Largest rideable penny farthing

The largest rideable penny farthing, with a 254-cm-diameter (100-in; 8-ft 4-in) front wheel, was built by Dan Bolwell (Australia) and ridden by Neil Laughton (UK) in London, UK, on 13 June 2026.

Head of the UK Penny Farthing Club, Neil Laughton, rode "Big Bertha" for 100 m (328 ft) at the City of London Nocturne event. It was so large that Laughton had to wear stilts in order to reach the pedals!

Waiting at the finish line was Dan Bolwell, aka "Penny Farthing Dan", who had spent several months creating the incredible contraption in Australia before it was shipped over to the UK to be tested and unveiled. At the same event, the smallest penny farthing, with a front-wheel diameter of just 29 cm (11.4 in), and also created by Bolwell, was demonstrated.

Big Bertha stands 282 cm (9 ft 3 in) tall to the handlebars and 130 cm (4 ft 3 in) from seat to pedal. The rear wheel has a diameter of 77 cm (2 ft 6 in).