That’s exactly what Mel Tudor built for his adult daughter Melanie Tudor, in preparation for the 10th annual Tweed Run from the botanic gardens to the Gasworks Museum yesterday.
Mr Tudor, who has now built three penny-farthing cycles, said each one took about six months to construct.
"I'm 78 now, so probably a bit late in life to be having a crack at these, but it’s great fun.
"Once you get the hang of getting on, it's a bit of a treat."
This was the second time he had participated in the Tweed Run, where men and women don their best Edwardian garb and cycle through Dunedin, but the first time he had ridden a penny-farthing through the course.
His goal for the ride was to "stay upright" for the duration.
Meanwhile, daughter Melanie hoped for similar stability through the course.
"There’s a bit of pressure on you when your father builds you a penny-farthing.
"He had to figure it out himself from YouTube videos and from maybe falling off a few times, but I think everyone has got the hang of it now."
The pair were among the 30 or so riders who participated in the event yesterday.
Dunedin Gasworks Museum trustee and rider Peter Petchey said the run appealed to a range of people.
"The event's more about bums on seats, getting publicity for the museum, getting people down there and so on, than it is about raising a lot of money.
"So, we make a couple of hundred, but it's more about just raising our profile."
He appreciated that tweed was not the most streamlined material to ride cycles on.
"It can get quite hot in it."
