First journey to the southernmost point by 3-wheeler

Last winter, explorer Eric Larsen set a goal to become the first to ride to the southernmost point. However, due to the weather difficulties and the heavy snow, Larsen was forced to give up.

>>>Video: Introducing white ice cycle 3-wheel vehicle

This year, Larsen's idea inspired many participants and 35-year-old British explorer Maria Leijerstam to hope she will succeed with a 3-wheel bike, thick tires designed specifically for the challenge.

Currently, Leijerstam is alone pedaling the car with 45kg of equipment along the ice continent. Unlike a solo trip Larsen, Leijerstam is racing against two other adventurers, Juan Mendez (Spain) and Daniel Burton (USA). They will follow different routes but they all have the common goal of being the first to cycle to the southernmost point.

In his first conquest last year, Larsen used the highly customized Surly Moonland er bike wheel . This year, Mendez and Burton both used two-wheeled bicycles, Leijerstam alone had the unusual idea of ​​using a three-wheeled bicycle, a reclining seat built by British Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE).

Maria Leijerstam believes she has advantages with this unique 3-wheeler

"Large two-wheeled bikes can't work well if you have strong winds or can't run fast enough on the heavy snow to keep balance. I know I need something else that can overcome these limits," Leijerstam explain.

Leijerstam's 3-wheeled White ICE Cycle offers stability, balance, and enhanced aerodynamic characteristics without any normal bike extraction. Instead of using strength to keep balance, Leijerstam will be able to focus on moving forward without experiencing exhaustion, continuously for 18 hours a day, before winds of 80km / h and can pass across steep terrain, such as the Leverett Glacier glacier in Antarctica.

ICE used the platform of a super-durable Sprint 3-wheeler, along with some standard parts such as ergonomically designed seats and an indirect steering system to create White ICE Cycle. In preparation for the extreme challenges in Antarctica, ICE upgraded the car's design from the original version for just $ 3,000 to a special version for Leijerstam explorer for up to $ 33,000.

The chassis of the car is reinforced, aluminum parts are replaced by heat-treated 4130 steel, specialized in aircraft. The vehicle is supplemented with a mid-speed gearbox to pay fast numbers from 2 to 1, so that the driver can easily ride to steep terrain. In addition, the rear-end geometry is also redesigned to be compatible with the low-speed operating conditions and the specialized tire for the snow environment.

Reinforced wheels are connected to Hope Fatsno modules. The front wheels are fitted with a Surly Big Fat Larry tire of size 4.7 "and the rear wheels use 4.8" Surly Lou tires with additional toothpicks to increase traction and strength.

Leijerstam said: "The car was great. It was completely stable, even before strong winds and I could step on steep hills more easily, something I had never done with a bicycle. Regular 2 wheels ".

Leijerstam is currently riding a bike according to a roadmap ICE describes as "never tested practically by polar explorers". She would have to travel 644km from the edge of the ice block of Ross Ice Shelf, cross the Leverett glacier and reach the southernmost point. Along the way, she will face a number of rugged terrain and extreme weather conditions including temperatures down to - 35 degrees C, snow storms and thick snow dunes created by the wind. In order to survive and complete the challenge, Leijerstam will need the knowledge and experience from the training process as well as the competitions she has participated in in Siberia and Iceland.