Graeme Obree is unlikely to be quaking in his cycling shoes, but I'm planning on making history at Bikeradar Live on Sunday May 31...I say making history...I really mean making a fool of myself. In what will surely be a first, I'm going to blast* around Donington Park's famous circuit on my Raleigh Grifter. Oh yes, a Procycling Hot Lap on a classic kids bike from the late 1970s. Spectacular, I'm sure you'll agree!**
The Grifter was a Christmas present from the team here at CPlus – I'd moaned about not having one as a kid far too often – and so far it's only been put through its paces on the mean streets of Bath. Where better then to see what a far too small bicycle, and a far too unfit man, can do than an undulating two-mile circuit. Boy, people will be talking about it for years to come.*** Forget Senna at the European Grand Prix in 1993,**** Spedding at Bikeradar Live in 2009 will be Donington Park the world will remember...
Obviously, I'll need a target time to aim for – such a stunning lap is unprecedented. So, as the Grifter was introduced in 1976 I aim to get round this highly technical and extremely challenging on-road loop in 19 minutes and 76 seconds. (Erm, or 20 minutes and 16 seconds...) And it'll all be for a good cause – the Geoff Thomas Foundation, official charity partner of the Cycling Plus Sportive. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see something quite magical, so make sure that you come along to Bikeradar Live to witness history in the making*****
*I say blast...I mean amble
**Okay, you won't
***Okay they won't
****Don't
*****Alright, alright it's just an idiot riding a kid's bike on a motor-racing circuit. But it'll be an idiot having fun!
And if you really would like to see a magazine editor looking stupid sponsor me here!
