I’ve always wanted to do a 24 solo, properly. When I was 17 (early 90s, rigid bikes and cantis etc) we did a 24hr event at Manley MTB track near Chester. My memory of it all has faded now, the sunrise hour was wonderful and I remember being utterly done in the next day or 2, but I think my mileage was only ~100 miles, probably less – there was a lot of stopping and mucking about. It wasn’t a 24hr solo as we know them now, just an open course for 24hrs and ‘ride what you can’.

Mayhem is fun, did a few laps as the last-placed ‘pro’ ‘team’ of 2 one year, it doesn’t really appeal to me for ride motivation though – no criticism intended, just my general apathy toward big events with lots of laps for anything apart from a social and a few laps for fun. Respect to / inspired by those that give it a good go in the solo class though.

I’ve thought about the self-imposed 24, there was an article in the mag a while back about it too. The SDW3 and other out and backs made me think, I can do an out-n-back that I know is about 10hrs each way and add a few variations to make a 24hr ride.

Anyone done this before?

I think it should be done on the simple rule of not BS’ing yourself. Absolute mileage / performance isn’t the aim but it’s good to hear what people can do if that’s what motivates you. Going self-supported seems vital as self-sufficiency makes it simpler to organise, and not doing the same trail in the same direction twice as far as possible adds to the appeal of the ride imo.

I’ll do it sometime this summer. Ideally I’ll borrow a GPS of some kind to study the routes in advance and on the ride, I don’t use GPS etc normally so I only count my rides in time and rough distance. I know I can do 10-12hrs on a bike alone relatively comfortably but keeping that up for 24rs will be a challenge. (edit to add, it should be done on BMX rules – if you call it, you do it.. ie part of the reason for my post is, now I have to do it!)

So – just starting a thread for anyone else who wants to do this, discuss routes, prep, kit to take, food, music, ride reports etc. I think the idea of the SI24 is great, potentially a real mind-game and a question of motivation as well as endurance. Choose a route that suits you – do 100 miles of rocky Scottish mountain paths or 250 miles of fast dirt tracks, your call.. Just tell us what you’re doing and how it went 🙂