If you’ve spent enough time walking the streets of London, you may have spotted one of the city’s true originals: RastaRolla, the Rastafarian gliding through town on a penny farthing.

London is full of characters and RastaRolla is one of the most recognisable. So Londonopia tracked him down for a quick chat about the bike, the view from up there, and how he ended up riding a Victorian-era death trap through modern traffic with a smile on his face.

It all started four years ago with a lost bet at The Tweed Run. A fellow bike marshal dared him to ride a penny farthing if she could find one big enough for him. At 6ft 5in, RastaRolla, real name Roberto ON Torto, thought he was safe. He needs a particularly rare model with 56-inch wheels, rather than the more common 52-inch version. In other words: not something you casually find lying around.

She found one within a week.

His first proper ride was not exactly modest. He joined a bike club and rode from Stratford to Buckingham Palace.

“They were very helpful,” he says. “They were blocking traffic and making sure I didn’t have to get off. So I rode this thing all the way to Buckingham Palace and back — and from there I was just hooked.”

By day, RastaRolla works as a civil engineer, designing cycle routes and road safety schemes. He lives in Willesden and works in Milton Keynes and regularly takes the penny farthing on the train.

“They all know me by name at Euston Station,” he says.

Part of the thrill, he explains, is seeing London from a completely different angle.

“You see a whole different side of London because you’re very high up,” he says. “You’re almost at the eye level of sitting on the top deck of a bus, but you’re able to squeeze into side roads, little cycle routes and alleyways — places vehicles don’t go.”

That change in height brings other rewards too.

“Because you have a different eye level, you notice all these blue plaques, because they’re about the right height. You see all these things you’d never normally see.”

But riding a penny farthing is not just normal cycling with better views and more jeopardy. It demands focus.

“It’s a fixed wheel, and it’s not something you just jump on and off,” he says. “You can’t just put your foot down to the side. You’re very intentional when you’re riding. You know there’s a chance someone can pull out of a side road, or a pedestrian can step in front of you, or you can have some kind of mishap, so you ride very intentionally, very slowly, and you become hyper-vigilant.”

Oddly, that intensity seems to bring its own peace.

“When I get on the penny farthing, my whole aura, my whole mindset is completely different,” he says. “It’s just a calming vibe. Even drivers are more friendly to you. Taxi drivers allow me to lean — I lean on taxi cabs all the time. It’s about the right height. Taxi drivers, bus drivers, van drivers — perfect vehicles to lean against. Everyone is so cordial. It puts a smile on everyone’s face. It’s just pure joy.”

And that is probably why London has taken to him. In a city that can feel rushed, closed-off and permanently mildly annoyed, RastaRolla rolls through like a burst of absurd grace: towering above the traffic, smiling at strangers, reminding everyone that London is full of surprises.

You can follow RastaRolla on Instagram @RastaRolla
He is also a children’s author.