Sir Chris Hoy pens Flying Fergus kids' books

There may be more to this rusty bike than meets the eye…

Piccadilly Press

Published: December 7, 2015 at 2:30 pm

Former track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy has taken the wraps off his new children's books, part of the Flying Fergus series.

The first two titles in the series will The Best Birthday Bike and The Great Cycle Challenge, to be released in late February 2016. They were written alongside award-winning author Joanna Nadin, and focus on the exploits of Fergus, an ordinary nine-year-old boy with an extraordinary imagination.

Related: Chris Hoy's hand-built Shand keirin bike revealed

Any old iron

The first instalment introduces our hero Fergus, who wants a top-of-the-range "Sullivan Swift" bike for his birthday. But money's been tight since his dad disappeared years before, and his mum and granddad have struggled to make ends meet.

So instead, Fergus inherits his dad's old rusty bike – but when he heads out to test it at the park with his best friend Daisy and his faithful dog Chimp, he discovers there might be more to the old bike than meets the eye…

Sir chris has already won praise for his range of bikes and clothing:

Freedom and adventure

So why has Britain's Most Successful Olympian Ever decided to carve some time out of his busy schedule making bikes and clothing, winning car races and challenging commuters to trackstand competitions?

“My hope is that Flying Fergus excites and inspires children, opening their eyes to the freedom and adventures two wheels can offer with just a little hard work,” says Hoy, who appeared on the Sky Sports 1 show Game Changers on 4 December to show off his new books.

There will be six books in total in the Flying Fergus series, which is aimed at children aged between five and eight and feature illustrations by Clare Elsom. Oh, and fun fact, apparently Hoy was himself inspired to take up cycling after watching Steven Spielberg’s 1982 film ET.