Fastest speed on a penny farthing (male)

The fastest speed on a penny farthing (male) is 41.56 km/h (25.82 mph), achieved by Guy Banham (UK) at the Herne Hill Velodrome in London, UK, on 12 October 2024.

Banham broke the record as part of the Penny Farthing Extravaganza Weekend over the course of which 12 records were set. He improved on a record set earlier on the same day, when Roger Davies (UK) logged a speed of 39.70 km/h (24.67 mph). The female record was also achieved at the same event: Evi Dumon (Belgium) achieved a pace of 38.09 km/h (23.67 mph). All of these speed records were calculated based on the time to cover a 100-m stretch of track with the riders timed completing the distance in both directions and then the average of the two runs extrapolated.

GWR was ably assisted by professional timekeepers Daniel Tzabar, Robert Ruszkowski and Lieze Thielemans.

Photo: Sally Bliss