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Missed Guy Martin's 110mph+ record attempt on TV last night? You can watch it on catch-up service 4oD

Isle of Man TT star's latest TV show saw him take on Dave Le Grys's record set in 1986 - but did he do it?...

If you weren’t watching Guy Martin on Speed on Channel 4 last night, in which the motorcyclist switched to a push bike and attempted to beat Dave Le Grys’s 27-year-old motor-paced British record of 110mph on a bicycle, you missed a treat – some are calling it the best piece of TV they’ve seen over the Festive season. Happily, thanks to the catch-up service 4oD, you can watch it here.

Le Grys himself was on hand to help guide Martin through his record attempt and among others to provide assistance are double Olympic gold medallist, Laura Trott, and Rourke Framesets.

The Stoke-on-Trent based firm built the bike, complete with crossover chainset, on which the affable and ever so slightly manic Martin attempts to break the record at Pendine Sands in South Wales. While drafting a truck. As you do.

We won’t give too much away – and we’d ask people to refrain from comments that may spoil others’ enjoyment until they have had a chance to watch it – but Martin, veteran of 13 Isle of Man TT podiums reckons it’s the scariest thing he’s ever done.

Seeing him unclip involuntarily while doing around 80mph, you can understand why.

Sit back and enjoy.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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26 comments

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Timsen | 10 years ago
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Having driven along the beach at Pendine at about 50mph, I can confirm that this is nothing like being on tarmac from a stability point of view. You can feel irregular soft spots in the sand and this must add significantly to the danger/difficulty factor. I personally wouldn't want to drive any vehicle along there at anything approaching that speed ! Massive respect !!

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A V Lowe | 10 years ago
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The aerodynamic design should have included a bleed to blow down and aside for sand thrown up by wheels and air pressure being forced under the truck.

Side & top spoilers might also have been able to create a 'virtual' extension of the still air box, as if it was a real enclosed body.

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Apple Tree | 10 years ago
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For those who prefer to watch the old fashioned way :

Tonight - Freeview channel 47, 4seven, at 7pm

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MrGear | 10 years ago
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I was surprised with the aggressive steering angle the bike had. If it were "chopped out" it would be more stable at speed. Look at drag-racing motorbikes for example...

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Some Fella | 10 years ago
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Chris Hoy the obvious candidate

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ped replied to Some Fella | 10 years ago
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Some Fella wrote:

Chris Hoy the obvious candidate

His keirin skills would no doubt be useful, and his outright speed undeniable, but I wonder if he'd have the staying power.

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Bob's Bikes | 10 years ago
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Brilliant bit of telly, well done.

but a question was raised after watching it, should it be allowed as the screen used on the back of the truck was actually creating a vortex and pulling him along rather than giving him a piece of "dead" air in which to cycle.

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Nigel Jennings replied to Bob's Bikes | 10 years ago
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Proper bloke TV. I look forward to the rest of the series.

FATBEGGARONABIKE wrote:

should it be allowed as the screen used on the back of the truck was actually creating a vortex and pulling him along rather than giving him a piece of "dead" air in which to cycle.

The only way you'll get "dead air" is to put the cyclist under a giant inverted golfish bowl and drag it along the ground. Now there's a thought...  39

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IanW1968 | 10 years ago
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Couldn't get passed all the adverts.

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Some Fella | 10 years ago
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You can stick your carbon fibre up your ar5e - steel from Birmingham will always deliver the goods.
Especially if it has Rourke written on it.

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TimC340 | 10 years ago
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I loved it. Thought Guy was a real star, and the people he got to help him - despite their well justified doubts - were brilliant. It was a true team effort, led by a real, unassuming but genuine and proper bloke. Magic!

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allez neg | 10 years ago
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Laura Trott was cool

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glynr36 | 10 years ago
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It was good, but also raised interesting debate with a few mates.
What about if someone with a more than 'average' fitness (Thats what the sports lab said), and a high lactate threshold like Tony Martin say, had a go?

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ped replied to glynr36 | 10 years ago
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glynr36 wrote:

It was good, but also raised interesting debate with a few mates.
What about if someone with a more than 'average' fitness (Thats what the sports lab said), and a high lactate threshold like Tony Martin say, had a go?

We had the same discussion, reckoning that that Guy's 'high-speed experience' and above average (motor and push) bike handling skills must count for more than might be initially thought. This got us wondering if any British pro riders might have it in them, and which would be most suited. Surely one of the track come road riders?

Ian Stannard perhaps? And Dani King for the women's record?

Surely we can make this happen with an ePetition or using Kickstarter these days.  1

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mrmo replied to ped | 10 years ago
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ped wrote:
glynr36 wrote:

It was good, but also raised interesting debate with a few mates.
What about if someone with a more than 'average' fitness (Thats what the sports lab said), and a high lactate threshold like Tony Martin say, had a go?

We had the same discussion, reckoning that that Guy's 'high-speed experience' and above average (motor and push) bike handling skills must count for more than might be initially thought. This got us wondering if any British pro riders might have it in them, and which would be most suited. Surely one of the track come road riders?

Ian Stannard perhaps? And Dani King for the women's record?

Surely we can make this happen with an ePetition or using Kickstarter these days.  1

I recon plenty of pros could do it, BUT if it goes wrong you could find yourself out of work pretty quick. Think about Cav being banned from the track.

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ped replied to mrmo | 10 years ago
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mrmo wrote:

I recon plenty of pros could do it, BUT if it goes wrong you could find yourself out of work pretty quick. Think about Cav being banned from the track.

Fair point. Revised plan then, we need recently retired pros without perhaps understandably over-protective teams and sponsors.

How about Charly Wegelius and Nicole Cooke?

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antonio | 10 years ago
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One for the 'Strava Boys?'

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arfa | 10 years ago
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+1 from me and kudos to Guy Martin for having a crack and getting the program made. I did like the fact that his kitchen not only had a pushbike in it but also a motorbike or two - it made my man cave look positively look under equipped !

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NickK123 | 10 years ago
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Best TV over the Christmas break. Think Fred Dibnah meets Eval Knieval meets Wacky Racers! Felt venue change to Pendine added a lot to difficulty factor. Top effort.

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hampstead_bandit | 10 years ago
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awesome television programme from a great character

if any of you have not seen it yet, I'd highly recommend watching the film

"Closer to the Edge" about the Isle of Man TT

completely bonkers motorbike action, especially Guy Martin's fireball 'get off' and Conor Cummins' "how did he survive?" crash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y07yt87lhEA

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badback | 10 years ago
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Classic 'bloke' TV. Made Top Gear seem boring.

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pz1800 | 10 years ago
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4oD can't help if you don't live in Britain. It's not on YouTube yet, either. Pisser.

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birzzles | 10 years ago
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the olympic track cyclist who helped him was a star too. Interesting insight into what serious training means.

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jarredscycling | 10 years ago
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And I always thought Cav was the fastest man on two wheels especially from the Isle of Man

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keith roberts | 10 years ago
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cracking viewing. Guy's got a fred dibnah/Evil Kenivel thing going on...nice to see them making the frame and using Hope equipment. And he didn't like the turbo set laura set him!  4

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Al__S | 10 years ago
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Superb tele. Full of no-nonsense types basically going "you're mad. How can I help?"

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