CYCLING gurus at a Pendle firm have lent a helping hand to yet another world record.

Barnoldswick manufacturer Hope Technology teamed up with bike racer and TT winner Guy Martin to break the speed record for a motor-less gravity soapbox racer.

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The company had previously helped Guy smash the record for distance travelled on a tandem inside 24 hours.

The daredevil took on the latest challenge as part of his Channel 4 series, Speed.

A spokesman for Hope, based in Calf Hall Road, said it was delighted to be involved in another landmark event by supplying the brakes for the soapbox.

He said: “Over the past few years we have been involved in many of Guy Martin’s various Speed record attempts.

“For the final episode the brakes would be a far more critical, where Guy and his team were attempting to break the world record for a gravity racer.

“As Guy stated in the programme: ‘We want the best pushbike brakes. We need to go see the guys at Hope’.

“Once we found out the attempt would be made on the iconic descent of Mont Ventoux, there was only one set-up we’d recommend – V4 calipers and our unique vented rotors.

“Brakes were to be fitted to all four wheels, but operated from a single foot pedal.”

Guy visited the Hope factory in September with a team from Sheffield Hallam University and a film crew from North One to decide the final fittings and specifications.

Hope’s spokesman added: “After adding some additional weight to the vehicle in the form of bottles of water the team broke the record with a speed of 85.61 mph. With the confidence running high in the team, Guy went for one last run and unfortunately things started to go wrong quite quickly.

“The additional weight added to the cart adversely affected the handling in the first few corners, but Guy pushed on to attempt to lift the record higher.

“As Guy came the the end of the run, he tried to brake, “But the weight shift caused him to lose control and crash into the barriers.

“Subsequently the cart flipped onto its roof and slid to a stop in the middle of the road.

“Luckily Guy was totally unharmed with his helmet taking the brunt of the impact, but the gravity racer didn’t fare so well with the wheels being ripped off one side.

“We’re looking forward to Guy’s next adventure and we are sure that we’ll be involved.”

The son of TT motorcycle racer Ian, Guy trained as a truck fitter with Volvo.