Roads have a social hierarchy of their own; generally speaking, the bigger the vehicle the more superior the attitude of the driver, but if you want to be as lofty as possible, ride a bicycle. A 15-ft tall bicycle.
Richie Trimball created STOOPIDTALL for the CicLAvia event earlier this year in Los Angeles and as a dry run for an attempt on the Guinness World Record for the world tallest bike.
STOOPIDTALL stands 14.5ft at the seat. It was built in 12 hours from a Huffy beach cruiser, a bunch of steel tubing and 32ft of chain.
Richie said of the bike build: “To bend the pipe I used an upside down shopping cart and a split log. Ghetto, I know, but hey – it works.”
Great cycle insurance shouldn’t be a tall order
Cycle insurance from the ETA covers against theft, accidental damage and vandalism (including at race events) includes third party insurance, a breakdown recovery service for cyclists and worldwide cover.
Stay head and shoulders above the rest
The challenge of how to remain visible on a bicycle sees many resort to flashing LED lights, high-viz jackets and defensive riding techniques , but the following rider went further in their quest to stand out on the road. It’s big, difficult to manoeuvre and at £500 for a tyre change, expensive to maintain, but what is good for the urban SUV driver must be good for the cyclist wanting to make an impression in the city. The rider of a penny farthing may enjoy an elevated view, but just as with 4×4 cars, the high centre of gravity can result in the machine becoming unstable.On the plus side, these bikes are extremely low maintenance. When Thomas Stevens rode a penny farthing 12,500 miles around the world in the 1880s, he reported not one significant mechanical problem.
Doc Richard
Bit slow though.