Make ice cream while you cycle!

Make ice cream while you cycle! That’s just what one bike shop plans to do, using an ingenious but simple contraption to be unleashed on Saturday.

Justin Shannon, of Local Hub Bicycle Company, based in Dallas, Texas (sorry it’s not closer), describes how the machine works, using an old-fashioned ice cream maker and a regular bike – and yes, it’s all pedal powered.

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Shannon, who co-owns Local Hub, told the Dallas Observer: "We basically mounted an old-style hand crank ice cream maker to the rear rack of a vintage AMF bicycle.

"We mounted a second derailleur and chain so that as the rider pedals, it not only turns the wheel of the bike, but also turns the crank of the ice cream maker."

The adaptation was made by Local Hub’s mechanic, John Kendall who, Shannon says, “can fix and build just about anything”.

"There really aren't any instructions to make something like this, so he just drew something up and went to work", he said.

According to Shannon it takes 25-30 minutes to make a batch of ice cream, so by the end of the 10 mile ride, which departs from the shop at 9.30am on Saturday, participants will get to try some of the finished product. People are being asked to vote on their favoured flavour on the event’s Facebook page, and Dulce de Leche with chocolate chips is currently in the lead.