LEJOG on a scooter

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
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Paulatic
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LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Paulatic »

I see a guy set off yesterday on a scooter ( the sort you push not wear a parka with furry trim). He covered 37 miles on his first day. As picture shows just a bar bag and I'm assuming he's carrying everything else on his back. Picture also shows him camping using the scooter as support.

Do you think his mileage per day will get a lot bigger? I seem to recall a guy on PBP using a scooter who must have done a lot more than 37 per day. Image
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Chiz
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Chiz »

Looking on his Twitter feed, he's a seasoned lightweight camper. His overnight kit is somewhere around the 1.5kg mark, basically a lightweight sleeping bag and two tarps, no cooking kit that I can see.

As for distance covered, he had quite a bit of climbing to do, I'm assuming that's not particularly easy on a kick scooter. Out of that 37 miles he's probably had to walk half of it.
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Spinners
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Spinners »

A worthy effort.

I wonder if long distance scooterists have to alternate between legs or do they always use one leg as the standing leg on the scooter and the other leg for pushing off. One leg could get pretty big if it's the latter.
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Mick F
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Mick F »

How does he get on going up the steeper hills?
Does he walk?
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Bicycler »

I'm slightly amused that he has decided this activity warrants a helmet :lol:
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Paulatic »

Spinners wrote:A worthy effort.

I wonder if long distance scooterists have to alternate between legs or do they always use one leg as the standing leg on the scooter and the other leg for pushing off. One leg could get pretty big if it's the latter.


I recalled the PBP scooter man and googled him. He did PBP in 84.5 hours. Cyclists were upset when he passed them up the hills.

His technique was
Quote " 'There's the Scooter Guy!' At that point I was cycling easily at around 25 kph and had to speed up to catch him. The rhythm was indeed remarkable: push, push, glide, (change foot) push, glide; push, push, glide, (change foot), push, glide... Man, he was working hard, and concentrating hard for it looked very technical, getting a good flat powerful push-push. If he was just wearing tennis shoes, it seemed he had about size 15 feet (though maybe he was only an 8 or 9 when he started).

I too had a slight smile when I spotted the Kask but didn't like to mention it.
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Paulatic »

I came across this guy today just north of Lockerbie. His pattern is push one glide change leg push one glide and so forth. Riding beside him chatting he was holding a very steady speed between 10.5 and 11 mph.
Says he is changing his shelter to a tent when he gets to Glasgow. The midgies have him frightened. Lol
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james01
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by james01 »

He's probably pretty fit, so he'd do a lot more mileage on a pedal-bike. But there are advantages: no transmission problems. Minimal storage required,take it on trains unchallenged. No saddle sores. Can't think of anything else.
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Paulatic »

He finished today.
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Rittmeister
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Rittmeister »

I did the Etape Cymru on a Finnish Kickbike/Scooter last year.

The hills are not the worst thing, it is actually long stretches on the flat and the relentless pounding of your ankles.

Fair play to him though. That is a stunning achievement.
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Steveindenmark »

I have read through the posts on here and would like to add some information that may give readers better information about scooters/Kickbikes.

I am an ex pat living in Denmark. From a very young age I ran cross country and then moved on to half marathons and marathons. In 1991 I shattered my knee in a motorcycle accident and that put paid to my running. I moved to Denmark 13 years ago and came across Kickbikes. Kickbikes is actually a Trade name of a Company in Finland who make scooters but there are many companies all over europe who are making scooters. I bought a steel Kickbike and got on the road. I go out every week and often use it for my 40km round trip to work and back. By the way, I do have 8 bikes as well. I have also owned a recumbent bike and an ICE trike. But my main form of transport now is an aluminium Kickbike. It has helped me lose a lot of weight, keep fit and toned and is a far less impact sport than running.

Riding a Kickbike is a cross between running and cycling. It is like running because the only power you have is leg power, there are no gears. It is like cycling because you have a frame wheels and brakes. Different riders have different methods of Kicking and that is something that developed subconciosly over time. I am right handed and kick 10 kicks with my left leg and then 5 right and then back to my left. Uphills it is usually 3 +3. Kicking up hills is not a problem, it is certainly faster than walking. Just like on a bike, you go shower uphill. My average speed is about 23kph. But I did read that Alpo, the Finnish guy mentioned, starts to kick again if he drops below 30kph.

The sport, although not mainstream is big in Mainland Europe, America and Australia. There is a very well attended European Championship Series every year and a World Championship every 2 years, I believe. The next World Championships are in Australia next year and will be well attended by the Europeans, especially from Czechoslovacia and Holland.

The question arise, Why do we wear helmets? My fastest downhill speed is 53kph and I dont race. At that speed you are bending over the bars with the front wheel close to your face, you are lower to the ground than a road bike and the feeling of speed seems to be greater and your feet are squeezed onto a thin platform 10cm from the floor. This type of scooter riding is nothing like what we did as kids, this is dangerous stuff, just as dangerous as roadbikes. Plus there is also the fact that it seems every organised event insist on helmets.

Alpos PBP was mentioned. At the time Alpo did that ride he was streets ahead from anyone else, a class of his own. Even though he is a legend in the sport he has now been caught up to, especially by the Czech guys. It is something he is glad of, as now he has people to ride with. As this article shows.


http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/riders ... 6642605792

People are now using scooters for touring, riding across America and Australia. 400 m sprints, cross country, marathons. Whatever you use a bike for, scooters are being used for the same thing.

I know of only one Kickbike dealer in the UK but there are plenty of scooter dealers. They are not for everyone but neither is road racing, Audax or Sportives. They are great for keeping you fit and toned all over your body, far better than a bike in my opinion as you used your upper and lower body equally.

As a racing sport, you have to be tough to do this.

I hope this gives a little more information about the sport.

Doing Lejog on a scooter is a great achievement. Personally, i would not have a pack on my back and I would have used bigger wheels. Which only makes his achievement even better in my eyes.

There is no way I would bring my bike out in this. It was about -12 and I was boiling.

Image

This is my Kickbike rigged for touring. This is what I would use for Lejog.

Image

Always wear a helmet :0). As you can see this is my Kicking helmet.

Image
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Paulatic
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by Paulatic »

Very informative Steve thank you.
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JBoaB
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by JBoaB »

Oh great now I want a Kickbike as well as a Crossbike and a new Thorn Tourer. :roll:

I should really start using my current bikes more first though. What I am bothered about is I had a brainwave reading the wild camping thread about using the bike as a ridge for a bivouac camping alternative to keep the bike safe and dry and reduce weight. Then I saw the photo at the start of the thread :x . I'd start wearing the tin foil hat if it wasn't for the fact I only had this epiphany this afternoon. :oops:
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: LEJOG on a scooter

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Have you come across the elliptical - another running/cycling hybrid machine...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
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