George Berwick on the radio!

[jogler]

I imagine that what George regards as easy is beyond the ken of many.

[Viking]

I generally ride a bit faster than George (who is old enough to be my father), and yet he always seems to be in front of me after a control.  There's no stopping the man. 

That photo of him, linked up-thread, was taken at the end of Hamburg-Berlin-Koln-Hamburg, a 1500 km audax event entered by George and a number of others including some of this parish who could tell the story better than me, but here goes.  His frame broke in a ride-ending kind of way, but of course it didn't end George's ride.  He beat a drink-can into a shim, strapped it on with zip-ties, rode 500 km like that and finished the event.  Someone who tried his bike at the end said it didn't feel like you could ride across the car-park on it, far less 500 km. 

More photos and links here.

Class.

Yes, I remember reading about that at the time.  I congratulated him on his achievement at a later audax at Newtonmore and he just shrugged it off as it it was all in a days riding.   I think that episode will go down in audax history.  Epic!

[Phil Tomlinson]

I generally ride a bit faster than George (who is old enough to be my father), and yet he always seems to be in front of me after a control.  There's no stopping the man. 

That photo of him, linked up-thread, was taken at the end of Hamburg-Berlin-Koln-Hamburg, a 1500 km audax event entered by George and a number of others including some of this parish who could tell the story better than me, but here goes.  His frame broke in a ride-ending kind of way, but of course it didn't end George's ride.  He beat a drink-can into a shim, strapped it on with zip-ties, rode 500 km like that and finished the event.  Someone who tried his bike at the end said it didn't feel like you could ride across the car-park on it, far less 500 km. 

More photos and links here.

Class.

Yes, I remember reading about that at the time.  I congratulated him on his achievement at a later audax at Newtonmore and he just shrugged it off as it it was all in a days riding.   I think that episode will go down in audax history.  Epic!

It's people like George who make you realise what a big poof you've been all your life!

[frankly frankie]

I've got some old articles he wrote for Cycling Weekly (I think it was just Cycling back then) around the late '70s, about his 'rough' cycling exploits in the Scottish wilds.  Very inspiring (but mad), they were.

[marcusjb]

Fabulous stuff.  I just hope I can still ride at a good level when I'm 72 (I'll never be able to ride at the level George was at in his younger days!). 

The article Ian H linked to had a great phrase "a distinctive shortfall in sartorial elegance"!  Brilliant!

[MercuryKev]

[Pingu]

More photos and links here.

Is that link to your blog, Lightkeeper?

[Lightkeeper]

More photos and links here.

Is that link to your blog, Lightkeeper?

No, not mine - it popped up on a Google search for George and his broken frame, but I've dipped into it before.  There's some good reading there. 

[Pingu]

More photos and links here.

Is that link to your blog, Lightkeeper?

No, not mine - it popped up on a Google search for George and his broken frame, but I've dipped into it before.  There's some good reading there.

OK. The close up of the broken frame is mine & hasn't been credited 

[MercuryKev]

 

[marcusjb]

That photo still amazes me - it just looks like (and probably is) the gear cables are the only thing actually holding it together.  He must have had some shifting issues! 

Insanely audacious stuff.

[Von Broad]

That photo still amazes me - it just looks like (and probably is) the gear cables are the only thing actually holding it together.

Oh, make no mistake that gear cable tucked underneath the cable ties is structurally very significant ! The look on that blokes face. Classic.

[caerau]

I today tried to explain to an in-law about my intention of doing a 300k in two weeks time and what it was all about and was greeted with a 'well, good luck with that' and a look that said 'you're insane'.
I'm staying in a hotel, not hiding under a bridge.  Amateur stuff yet.

I am still in awe of the character who can do half of what Mr Berwick has clearly done!  Brilliant piece of radio and I love the backup from this thread - what great stuff.

[Hillbilly]

My favourite photo is him demonstrating the sartorial elegance, and practicality, of a hat fashioned from a bread bag*

Must listen to the radio broadcast before it is deleted.  George ranks as one of my audax idols.


*having difficulties hotlinking, but if you search for "George Berwick bread bag" that delivers the goods.

[marcusjb]

It's a classic for sure.

It's a lesson for all of us in how to adapt to changing conditions with what equipment is to hand.

[GraemeMcC]

When I was a young "louin" {colloquial NE Scottish / Aberdonian term) growing up in Inversneckie (in the mid 70's), tales of George abounded even then.

It was alleged that, rather than spend "3d" on a stamp to post a letter/birthday card, he'd ride 2 or 300 mile round trip as a training ride through the night and deliver his mail in person.

 

[Rhys W]

I was in the same club as George (Edinburgh Road Club) in the mid 90s but I never met him. Not sure why he was a member of an Edinburgh club when he lived in Fife... We got to hear about his exploits from another cycling club legend, club president Jack Murdoch, who must have been around 80 years old at the time. Jack was old-school - riding far more miles in a year than any of us youngsters, I don't think he ever owned a car. He'd mention regularly that he'd seen George Berwick out and about on his recumbent, "it's the bike of the future!"

Jack persuaded him to write an article about 24-hr time trials for the club newsletter. The only part I can remember is that George only started wearing a helmet after he'd woken up more than once lying in a roadside verge in the dark, having fallen asleep and toppled over.

[otherdave]

I was in the same club as George (Edinburgh Road Club) in the mid 90s but I never met him. Not sure why he was a member of an Edinburgh club when he lived in Fife... We got to hear about his exploits from another cycling club legend, club president Jack Murdoch, who must have been around 80 years old at the time. Jack was old-school - riding far more miles in a year than any of us youngsters, I don't think he ever owned a car. He'd mention regularly that he'd seen George Berwick out and about on his recumbent, "it's the bike of the future!"

Jack persuaded him to write an article about 24-hr time trials for the club newsletter. The only part I can remember is that George only started wearing a helmet after he'd woken up more than once lying in a roadside verge in the dark, having fallen asleep and toppled over.

The SCU record in 1986 for the 100 mile tandem, is listed as J Murdoch and G Berwick of the Edinburgh Roads Club,
with a time was 4hr 00min14secs. 



 

[LEE]

My favourite photo of George.

This should be on the front page of the AUK website. 

Unfortunately the photo is copyright Rapha Clothing, Sales & Marketing.

[Rhys W]

The SCU record in 1986 for the 100 mile tandem, is listed as J Murdoch and G Berwick of the Edinburgh Roads Club, with a time was 4hr 00min14secs.

I think that was Jack Murdoch's son.

[Mad Jack]

 

Fantastic, cable-tie master degree in structural bodgery. One must look and learn. Used toe straps (old school) in the past 

Radio link- Sorry, this episode is no longer available 

[Pingu]

 

S'okay. It's sorted noo.

[jaybea_auk]

Fantastic, cable-tie master degree in structural bodgery. One must look and learn. Used toe straps (old school) in the past 

Next time you have a breakdown on a ride, just ask yourself the question - "what would George Berwick do"? Inspiration will follow. Maybe I should get my toolkit inscribed with it.

I bumped into him once on the A68 at Tow Law. I was doing the C2C with a CTC Group, and George had "popped out" for a ride. I was never sure where he lived, because in the 1990s he turned up on Audax rides around the country, and I suspected he spent months away from home riding event after event.

[jaybea_auk]

Radio link- Sorry, this episode is no longer available 

The radio link is not available any longer as Listen Again, but on the off-chance I checked to see if there is a podcast of it available, and there is! It looks like it is available to download until about 7th April:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/outdoors - "Fence post art, a garden haven for birds and the 72-year-old who’s cycled almost 750,000 miles."

Going to listen to it now!

Julian

[Somnolent]

in the 1990s he turned up on Audax rides around the country,

He still does, even as a soft Southern newcomer to the sport, I've come across him a couple of times.