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Man rides 1,600 miles of Tour de France on Raleigh Chopper Man rides Tour de France route on Raleigh Chopper
(37 minutes later)
A man has ridden in the Tour de France on a child’s bike. A man has ridden 1,600 miles of the Tour de France route on a child’s bike.
Dave Sims, from Southport, completed 1,600 miles of the world famous cycling race on a bright yellow Raleigh Chopper bike and raised £6,000 for charity Help for Heroes. Dave Sims, from Southport, completed the epic effort on a bright yellow Raleigh Chopper bike, raising £6,000 for charity Help for Heroes.
Mr Sims, 36, was inspired to undertake the journey after meeting a former servicewoman in the Majorcan mountains in 2014 who was cycling up the mountain using her arms. Mr Sims, 36, said he was inspired to undertake the journey after meeting a former servicewoman in the Majorcan mountains in 2014 who was cycling up the mountain using her arms.
"I will always remember her focus and pure stubbornness," he wrote on his blog. "If I could use this project to help fund specially adapted sporting equipment, like this lady was using, then this would make my Tour De France chopper ride so much more meaningful.""I will always remember her focus and pure stubbornness," he wrote on his blog. "If I could use this project to help fund specially adapted sporting equipment, like this lady was using, then this would make my Tour De France chopper ride so much more meaningful."
Mr Sims told the Southport Visitor that he took each stage of the journey mile by mile, and despite pulling his Achilles tendon during a break managed to keep going and complete the race.Mr Sims told the Southport Visitor that he took each stage of the journey mile by mile, and despite pulling his Achilles tendon during a break managed to keep going and complete the race.
Tackling the 2000-odd mile journey was difficult not only because of the length. Mr Sims had to work around the official route, choosing to take quieter roads than the motorways sometimes used by the tour. Tackling the journey was difficult not only because of the length. Mr Sims had to work around the official route, choosing to take quieter roads than the motorways sometimes used by the tour.
 “My dream was always to do the Tour de France, but I never thought it would be on a kid's bike,” he told the local newspaper. “My dream was always to do the Tour de France, but I never thought it would be on a kid's bike,” he told the local newspaper.
The Raleigh Chopper, known for its distinctive shape and design, was popular in the 1970s.The Raleigh Chopper, known for its distinctive shape and design, was popular in the 1970s.