Story: Cycle racing

Penny-farthing race

Penny-farthing race

This is the starting line of a penny-farthing race at Dunedin's Caledonian sports ground, around 1880. The rider's clothes are fascinating, both for their informality (the amount of exposed flesh was unusual) and their  functionality (the lack of layers helped to prevent over-heating). Such clothing was considered too immodest for women riders.

Using this item

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Burton Brothers Collection
Reference: C.011957
Photograph by Burton Brothers

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Simon Kennett, 'Cycle racing - Early cycle racing', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/40237/penny-farthing-race (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Simon Kennett, published 5 Sep 2013, updated 1 Oct 2015