many expensive objects change hands. It's known as the place to go if you're looking for a $50 000 pair of Meisen candlesticks, or a $200,000 King Louis chair Aside from auctions, the company refinishes furniture and Hindman hosts an antique show that airs on the Home & Garden cable network. With nearly seven hundred attendees, the auction was a madhouse - and mere than a little disconcerting. Champagne was served and Rolexes seemed to outnumber bicycles: It was hard for me to imagine coming away with any successful bids. Along with several hard-hitting collectors and museum directors from across the country, the sale drew throngs of people who stood in a long line outside the building, waiting to register. The seating area quickly filled up and people stood ten deep around the auctioneer's platform. Once the sale began, the bids flew fast and furious. The timid of heart, and anyone without a bottomless bank account, soon put aside their paddles as one after another of the bikes was bought by a mysterious man seated in the front row. The crowd watched, slackjawed, as the gentleman pushed the bidding beyond all expectations, until all but ten of the bicycles were his. The 1885 Coventry Rotary Tricycle, used in may of the auction's print ads, went for $13,000. A 1941 Roadmaster from Cleveland Welding sold for $2,000. The prices exceeded most people's expectations. For example, a Delta headlight display, valued at $40 to $GO, was sold for $650 But some of the catalogue’s estimates seemed laughably low, even before the sale began. A child's wooden bigwheeler from 1870, estimated at $400 to $600, sold for $3,800, and an 1885 Victor, valued at $2,000, went for $9,000. Amazingly, an 1898 Ladies Chilion from Massachusetts, estimated at $1,000 to $1,500, sold for $10,000, and the 1889 Rudge tandem tri’s selling price approached it’s estimate’s upper limit of $17,000. A 15 percent buyer’s premium was added to each bid, thus quite a bit of cash was dropped at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. The highest bid of the day was for the 1869 Dexter Boneshaker: Including the premium, it sold for $24,150. Prices shocked even the auctioneers, and Hindman announced her hope of staging an annual sale. The silent auction which, despite it’s name, was no less crazy, took place on the fifth floor of the Hindman building. There was a great deal of pushing and shoving as folks tried to view the hundreds of lots of books, posters, photos, bicycle accessories, plaques and trophies and just about anything else you could imagine. But I was a bit disappointed with the silent auction. Despite the efforts of the Hindman staff to keep things orderly, books were moved – intentionally or inadvertently - from one box lot to another, as people rummaged through the titles. Also, it was a bit depressing to look through boxes of old photo proof sheets and reams of company memorandums. It seemed sad that family history was being sold to dealers and collectors. I wondered where all of it would end up. The results of the silent auction weren't available until the following Monday, but it was not surprising that the mystery man walked away with about 90 percent of the merchandise. He had placed bids of $315 on each lot. When all was said and done, the sales totalled $750,000. The mystery man's tab came to over $500,000. As it turned out the man is James Dicke of New Bremen, Ohio. Dicke, who owns Crown Equipment, a forklift manufacturing plant, announced his intention to open a Schwinn museum in his hometown, and to operate it with the help of his family. That many of these items will be kept together, on view for enjoyment by people other than filthy- rich collectors, is a small consolation. One can only hope that the new museum receives more support than the Bicycle Museum of America was able to garner; and that it stays in business. After all, there are but a few folks who have the money, passion, and devotion to keep such a collection intact. This auction was like no other. The yearly Copake auction in New York and the Phillips auctions in Europe are wonderful events, but unless another motor museum closes, such a historic event will never happen again. Let's hope it doesn't. _____________________________________________________________ Editor's note:..Gabe Konrad is responsible for the new "On the Wheel" Magazine for the Classic Cyclist On The Wheel is a publication for true cycling enthusiasts. Each issue is packedwith insightful articles on:CYCLING HISTORY: OTW's speciality. From the hobby horse to vintage '70sracing machines, the creation and development of the bicycle is covered indetail, with articles by some of the world's leading cycle historians. Allaspects of collecting will be covered as well - from vintage and antiquebikes and parts, to books and stamps. CYCLO-CROSS & RACING: Not dry race results, but the lives and views of theracers themselves, and exciting coverage of the world's top road racing andcyclo-cross events. 'Cross, a sport experiencing a rebirth of popularity,is featured in On The Wheel, including racer biographies, history, racing instruction, and race news. TOURING: True tales of real-life tourists on tandems, recumbents, and on solo journeys. TRANSPORTATION: Bikes and the future of our planet. Using these ozone-saving machines for commuting, transportations and work related INTERVIEWS: Revealing, unedited talks with cycle historians, frame builders, bike industry folks and athletes. Plus BOOK REVIEWS, READER LETTERS, COMICS, NEW PRODUCTS and EDITORIALS!! A one year subscription (six prompt bi-monthly issues), is $18 for US residents, $22 for Canada, and $30 for the rest of the world (payable in US funds). Send a check or money order made payable to On The Wheel. For a sample issue, send $4. On The Wheel, 13028 Cypress Avenue, Sand Lake MI 49343, Phone/Fax: 616-636-4073 ,E-mail: konrad@triton.net |
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