I’ve set-up a simple website of existing self-supported mountain bike time-trial routes.

http://www.selfsupporteduk.net

I’ve made several trips to the US to ride the multi-day self-supported races over there like the Iditarod, Tour Divide, and Colorado Trail Race, and would like to see more UK riders over there, as well as more routes to ride here.

I hope this resource can get more folks into this style of mountain biking and develop more quality routes. There are currently a range of routes offering different distances and remoteness, so something for everyone, and a way to naturally progress and build confidence. Ideal preperation for one of the US races.

Rather than list the many potential routes, and be inundated with suggestions, the site only lists routes that already have a time posted. If you’ve got an idea, please ride it and send the route info with a time.

Good luck and have fun,

Steve Wilkinson

Nice site, good idea to have a central linking point.

The time for the Welsh Coast to Coast is well out.
Nice to see similar routes in one place.

Didn’t Dave, who you’ve linked to, do the double on the route in which you’ve linked to?

The double wasn’t a self-supported. The WC2C he did was thought, but the fastest time I know was by Rich Holmes.

Dave and Rich’s rides were not technically fully self-supported, so just for the purposes of this list, Steve Heading’s time is listed. I spoke with Dave, and he very humbly said this was okay.

The details of Rich and Dave’s rides are on his website that is linked.

Neither of them had any help and carried everything they needed, nor did they stash everything.

How is that not self supported?

5teve might be alluding to this, from Rich’s ride report:

I filled my hydration bladder for the penultimate time in Llanwrtyd Wells where I saw Jan, mum Ruth and Jo who had driven up to follow my progress. At this point, I arguably could have made a grave misjudgement. Without thinking, as I filled my bladder, I asked Jan for some Ibruprofen. After 14hours riding I didn’t even question what I was asking, I had lost mine and my primary concern was limiting the damage I was doing to my right knee. Some people will view this as the point, my ride became ‘Supported’. It raises an interesting point, would it have been different if I had stopped a tourist at Llyn Brianne? or gone into the shop in Llanwrtyd? I can’t answer that question but through respect to Dave, future WC2C soloists and the spirit of the challenge I feel it’s important we are all open and honest about our rides. Maybe a published, definitive list of rules would remove any future ambiguity.

Still think describing this as “support” is a tad harsh.

The model I’ve used for a self-supported ride comes from the rides that developed in the US, and I believe provides a robust and fair philosophy. A ride completed with a back-up vehicle following, is firstly not something that is available to all riders, but also affects the ride: The rider can push harder and travel lighter, knowing if they blow-up or have mechanical problems, there is an easy bail-out option. It also avoids carrying emergency gear such as warmth and shelter for a night out, and provides motivational support.

I’ve listed Rich Rothwell’s Coast to Coast time with a VB postscript, since he stepped up and has been the first to TT it. However when/if someone submits a ride truly self-supported, I would update with that time.

It is just a list of rides completed in a self-supported style for folks interested in comparing times, and riding in this style. Of course routes are free to be ridden anyhow one wishes, and folks are free to set-up their own routes and rules.

Thanks 5teve for this and the links, will having a little dabble at one of the routes, can’t see me doing a timed thing.

Cheers 5teve, I’ve been toying with the idea of doing an unsupported ride and your site is just what I’ve been looking for.

Rapidly running out of excuses for not doing an epic now

Personally I don’t see any problem with having someone drive to different points en-route to check progress and update people. It’s not like on the road where you can have a car following at all times.

What makes Dave’s WC2C different to the SDD for example where Josh had people check his progress at different locations to update and wave him on? Both were unsupported, unless you of course count moral support as against the rules?

Matt, it’s the bail-out option that’s available to that rider, as Steve mentioned, that makes the difference. It makes for an altered mindset before and during the ride, one that could easily result in the rider taking more risks, travelling lighter, ultimately being faster than on a truly unsupported attempt. If we want a level playing field, personally I think the line has to be drawn somewhere & “no planned or family/friend/sponsor support whatsoever on the trail” sounds sensible to me. Anything else is too ambiguous.

Surely the bailout option is called the mobile phone? This is available to all riders.

Josh didn’t take any provisions for a night over, he wasn’t expecting to have to sleep over as thats the nature of the SDD record.

Look at Mike Hall’s ROW record. He took big risks by travelling light for such a massive trip. The amount of spares or kit a rider takes is surely up to them and nothing to do with being supported or not.

The line should be drawn at “records” being unsupported, in Dave’s case it certainly was.

As Matt says, what counts a bail-out option?

I’ve ridden some of the WC2C route and there are plenty of points where even having a support van following your route as closely as possible (and it’s debatable whether Dave and Rich’s attempts fit into this category) wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference.

If your bike or body packed in on the linking section between Mach and Nant Yr Arian, for example, you could have a couple of hours of pushing (or crawling) before you got anywhere near a road.

Has anyone done this as a time trial?

http://mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_ScotlandTrail_details.htm

Its a great ride and has a station at either end so its easy to do unsupported

Regardless of the whys and wherefors this is a wicked idea.

Bit gutted to read that Steve Heading has already had a crack at the Pennine Bridleway End to End, the one chance I stood of setting a record 😆

With regards to the supported/unsupported question I’d have thought that the ethos of this sort of event is one of an individual versus the elements. It’s a step away from endurance racing, as we know it, with riders with support crews and spare bikes and a move to create a truely solo event (not to devalue endurance racing soloists).

Anyway as mikehow mentioned above this is a great idea

Great website.

Proper “unsupported” attempt or not it’s good inspiration for an adventure.

I’ll be going back next year for another go at Trans-cambrian, this time in good weather and properly unsupported. Also tempted by the pennine bridleway end to end.

🙂

Historically mobile phones were also banned, but pressure mounted. Though some don’t carry them, it’s at least considered equal if everyone has the opportunity to carry one. A ride with a vehicle back-up and a ride without are not equal though, and very few folks have the opportunity for a vehicle to follow them, especially if you just turned up from overseas.

A vehicle following is not a self-supported ride though. I see nothing to debate about this. The site lists self-supported rides based on a ‘level playing field’ philosophy. The two rides, and therefore times, cannot be compared equally due to the reasons listed previously.

A self-supported ride has been ridden on Dave’s WC2C route, and he humbly agreed it could be listed on this site for folks to challenge it in this style if they so wish. There is no reason a route can’t have multiple ways to challenge it, but you therefore can’t compare times.

Vehicle back-up rides are also not practical on long multi-day rides or group-start events, which is hopefully the future.

Thanks for the positive comments, and I hope it can give some folks a few goals.

I remember when mountain biking was fun and we didn’t need rules…..

If your bike or body packed in on the linking section between Mach and Nant Yr Arian, for example, you could have a couple of hours of pushing (or crawling) before you got anywhere near a road.

Especially if you’re taking too long and you realise the sun is setting and you haven’t got any lights on you, that was tense for a moment. 😳

My WC2C a few weeks back was supported with vehicles but I was never a record contendor (as my time of 36hr time showed) and I was doing it for charity, and getting it filmed 🙂

Still collecting mind 😛 http://www.justgiving.com/garyrideswc2c

Quick initial write-up: http://www.garyrides.co.uk/2012/08/gary-rode-wc2c/

That’s a timely reminder Gary, it’s nearly payday!

It’s all part of the service! 😀

I think that’s the big key, Gary. If, like Rich R, Steve H, Rob Lee et al you’re trying for a noted record time, then a standardised set of rules should apply. A record has to be a record to a recognised standard.

For the rest of us, who just fancy riding these routes for the hell of it and seeing how long we take, the rules don’t really apply. Not to charity jaunts, not to chancers like me out for a bimble, not to the vast majority of people of riders who are into bikepacking and self-supported solo journeys – making it into a race / time trial defeats the object of enjoying the journey to me. Each to their own, though. Those that want to race can race. I’ll take my time and enjoy the scenery without puking up into bits of it.

If, by some MASSIVE fluke, I should look at that site after a ride and find I’ve managed a quicker time than the record, I’ll note it down and maybe plot of a legit, rules-bound go at a later date. ‘s not very likely, though 😉

Pyro, on the Tour Divide, someone once loooked at me in a kinda dejected way, and said, ‘I want to stop and smell the roses, not just pause a moment every few hours to piss on them!’ The next day he was done, but it kept me ammused for a while longer.

There’s a balance for most folks between racing and enjoying the journey, but you can still travel pretty fast, sleep well, hit the cafes etc, and post a respectable time – that’s my style.

It’s not just records attempts that should adhere to the rules, regardless of skills and fitness people like to challenege themselves on these routes and if you want to actually post a time to see how it compares, a fair rule-set works.

It’s not just records attempts that should adhere to the rules, regardless of skills and fitness people like to challenege themselves on these routes and if you want to actually post a time to see how it compares, a fair rule-set works.

Better start refunding those donations I guess 😐

A vehicle following is not a self-supported ride though. I see nothing to debate about this. The site lists self-supported rides based on a ‘level playing field’ philosophy. The two rides, and therefore times, cannot be compared equally due to the reasons listed previously.

A self-supported ride has been ridden on Dave’s WC2C route, and he humbly agreed it could be listed on this site for folks to challenge it in this style if they so wish. There is no reason a route can’t have multiple ways to challenge it, but you therefore can’t compare times.

So this backs my point up. Dave didn’t have a car following him, they were only able to locate him by his spot tracker, no contact between him and anyone else.

His time should be regarded as the record by the standards you have set, otherwise you will have to change times listed for other recorded, which are still self-supported such as the SDD.

There’s a balance for most folks between racing and enjoying the journey, but you can still travel pretty fast, sleep well, hit the cafes etc, and post a respectable time -that’s my style.

< mode = “Devil’s Advocate” >

Your style indeed. But it’s not mine, so why should I add in a bunch of extra constraints that could potentially make my journey less enjoyable when I know I won’t come anywhere close to challenging any records?

I’ve been Adventure Racing, mountain biking, kayaking and orienteering for a while. Over the last couple of years I’ve run an Ultramarathon or two. I, honestly, don’t care how long I take for these things. There’s a couple of events in the UK i won’t enter, because i’m not confident of getting in under their max finishing time, and I aim to complete. I understand the necessity of a rule set for those who want their names on the cup, but for those of us who are just out for a bimble? For us it’s less of a concern whether a friend hands uys a sarnie or two, for in the long run, it doesn’t really matter, so long as we finish the journey with a smile (or at least a happily-knackered grimace) on our muddy faces.

Should I enter an organised event of this nature – the BB200, say – then I’ll happily play by the rules, because they’re part of the conditions of my entry. But otherwise, i’m not out to break any records, i’m just out for a ride, and I’ll play to my own rules (or lack of them!) 🙂

< / mode >

Matt, okay, I’ve not been diligent with my wording by using the word ‘following’, but you’re simply picking at technicalities looking for grey areas. These aren’t standards I’ve set, they have been developed over the last 10 years in the US from a basic philosophy. People looked for grey areas and cheat, so rules were needed. They are robust and provide equal opportunity. I have already explained in really simple terms why having a vehicle ‘out-and-about on the course’ is not a self-supported ride. I will add a VB postscript to Josh Ibbett’s SDD ride time.

If you really want to debate this, I recommend posting on here:
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/board,2.0.html

Pyro, I totally get where you’re coming from – they’re open routes that can be ridden anyhow. I hope that people will use the routes to define their own challenges, and tackle them in their own style, as well as time-trial them.

I would just ask that folks have some respect for the people who do want to time-trial and compare times though, and only submit times if you’ve adhered to the rules laid out – going for the record or last place, if you want to benchmark your time against other it’s only fair. Cheating in an ITT is the same as cheating in a group-start race.

Over and out, Steve

Dave here,

I think it’s a great idea!

Different people ride for different reasons. Vive La Difference!

Right Steve. I need some tentage and lightweight kit, for a wee ride I have planned sometime in the future. (None of these, but you got me thinking a while ago)

Don’t look at me like that. It’s your fault!

I’ll tell you about it if you email me. 🙂