Ops fail to put the brakes on Redditch cyclist - The Redditch Standard

Ops fail to put the brakes on Redditch cyclist

Redditch Editorial 15th Nov, 2017   0

A REDDITCH car dealership boss is recovering after taking on a gruelling 969-mile bike ride from Land’s Ends to John O’Groats.

Andrew Hockedy, manager director of Redditch Volkswagen, completed the challenge despite having three operations – two knee replacements and a double hip replacement – all in the last 18 months.

Andrew, aged 55, took on the nine-day ride in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care, helping to raise £5,200 in the process.

It was the second time the father-of-two had faced the near 1,000-mile challenge with his latest trek including a 126-mile stretch in one day.




Andrew said: “I did the ride for the first time when I was 50 and I’ve had a number of operations since then but it hasn’t put me off getting on the bike and going for a cycle.

“When you’re on the bike your mind is completely focused and you go into cruise control. We were averaging 6,500 feet of climbing each day so it’s certainly no easy feat but it was all for a great cause and giving up wasn’t an option.


“People won’t believe me but the toughest part was having to rough it in a tent.”

Andrew said there are no plans to hang up the bike helmet yet and already has his eyes set on the next challenge.

“I’d like to do Land’s End to John O’Groats again when I’m 60.

“But before that I’d like to try the Paris-Brest-Paris bike race. It’s a 1,200km ride and thought to be one of the oldest in the world and happens every four years, so that’s something I’m aiming to do when it runs again in 2019.

“One thing for sure is I’m not planning on giving up my bike.”

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