A FALMOUTH company is forging the way by building a unique trike for a record-breaking attempt to ride to the South Pole.
Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE) worked with adventurer Maria Leijerstam to design the recumbent, three-wheeled cycle that will carry her across snow and ice on the 800km journey next month. The journey will be filmed for a documentary.
The extreme sportswoman will try to set a new world record as she races against two others, battling 100mph gales and snow drifts in temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees on her ride from the edge of the Antarctic continent.
ICE co-director Neil Selwood said: "This has never been done before. It is incredibly unique – a one-off.
"The distance, the temperatures and the unknowns make it an extremely severe challenge for our engineering. This product opens up a new sector that doesn't exist. Other companies have put wide tyres on trikes, but we have gone that step further.
"We are setting the benchmark for the fat trike market."
The other two competitors will ride upright, two-wheeled winter bicycles known as "fat bikes".
Emil Grimsson, chief executive officer of Arctic Trucks, which will carry the film crew, said: "Given the extreme strong winds that blow from the pole, Maria has decided to cycle in a recumbent position to make herself more aerodynamic.
"She has also chosen three wheels over two due to the fact there is far less stability in snow when riding at very slow speeds."
The team behind Ms Leijerstam scoured the UK before finding the 22-strong team at ICE, which has designed, built and exported recumbent trikes since 1998.
The company created a custom frame to accommodate the huge wheels, 4.5in-wide tyres and special gearing arrangement.
"When you look at the bike it is just outrageous – like a monster truck of trikes," said Mr Selwood. "We are all excited that Maria is going to be riding our trike to the South Pole."
The polar trike has been tested in Iceland, Norway and on sand dunes in Wales, as well as in an industrial freezer.
Ms Leijerstam plans to begin on December 18 and reach the pole by January 7.
ITV will broadcast the documentary in January.
