A Victorian Time Traveler on the Streets of London: Rasta Rolla and His Penny-Farthing Bicycle

Imagine a giant wheel suddenly appearing in London’s gray, congested, and stressful traffic where drivers constantly honk at each other, and a dapper gentleman calmly gliding meters above that wheel. Robert O.N. Torto, alias Rasta Rolla, literally infuses joy, color, and elegance into the streets of London on his legendary penny-farthing bicycle—a Victorian relic on the brink of being forgotten. Gliding atop this 19th-century engineering marvel with its absurdly large front wheel and tiny rear wheel, Rasta Rolla is a living urban legend who puts a smile on the sullen faces of city dwellers.

Born in London during a turbulent period of racial tension, and returning to the UK in the late 1990s after spending long years with his family in Jamaica and Ghana, Robert’s style is as unique as the bicycle he rides. Inspired by his sharply dressed grandfather and his mother who once made clothes for Rita Marley, the artist blends British aristocracy with the vibrant texture of Africa through his colorful socks, bow ties, waistcoats woven from Kente cloth, and traditional Victorian-style trousers. Devoted to aesthetics to the point of saying, “Riding this bicycle in sweatpants or ordinary clothes would be disrespectful to its spirit,” Rasta Rolla never compromises his style and standards, even on the hottest summer days.

How the Passion Began

So, how did his passion for this “dangerous” vehicle begin—one that is extremely difficult to ride under modern conditions, lacks a braking mechanism, and carries a risk of falling the moment you stop? It all started with encouragement from a participant at the London Tweed Run event he attended and the first bicycle he bought on eBay. Even though he forgot that the bike had a fixed-gear mechanism during his first test ride and tumbled head over heels over the handlebars, he did not give up on this passion. Quickly learning the golden rules of riding a penny-farthing, Robert turned getting on the bike strictly from the rear and—when forced to pause at red lights amidst the astonished gazes of the crowds—asking drivers for permission to gently lean on their vehicles into an entertaining tradition.

A Road Safety Engineer with a Unique Mission

For Rasta Rolla, this passion is not merely about putting on a show for people; in his daily life, he is actually a professional road safety engineer. Commuting to work every day—using this giant bicycle not just for show, but as a real means of transportation—he personally experiences defects in bike lanes and intersection problems, reporting them to the authorities. Yet he fulfills a perhaps far more important mission: he dissolves London’s famous road rage and urban stress with a single smile. Smiling down at drivers beside him, bringing joy to children, and rushing to help little ones whose bike chains have slipped on the road, this colorful figure confesses that the bicycle itself has transformed him into a much calmer and more tolerant person.

Now boasting thousands of followers on Instagram and occasionally bumping into his friend Alan on London streets—who shares this extraordinary hobby—to create a small-scale festival atmosphere in the city, Rasta Rolla has a wonderful project for the future: establishing an accessible penny-farthing school to teach this riding joy that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. Taking a bicycle relegated to the dusty museum shelves of the Victorian era and placing it right into the heart of the modern city, Rasta Rolla continues to prove with every pedal stroke that joy, aesthetics, and human connections are still possible in urban life.

NO-26 Editor’s Viewing Note

• Who He Is: Robert O.N. Torto (Rasta Rolla) — Road safety engineer, urban icon, and penny-farthing rider.

• Highlight: His bespoke attire blending British gentleman style with Ghanaian culture, and his disarming temperament that allows him to politely ask even police officers, “May I lean on your vehicle?” rather than dismounting in traffic.

• Final Word: Not merely a sport or spectacle, but a sustainable urban act that reduces stress, connects people in traffic, and audits bike lanes. If you ever find yourself in London, don’t forget to look up above driver-seat level!