What dictated the top speed achievable on a penny-farthing due to its direct-drive system?
The circumference of the massive front wheel, as the pedals were fixed directly to its hub.
The speed mechanism of the penny-farthing was fundamentally tied to its direct-drive system. In this configuration, the pedals were not connected to a chain or secondary gearing mechanism; instead, they were attached directly to the hub of the main, enormous front wheel. Consequently, for every single rotation of the pedals, the bicycle traveled a distance equal to the circumference of that large wheel. Riders maximized their speed potential by seeking the largest practical wheel size they could physically manage to mount and operate, as the wheel's circumference directly translated into distance covered per pedal stroke, effectively making the wheel diameter the gearing ratio.
