<<Congratulations, Professor Dawes. Now take twenty two paces in the exact opposite direction from the point that you entered the fiets park. Here you will see a recycling bin for aluminium. You will find that the left hand hatch on this bin is open. Carefully search within. The item that you will find is extremely volatile. Set the computer on it to zero and travel exactly 1.65km onto the Zandvoort track and then stop. Do not use lights. Await further instructions. Die Bromptonaut.>>

Seconds later Dawes was carefully peering within the recycling container. Slowly his eyes began to adjust. As they did a shiver ran down his spine.

The terrifying folded shape of a matt black Brompton unfolded before his eyes. This was what Die Bromptonaut had lured him here for. To cycle a bike which for all he knew could be his last. Worse was to come though. Something seemed very strange about this bike. The pedals were stiff, as if locked against something. No, that wasn’t it. The evil bastard had given him a fixed wheel Brompton, a bike that could throw him off if he made the slightest mistake. He had even removed both the brakes!

Cycling this (and finding out how to reset the bike computer) was going to push Dawes to the limit. Die Bromptonaut was now in control and making Dawes dance to his tune. Reaching into the pocket of his trusty Endura Harris Tweed All Weather cycling jacket he felt something comfortably familiar. In his hurry he’d forgotten to leave his personalised titanium cycle clips behind. Yes, they were cycling accessories and a half.

No matter now though. If Die Bromptonaut wasn’t going to play cricket, neither should he! His confidence rose as he put them on and gingerly mounted the machine that had been sent to torment him.

Meanwhile in a dark corner of Zandvoort, Lucycna and Dr Moeller sat inside the black M7 UltraTandem Velomobile. Virtually invisible they watched as Dawes emerged wobbling on the diminutive bike. “A Brompton, Mijn God. You’re friend Professor Dawes seems to be having some difficulty riding it too. Could this be the one with your M7 hub?”

Lucyna kept looking at Dawes. She felt scared now - his cycling ability on this was even less than the Flevo Oke Ja. And that was saying a lot. What was the problem? A Dutch two year old could do better.

Moeller released the brakes and the velomobile silently started to move forward imperceptibly. “Doctor Moeller - there is something wrong - Dawes can’t stop pedalling - Die Bromptonaut has given him a ‘fixed’ bike. The poor man - I hope he can stay on.”

... to be continued