News Flash

The Lenoir Bicycle Festival will be from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Downtown Lenoir. 

Festival activities will include a free-ride lane around downtown, obstacle courses, a time trial course with five age brackets and prizes donated by Google, a toddler zone, bike shop vendors offering free bicycle maintenance classes, the Impossible Backwards Bicycle Challenge, and a $1 ticket raffle for three awesome bikes and lots of other prizes.

What's the Impossible Backwards Bicycle Challenge? It's as simple as it is impossible. It's a normal bike, but the front wheel turns in the opposite direction of the handlebars. When riders turn the handlebars right, the wheels go left, and vice versa. 

"The backwards bike challenge should be a lot of fun," event co-planner Joshua Harris said. "I'm sure people will think, 'Oh, how hard can this be?' But it's right there in the name, it's impossible."

The challenge is to ride the Impossible Backwards Bicycle 12 or maybe 16 feet without touching the ground. Attendees can pay $1 per try, and if they go the distance without touching the ground, they win the cash in the pot. Visitors will also be able to try the backwards bike at no charge just for fun.

Co-planner Matthew Anthony researched and built the backwards bicycle. He watched the inspiration video for the idea, checked out a couple other plans, and worked with a local bicycle enthusiast to design and then weld the new gears. Check out the Impossible Backwards Bicycle at this link or in the video below.

"It was a lot of fun to build," Anthony said.

There will also be a $1 ticket raffle at the event. The prizes will include three bikes from Rock N Road Bicycles in Hickory, three $50 gift cards donated by Happy Valley Filling Station, several sports bag packs from Caldwell County Public Schools, one item from Google, a festival swag pack, a free two-hour shelter rental at a City park, a few City of Lenoir hats, and possibly more. Tickets will be $1 per entry, and visitors can buy as many as they like. You have to be present to win, because winners get to pick their prize.

"This festival is going to be a lot of fun," Harris said. "We're going to have a lot of different bike activities  and we have some really cool raffle prizes. I'm really looking forward to watching the brave souls who step up to try the Impossible Backwards Bicycle Challenge."

Remember to bring your own bike and helmet. In North Carolina, children under 16 who are riding on  a public roadway, public bicycle path, or other public right-of-way must wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet.

Click the following link for more information about the Lenoir Bicycle Festival, www.cityoflenoir.com/bikefest.