Vintage bikes from the Lake Goldsmith steam rally - pic heavy

[duncan16v]

Heaps of interesting old-timers with some weird-and-wonderful numbers thrown in for good measure.



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I want one of these. No more Boulie Tacks evahhhhhh

[find_bruce]

Wow, some of those are exceedingly rare - the side by side tandem for example. Some fine examples of the horsemen of the cycling apocalypse too - I see funky saddles, airless tyres & a couple of alternate drivetrains

[Gordon1]

These bikes belong to a very keen couple who put on a lot of displays. The effort they put in is to be commended.

I would guess some of these, maybe more, will be on display at the Victorian Penny Farthing champs in Geelong in early December.

[familyguy]

This, I like, despite the fact it would (probably) have all the rigidity of cooked pasta:


Jim

[Imwit]

I love the red Massey Harris

[antigee]

I would guess some of these, maybe more, will be on display at the Victorian Penny Farthing champs in Geelong in early December.

looking forward to that event even more now - regretfully my skills mean I can't reproduce that aquatic machine and pedal straight across the bay

[duncan16v]

According to the placard, a cycling demigod, Matt Chappell, rode from Warrnambool to Melbourne on a Massey Harris in 9 hours and 8 seconds.

In 1902!!

I couldn't maintain 33km/h average speed over 9 hours today on a modern bike on well maintained roads today So I dips me lid to that guy.

[find_bruce]

Impressive time, but Chappell was the handicap winner, not fastest time - that was O’Callaghan who rode it in 8h 46' 23"

Blown away by Jack Arnst the following year who lopped an hour off that time 7h 43' 0" - all on a fixie

You might be a bit out on your calculations - at the time it was 165 miles (264 km). By my calcs that makes Chappell's speed 29 km/h while Arnst was 34 km/h. Still as you say seriously quick for a fixie over rough roads

[antigee]

interesting - i have no knowledge of cycle racing from that era - am I reading it correctly that some riders had a 70minute handicap? - seems pretty steep?

[find_bruce]

70 minutes was the limit - that meant you started 70 minutes before the best riders. Whether it is steep depends on the riders - eg I could start 140 minutes before the field in the Warrnambool & I am sure they would still catch me. It stayed as a handicap until 1995 & prior to WW2 it was rare for the fastest time to win the handicap.

[antigee]

70 minutes was the limit - that meant you started 70 minutes before the best riders. Whether it is steep depends on the riders - eg I could start 140 minutes before the field in the Warrnambool & I am sure they would still catch me. It stayed as a handicap until 1995 & prior to WW2 it was rare for the fastest time to win the handicap.

thanks

[duncan16v]

Pffft! 140 minutes? I'd need that many DAYS.

[ironhanglider]

70 minutes was the limit - that meant you started 70 minutes before the best riders. Whether it is steep depends on the riders - eg I could start 140 minutes before the field in the Warrnambool & I am sure they would still catch me. It stayed as a handicap until 1995 & prior to WW2 it was rare for the fastest time to win the handicap.

It is a bit different when there is a bunch to ride with and they are all working together to stay away. I reckon 140 minutes is doable. Want to come down next year and give it a go? I'll ride with you. There's just about enough time to get in shape. (unless you count round as a shape)

Cheers,

Cameron

[find_bruce]

I can probably ride 277 km, or ride at 30km/h, but like walking & chewing gum, think its unlikely I can do both at once.

[Imwit]

According to the placard, a cycling demigod, Matt Chappell, rode from Warrnambool to Melbourne on a Massey Harris in 9 hours and 8 seconds.

In 1902!!

From what I have seen Matt Chappell rode an Albury built Relay in 1902..


Advertising from Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 26 September 1902 from trove.nla.gov.au

And the two newspaper race reports that I have seen (although they are hard to make out) seem to suggest the same.

He took fastest time in 1908. Maybe he rode a Massey Harris then?

[Ferrovelo]

Some cool stuff there. Thanks for the pictures.

[Tinker]

These are part of Robin and Pat Evans collection.