I’m relatively new to world of cycling & ultra-distance, I’m learning all the time, however understanding the effect of bike position has been revolutionary for me. I wanted to write this post to share a couple of things I learned about bike position during 2022 & how you can get the perfect bike position for…
I thought I’d share some thoughts on some different sleep systems for ultra-distance racing, touring and bikepacking. I’ll start this post with the age-old classic caveat of ‘it depends’! Each event/race/trip brings with it different challenges & considerations, so here is no right & wrong answer. Very helpful! 2023 hasn’t been about racing, or really…
The Veneto Trail is a 500km unsupported bikepacking adventure through the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Starting in Cittadella, the off road loop takes in the spectacular views & trails of the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park. I came to the Dolomites a few years ago when touring across the Alps – It rained the entire…
The Badger Divide is a 340km bikepacking route between Inverness & Glasgow in the Scottish Highlands. Stuart Allan is the brainchild behind it, taking inspiration from the famous Baja Divide in Mexicali. May is undoubtedly the best time to ride in Scotland, after the cold & wet winter, but before the heat & midge season…
All Points North 2021 was the first ultra-distance race I had completed, so I’m not sure if it was the lure of a local race or if it was because I wanted to finish stronger than last year. Either way, as soon as registrations opened, I knew I wanted to attempt the All Points North…
The Hope 1000 is a non-stop mountain bike ride of 1000km across the Switzerland. The route itself is fixed. From Romanshorn to Montreux, it is quite simply a masterpiece, taking in iconic climbs & astonishing views of the Swiss Alps. There is no entry fee, no outside support, no prize money & the quote Willi…
The Trans Pyrenees is a self-supported ultra-distance race organised by Lost Dot, the team behind the famous Transcontinental Race. My Trans Pyrenees race report is from the second edition of the race, TPRNo2, originally schedule for the autumn of 2020 which took place at the end of September 2022. Starting in St Jean De Luz…
I’ve had a bit of an epiphany regarding ultra-distance riding & racing. So far in 2022 I’ve entered two races; the Dales Divide & All Points North – both resulting in DNFs. I should be disappointed, yet I only feel acceptance. This epiphany I’ve had is more a moment of acceptance, realising that I’m still…
Inspired by Huw Oliver’s film at Kendal Mountain Film Festival, Amy & I agreed there and then we needed to go bikepacking the Cairngorms Loop. There’s this really magical period in the UK around late April/early May where the trails are dry but not overgrown, the days are warm, with over 12 hours of daylight…
I really want to talk about dealing with setbacks; as with any endeavour in life, setbacks will happen – it’s inevitable & totally unavoidable – the only thing that matters is your response. Setbacks come in many forms; illness, injury, life events, work, bike malfunctions etc. Luckily I haven’t had any major setbacks as I…
2021 challenged me in a lot of ways; injuries & Covid cancellations mainly. However disappointment is only a disappointment if you allow it to be so – really its an opportunity to learn, develop & grow. Here’s 10 things I learnt from my debut year in ultra-distance cycling, which I wish I knew before I…
Intro All Points North 2021 is a self-supported, ultra-distance, endurance race. It’s a really unique race in that there isn’t a set route – there isn’t even a set direction! The only criteria is you must ride to each of the 10 checkpoints, which are dotted – not very evenly – around the north of…
Intro The Dales Divide is a 600km coast to coast (and back again!) off-road bikepacking adventure through the Yorkshire Dales & North Yorkshire Moors. It follows quiet back lanes, smooth gravel tracks rough hardpack field crossings & unforgiving rough-stuff bridleways – all the while taking in some of the finest Yorkshire vistas. This blog has…
The next chapter in my roam home series this summer was bikepacking the Lakeland 200. Branded as a rite of passage for Lake District mountain bikers, it’s a fiendish 200km loop that has just about everything, from quiet back lanes, smooth gravel, technical climbs, bog slog, high mountain passes & super fun singletrack. The route…
Straight off bikepacking the spine of England along the Pennine Bridleway, what better way to continue my summer of UK exploration than to jump straight back on the bike & set off bikepacking the Yorkshire Dales 300?! In all honesty, I told myself on Sunday evening on the way home from the Pennine Bridleway I…
2020 is looking like the year of roaming home. With restrictions being gradually lifted, multi-day bicycle trips are back on the agenda – first up, bikepacking the Pennine Bridleway. Amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic this summer, I’m swapping a ‘round the world bike tour’ for a summer of UK exploration – it’s a good thing the…
So I probably couldn’t have picked a darker, colder, wetter time of year to head out on a 3-day adventure, winter bikepacking in the Scottish borders. After a pretty hectic end to year, I set out with the sole intention of addressing my work/bike balance. I ride to work every day, but work a lot…
So I’ve finished work for the year & to celebrate I’m heading off on a winter bikepacking adventure in Scotland to address my work/bike balance! Do I feel prepared, absolutely not! But then again, I didn’t when I began my bikepacking adventures this summer. A few people have taken interest in my bikepacking adventures this…
How do you celebrate another year closer to arthritis? By heading out bikepacking in the Lake District! In a summer that has seen me graduate from university, ride my bike across the Alps & add my name to the Everesting hall of fame. There is one adventure that stands out from the rest – a…
Low winds, clear skies & the calling of the Yorkshire 3 peaks. With the glorious forecasts ahead of the 2019 Yorkshire 3 peaks cyclocross race, it seemed rude not to head out bikepacking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks route beforehand! With the Yorkshire 3 peaks being as popular as they are, mountain biking the 24 mile…