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Friday, 29 March 2024

Vintage bike fan Colin Bedford turns heads in home town by cycling on old bikes in period costume

Credit: SWNS STUDIO
Duration: 02:09s 0 shares 3 views

Vintage bike fan Colin Bedford turns heads in home town by cycling on old bikes in period costume
Vintage bike fan Colin Bedford turns heads in home town by cycling on old bikes in period costume

A vintage bike collector is turning heads by cycling on a variety of his old historic old bicycles - dressed in the appropriate period garb.Colin's bikes range from a Victorian 'bone-shaker,' a WW2 parachutist's bicycle, a 1914 GPO inspectors bike, a 1939 Runwell used by the Home Guard in the WW2 and a Penny Farthing.The 84-year-old from March, Cambs, will soon embark on a five day cycle ride around his home town on his classic bikes to raise funds for Hinchingrooke Hospital, Huntingdon, Cambs.Mr Bedford, a founding member of the March Veteran and Vintage Cycle Club, said: "It could be a bit risky because some of these bikes have no brakes." Some of bikes built before 1900 didn't have brakes at all. "I'll be riding the distance from March to Hinchingbrooke through the streets of March and the town centre."But I won't be riding my Penny Farthing, I pulled a muscle last time I did trying to get it off it."Former cycle shop owner Mr Bedford, who owns a hundred vintage bikes in total,  is fundraising for the hospital and Diabetes UK.He has had to visit the hospital every month for treatment for a torn retina and has also been a Type 1 diabetic for around 30 years."This is my way of giving something back for the care and support I've received over the years," he added.Mr Bedford will be completing five miles of the cycle ride every day between September 21 and 25.Mr Bedford said: "I'm saving the boneshaker to ride just for a little while on the last day."Hopefully, I'll still be in a good state to take that on after four days of cycling."In 2014, Mr Bedford rode a penny-farthing alongside professional cyclists when the Tour de France started in Cambridge.He has also ridden in four Tour of Britain events and won four national veteran cyclist awards.His collection of bicycles include:-• An 1865 'boneshaker' which has solid wooden wheels with an iron rim.• A 1914 GPO inspector's bicycle from the First World War.• A 1933 Raleigh trade bike which belonged to a laundry firm based in Station Road, March.• A 1937 GPO used in March during the Second World War.• A 1939 Runwell bicycle used by the Sheringham home guard. • A 1943 Second World War parachutists bicycle which folds up and would have been strapped to a Royal Marine being parachuted onto the front line.* A 1868 Rudge Penny Farthing 

A vintage bike collector is turning heads by cycling on a variety of his old historic old bicycles - dressed in the appropriate period garb.Colin's bikes range from a Victorian 'bone-shaker,' a WW2 parachutist's bicycle, a 1914 GPO inspectors bike, a 1939 Runwell used by the Home Guard in the WW2 and a Penny Farthing.The 84-year-old from March, Cambs, will soon embark on a five day cycle ride around his home town on his classic bikes to raise funds for Hinchingrooke Hospital, Huntingdon, Cambs.Mr Bedford, a founding member of the March Veteran and Vintage Cycle Club, said: "It could be a bit risky because some of these bikes have no brakes." Some of bikes built before 1900 didn't have brakes at all.

"I'll be riding the distance from March to Hinchingbrooke through the streets of March and the town centre."But I won't be riding my Penny Farthing, I pulled a muscle last time I did trying to get it off it."Former cycle shop owner Mr Bedford, who owns a hundred vintage bikes in total,  is fundraising for the hospital and Diabetes UK.He has had to visit the hospital every month for treatment for a torn retina and has also been a Type 1 diabetic for around 30 years."This is my way of giving something back for the care and support I've received over the years," he added.Mr Bedford will be completing five miles of the cycle ride every day between September 21 and 25.Mr Bedford said: "I'm saving the boneshaker to ride just for a little while on the last day."Hopefully, I'll still be in a good state to take that on after four days of cycling."In 2014, Mr Bedford rode a penny-farthing alongside professional cyclists when the Tour de France started in Cambridge.He has also ridden in four Tour of Britain events and won four national veteran cyclist awards.His collection of bicycles include:-• An 1865 'boneshaker' which has solid wooden wheels with an iron rim.• A 1914 GPO inspector's bicycle from the First World War.• A 1933 Raleigh trade bike which belonged to a laundry firm based in Station Road, March.• A 1937 GPO used in March during the Second World War.• A 1939 Runwell bicycle used by the Sheringham home guard.

• A 1943 Second World War parachutists bicycle which folds up and would have been strapped to a Royal Marine being parachuted onto the front line.* A 1868 Rudge Penny Farthing 

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