Alan Bate'S Round The World Record

[ernesto1]

First of all Mr Bate has claimed that he is an ex-professional rider from Liverpool.

Notable cyclists and old professionals from Liverpool have never heard of him.

He has also claimed to have represented Great Britain in a national team.

British Cycling has no record of him whatsoever. Jim Hendry MBE is the archivist who has detailed records of all riders who have ridden in the British jersey!

Then to the record itself.

113 days and 29500 kms. When I looked at his picture in the Bangkok Post he does not look like a person who has undergone the most gruelling of endeavours.

He did not have that worn hollowed-out look. Indeed he looked relaxed and shall I say of normal weight.

If you look at the journey, I believe his itinerary included long flights from New Zealand to the USA, Brazil to Europe and so on. So I would knock off a conservative 8 days from the 113 to take account of the travel.

In those 105 days he would have ridden 29,500km or 281km a day. Well its possible if you are on roads that you know. But here we have to take into account possible inclement weather, bad roads, jet lag, getting lost, mechanicals and so on. At 32km per hour we need 9 hour rides each day. Add to this stops for punctures, food and so on then perhaps 11 hours a day? Leaving 13 hours a day for sleep (in a tent?????), washing, recovery and so on.

When Mark Beaumont finished his round the world ride you could see the wear and tear on him as well on his bike. Both appear to have been missing from Alan Bates.

So first of all, Alan should come clean. Why is there no record of him as a pro rider? Why do British Cycling say that he has not been part of the British Team in the past?

I hate to cast these kinds of aspertions on a fellow cyclist but I'm sorry Alan, I'm a bit skeptical.

[JohnLeech]

Not wishing to detract from the achievement either, which is considerable, but it looks unlikely that this will be approved as an official record. The days/time in transit by air/boat are not included in the overall time, which is normal, but it appears that "waiting time" and time off the bike may also have been deducted. Records do not differentiate between supported and unsupported attempts (although all previous records have been unsupported), but although his homepage states that the ride was "unsupported" it very clearly was supported for at least part of the route until he was "separated" from his support vehicle somewhere in Australia - after which, when supposedly carrying his own gear, his mileage somehow went up considerably. How he survived after that, on that particular bike with or without equipment, is unclear. The ride has received virtually no publicity outside of his own website, where there are few pictures and very limited details - certainly insufficient to satisfy a scutineer and to qualify for a genuine world record. The lack of apparent press coverage anywhere en-route, given the margin by which the record is supposed to have been beaten, is also remarkable.

Given the lack of external reports it is simply impossible to know what happened or make any further comment.

[ianf]

I too have noticed the things that Ernesto has noticed and have followed a parallel thread on www.cyclingnews.com

However, Alan does have a lifelong obsession with cycling, he is a fit man and seems nice enough (though I have not met him).

I'm pretty sure all this is genuine though I think his PR leaves a bit to be desired, if you see what I mean!

[Tywais]

There are more details on this in the Chiang Rai Forum

[ernesto1]

What an utterly crazy post. Not even worth responding to as it says so much about the poster's rationality. Perhaps this poster is really Mr Bate?

I have been reading this thread with great interest and must admit I share exactly the same thoughts.

I started this thread with genuine questions and observations and tried to approach this whole issue with an open mind. There were/are anomalies surrounding Bate and when we are talking of such a big issue it was only right to bring them up. I have since had a few PMs which applaud my position and refer to Housepainter's strange emails. For me he should have stuck to the point and not bought in all these other crazy issues - Al Quaeda et al. Ianf seems to be quite knowledgeable and did try to write his emails with balance and to me he seemed quite restrained in the face of Housepainter's onslaught. I don't think he was at all rude to Housepainter as the latter claims.

I did not want this to descend into Housepainter's nasty attacks and verbal diarohhea. When the guy has no knowledge of pro bike racing it was wrong of him to attack Dave Lloyd in the manner in which he did. I am so sorry that this has happened, but I think Dave would recognise it as the ramblings of a loony.

A couple of the pms that I received described Alan Bate's character in quite disparaging terms that I would not repeat here - When he was in the VC Halton he was a bit of a Jack the Lad and if Housepainter is his mate then I think he does not keep particularly good company. I don't share the view that Alan and Housepainter are the same person.

Those at the heart of the sport know the truth about all of the above issues and I for one will leave it there.

Finally I just want to say to Alan: If the many doubters have got it wrong, then I am genuinely sorry for you. If we/they are right then you have not served our sport well and we would all think a lot more of you if you came clean. It takes a BIG man to admit to his mistakes.

[housepainter]

I don't think I've read in a long time such an egotistical and patronising opinion.

The start of your thread was an all out vendetta with out a single fact. It was vitriol. It was personal. It was bitter and it was thinly concealed.

It has remained without fact. Not one. Totally unsubstantiated, viscious and inflamatory.

Anomalies in Thailand! Really?

Here we go; more private PMs, applauding; more comments damaging to me.

Right: Clinton just got off the phone and said Wicki leaks will have to wait as she wants Thaivisa readers to know she's with me on this one. I've an email from his Holiness endorsing the bit about the role of the Catholic Church and will I be visiting the Vatican any time soon; I've said 'no' to Bill O'reilly at Fox; 'Yes' to both Conan and Jay but no to Oprah on the grounds that I don't do specials.

I wonder just how seriously you take yourself. Al Quaeda et al., as I have pointed out before it is called 'satire.' You know a form of humour meant to help sway an argument. I know you've never used it, got one, shared a laugh; do you actually have any mates, by the way? You hardly sound like a Jack the Lad.

Quote; 'Ianf seems to be quite knowledgeable ' no doubt because he agrees with you. He also thinks I'm insane, which I've a feeling you can concur with him on that one. Life's full of surprises. Oh, thank you for the 'onslaught' quote. I do think the pieces have a certain 'bite' about them and provides amusing reading for the neutral. And of course Ianf wasn't rude; he's one of your good guys.

QUOTE: ' I did not want this to descend into Housepainter's nasty attacks and verbal diarohhea.' But it can remain down in the depths of your insults. Silly me. I thought there was just one rule for all.

ASSUMPTION; ' When the guy has no knowledge of pro bike racing ', Never assume. Why do you assume that I'm not Robert Millar - gone missing in action? Or Jacques Anquetil, forget that one - he's dead, no, accept that one; anomolies in Thailand; or, Gonzales Linares winner of the Forest - Forest 7 kms time trial. You should show more manners.

I know a failed journo, come time keeper, never was cyclist but liked it a lot is called Ianf; as that is how he described himself. But I can't remember ever giving a brief expo of my past, present or future. May be I am insane after all and simply losing a grip on reality. The only idea as to my character, back ground or personality is that I won't let idle web slander go unchallenged; I constantly ask for evidence; I show you to be on some private assassination trip of Alan's character. A man you've never met or spoken to. A key board warrior lost in cyber space!

As for Dave Lloyd a lot of people who read his name for the first time simply eqauted what was said as 'no smoke without fire'. He had the motive, opportunity and the means. Additionally, he had the expertise and supply on hand. By your own admitions, and thanks to Ianf, he was in a team of renowned drug cheats, with drug encouraging Team Manager Peter Post and well known drug using Soigneur Willie Voets. You bang on, that out of an entire drug fuelled team one guy was above it all. And worse you claim he was the hardest worker in the team; all done on water! You should be counting your marbles mate.

Next, we see the shrinking violet emerge again. Afraid to reveal those harsh words said of Alan in the

'quite disparaging terms ' that the endless multitude of PMs that inundated your mail box. Shame you're not short on calling me left and right and centre then isn't it? Strange, crazy, nasty, rambling, loony - and that lot is just in your latest post. I gather you won't be wanting a signed photo any time soon then along with my Xmas time goody bag? All the fans get one.

Let's just get this right; a young guy, say mid twenties, out of that centre of Comedy Liverpool, rides with a group of other Liverpool lads and is seen as Jack the Lad. Really? And that's what you've got on Alan is it. Crimes against silence in Church on Sundays as he rode by having a laugh. Do you think anyone actually believes you when you say you wouldn't describe his character in damaging terms on here? You've spent every typing minute trying to construct a defammation to be taken seriously and failed. Then you claim to know of damaging character and personality traits and fail to reveal them. Garbage! Wickileaks isn't about revealing the colour of Hillary's knickers you know.

It must gall you that I'm not a friend of Alan's. I'm just someone who has asked the akward questions. Where's the proof?

Still not a shred of evidence produced.

The truth comes in parts. A truth is that Alan Bate has done record breaking rides in Thailand. Another truth is his coaching of Thailand's International riders, taking them from wannabes to representatives of their country. The only shred of evidence seen was produced by Ianf saying that Alan had finished 5th in the national 24 hour in England. That indicated a man capable of immense endurance rides. it is a fact that enhances his reputatation. It does not diminish it. Only your spurious unsupported rantings have been offered to damage Alan. They failed. They continue to fail. You remain clueless, basless and factless. In fact, less is more from you.

I suggest you save any sorrow along with passing self pity for yourself. Alan knows no such emotion and neither do I. I think I, Alan and others share nothing but contempt for the tangled web of lies and deceit that is totally unfounded that you have sewn on here.

Big man. What do you know of the actions of a big man?

And as for coming clean, it'll take a long time for you to be rid of the stench made. It's going to pursue you through Thai cycling, you can be sure of that. It's too late to retract what you've said and suggested. You can temper your tone and I detect you've already started that. Your best actions are either to quit with immediate effect or to recant, make some acknowledgement that an acquisition of facts would best serve us all, and leave the outcome at that.

And take cognisance; I'm on your case.

Remember, Alan chose to put himself in the public eye but he didn't choose this. His deeds were ultimately to serve and benefit others. You clearly haven't got the same motivation but you are putting yourself in the public eye through slagging Alan.

Shame on you.

[ianf]

Due to the libellous nature of some of these posts I have asked the moderators to kindly pull this thread.

[stander]

ianf and apetley

I disagree with your premise that housepainter is actually Bate, take a look at "world record" website and you will see that Bate is computer illiterate.

However it could be one of his PR cronies.

[ianf]

ianf and apetley

I disagree with your premise that housepainter is actually Bate, take a look at "world record" website and you will see that Bate is computer illiterate.

However it could be one of his PR cronies.

Yes, you are correct.