Last month we brought you news of a unique, forthcoming record attempt: the world land speed record for an all-wooden bike.
The man behind the project, Norfolk-based Michael Thompson, has been gradually revealing more technical details via his Splinterbike blog about the machine that will set an inaugural timber bike speed record .However, there are still some big unanswered questions.
Michael has already fashioned a frame along with wheels, gears, steering mechanism and even a wooden saddle to create a basic bike in the 200 hours he has so far spent on the project.
“Things are going better than anticipated but time-wise I reckon I am about half way through the design and build phase,” he told road.cc. “I haven’t yet started to make the bottom bracket, crank and pedal assembly but the design is all there in my head.”
Michael has created a wooden graphic which he says offers a visual representation of the project and which hints at the bike’s "secret weapon". The pear-shaped design – a reference to both the Apple logo and the inevitability of a few pear-shaped moments – contains a clue to a highly significant technical element of the bike, but Michael would not comment on whether the shape was suggestive of an elliptical chainwheel.
As for a venue for the record attempt, the latest news is that the newly constructed London Olympic velodrome is under serious consideration, although Michael has expressed a preference for a location in Norfork. One which could fit that bill is the runway at RAF Coltishall.
The leg power for the attempt will be provided by James Tully, a triathlete friend of Michael’s. James, however, has never ridden a fixed wheel bike before and is hoping to find both a mentor and someone who can supply him with just such a machine as he prepares for the record bid. If you can help, get in touch with the Michael on 07768 772366 or email him: thompson_norwich [at] hotmail.co.uk
I think anyone cycling in the City of London would freely admit that the vast majority of cyclists do indeed ignore red lights. Sometimes I wonder...
Bike storage in Kingston
Im betting these come out of the same factory as the SG and the Grip grab gloves. Identical apart from the Silicon overlay....
Oh, and for long rides (100 miles ish) a whole pack of fig rolls and a couple of jam sandwiches normally does my fuelling.
That "old lane" as you call it, is 1) very much open, some misguided cyclists still use it. I used it once, vowed never to again and I block ride...
Confusingly there seem to be two Millicent roads which cross at approximately right angles, the one that is north-east to south-west is the one...
Indeed....
"Although other neighbours were outside, nobody else had thought to alert her mum and siblings because there was no car on the drive so they didn’t...
"Aldi apologised for the blocked bike racks and said "we have spoken with the store to make sure that the cycle bays are clear for use at all times...
Interesting..... but perhaps I'll wait for the LIdl or Aldi copy and save a couple of hundred quid.....