BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Purchasing the right sized bike may be all important, but for some of the population there isn’t a bicycle available off the shelf to do the job.
Having been turned away by several stores unable to create something that suited his large frame, the UK’s tallest policeman, PC Anthony Wallyn, headed to Cycle Surgery in search of a bike to fit his 7’2" height.
Staff at Cycle Surgery’s Croydon branch set about finding a suitable frame via eBay and second-hand dealers. While this proved unsuccessful, a chance conversation with frame specialist Bob Jackson Cycles was more fruitful; the team had 29-inch of specialist seat tubing in stock and were more than happy to build a frame for Wallyn.
One month later, the frame arrived at the store and the Cycle Surgery team started sourcing parts, focusing on those that would be strong, light and comfortable. The finished product was collected by Wallyn in March.
The result was a 123cm high bike, as tall as the average seven year old child. From wheel to wheel it measures 177cm (5’9").
Standing 15-inches above the UK’s average man, PC Wallyn had been urged to try a US company that made bikes for NBA players – at a cost of approximately £3,500.
Croydon store manager Steve Brill headed up the six-month project and was there to hand over the finished bike. He said: “I have never seen a grown man smile as much as that over a bike and it made all the months of work and running around worth it.
“I can truly say that Anthony’s bike was built with nothing but passion and love and am a little sad to think that I will never have another project quite like it!”
