High wheel hero rolls out of town
PENNY-FARTING LEGEND
A familiar Port Douglas favourite, penny-farthing rider Gary Trounson, will soon take his final Sunday spin in town after five years of turning heads and raising smiles.
Rarely did a Sunday morning pass without Gary perched high above the road on his towering high wheel, a bicycle design dating back more than 150 years.
Popular in the 1870s, the Victorian-era bicycle takes its name from the large British penny coin leading the much smaller farthing.
Built before chain drives were invented, its oversized front wheel allowed riders to travel further with each pedal stroke, with Gary reaching speeds of up to 44km/h.
Gary set himself a personal goal when he first brought the bike north: to become the furthest north penny-farthing owner in Australia, and he did just that.
Smile machine
His fascination with the quirky bike began about 12 years ago.
A keen cyclist who once rode mountain climbs in Victoria once or twice a week, Gary admits the idea was born out of equal parts frustration and humour.
“I was always getting abused on the road, ‘get off the road, pay your taxes, get it registered’,” he said.
“I joked to my wife that I should buy a penny-farthing and everyone would be happy.”
When your wife gives you permission, that’s it, ten minutes later I’d bought one.”
Custom-built in Victoria by a specialist who ships them worldwide, Gary’s bike took months to complete and was tailored to his height with a 51-inch wheel to match.
“I had the frame clear-coated so the rust comes through and gives it that old patina look,” he said.
Since then, he has ridden about 3,000 kilometres, rolling along Port Douglas Road, Four Mile Beach, through town and in Carnivale parades, where the bike’s “wow factor” made it a crowd favourite.
“It’s a happy bike. Everybody smiles at you,” he said.
“Kids yell out, ‘Do a wheelie!’ and I tell them, ‘I only do one a day, you just missed it.’ Life’s too short not to have a bit of fun with it.”
But riding the high wheel isn’t without its risks. Perched high and almost over the front axle, and with no conventional brakes, stopping can be a challenge.
“Getting on and off while stationary can be embarrassing if there’s a crowd watching,” Gary said.
In an emergency, he slows the bike by pressing his foot against the small rear wheel.
Next big ride
The penny-farthing will be making the journey south with him, mounted to the back of a van as he and his wife prepare to travel and eventually return to Victoria.
Before that, Gary has another milestone in his sights; competing in the famous Evandale penny-farthing races in Tasmania, where he plans to tackle the 35-kilometre event on his 70th birthday.
For those worried they’ve seen the last of him, don’t be, the penny-farthing will roll north again with the winter sun.