Richard Banks is a keen cyclist from Oswestry in Shropshire who is no stranger to a big bike challenge. Richard has competed in numerous cycling events over the years, including the inaugural Velo Birmingham in 2017. Although he may be fond of big cycling events, he has made a name for himself by riding on bikes with particularly small wheels.

Back in 2017, Richard decided to take on Velo Birmingham on his Brompton bicycle, a folding bike popular with commuters cycling short distances to their local train station. This was the first time that Richard had ridden 100 miles in one day on his Brompton, however he had previously cycled from northern France to the Pyrenees (a distance of over 600 miles) with friends.

Despite his wheels only measuring 16 inches, Richard completed Velo Birmingham 2017 in a fantastic time of 9 hours, 24 minutes, and raised a wonderful £1,600 to support cancer patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Richard was inspired to ride Velo for QEHB Charity following the treatment that his partner’s mother received for cancer at the hospital.

Now, Richard is preparing himself for Velo Birmingham & Midlands 2019 which he will be taking on whilst riding his Moulton bike, a similar model to the Brompton with equally small wheels.

Richard is looking forward to taking on the 100 mile challenge as it returns to Birmingham in May, with 17,000 cyclists expected to take part. He said: “The first event in 2017 was absolutely fantastic and very well organised. The key thing was the number of people out in the towns and villages, waving flags and offering people food and drinks. There was a fantastic atmosphere which helped to make it such a memorable day.”

Once again, Richard will be raising money for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity, which will help to provide ‘added extras’ for cancer patients at Birmingham’s busiest hospital.

Cathryn Worth, Fundraising Manager at QEHB Charity, said: “Everyone at QEHB Charity would like to wish Richard the best of luck for his preparations for Velo Birmingham & Midlands. The 100 mile challenge would be enough for most people, but Richard is making things even harder for himself, which is admirable. Our thanks go to him for the money that he raised in 2017, which has helped the Charity to go ‘over and above’ for cancer patients at the hospital.”

You can support Richard’s efforts to complete Velo Birmingham & Midlands 2019, and donate to support patients at QEHB by visiting his JustGiving page here.

You can sign up for Velo Birmingham & Midlands 2019 by getting hold of a Gold Bond place through QEHB Charity. The places are £40 with a minimum sponsorship requirement of £400, by riding with QEHB Charity you will get a free cycling jersey, access to training tips and hints to help you get ready for the big day, and the chance to join fellow riders for training rides setting off from the hospital.

Find out more, and join QEHB Charity’s cycling team today here.

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