Since
then, Oamaru has continued manufacturing penny
farthings, racing and touring.
The Club embraces a broad range of bicycle-related
activities centered on the historical aspects
of cycling. Such activities include riding in
parades, picnics, tours and demonstrations,
displaying bikes and memorabilia, research,
writing and publishing cycle history, collecting
bicycle literature and memorabilia, restoring
cycles, recreating uniforms and costumes and
learning trick riding.
The
club is dedicated to: Keeping alive
the heritage of Oamaru cycling, promoting the
restoration and riding of early cycles, and
encouraging cycling as part of modern living.
Cycling
history is an important part of our Oamaru heritage,
and the club is growing to cater to the needs
of all aspects of cycle history, collectors,
non-riders, and riders of high wheels, tricycles,
tandems and safety bicycles. Men, women and
children of all ages are welcome to participate
in events throughout the year. Club membership
is open to everyone whether they own an antique
bicycle or just enjoy the early days of our
history when cycling was born.
The club has been active in many areas since
its formation in 1994 including;
- The
construction of “highwheels” or
ordinaries – known more affectionately
as penny farthings
-
Designing and overseeing the manufacturing
of club uniforms and badges
-
Coordinating the running of the annual NZ
NATIONAL PENNY FARTHING & VETERAN CYCLE
CHAMPIONSHIPS
-
Assisting the organization of the yearly penny
farthing tours to Oamaru from various parts
of New Zealand
- Production
of the club newsletter ORDINARY MATTERS (
2003 )
- Encouraging
youth to ride for health through school visits
-
Facilitating the acquisition of antique cycles
and cycling paraphernalia
-
Assisting people to learn to ride penny farthings
- Holding
country outings
- Supporting
other communities with their heritage events
through providing wheelmen
-
Marketing Oamaru to the world through high
national and international media coverage
- Assisting
the adoption of the penny farthing as a key
Oamaru icon
OOCC
– NEW PLANNED INITIATIVES
Since 2005 considerable planning, negotiation,
and consultation has taken place to maximize
broad buy in and wide ranging support for a
revitalized club with a range of new initiatives.
As
the Club becomes fully operational, the new
initiatives will encompass;
-
Training of new wheelmen ( Male / Female /
Youth / Seniors )
-
On-going construction of new penny farthings
of varying sizes for members and sale
-
Restoration of safety cycles for display &
hire
-
New club uniforms & badges
-
A new club house in the Oamaru Historic Precinct
themed as an 1880’s Oamaru Bicycle Shop
-
The Victorian Boy & Girl Racer Initiatives
( Yearly racing in Oamaru between all schools
in the Waitaki District )
- New
corporate funding partnerships
- Supervised
Penny Farthing and tricycle rides for visitors
to the Oamaru Historic Precinct
-
Making riding costumes available to visitors
as part of a living history activity
- Regular
riding schools for new wheelmen
-
A mural of faceless wheelmen for photo opportunities
-
Bugle playing workshops
-
Regular club outings and functions
-
Construction of a purpose built, fully enclosed
tandem wheeled trailer to transport wheelmen
to events
-
Assisting the running of the annual Penny
Farthing Tours to Oamaru
-
Coordinating the annual NZ National Penny
Farthing & Veteran Cycle Championships
-
Supplying wheelmen to out of town heritage
events
-
Erecting a Penny Farthing monument in Oamaru
- Fostering
of new alliances with wheelmen nationally
& internationally
- Selection
of NZ’s fastest penny farthing racer(s)
and assistance with sponsorship to overseas
events. i.e. Australia, UK.
- Encouragement
of riders from Scotland, Ireland, USA, UK,
Japan and Australia to participate in future
Oamaru heritage cycling events.
If you would like to experience a high wheeler,
you can ride one in the Oamaru I-Site any day
of the week. If you would like to purchase one,
have any inquiries, or would like to join the
OOCC, contact:
David
A. Wilson
Captain
THE OAMARU ORDINARY CYCLE CLUB
Email: heritage.futures@xtra.co.nz
Download an application form (PDF, 392KB)
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