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road.cc regular Gkam84 (Keith McRae) hits Parkinson's trike appeal target

Rotherham-based retailer JE James steps in to give our man the nudge he needs to get over the line

Here’s a bit of good news as the festive season approaches – road.cc stalwart and early onset Parkinson’s sufferer Keith McRae, who has thousands of forum posts under his name here, Gkam84, will be back riding before Christmas, with the recumbent trike he needs to get mobile again now ordered after Rotherham-based bike retailer JE James stepped in to give his appeal the final nudge over the line.

The response to the appeal Keith launched last month on his GoFundMe page has been phenomenal as road.cc users plus others who heard about his plight through social networks generously dipped into their pockets to help him out. It was a link to a road.cc story about him on Twitter that made JE James aware of his situation.

“Having contacted Keith Friday via twitter and discussing how far from his target he was, we took it upon ourselves to speak to the guys over at Ice Trikes first thing Monday morning and explain our intentions,” says a post on the JE James website.

“We wanted to contribute to Keith’s campaign to get him the most important bike of his life before Christmas.

“It’s now Tuesday the 11th December, the guys at Ice Trike have agreed to help us help Keith and his bike is now on order, specified to his exact needs meaning he can get out and cycle before the 25th December!”

Andy Liversidge, social media and marketing manager at JE James, said: “Keith is a real inspiration. Our sport is loved by so many people, men, women and kids of all ages all eager to get out and ride.

When I read Keith’s story, his love for cycling was clear and it really made me want to help him. Here’s a guy with the passion of so many other cyclists, yet he can’t get out and ride.

“With the help of the fantastic people over at Ice Trikes, we have managed to get Keith on his way to being back out on the road. Along with so many other people who have kindly donated via his funding page after reading the road.cc post, Keith should be out cycling before Christmas so long as the snow holds off.

“It’s times like this which makes cycling, and the cycling community stand out from the crowd. It makes me proud to be involved in an industry that helps change peoples lives.

“On behalf of JE James Cycles I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped Keith with donations, without you this wouldn’t be possible. Another big thank you goes to the guys over at Ice Trikes who will be supplying us with Keith’s bike. The last thank you goes to road.cc for sharing Keith’s story and supporting his campaign.”

To which we’d add, thank you, road.cc users, for helping Gkam84 out whether through donations or helping spread the word about his appeal.

If you’ve been following his story, you’ll also know that pro teams and individuals within the sport were generous in donating items to help raise money – those will still be auctioned, with the money going to charity.

On his GoFundMe page, Keith wrote: ““Big thanks to JE James Cycles for their help with this, but especially to Andy Liversidge, without his interaction firstly via Twitter and then email. None of this would have been possible.

“So the trike is on the way, so are many items that were donated, so these will be sorted out as raffles in due course. Don't worry, I have all the donors’ emails and will be in touch with thank yous, photos and updates.

“I'm totally buzzing at the moment, haven't felt like this in forever, since I was a young kid really. So much confidence at the moment, going to use all the good will and channel it into getting out and about, interacting with people again, a little at a time.”

As we said at the start, it’s a great bit of news. Lots of people will be getting bikes this Christmas – few, we suspect, will mean as much as this one.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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20 comments

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Argy | 11 years ago
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Thanks JE James Cycles! I'll make more of an effort to purchase my gear from JE James Cycles moving forward!  1

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OldRidgeback | 11 years ago
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Really good news - nice to have a positive story on RoadCC for once

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Gkam84 replied to OldRidgeback | 11 years ago
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OldRidgeback wrote:

Really good news - nice to have a positive story on RoadCC for once

Its great aint it...Wont even be followed up by a doping story where I get banned  19  19  19

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theincrediblebike | 11 years ago
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Wow there is a Santa Claus after all, fantastic news.

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aslongasicycle | 11 years ago
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MCRAEBOOM!

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bikecellar | 11 years ago
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I am pleased for you mate, and I owe you an apology, I remember suggesting that you should get out on your bike more often, after seeing how many posts you had made, sorry, but now you are sorted get out there and get some miles in, eh, weather permitting.

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Gkam84 replied to bikecellar | 11 years ago
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bikecellar wrote:

I am pleased for you mate, and I owe you an apology, I remember suggesting that you should get out on your bike more often, after seeing how many posts you had made, sorry, but now you are sorted get out there and get some miles in, eh, weather permitting.

No worries.

I don't think weather will be a problem ever again, Ice...pffft, I have three wheels, I cannot fall off.

Snow....really, I've seen the pictures of trikes powering through snow.....

There will be no stopping me  4

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keith roberts | 11 years ago
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great stuff cool to see human spirit is alive and well even in these crappy times..
keep going gkam84, get some miles under your belt!
 4

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WolfieSmith | 11 years ago
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Great news Gkam. I saw it nudging 84% this afternoon. Delighted you'll still be pedalling in 2013. V best wishes.

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badback | 11 years ago
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Great news. Always good to hear a positive story.

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Campag_10 | 11 years ago
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Congrats Keith on your good fortune. I hope your auctions raise lots of cash for good causes.

Well done to JE James for making this happen and road.cc for bringing it to our attention.

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Super Domestique | 11 years ago
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Great news and well done JE James

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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This would be cheeky, but maybe I could get them to make a promo code, Like Gkam84, where you get a free lollipop or something with your orders. I nice way for them to track everyone who read about my cause.....

Just to let you all know, I'm currently working on finding a charity to donate anything extra to.

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TheHatter | 11 years ago
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nice one JE James - will now be my first go to website for purchases

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notfastenough replied to TheHatter | 11 years ago
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TheHatter wrote:

nice one JE James - will now be my first go to website for purchases

+1

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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Getting a Sprint FSX, The vortex, while being very nice was two things. WAY outta the price range, but also impractical for normal use, its a racing trike, where as I need a go everywhere one.

Off road, on road, muddy tracks. Just wherever I can get to now.

I just can't wait, already planning journey's where I can film, set up a camera and film be cycling past....etc. All to make up a thank you video and form part of my blogging.

Just fired of an email to Go Pro.....As contour weren't willing to supply a camera.

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andyspaceman | 11 years ago
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Those ICE Trikes look great. Getting an 'Adventure', a 'Sprint' or a 'Vortex'?

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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I know this is asking AGAIN, but its all to help out Road.cc and J E James Cycling.

If everyone reading this could hit the tweet and like buttons, bother here and on the J E James blog, I would be most grateful, I think both places should get as much publicity for this as is humanly possible.

Just had more contact with Andy and he's going to sort me out some gear aswell. I cannot thank everyone involved enough.

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notfastenough | 11 years ago
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therevokid | 11 years ago
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damn if that hasn't made my christmas too  4

Well done J.E. James - I knew there was a reason I bought
stuff from them  4

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