Anyone know the story behind this Cottesloe character?

[HappyHumber]

Bought to my attention through another social medium just this morning; A quite unusual sight spotted in Google streetview, along a stretch of road familiar to many us:

https://goo.gl/maps/rEjhO

Colin, did you have extended family in town or something?

[Robinho]

Is he pulling a penguin in the trailer?

[Tandem]

Is he pulling a penguin in the trailer?

It's a she, can't remember her name but it has been mentioned in this forum before. Seen her in 2005- 2006 riding with Bikeforce in Freo. Also started the ride from Albany to Perth which was organized by Bicycle Victoria. She didn't finish as the bike had some mechanical problems.

[Robinho]

But what about the penguin (in guessing it is something else, but I'm looking on the phone)

[Tandem]

But what about the penguin (in guessing it is something else, but I'm looking on the phone)

Yes it is a penguin ( not alive )

[HappyHumber]

She didn't finish as the bike had some mechanical problems.

Darn modern Penny-farthings. Too complicated for their own good. I remember when you could just fire up your blacksmiths forge; bash things with a big enough hammer, and you'd be on the road again in no time.



Oh FWIW I think it's something like Pingu the Penguin, yeah. The link I originally found it from described it as a monkey, but I definitely see a penguin.

[Baalzamon]

Ummm I forget her name, but she is well known for the penny farthing & towing a pengin, just4thehellaboutit knows more

[HappyHumber]

just4thehellaboutit knows more

He usually does when it comes to local cycling lore of the last 20-30 years. He just wasn't available at the time of my query.
I'll likely be distracted by something else by the time he reappears here.

J4tH was apparently last seen in low altitude circling formation around the airport control tower on his Big Dummy on Monday, during the 44 deg heat.

Actually come to think of it... I wonder how long before everyone's favourite local Patron Saint of all things Surly is caught carrying a filing cabinet, gas bottle and a refrigerator on his Big Dummy on Google Streetview himself?

[Baalzamon]

Nikki is her name
Amazing what a search on google reveals and it was here on BNA i found it

[HappyHumber]

Well there you go... we've just made J4tH even more redundant.

[Aushiker]

The rider is Nicki Armstrong who was a member in an all-woman team in the 24hr Fleche Opperman. Nicki has been making the news as far back as 2009 ...

Some of the more enthusiastic club members have participated in the Annual World Championship Penny Farthing events at Evandale Tasmania. Nicki Armstrong a strong contender in these events has won the
Ladies Penny Farthing race - not once but twice in succession and also World titles in Europe. Not to be outdone Joe Cox won the Over ??? Super Veterans Class Race this year in Tasmania.

http://static.squarespace.com/static/51 ... 000_05.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Andrew

[John Lewis]

I saw Nikki and her Penguin when I was aVollie on the Albany Perth ride organized by Bike Vic back about 2006.
If I recall aright she had clipless pedals on the thing which I thought a bit dangerous.
I think she had a problem at one point with the front tyre rolling off down near Walpole.
John

[ColinOldnCranky]

Bought to my attention through another social medium just this morning; A quite unusual sight spotted in Google streetview, along a stretch of road familiar to many us:

https://goo.gl/maps/rEjhO

Colin, did you have extended family in town or something?

PFs were only taken up by a very limited subset of the public for a short time. The first "safety bike" came along less than a decade after the first PFs. Their design is seriously flawed and dangerous.

However, there are those today that do ride and take it seriously, competing in events of 100 and 200kms. Tassie and other places, not much action in WA I am led to believe.

[just4tehhalibut]

Actually come to think of it... I wonder how long before everyone's favourite local Patron Saint of all things Surly is caught carrying a filing cabinet, gas bottle and a refrigerator on his Big Dummy on Google Streetview himself?

Sorry, was off working on a Surly. To date I've only carried one filing cabinet home on the Big Dummy, a couple of times the acetylene.oxygen cyclinders down to BOC on the Greenspeed trike (also the occasional small tree) but never yet a frig. No car so I haul cargo anyway I please.

As to Nicky (sometimes called Nicki) you could try Googling 'Armstrong' and 'world champion' but you might get the wrong person. Nicky is known in Perth with the CTA, ATTA, Audax WA (was President I think) and the Historic Cycles Club. Here's an old newsletter from the HCC where it talks abput her winning another world championship on that penny in 1999. And that penguin on the back isn't a passenger, it inspires her to ride.

If you've ever seen Nicky mount her pennyfarthing she does this flippin' amazing leap.

If you want to look at characters captured by Google there was a drunk on the side of the road somewhere in Middle Swan, someone standing over him.