Anyone know of more info on this attempt? I thought is was still to be completed?

http://w90joe.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-to-whwx2.html#more

He completed! 41 hours or something, seriously well organised attempt, and sounded like he put up with some real suffering at the end.

Check out the ‘cyclist no.1’ website for his write up. Just read it and it makes me want to try it myself, despite only managing about 65 miles in one sitting when I last tried… 😳

It was a very hard journey, look at cyclist no.1 for the full story. I have just been presented with a certificate last week by Callum Christie at the West Highland Way visitors centre in Milngavie for being the first to complete it, which was a great honour. The details are on http://www.w90joe.blogspot.com

I dont see 41 hours as being anything particularly special to be honest. That would leave plenty time for a good nights kip in there and then some.

24 hours like Rich Rothwell tried or 32 hours like Rob Lees though – yes – they’d be challenging, but not 41.

And I think this summer I’ll stick my money where my mouth is and give it a go myself.

The WHW is massively underestimated … on paper how hard can it be … ride it one way and see … the best that have attempted the double have made the turn in 14 hours … Rich Rothwell came very close to a 28 ish hour time I think before for safety reasons having to bail.

Joe, how does your current time break down into riding and stopping ???

I read the Rich Rothwell article in Privateer, did I miss something or did the article not even introduce him, only the blog url reference mentioned his name.

Rich and radoggair of this parish are supposed to be attempting the sub 24hr double in April/May I think.

Hello Paul78, You are right about the WHW It is underestimated. My riding time was 34 hours, stops never exceeded 2 hours and had bad weather. As for the other comment, 41 hours total may or may not be anything particularly special but you can only comment on that when you have done it. I did it at my first attempt and it’s the first successful WHWX2 and as such is the fastest. I am 50 years old and looking forward to doing bigger challenges in future. Please have a look at: http://www.w90joe.blogspot.com to see other rides and future stuff!

And I think this summer I’ll stick my money where my mouth is and give it a go myself.
Of course you will.

>And I think this summer I’ll stick my money where my mouth is and give it a go myself.<

That’s the spirit big man – why don’t we say £500 to a MRT of the Forums choosing if you dont knock it in, in less than 33hrs? (41 less a good nights sleep -your words)

The offer was made on Ash Wednesday, HB. Dust to dust and ashes to ashes , and all that!

Well done that’s a great achievement i done one way over two days and that was hard enough and i agree unless you have cycle it you have know idea how hard and unforgiving it is

Well done and even if it is beaten you were still the fist official guy.

Awesome!

Well done fella! That’s a brilliant achievement!

I do laugh at the you could have been faster attitude from someone who hasn’t done it!

Chapeau!

Sanny

I do laugh at the you could have been faster attitude from someone who hasn’t done it!

Best to ignore him, he’s like that Glupton guy who bragged that he could do it in was it 24 hours? Did he ever do it?

Well done, brilliant achievement to do it twice – once was enough for me and I agree that it is very underrated.

Wow, just read the write up, that’s an amazing achievement, well done, you don’t even look that tired in the last photo.

Its a proper beast and involves abit of luck with the weather, admitedly ive only ran it and only one way, but id say hats off to people doubling it, so big up Rotwell,Joe and Matt Carr who i think may have done it too.

I don’t understand, is it doing it there and back twice, or just there and back?

the latter

Just there and back … its a tough tough route… you get to the top of Devils Staircase thinking you must be nearly at Fort William then have to descend to Kinlochleven and its another trek out before you can descend to finish ..

.. luckily I was heading for the east coast but did think how unpleasant it would be to 180 in Fort William and truck back to Milngavie 🙁

Surrounded By Zulus – Member
I dont see 41 hours as being anything particularly special to be honest. That would leave plenty time for a good nights kip in there and then some.

24 hours like Rich Rothwell tried or 32 hours like Rob Lees though – yes – they’d be challenging, but not 41.

And I think this summer I’ll stick my money where my mouth is and give it a go myself. Good luck SBZ… …you’ve set yourself up for a fall there. Do you have much experience of serious endurance mountain biking?

he’s like that Glupton guy

Isn’t he just 😉

Did he ever do it?

It would seem not.

24 hours attempt? Bloody hell! That would be brutal. 12 hours for the single would be really motoring in itself. 8mph average over that route would be really shifting. I’d love to see it done if it hasn’t been already.

I rode the Fife Coastal Path as a chilled day ride in 2010 but would be tempted to add on the John Muir Way to make it a bit more of an epic day.

Has anyone done this? Might be a nice route to try. It doesn’t come close to WHW double though. Very impressive indeed.

There is also a big coast to coast linking the West Highland Way and the Speyside Way with the East Highland Way … huge day out or great bikepacking trip 🙂

the whw has been done in 11 ish hours one way – typically it seems faster top to bottom. the double in 24 is conceivable but would be very tough. doing it minimally or unsupported would be cool…for those who have never ridden it, some sections are extremely slow and involve significant hike-a-bike. some of it is also PAINFULLY dull.

was it rob lee who popularised the concept of doubling long distance walking paths? something to do with the south downs way? whatever, its simply an abstract concept that seems to have stuck. Rob had a well publicised attempt ( i met his support crew that day as i passed by doing part of the ‘way but i was heading east over ben lomond – again, they were very organised ) Shaggy attempted it in insanely bad conditions a couple years ago and aidan harding has had a couple goes as well both with little or no support and both have been thwarted by mechanical and sheep collision issues iirc.

The terrain is often very rocky and unforgiving…nothing too dramatic but cumulatively, with added tiredness, a significant undertaking. If you know it well it holds nothing to fear but you need to have your game face on for sure…the south downs it is not. rich rothwell was on-sighting part of the route – and imo a significant part. the support was delayed and this seemed to lead to issues.

Good on the guy for achieving a first…my preferences are more for the ‘alpine’ style (disaster style?) approach, but that is personal.

Saw something on Twitter last year talking about a WXWx3 attempt.

I’d guess April for this to get in pre-midge.

“Shaggy attempted it in insanely bad conditions a couple years ago”

haha unwittingly and unknown to each other i also tried it that weekend …… it was not plesent times and neither were they forecasted times !

Rich and radoggair of this parish are supposed to be attempting the sub 24hr double in April/May I think.

My money is on these guys.

SBZ you’ll need some rain to keep the dust down 👿

Any update on the SBZ double attempt? Might book the weekend off and take me deck chair to watch 🙂