In a typically British tribute to the Bradley Wiggins record of 55.2 km, a London cyclist has managed to cover 31.2 km over ‘The Hour’ on a Boris Bike.
After riding Mont Ventoux on a Boris Bike, and then Mount Washington a New York Citibike, Rob Holden, Matt Winstone and Ian Laurie decided only The Hour remained.
The Hour on a Boris Bike
Rob Holden commented: “If you’ve never ridden a Boris bike; try it. It’s 50 lbs, 23 kg; it’s got fat tires, an upright un-aerodynamic position, and only 3 gears (the biggest of which is only 60”). Whilst it’s a perfect bike for cruising the streets of London, in truth it’s built for anything but speed. To reach the target speed of 30-32 kph (19-20 mph) I had to ride with a cadence of over 110 revs per minute. This means I needed to tape my feet to the pedals to stop them from moving around…something I didn’t think about when I came to stop”
“The goal? Since there is no existing record on a Boris Bike, and Wiggins’s ride was just a touch out of reach, it’s a case of how fast I can spin for an hour. So we just put the bike on the start line, and went for it.”
By contrast, Bradley Wiggins rode a Pinarello bike that weighed only 6.8 kg.
The Velodrome used for the attempt is Herne Hill; an historic outdoor track built in the 1890s and the only surviving venue still in use from the 1948 London Olympic Games; a fitting place to create our own small slice of cycling history. The track has a lovely smooth but as it’s outside, is exposed to gusting winds which added to the challenge of the ride.
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