# Pedal Car Racing



## rob_f (30 Apr 2019)

Hi All,

Long time lurker but first time poster (be gentle lol)

Before I dive in with my bike related questions I wanted to enlighten some of you to the world of Pedal Car Racing. For many years I've been racing in the British Pedal Car Championship and on a ride over the weekend got talking to a chap about it who advised I should try and enlighten people on this forum. 

Here are some youtube links:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFRf39JLJY&t=22s


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqQFi82d_Q8&t=43s


Pedal Car Racing (www.pedalcarracing.info) is a fast, friendly and competitive sport generally raced in teams. Teams of 4 drivers share the car in most events (more for junior classes) with 6 allowed for the gruelling challenge of the annual 24hr race at Shenington (this year's race is in June)

Fitness, tactics and teamwork all play a big part in finishing at the sharp end of the race.

I was just curious wanted to gauge if people knew what it was, if it existed and if they wanted to find out more. I spoke to a few of the teams at the first race a few weekends ago and there are some cars available for sale and hire for specific races.

Wondering if this may spark off a discussion and some interest.....

Cheers all
Rob


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## raleighnut (30 Apr 2019)

There was an 'exhibition' race at the 'Skyride'/Ride Leicester a few years ago, looked good.


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## JtB (30 Apr 2019)

Very interesting. At the end of that first video I thought they were going to jack up the car and change the tyres.


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## neil earley (30 Apr 2019)

Nice video wonder what they are like to ride on the road!


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## rob_f (2 May 2019)

Pretty smooth on the circuits we race at but assume road would be the same if a bit bumpy in places. Wondering if we can get more cycle clubs interested... There's a very competitive car that's just gone up for sale so could be quite timely.


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## rob_f (2 May 2019)

raleighnut said:


> There was an 'exhibition' race at the 'Skyride'/Ride Leicester a few years ago, looked good.



There was one also in 2001 and 2002 around the city centre at Humberstone gate organised by the Spokesfest. It's some a long way since then but that was great fun.


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## raleighnut (2 May 2019)

rob_f said:


> There was one also in 2001 and 2002 around the city centre at Humberstone gate organised by the Spokesfest. It's some a long way since then but that was great fun.


Was it that long ago, jeez don't time fly.


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## Nigelnightmare (19 May 2019)

Are they still restricted to a 1:1 gear ratio?


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## tamiya (19 May 2019)

The Settrington Cup at Goodwood Festival of Speed is the cutest pedal car racing will ever get


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## smokeysmoo (19 May 2019)

Ah the memories you've just given me.

Around 1987/88 I took part in a 24 hour pedal car race at Moss Bank Park in Bolton.

We were a local scout group and TBH I've no idea where the pedal car came from, but we spent hours tinkering with it on the build up to the event.

Roll on the first time we did it and we won a trophy, best newcomer IIRC 

The following year we won nowt, but I remember the whole thing with startling clarity, (I don't often remember things in great detail), but they stopped doing it after that and I've no idea what became of the car 

Both years were won by an LBS team whose car was like nothing else out there. Where's ours was pig iron there's was aluminium, where ours was like a laid down fridge freezer, there's was a tapered fairing covered missile 

Great times, thanks for the memory jog


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## tamiya (20 May 2019)

Just curious... what's the difference between a "Pedal Car" vs a Recumbent bike/trike or a Mango VeloMobile?

Here in Melbourne Australia we've got the Energy Breakthrough challenge https://www.eb.org.au for schoolchildren in Human Powered Vehicles.


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## rob_f (29 May 2019)

smokeysmoo said:


> Ah the memories you've just given me.
> 
> Around 1987/88 I took part in a 24 hour pedal car race at Moss Bank Park in Bolton.
> 
> ...




The 24hr race in Bolton actually continued into the 90s believe it or now. 

It now runs at the Shenington Kart Circuit every June...... I dare say it's come on a fair bit since then!


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## smokeysmoo (29 May 2019)

rob_f said:


> The 24hr race in Bolton actually continued into the 90s believe it or now.
> 
> It now runs at the Shenington Kart Circuit every June...... I dare say it's come on a fair bit since then!


Every day's a school day, I didn't know that but don't why either


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## Ubarrow (3 Aug 2019)

I used to race in the Bristol 24 hour pedal car race on Whitchurch airfield back in the late 60’s. There was a small workshop at the side of the BAC Concorde hangar where they were built by the apprentices, but we were usually beaten by agricultural colleges with stronger legs.........


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