Cyril Heppleston
Encyclopedia
Cyril Heppleston, was an English cyclist from Bradford
who broke the 100-mile, 200-mile, and 12-hour competition records in 1937, and was the only man to beat 250 miles in twelve hours in open competition. He was regarded as 'among the greatest English unpaced time-trial riders.
Heppleston won the Best All-rounder Competition
for 1937 with the record average speed of 22.348 miles per hour.
His achievements were further celebrated in 1938 when Cycling Weekly
awarded him his own page in the Golden Book of Cycling
.
In 1934 that he won his first open event and finished 55th in the 'Best All-rounder' Competition. In 1935 he achieved 23rd place. In 1936 he was the only man to exceed 250 miles in twelve hours in open competition on the road.
In 1937 Heppleston broke the 100-mile, 200-mile, and 12-hour competition records and was again the only man to exceed 250 miles in twelve hours in open competition on the road. He won the Best All-rounder Competition
with the record average speed of 22.348 miles per hour, his individual times and distances were: 50 miles, 2 hours 7 minutes 29 seconds; 100 miles, 4 hours 26 minutes 9 seconds, and 12 hours - 251⅝ miles.
Heppleston's world record '24 hours' ride of 478½ miles survived until Hubert Opperman
exceeded it in Melbourne on 5 December 1939.
awarded him his own page in the Golden Book of Cycling
, which is now held in 'The Pedal Club' archive.
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
who broke the 100-mile, 200-mile, and 12-hour competition records in 1937, and was the only man to beat 250 miles in twelve hours in open competition. He was regarded as 'among the greatest English unpaced time-trial riders.
Heppleston won the Best All-rounder Competition
British Best All-Rounder
The British Best All-Rounder competition, organised by Cycling Time Trials, is an annual British cycle-racing competition. It ranks riders by their average speeds in individual time trials, over 50 and and 12 hours for men, and over 25, 50 and for women. There are similar competitions for...
for 1937 with the record average speed of 22.348 miles per hour.
His achievements were further celebrated in 1938 when Cycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly is a British cycling magazine. It is published by IPC Media and is devoted to the sport and past-time of cycling. It is affectionately referred to by British club cyclists as "The Comic".-History:...
awarded him his own page in the Golden Book of Cycling
Golden Book of Cycling
The Golden Book of Cycling was created in 1932 by Cycling, a British cycling magazine,to celebrate "the Sport and Pastime of Cycling by recording the outstanding rides, deeds and accomplishments of cyclists, officials and administrators." There exists only a single copy of this compendium of...
.
Career
At the age of 19 years (c.1929) Heppleston joined the 'Bradford Victoria C.C' and the following year he moved to the 'Yorkshire Road Club'.In 1934 that he won his first open event and finished 55th in the 'Best All-rounder' Competition. In 1935 he achieved 23rd place. In 1936 he was the only man to exceed 250 miles in twelve hours in open competition on the road.
In 1937 Heppleston broke the 100-mile, 200-mile, and 12-hour competition records and was again the only man to exceed 250 miles in twelve hours in open competition on the road. He won the Best All-rounder Competition
British Best All-Rounder
The British Best All-Rounder competition, organised by Cycling Time Trials, is an annual British cycle-racing competition. It ranks riders by their average speeds in individual time trials, over 50 and and 12 hours for men, and over 25, 50 and for women. There are similar competitions for...
with the record average speed of 22.348 miles per hour, his individual times and distances were: 50 miles, 2 hours 7 minutes 29 seconds; 100 miles, 4 hours 26 minutes 9 seconds, and 12 hours - 251⅝ miles.
Heppleston's world record '24 hours' ride of 478½ miles survived until Hubert Opperman
Hubert Opperman
Sir Hubert Ferdinand Opperman, OBE , referred to as Oppy by Australian and French crowds, was an Australian cyclist and politician, whose endurance cycling feats in the 1920s and 1930s earned him international acclaim....
exceeded it in Melbourne on 5 December 1939.
The Golden Book
Cyril Heppleston's achievements were celebrated in 1937 when Cycling WeeklyCycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly is a British cycling magazine. It is published by IPC Media and is devoted to the sport and past-time of cycling. It is affectionately referred to by British club cyclists as "The Comic".-History:...
awarded him his own page in the Golden Book of Cycling
Golden Book of Cycling
The Golden Book of Cycling was created in 1932 by Cycling, a British cycling magazine,to celebrate "the Sport and Pastime of Cycling by recording the outstanding rides, deeds and accomplishments of cyclists, officials and administrators." There exists only a single copy of this compendium of...
, which is now held in 'The Pedal Club' archive.