The weekend of 11th June saw the first grand depart of the inaugural Frontier 300, a supported coast to coast allroad event which encompasses one (short) hike-a-bike section, ten different forests and twenty gravel sectors woven together with stunning minor roads into a 300km journey from west to east through the Scottish Old Border Marches. The finish is celebrated together with riders and supporters alike as a “brunch on the beach”.

The official event recap film has been released, and it is built around the narrative of Salsa Cycles sponsored rider Steve Bate MBE, a gold winning UK Paralympian with a hunger for adventure despite slowly losing his vision. It dives into the merits of point to point adventures, a fairly unique proposition in the world of organised events. Frontier 300 was conceived by Focal Events, most famous for organising the Dirty Reiver, and the UK leg of Grinduro. It was developed in association with Lyon Cycle – UK distributor for Salsa Cycles, Ortlieb, Teravail, 7mesh, Arundel among others.

Singletrack MegaSack 2021 - Bloopers

“It was incredibly moving to see so many riders line up at the sands of the Irish Coast after what has been a challenging couple of years for event organisers and a subsequent two-year delay in getting the event on the road. Despite this, feedback from riders has been overwhelmingly positive, both in terms of route, support and the challenge itself.”
Neil Atkinson, Focal Events

“When we added Salsa Cycles to our portfolio we were hungry for an event with a strong nod towards the brand’s “Adventure By Bike” motto. We see Frontier 300 as either a Dirty Reiver XL for riders wanting to push themselves further, or as a stepping stone for people wanting to test the water for bigger and bolder independent time trials with the safety net a well organised event like this provides. Yet equally, it’s a great way for riders to journey through this stunning landscape and get to know the area better. We are excited to see where this event will go in future.”
Nils Amelinckx, Lyon Cycle

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

The First Frontier 300 – Were you there?

Stanton Switch9er Ti Gen 3, 16.5”