Edinburgh grandad is cycling superman
An Edinburgh grandad has officially smashed the world record for the longest journey on a rickshaw after cycling from Edinburgh to Istanbul in aid of Cancer Research.
68 year old Len Collingwood left Edinburgh on 1 June 2018, and broke the record for the longest ever rickshaw ride after he pedaled 1,600 miles to Berlin. But he wasn’t finished there.

Len cycled through a total of 12 countries and an incredible 3,882.5 miles before reaching Istanbul on 17 September, making his epic journey the longest ever recorded on a rickshaw. This week Len’s efforts were officially recognised by Guinness World Records.
Since retiring from a 45 year career working as a mental health nurse, Len has spent his time travelling the world by bike and working to fund his adventures.
“I just love the experience of meeting new people and seeing the world by bike”, he says.
His love of cycling saw him join the Just Eat Cycles team earlier this year as a driver and bike redistributor. This vital job sees Len transporting bikes around the capital to areas they are needed most by users.

The world record holder said: “Working at Just Eat Cycles allows me to work with my passion, and provides me with the income to fund my next adventure.”
Len’s catalogue of remarkable two-wheeled achievements also includes cycling 8,000 miles from Mongolia to Scotland and riding across the Himalayas on a single speed bicycle.
New grandad Len takes on all of his expeditions unsupported, meaning he carries all of his own kit and camps on the roadside or in nearby accommodation.
A former marathon runner, at his peak he could complete 26.2 miles in 2 hours and 44 minutes — three quarters of an hour off the current world record. After damaging his Achilles in his 40s through running, he picked up cycling as an alternative and never really looked back.
Len said: “I’m a big believer that cycling is something that anyone can get involved with. Whether or not you’re travelling across a continent or cycling to the shops at the end of the street, the bike is always there for you. It’s good for your body, mind and the environment and can allow you to explore the world.”
His passion means he spends almost all of his spare time thinking, planning or training for his next expedition. Next June, Len will cycle from the very top of Europe to the bottom — North Cape to Tarifa. A journey taking him from Norway to the south of Spain, and a whopping 7,500 km.
Len is in the middle of a strict training regime which sees him go to multiple spin classes each day, and regularly cycling over 200km at the weekend to visit his family.

As Len prepares to take on one of Europe’s most grueling cycle races, he’ll also be helping to keep Edinburgh’s cycle hire scheme ticking along.
As a big advocate of the hire scheme, Len added: “Just Eat Cycles has given people who may not own a bike the chance to dip their toe and try out cycling without the pressure of buying a bike. It’s my hope that more people uncover the joy of cycling, just like I have!”
