A sight reminiscent of the 1890s will return to Sydney streets on Thursday, November 24, when a rider on a penny farthing bicycle will make a nostalgic run down George Street. The ancient vehicle, ridden by world penny farthing racing champion Phil Dixon, will start at the Haymarket and travel the length of George Street before swinging around Circular Quay to a finish at the Opera House.
The bicycles were named Penny Farthings because of the likeness of the large front wheel and the tiny rear wheel to a penny and a farthing in the pre-decimal currency - a penny being roughly a cent in value and a farthing one quarter of that. Two riders from the Police City Bicycle Squad on modern day mountain bikes will accompany the penny farthing through lunch time traffic in stark contrast between Sydney's past and present.
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