1880 Safety Ordinary Racing Bicycle
edited by David Barth, 6 June 2011.
Courtesy The Forney Museum of Transportation at 4303 Brighton Blvd., Denver,
Colorado 80216. Photos were taken in June 2011.
This racing bicycle, built by Beale & Straw, a British manufacturer. It was called a "safety" or "facile" (facile means "easy" in French) because of the pedal arrangement. The pedals
move up-and-down, transmitting power through levers to the hub, instead of going around in a circular pattern. The pedal design was patented in 1879.
Bicycles of this type, with a large driving wheel, were called "ordinary," "penny farthing," "standard," and "high wheeler." The reason for the larger wheel was to provide more speed than
could be accomplished than with a smaller wheel. These large bicycles have several names. One is "penny farthing" to illustrate the difference between the diameter of the large wheel, like an old
English penny, to a smaller rear wheel, like an English farthing that is smaller than the penny. Other names include "ordinary," "high wheeler," and "standard." These bicycles were generally
not used by the average person because they were difficult to mount and dismount, and the bicycle had the propensity to dump the rider over the handlebars if it hit a curb, rock, or other
undulation in the surface.
The bicycle has wooden grips, a wooden seat, adjustable pedals, and no brake. The brass identification plate has "Facile Bicycle" embossed on it.
This is exhibit number 144.
