Can I Ride 50 Miles On A Penny Farthing?

Hank is tackling one of his most epic, but eccentric, challenges yet—riding 75km (50 miles) on an 1800s-style penny farthing! 🚴‍♂️💨 His mission? To make it all the way to Blenheim Palace. Along the way, he’ll face narrow roads, busy streets, and some downright ridiculous paths—not to mention an inevitably sore bottom! Will it all be worth it?

⏱️ Timestamps: ⏱️
00:00 We take the most dangerous bike on an epic ride
00:29 History of the penny farthing
01:44 The route to Blenheim Palace 🏰
02:07 Riding a penny farthing is…quite hard?
03:50 Design of the penny farthing
04:20 More on the bike (handlebars & brakes)
05:31 The Penny farthing adventure really begins
06:35 Benefits to riding a penny farthing in winter
07:18 Morale boost: Stunning lakes
08:59 Going off-road!
09:55 Reality of riding a penny farthing in 2024
11:56 Nearly there!
12:54 Thoughts on the journey

Useful Links:
Join this channel to get access to perks 👉
https://gcn.eu/JoinYTmemberships
Subscribe so you don’t miss a thing! 👉 https://gcn.eu/subscribe
Insurance: Viewers in the USA and UK can explore GCN Insurance products 👉 https://gcn.eu/GCNinsurance
Sign Up To The GCN Newsletter 👉 https://gcn.eu/Newsletter
GCN Uploader 👉 https://gcn.eu/gcnuploader
Visit the GCN Shop 👉 https://gcn.eu/gcnshop
GCN WhatsApp Channel 👉 https://gcn.eu/GCNwhatsapp
GCN Instagram Broadcast Channel 👉 https://gcn.eu/instagrambroadcast
Join the GCN Club on Zwift and ride with us! 👉 https://gcn.eu/GCNClubRides

Do you want to see Hank take on another penny farthing adventure? 🤣

Watch more on GCN…
📹 Can A 130kg Bodybuilder Survive A Killer Climb? 👉 https://youtu.be/c4vapFfkdIw?si=-w19o9c0b-5GobwE
📹 Watch our Editor’s Choice Playlist 👉 https://gcn.eu/editorschoice
📹 Or why not check out our Features Playlist 👉 ​​https://gcn.eu/gcnfeatures

🎵 Music – licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
Beautiful Awakening – Subliminance
Blessed – DonVayei
Cartoon Madness – par
Charge Down, Power Off, Descend – Epidemic Sound
Coincidences – Magnus Ludvigsson
Granny Dance – Scoobadive
Hyundai I10 2007, City Car, Horn, Short, Outside – Epidemic Sound
London Garden – Roy Edwin Williams
Minuet for Violins – Cercles Nouvelles
Nocturnalized (Instrumental Version) – Par Hagstrom
Panacea (Instrumental Version) – The Foundling
Pebbles – Rocket Jr
Rawhide – Guustavv
Save My Soul – Fasion
The Adventure Begins – Philip Ayers
The Chase of the Tail – par

#gcn #cycling #roadcycling #roadbike #bike #bikes #bikelife #pennyfarthing #oldschool #oldfashioned #1800s #victorian #victorianbike #epicride #challenge

📸 Photos – © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sirotti Images

The Global Cycling Network (GCN) is the largest online cycling channel in the world, bringing together a global community of road cyclists to celebrate everything that’s great about the world of cycling.

Our videos bring fans compelling daily content including expert tutorials, techniques, training, racing, cutting-edge bike tech, unparalleled behind the scenes event coverage, humour, entertainment, and more.

Presented by ex-pro riders, GCN offers a uniquely qualified insight into the world of cycling, and most importantly it’s fuelled by our passionate and enthusiastic fans – everyone who makes up the GCN community. We also bring the latest and greatest tech to your attention, showcase the best places in the world to ride and get exclusive access to events and races.

Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside Cycling

Thanks to our sponsors:
Pinarello Bikes: https://gcn.eu/Pinarello
Topeak Tools: http://gcn.eu/Topeak
Canyon Bikes: http://gcn.eu/-Canyon
CamelBak: https://gcn.eu/Camelbak
Pirelli Tyres: https://gcn.eu/Pirelli
Orbea Bikes: http://gcn.eu/Orbea
Vision Wheels: http://gcn.eu/Vision
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: https://gcn.eu/VW
Wahoo Fitness: http://gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
Park Tool: http://gcn.eu/-parktool
Selle Italia: https://gcn.eu/SelleItalia
Zwift: https://gcn.eu/Zwift
Silca: https://gcn.eu/Silca
MET Helmets: https://gcn.eu/methelmets
Strava: https://gcn.eu/strava
Precision Fuel & Hydration: https://gcn.eu/precisionhydration
AGU: https://gcn.eu/AGUxGCN
Elitewheels: https://gcn.eu/Elitewheels

Watch our sister channels:
GCN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/@gcntech
GCN Racing – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnracing
Global Triathlon Network – https://www.youtube.com/@gtn
GCN Italia – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnitalia
GCN en Español – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnenespanol
GCN auf Deutsch – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnaufdeutsch
GCN en Français – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnenfrancais
GCN Training – https://www.youtube.com/@GCNTraining
Global Mountain Bike Network – https://youtube.com/@gmbn
GMBN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/@gmbntech
Electric Mountain Bike Network – https://www.youtube.com/@embn

I take arguably the most dangerous bike in the world on an epic ride and we are of course talking about the penny [Music] fary if I come off at this speed there not going to be much left of me feel like out I’m going off road I can see why this is the most dangerous thing in the world but before we get there I should probably reverse the clocks and let you know why this became such an iconic bicycle for that we’ve got to go to the Victorian era where this was the fastest thing on the roads now the victorians were incredible bike riders they were incredibly fast I know that because when we did the hour record let’s just say they’re a lot faster than we [Music] anticipated and then I took it on the V and uh vowed myself I would never sit on a penny faring ever again easy easy easy I need to get a new style but gcn had other thoughts and they challenged me to ride on the open road 50 mi from one great Mana to a rather larger mana and I couldn’t turn it down so here I am Top Hat slightly more wintry attire and my 50inch penny farthing with one break what could possibly go [Music] wrong my route today will take me from my hometown in tetbury which is 75 km or about 50 Mi to blenin Palace through the heart of the CWS and to a place that hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years so I should look right at home on [Music] this I have got a big headwind which slightly worries me because and about his aerodynamic is C it done the other thing is the stop here at Junctions at least I can see over [Music] Hedges no what has ever rid a pen faring down this road since the Victorian [Music] days got my concentration face on cuz it’s actually quite hard when you got momentum on the flat you can actually get some pretty good speed but as soon as the road goes up it’s quite laborsome as you can tell hunched over just trying to draw every bit of energy out and into the pedals and I think that’s because I obviously fix and it feels like quite a big gear now that is of course the size of the wheel determines how fast or how big my gear is it directly imp impacts how far you travel but more on that in a bit first I got to get up this [Music] hill fny [Music] off the penny faring was the very first machine to earn the name bicycle its iconic design featur a towering front wheel paired with a smaller rear whe one mirroring the largest and smallest coins of the Victorian era but there’s more to this classic ride unlike today’s bicycles the Victorian Penny faring both solid rubber tires with no air inside this Innovative Choice made the bike completely puncture free although for this ride I really wish that wasn’t the case feeling like I’m getting getting used to it now but I’ve got to adopt this hunch over position just because it’s so una aerodynamic when you sat bolt upright right while it’s nice and quiet I should probably mention a little bit more about the bike I’m riding I’ve got bars that allow me to get my legs up they’ve got this kind of bit of a hunch over then I got on my right hand a brake lever and that controls the rear wheel behind I wouldn’t say you have a huge amount of control on the brake feels more like a bit more like you’re dragging it a little bit it slows you down I wouldn’t say it stops you I have got clipped in pedals but I borrowed some shoes off Blake just in case I had to walk so I’ve clipped in but got mountain bike shoes on I thought that’d be a bit safer and there you have it the penny faving [Music] wi if you’re getting beeped out on the road as a cyclist ride a penny fary they’ll like you more [Music] you’re on the wrong bicycle guys take care it’s been a pleasure glad you’ve got two breaks Jo I didn’t think they they didn’t fancy uh helping me out I think they thought I was a bit mad they’re probably right don’t mind waiting in 5 it [Music] beautiful there’s a few nice things or a few positives should I say about ridning Penny father in the winter one is you don’t get very wet you’re so high up that you don’t get all that surface water hitting your back side two it’s actually quite therapeutic being up there here you can really take in the sights I think that’s it [Music] actually if I want a slight boost in morale r b now I got one with the stunning lates of saler this also thankfully marks the halfway point of my very uncomfortable ride oh if I come off at this speed there not going to be much left of me 40 mph oh he’s one the town sign how howy mate oh making people smile this is a good thing we just get their phone out they all filming me now it’s like I’m a celebrity by chaps how we doing you right a oh great success all these Hills I don’t even if any fing was built as a climbing bike this wind it’s pretty Relentless wind’s not really having an effect on the big wheel cuz I think all my weight on top of it and there’s obviously like huge gap for the wind to pass through but I can just feel it on my body I’m just so bolt upright that the winds just make it really difficult nevertheless The Show Must Go On as they say so I’m trying to get a bit more aerodynamic [Music] thankfully the end of these lumps Mark three quarters of the ride complete with the town of Whitney tantalizingly close to my final destination of Blendon Palace but with the light fading and literally no lights attached I could do with putting the hammer down a little sadly though the small country roads have given way to uh hazards feel like out going off road bloody hell this is probably the worst I I’ve had all caught in the bush oh just ripped my hand get another one Christ get me back on the road this is the stupidest idea out here God right I’m back on here we go right let’s go I can see why this is the most dangerous thing in the world I’d rather do this ride on unicycle oh yeah nice on the phone right traffic lights oh sh please turn green oh hi mate I better not filter on this oh I got to come off at this rate oh oh yeah I’m filtering on a penny faring [Laughter] fantastic want to get through traffic get on a penny fary right we’re getting to the hill now this could be very interesting please tell me that we’re not going up it no oh no oh no oh no run up ah at least 1,000 watts is putting through this 50-in wheel ah can make it keep foot holes I’m going to be the most photographed man in the cot was hey br [Music] [Laughter] hey team how you doing this is a Victorian bicycle I think the people of the cot walls were pleased to see me the drivers not so much [Music] we’re nearly there the brenon palace wall is to my left the mission is nearly [Music] complete now I’m just minutes away from my final destination yes it is of course blenin Palace 75 km of cold uncomfortable riding traversing small roads busy streets and some downright ridiculous paths but I made it as this journey comes to an end I find myself deeply connected to these bikes not because they’re easy to ride or because they hold a place in history but because they bring so much joy to others they offer a touch of the unusual and The Eccentric a little bit of [Music] me what a destination oh to finish 7 5 km a few turning heads and a bit of a mammoth ride saw bottom nonetheless pretty sore back but challenge is completed gcn yep you haven’t killed me yet unbelievable location to finish at um and what a ride just before it gets dark I think I was the most photographed man in the CWS just behind Jeremy Clarkson and David Beckham so um I’ll put that down as my papal mahrez right that sews us up for another epic adventure guys thank you so much for watching hit that Thumbs Up Button if you enjoyed it let me know in the comment section below and if you want to see me take this Penny faring out for another ride maybe even 100 miles then I want to get 15,000 likes otherwise it’s just not worth it guys it’s been a pleasure now I’m going to go and find a taxi home that this can fit in right see you next time remember to like or don’t because then I don’t have to get back on it see you later team