Tough Ride ahead for Unique Bikes

Taking on the challenge of riding 160km around Lake Taupo on a normal bike is no walk in the park, but a couple of past participants of the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge are taking on this year’s Bike Barn Solo in unique style.

World champion unicyclist Ken Looi will be taking on what he says “Is likely to be his most difficult challenge yet”.

The 35 year old from Wellington has completed seven round Lake Taupo challenges in the past where he rode 36 inch geared unicycles which are designed for long distance riding.

This year to make things just that bit harder, he’ll be riding a standard class 24-inch unicycle. “The standard unicycle is much slower and relies on you pedaling very, very fast because the gear ratio is so low – so this will be by far one of the most difficult challenges I’ve taken on” he says.

And thirteen years after completing two consecutive Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge events on a home built penny farthing, 55 year old Andy Fraser from New Plymouth is again returning to do the 160km Bike Barn Solo in preparation for a planned trip around New Zealand next year on his penny farthing.

Andy says “The biggest challenge is likely to be carrying all the food I’ll need to sustain my energy levels on the day. They (penny farthings) take a lot more energy to push along and it’s a bit of a challenge up hills, but one of the advantages of riding a penny farthing is that I tend to get treated with great respect from other riders and road users. ”

Both Ken and Andy will start their 160km journey from Tongariro St in Taupo at 6am on Saturday the 30th of November and both hope to be finished well in time for the events main prize giving ceremony at 6pm.

Held on the last Saturday of every November, the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge has 15 event categories catering to all levels of cycling and fitness abilities, and will this year celebrate its 37th anniversary on Saturday the 30th of November.

Online entries for this year’s event have now closed, however late entries will be available at the event on Friday the 29th of November 10am-10pm or Saturday the 30th, 6am-8am.

Visit www.cyclechallenge.com for more information.