One twist on this thread; I was at the Wheelmen's Lantern ride at Goat Island @ Niagara Falls this year, and noticed some highwheels with the latest cycling computer installed. I asked how they managed to get the computers to work. The reply was that they use two magnets in the wheel and it calibrates within the standard range. One 52" wheel with two magnets equals a 26" reading...
Roy "still interested in highwheels" Drinkwater
> In a message dated 10/7/2001 11:48:00 AM Central Daylight Time,
> CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com writes:
>> This company was indeed making cyclometers way back in the
>> high-wheeler era, in fact Veeder invented the cyclometer in 1895.
>>
>
>Appologies Cap'n.....(in the interest of accuacy)
>
>By 1895 high wheelers had gone out of fashion and several years had passed
>since they were commonly carried in bike shops or even manufactured(I think
>it was '92 or 93 that a h/w last appeared in a catalog). Safetes had been
>available since the mid 80's and had gradually displaced the "ordinary"
>bicycle. By 1895 there may have been a few highwheelers on the road--and
>there still are--but their era had passed.
>
>A minor tip--just in case there may be someone out there who isn't already
>doing this:
>A piece of plastic wire insulation or small rubber tube or tool handle dip
>applied to the peg dampens the sound made by the peg striking the counter.
>
>Calvert Guthrie
>Kansas City