This weekend Vin Cox and Matt Parsons will attempt a world first of racing a tandem around the clock in a 24-hour race in Plymouth, Devon.

The insane challenge will raise money for charity and take teamwork to a new level.  Captain Vin Cox and Rear Admiral Matt Parsons will be supported by a crew including most of their co-workers whilst they lap the circuit of the TwentyFour12 event at Newnham near Plymouth on 23/24 July.

Hundreds of other mountain bikers will compete alongside the duo in relay teams and all riding regular mountain bikes. Only Vin and Matt will stick out the whole event together on one bike, something which has never been attempted anywhere in the world before.

Adventurer and Guinness World Record Holder, Vin Cox isn’t afraid of a challenge. He’s been mountain biking for over 20 years, represented Great Britain at 2two World Championships in the 1990’s and treks through jungles and up mountains in his spare time. In 2010 he  circumnavigated the world by bicycle raising huge amounts of money for charity. In 2012 he’ll organise the worlds longest ever cycle race (also around the world).

Tandem cycling is something Vin originally took to with his wife, who’s far too sensible and busy with her own adventures to do this 24-hour challenge.  You can follow Vin as @greatbikeride on twitter, on Facebook, or via the www.greatbikeride.com website.

Matt Parsons has been mountain biking since the 1980’s and should really know better. Luckily his wife does know better and will be keeping the camp fires burning. He teamed up with Vin thanks to working together since 2004 at TellOnline.  Matt brings tandem experience from kayaking as well as from cycling with his wife, and he’s also been in relay teams for past 24 hour challenges.  Matt will be filming and twittering from the back of the tandem as @tandemists during the challenge!

Vin is an old hand at 24-hour mountain bike  racing having been one of the five British riders to take part in the first solo race in the country 11 years ago and being the MC at events like Mountain Mayhem and Sleepless in the Saddle.  He has researched tandem involvement and is sure that no-one in the world has ever attempted 24 hours off-road racing on one before.

Apart from support from their Tell Online co-workers, the team are being supplied with tyres from Schwalbe, suspension seatposts from USE, and lights to help them through the night from Exposure Lights.

The charity they are raising money for is the Geoff Thomas Foundation which works with Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research to help people with blood cancers.  It was founded by former England footballer Geoff Thomas after he recovered from Leukaemia and cycled the route of the Tour de France.  Use Vin’s JustGiving page to donate at www.justgiving.com/Vin-Cox

Make sure to follow the pair at @tandemists and www.tandemists.com