The Man Who Cycled the World

[kyuss]

A video diary thing of round the world cyclist Mark Beaumont was shown on BBC2 Scotland this evening but is also available on BBC iPlayer here if you're interested. Well worth a look. Episode 2 is on tomorrow night.

[Mrs Pingu]

So BBC Scotland are running a documentary about the bloke who broke the record for cycling round the world recently.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/outdoors/programmes/pedalling_around/about_mark.shtml
Watched the first installment last night. Some readers of this parish may be interested to note that within his first week he'd already broken about 3 spokes on his Rohloff equipped rear wheel.
He had to get the wheel rebuilt in Poland - they reckoned that the spokes had been cut down to account for the size of the hub and that this cutting had weakened the spokes somehow.

[Captain Zep]

I watched the first episode yesterday and will watch part 2 tonight.  I thought Peter Capaldi's narration a little over-dramatic, but on the whole, really good.  Hats off to Mr Beaumont.

[Aidan]

Agreed, the narrator was over the top , but a very enjoyable program

[David Martin]

Agreed, the narrator was over the top , but a very enjoyable program

He *has* to eat 6,000 calories a day... Only told us that once for every day he rode. It got a touch repetitive at times.

..d

[Pingu]

I don't think he'll be going back to Baluchistan, though.

[David Martin]

I don't think he'll be going back to Baluchistan, though.

Don't think he'll get out if the local cops have seen the program. Wasn't the highest of tourist recommendations.

..d

[tiermat]

Watched this on iPlayer last night, quite enjoyable, as already mentioned the 6000 calories thing is a bit repetative.  Must be something about cycling as when I was watching the track champs last week (again on iPlayer) I got mightly sick of being told that Chris Hoy was the first British man in 50-odd years to win the sprint....

[epa611]

Can't wait until the next installment - Monday @ 7pm BBC2 (Scotland?)

[woollypigs]

Just watched the first 2 episodes on BBC iplayer. I agree with you others a great and interesting program and an over the top narrator.

I just wonder why he planned to go tru' the Muslim part of the world while the Ramadan was on when he needed to find food (6000+ calories a day we were told ... ) and water easily every day.

I'll be tuning in next time for sure.

[Captain Zep]

I just wonder why he planned to go tru' the Muslim part of the world while the Ramadan was on when he needed to find food (6000+ calories a day we were told ... ) and water easily every day.

I believe that the route he followed is a route set down by Guinness or someone.  Anyone challenging the world record has to pass through certain places (hence going all the way "off-route" to New Zealand).  Just a fairly long audax really. 

[vince]

I could have told him a Cat Eye will pack up at the first hint of anything more than light drizzle.

[nuttycyclist]

Damn, only just saw this so have missed episode 1.   

Maybe the BBC should rename the iPlayer "making the unmissable still missable"

[nuttycyclist]

Just watching part two and realised he's on a Rholoff.  Don't tell Wowbagger!   

[nuttycyclist]

Ok, finished part 2.   Wow!   What a guy.

It's just reminded me of my love of cycling, and I've hunted out the Audax calendar!

<rubs tiger balm into aching knees>

<watches part 3>

[nuttycyclist]

Ok, finished part 3, but they've all finished with "and the next episode is tomorrow at 7 on BBC scotland", so where's episode 4?

[kyuss]

Part 4 is on the telly tomorrow at 7. 

I guess it will be on iPlayer shortly after. Last episode by the way.

[nuttycyclist]

I shall sit up waiting.

I loved it





Where can I get part 1, and more importantly where can I get all four shows in a format I can watch time and time again (not iPlayer, that only lasts 30 days)

[kyuss]

They are all on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/4h-hjx1K3-o&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/4h-hjx1K3-o&rel=1</a>. I think there are a few torrent sites where you can get the whole thing.

[Pingu]

No mention of Tourist Tony in episode 3 

[Nick H.]

I have the rules somewhere because I was hoping to have bagged the record by now.  You have to go through two antipodal points. And 70% of the land in the world has somewhere in the sea as its antipodal point.  The only really practical route for a speed record which meets this criterion is via Madrid-ish and Wellington-ish. Everybody does it this way.

I've only watched episode 1 and was irritated by two things:

1) this issue about using-so-many-calories-that-eating-fast-enough-is-a-huge-problem. I think they quoted some stupid statistic like 24 cheeseburgers to do 100 miles. What utter bollocks. Talk about Bad Science. Many of us here have done 90 mile days, day after day after day, and it's a piece of piss.  My max is 160-ish in a day and all I did was stop for the odd sandwich and nibble on mixed fruit 'n nuts as I pedalled.

2) how much gear was he carrying! What with four humongous panniers maybe he really did need 24 burgers a day after all. And those butterfly bars can't have helped.  I mean, it's supposed to be a SPEED record. Why do it on an overloaded donkey?

I have a Cunning Plan to use a much faster, easier route with a fast bike and minimal baggage. I'll do it when I'm even older and gittier, and show up these young fools for making a fuss about nothing. 

[nuttycyclist]

Well, I just finished episode 4.  Fantastic.

... I think there are a few torrent sites where you can get the whole thing.

I've never used torrent, nor understand how to get it working.    Can anybody burn a decent dvd image of the whole series for me please?

[nuttycyclist]

Just found this.

http://www.justgiving.com/artemisworldcycle

[Nick H.]

How confusing. We've got two threads about this in the same board. The man who cycled the world

Come back TBD, all is forgiven.

[tiermat]

I have the rules somewhere because I was hoping to have bagged the record by now.  You have to go through two antipodal points. And 70% of the land in the world has somewhere in the sea as its antipodal point.  The only really practical route for a speed record which meets this criterion is via Madrid-ish and Wellington-ish. Everybody does it this way.

I've only watched episode 1 and was irritated by two things:

1) this issue about using-so-many-calories-that-eating-fast-enough-is-a-huge-problem. I think they quoted some stupid statistic like 24 cheeseburgers to do 100 miles. What utter bollocks. Talk about Bad Science. Many of us here have done 90 mile days, day after day after day, and it's a piece of piss.  My max is 160-ish in a day and all I did was stop for the odd sandwich and nibble on mixed fruit 'n nuts as I pedalled.

Fair enough if you are doing it as a one off, but day in day out for nearly 200 days and you would be well and truely screwed.  The constant repeating of the "24 cheeseburgers" bit was annoying but it gave an idea of how much enrgy he was expending

2) how much gear was he carrying! What with four humongous panniers maybe he really did need 24 burgers a day after all. And those butterfly bars can't have helped.  I mean, it's supposed to be a SPEED record. Why do it on an overloaded donkey?

He was doing it completely unsupported, plus had to log his distance each day for the record to be valid, this includes video/photos and the logs from his polar bike computer.