Bike Commuting

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POV: you pass a traffic jam (feddit.de)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I'm sorry that I've written the 'POV' part wrong. It should be "POV: You are stuck in traffic and see me pass".

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

https://silodrome.com/railway-pennyfarthing/

This exceedingly old photograph shows a group of Russian Gendarmes in Moscow around 1890, the chap in the middle of the frame is sitting atop what is quite clearly a Penny-farthing designed for use on the railway lines. There is a counterweight on the shaft leading to the offset left wheel, I assume to keep him from falling off to his right, he also has a long handle in his right hand and I can’t for the life of me figure out what it’s for. Any ideas?

The handle is probably a hand pedal

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Or a break, looks like it's blocking the back wheel if he push it ?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

You might be right, these links suggest the bike were electric

https://centerlinerule.blogspot.com/2018/12/old-time-bikes-of-russian-military.html

https://picryl.com/media/sur-le-transsiberien-0e1b2a

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

I love how in every photo or illustration, anyone on this bike looks insanely proud and haughty.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

But why would it need the big front wheel then?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

This was standard bike design back then, all the cool officers have big front wheel