Bathurst bicycle enthusiast John Kitchen has been a busy man, building a replica of the first original bicycle.
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Mr Kitchen’s model is designed of original drawings from Karl von Drais, a German baron who built the first bicycle in 1817.
The bicycle is called a draisienne or dandy horse
“It’s fairly authentic. It’s made from ply wood and its shape looks pretty accurate to the original records,” he said.
“There’s a steel band around the wheels.
“I actually made it in over a week. One person from the Sydney Classic Bike Show rang me up and said they were doing race.
“They asked if I would be able to organise [a dandy horse]. I worked it all out the Thursday before the event and then they cancelled the day before.”
Back in the 19th century, owning a dandy horse meant you were quite well off.
Mr Kitchen learnt to ride a bicycle at six-years-old, on a 28 inch girls bike.
He got his first bike that fitted him when he was eight-years-old.
He now owns two dandy horses.
Mr Kitchen is a qualified master frame builder, who has made several models of bicycles, including penny farthings.
The bicycles were on sale at the Artisan Trail on May 14, at the Agricultural Station Research Station.