Perched atop a penny farthing, Simon Weir looks like he’s escaped from a steampunk convention — but he’s something of a local celebrity in Canberra.
"Swirling" around Lake Burley Griffin, he spreads equal parts confusion and joy as he dodges dogs, cyclists, speeding scooters and pedestrians whilst playing his classical guitar.
"Their mouth drops to the ground," Weir said.
"It’s just a delight to make a genuine smile pop up."
While the rest of us were panic-buying toilet paper during the pandemic, Weir was panic-buying a bike.
Starting work at the local bike shop, his manager showed him the supplier catalogue online saying you can buy any bike-related produce in Australia on a staff discount — even racing-level penny farthings.
"My ear had my brain dribbling out through it at that point," Weir said. Since he bought it, Simon Weir’s penny farthing has been a source of great joy, a business mascot and a serious racing machine. (ABC News: Nick Haggarty) With his birthday approaching, the craziness of COVID-19 and plans to start his own mobile bicycle repair business, Weir did what any reasonable person would do — he bought a brand-new racing penny with a 54-inch diameter front wheel, CNC alloys and "nanny state" improvement of a rear brake.Since then it has been a source of great joy, a business mascot and a serious racing machine."I was psyched [when it arrived]. I took it to a quiet street; it was a bit dark, so no one could watch me," Weir said.He said it’s very […]
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