News

Object of the Fortnight - Mick Ives Bicycle

28 October 2010

This 18-speed aluminium framed Fuji bicycle lives in the Cyclopedia gallery on the first floor of the Museum. It’s a lovely example of a cyclo-cross bike, having Ergo levers (meaning that the rider can change gear using the brake lever), carbon fibre forks and ‘egg beater’ type pedals which help the rider to clip into them quickly from whatever position the pedals happen to be in.

But the really interesting thing about this bicycle is the person who rode it – and what he achieved on it. The bicycle belonged to 71-year-old local cyclist Mick Ives from Baginton, one of the UK’s most successful competitive cyclists, having won over 1250 races throughout his career. Mick still races regularly in all cycling disciplines as part of his M.I. Racing cycling team, and it was on this bicycle that he won the UCI World Masters Cyclo-Cross Championships in 2004, 2005 & 2006 – just three of the hundreds of championship titles this incredible rider has notched up in a career spanning over 50 years.

To find out more about Mick Ives visit http://www.miracing.co.uk/

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