The story so far. Cycling historian Claude B Dawes has been summoned by the mysterious Dr. Rudolph Moeller of the M7 Human and Alternative Powered Vehicle Company after a very important (and dangerous) bike part goes missing. Dawes and M7’s top bike designer, Lucyna Langlijne head for CycleQuest The World’s Largest Bike Fair where the component is believed to be hidden. ‘The Brotherhood’ is the secretive organisation behind further unlikely events in their relentless drive to promote their warped vision of cycling. For anyone that’s new to the story then a quick look through the previous chapters may help. Then again it may not.

Der Bromptonaut pointed the gun at Dawes.

“Professor. We will start the record attempt now. Kindly hold the saddle of Lucyna’s bike so she can start.... drei, zwei, ein....”

Very slowly Lucyna powered the Brompton forward. With the 200 inch gear it felt like it weighed a ton. A less fit cyclist would have given up or fallen off but Lucyna had been cycling since the age of nine months. She watched as the computer crept up to 30 kmph, then 40 kmph. At 50 kmph she was matching her normal commuting speed although that was on her low racer, a bike that cut through the air with little effort.

On the Brompton it was very different. To power an upright bike at this speed took a lot, lot more. Around 700 Watts as opposed to the 230 Watts for a recumbent bike.