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Help cyclist become first to cross Antarctica - and win all-wheel-drive fat bike

Aussie adventurer Dr Kate Leeming launches Kickstarter to support first ever cross-Antarctic bike ride

An adventure cyclist who plans to cycle 1,200 miles through Antarctica via the South Pole has launched a $40,000 Kickstarter campaign to help fund the trip, and give others the chance to own a unique all-wheel drive fat bike, developed specifically for the trip.

If she succeeds in her goal, Kate Leeming, from Melbourne, Australia, will be the first person to cycle to the South Pole. She will face freezing conditions over 45 days with temperatures down to -40F.

Christini bikes, a Philadelphia based company, developed a bespoke bike with a mechanical all wheel drive system, which delivers power from the rear of the bicycle to the front wheel through a series of gears, shafts and chain. The AWD fat bike costs $4,995 and is currently only available via the Kickstarter campaign.

Woman prepares for Antarctica cycling record

Leeming wrote on her website: “In November/December/January 2017-2018 I am planning my most ambitious expedition yet – to cycle across the continent of Antarctica via the South Pole.

“As with my previous expeditions, I will be combining my passions and skills for expedition cycling, planning and presenting with philanthropy and education, though Breaking the Cycle South Pole is going to push my boundaries to a whole new level.”

Those pledging more than $4,995 will receive a Christini AWD 4” fat split frame bike. An e-bike version is also available for pledges of $6,495 or more. Delivery is estimated as March 2017. Smaller pledges will receive anything from stickers to copies of Leeming’s books from one of her previous adventures.

Australian Leeming will wear custom-designed clothing and boots which, along with the bike, are designed to withstand the extreme weather conditions, which can be seen in the blizzard she and her film makers encountered in Greenland during a trial run.

Leeming’s Breaking the Cycle Foundation will funds for community development initiatives as well as raising awareness of the poverty-related issues she learned about during previous expedition in Africa. The Foundation is expected to be running towards the end of the year. Among the causes she will support are HIV/AIDs support programmes.  As part of this, a Charity Miles app will donate 25c to The Global Fund for every miles participants cycle, walk or run.

In 2013 Great Britain’s Maria Leijerstram became the first person to cycle to the South Pole, riding a recumbent fat trike 400 miles to her destination. Like Leeming, Leijerstram’s expedition was years in the making.

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14 comments

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P3t3 | 7 years ago
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Sorry love, but when you get snow in that open drive system for the front wheel on the first day it's going to jam up and stop working. Then you will be rear drive only all the way to the pole. Anybody who has been skiing can tell you this.

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a1white replied to P3t3 | 7 years ago
1 like

P3t3 wrote:

Sorry love, but when you get snow in that open drive system for the front wheel on the first day it's going to jam up and stop working. Then you will be rear drive only all the way to the pole. Anybody who has been skiing can tell you this.

Reading the article you'll see that she has already tested the bike in very harsh conditions traversing Greenland. The bike looks genius to me. I wish her well.

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fenix replied to P3t3 | 7 years ago
0 likes

P3t3 wrote:

Sorry love, but when you get snow in that open drive system for the front wheel on the first day it's going to jam up and stop working. Then you will be rear drive only all the way to the pole. Anybody who has been skiing can tell you this.

 

Helen Skelton rode (partly) to the South Pole on a bike too - http://road.cc/content/news/50959-blue-peters-helen-skelton-becomes-firs...

 

 

Avatar
only1redders | 7 years ago
1 like

"I will be combining my passions and skills for expedition cycling, planning and presenting with philanthropy and education"

Sorry, I've got my Victor Meldrew hat on, even though it's a Friday.....Someone is going to have to explain to me why the public is asked for money to 'sponsor' (ie, subsidise/pay for) an adventure/trip/holiday, on the auspices of 'philanthropy/education'. Doesn't even sound as though she is raising money for charity. 

I'm all up for adventure/breaking boundaries etc. but these things are usually funded/sponsored by corporates who at least get a bit of publicity - any individual contributions then effectively become donations to charity.

On the fat bike front, I see a guy seemingly commuting across Richmond park heading out of the city, on one fairly often. The noise from the tyres on the road is LOUD! I can imagine they'd be huge fun on the soft stuff, be it sand or snow - for those of you who haven't seen it, I recommend the following http://www.pinkbike.com/news/chris-akrigg-goes-fat-video-2014.html

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Tommytrucker | 7 years ago
0 likes

I'd be up for one, like you say, if funds were unlimited. Now, what if you could hire these instead of ' Boris bikes '? A tad over council budgets I fear.

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Tommytrucker | 7 years ago
0 likes

There's quite a few kicking about Southport, Formby. Great for sand dunes, loads of fun riding them I've been told, you can ride up anything.
I see them as the bike you buy for the person who has 2 garages full of n+1s

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Beecho replied to Tommytrucker | 7 years ago
1 like

Tommytrucker wrote:

There's quite a few kicking about Southport, Formby. Great for sand dunes, loads of fun riding them I've been told, you can ride up anything. I see them as the bike you buy for the person who has 2 garages full of n+1s

They're heap loads of fun. In the city to boot. I'm a few n+1s away from getting one, but if funds were unlimited...

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Leviathan | 7 years ago
0 likes

So what is the point of these fat bikes? I have seen a couple knocking around Manchester and lots in New York. Not much snow there.

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only1redders replied to Leviathan | 7 years ago
1 like

Leviathan wrote:

So what is the point of these fat bikes? I have seen a couple knocking around Manchester and lots in New York. Not much snow there.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/chris-akrigg-goes-fat-video-2014.html

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tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
2 likes

Sure, it could be signed by the whale. 

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fukawitribe | 7 years ago
2 likes

I might be in, will it be signed by the whale ?

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tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
2 likes

Fine, I've updated the campaign and a picture of a whale, who lives in the sea, can be chosen as an option. 

 

//tipijungla.com/wp-content/uploads/ballena.jpg)

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tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
5 likes

Also, I'm planning on riding a Cervelo PX5 eTap around my area over the next 10 years! If you'd like to get involved in this exciting project, please donate. I'm currently at £3 of the £13, 500 target.

All backers will get a signed picture, by me.

//pbs.twimg.com/media/Ct-7uUuWEAAR-0W.jpg)

Avatar
Grahamd replied to tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
0 likes

unconstituted wrote:

Also, I'm planning on riding a Cervelo PX5 eTap around my area over the next 10 years! If you'd like to get involved in this exciting project, please donate. I'm currently at £3 of the £13, 500 target.

All backers will get a signed picture, by me.

//pbs.twimg.com/media/Ct-7uUuWEAAR-0W.jpg)

You just blew your chances, you really think someone will want a signed picture?

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