By Casey Neill
Keysborough’s Tim Nash rode his way to a trophy at the Victorian Penny Farthing Championships.
He won the Gentlemen’s Championship at the Sunday 20 November event at Geelong West Velodrome, which involved completing four laps around the track in heats of four.
The inaugural event marked 150 years since the first pedal-bicycle patent.
“There were other races as well including a velocipede race – on largely original bikes built in the late 1860s – a ladies championship and a penny farthing team pursuit,” Mr Nash said.
“The National Championships is a separate event run during February in Evandale, Tasmania.”
The Journal met Mr Nash in August after photographer Gary Sissons spotted him commuting along Springvale Road in Springvale.
“I was riding home from work,” Mr Nash said.
“It brings a smile to people’s faces in an otherwise normal day.
“People stop me all the time for a chat and a photo.”
Mr Nash has ridden bikes for as long as he can remember, and his wife had a penny farthing built for his 40th birthday.
He said the 1880s-style bike was a little more difficult to master than today’s standard models.
“You’re so much higher and you’ve got to be careful you don’t go forward over the handle bars,” he said.
Getting up onto the seat is also a tricky task.
“There’s a little peg on the back bone, just above the little back wheel,” he said.
“You give yourself a little push, put your feet up onto the peg and climb up onto the seat.
“It does become second nature.”
And getting down …
“You can’t stop the bike easily, because it’s a fixed wheel,” he said.
