When we were told of Mike Gluckman’s plans to ride the Haute Route Dolomites on a single speed, we wondered if we’d heard correctly.

Having ridden the event’s Alpine incarnation last year, he found himself seeking a new challenge. Tackling the Passo Giau, Stelvio, and Gavia among other soaring climbs on a geared machine would be enough for most. Not for Mike.

If this seems like folly, his first experiment resulted in a successful ascent of Ditchling Beacon and more recently has included “all the big climbs” on Mallorca, including a 14km ascent at an average gradient of 6.5 per cent.

He’s called on the coaching advice of former WorldTour rider, Matteo Carrara, via south London’s Cadence Performance Cycling Centre. Little, it seems, is being left to chance on a ride that will raise money for Charity: Water.

The steed he’ll deploy for this leg-breaking challenge is one he refers to as the Bat-Mo-Bike: a modified model year 2013 Jamis Sonik track machine. Let’s take a closer look.