Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Entertainment
Rose Troup Buchanan

Man rides Tour de France route on Raleigh Chopper

David Sims with his Chopper (Team Chop, via Facebook)

A man has ridden 1,600 miles of the Tour de France route on a child’s bike.

Dave Sims, from Southport, completed the epic effort on a bright yellow Raleigh Chopper bike, raising £6,000 for charity Help for Heroes.

Mr Sims, 36, said he was inspired to undertake the journey after meeting a former servicewoman in the Majorcan mountains in 2014 who was cycling up the mountain using her arms.

READ MORE: Sky tore up script to make headlines for Froome
Most memorable moments from Le Tour

"I will always remember her focus and pure stubbornness," he wrote on his blog. "If I could use this project to help fund specially adapted sporting equipment, like this lady was using, then this would make my Tour De France chopper ride so much more meaningful."

Mr Sims told the Southport Visitor that he took each stage of the journey mile by mile, and despite pulling his Achilles tendon during a break managed to keep going and complete the race.

Tackling the journey was difficult not only because of the length. Mr Sims had to work around the official route, choosing to take quieter roads than the motorways sometimes used by the tour.

 “My dream was always to do the Tour de France, but I never thought it would be on a kid's bike,” he told the local newspaper.

The Raleigh Chopper, known for its distinctive shape and design, was popular in the 1970s.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.