Fane & Co. Comet

Made in Toronto, this Fane Comet represents the established high-wheeled bicycle as it was manufactured in North America.

A very light bicycle with a huge 50-inch (127 cm) front wheel and a tiny back wheel, it offered all the charms of the high-wheeler, as well as all its dangers.

One of the biggest dangers was coasting down a long hill at speeds as high as 50 miles an hour, when any unexpected stone, brick, rut or pothole could send you flying.

More worrying was the fact that you could not keep your feet on the pedals when they were rotating at such speeds. This eliminated the possibility of backpedalling, which was the usual method of slowing down. You were forced to rely on your single spoon brake (although most cyclists know how dangerous using brakes at high speed can be).

Given that you had to put your feet somewhere, high-wheeled bicycles like the Fane were designed with very low handlebars, the idea being that you put your legs right over them and straight out in front of you as you coasted downhill.

This meant, in theory, that when you went off the front of the bike, you had a chance of landing on your feet instead of your face!