I camped the night before at Lobb Fields and was joined by Alan G and Javi. No sooner had Javi arrived and he was checking out what ratio I was using (we’re both single-speeders) and we started an in depth discussion of gear ratios and the details of the ratios we had used previously. I was on 34/20 and Javi was running 32/21. After about 5 to 10 minutes of this Alan interrupted with “I knew this would happen”
Saturday morning I rode down to the start at the Wild Thyme Café where about 10 to 12 other riders were waiting. I had 20 minutes before the start so ordered a latte. This arrived about 3 minutes before the start time so was cooled down with cold water from my bottle and downed in one, at least the caffeine might help wake my legs up.
Ben said go and we rolled out of town at a relaxed pace which was nice. As soon as the first hill arrived Javi moved up to the front and I followed, a result of our minimum climbing speed with only one gear, and I could hear the clicking of shifters behind us. I watched as Javi levitated up the technical section of the climb, whilst I spun my wheel on a loose rock and had to get off and push
By the top we had a gap and I chased Javi along the next road section. This was relatively flat so it wasn’t long before the rest if the riders came back past us.When we turned off the road for the next climb I was at the back but still in contact and worked my way past apologising as I went due to my gear ratio induced speed. At the top I suddenly realised I was in the lead… now what? It’s not a position I’m used to. I decided I shouldn’t be intimidated by this and just continued to ride.
I’d decided before the event that I would try and ride at a higher pace than I normally do as I wanted to give my legs a good workout as a last big effort before the HT550, so I’d go hard and then when I blew up I’d just struggle on to the finish.
I continued to crack on with the occasional glance back and after a few miles a rider caught me up, I expected it to be Javi but it was Alan G. It turns out he was still finishing his breakfast when we started and had now made up the 5 minute head start we had! We swapped places back and forth as we raced along and I was loving the riding and the unusual position of jostling for the lead. At about mile 30 Javi caught us and now we were 3 racing for the lead! I think he had stopped to put new batteries in his Garmin as he was using the event to use up some part used ones and that was how I’d got a gap.
Alan got ahead of us but then on a fast descent he was stopped at the side of the track, he had hoped to get a picture of us but was still opening his rucksack when we blasted past. At the bottom of the descent was a river crossing. Javi shouted “river or bridge?”. I said bridge as it looked deep… Javi rode in as I made my way to the bridge off to the side, by the middle of the crossing the water was above his cranks and when he had to dismount it was over his knees
The following long climb in the sun would soon warm him back up. Somehow I was still hanging on and for the next 20 miles or so we’d swap places. I was loving the riding and it felt like we were really racing, the lead swapping between us multiple times and I was going as fast as I could on the descents. The addition of a suspension fork to my bike had transformed the way it rode and I was attacking the trials like I’d gone out for a 2 hour blast with my mates. I was still remembering to eat and drink and things were looking good. Javi pulled out a slender lead but I would catch back up if he was delayed opening a gate etc. I caught him again on the last road section before Dunkery Beacon (which is 65 miles in) and we reached the beacon together. A quick celebratory photo of the two single-speeders being first to the top and we were off on the long descent that follows.
The first section isn’t too bad although I remember it having more of a rideable line when I was there in 2017. Once it crosses the road it gets very rocky with the line cut into the ground by water it’s basically just rinding down a shallow trench filled with rubble. Javi was on a fully rigid bike but I couldn’t match his pace and he was soon out of site. As I came into Minehead I kept an eye out for his bike outside of the shops but didn’t spot him. I stopped at the fish and chip kiosk on the seafront which is just on the right as the route turns left. As I sat eating my chips I saw Javi go past so he must have stopped at a shop and I missed him. Chips finished I headed off along the seafront The route goes to the end of the seafront and then turns off and climbs up through a woods but the gradients are not too steep so even full of chips it’s quite rideable and gives time for dinner to go down.
I had assumed that when Javi went by that would be the last time I’d see him, but at the bottom of a descent he was there pumping his tyre back up. I stopped to check he was ok and then rode on. I expected him to catch me again at any moment.
Just before Porlock, when only a few miles outside of it on the road, the route turns left and heads back up hill with 1400 ft of climbing, just as I was cursing this unnecessary diversion (I was keen to get to the shop at Porlock for supplies) the route turns down a bridleway with a sign that says “Unsuitable for horses due to bridge”. The bridge in question is narrow and has some steps and a 90 degree corner at the far side. What this means is that the bridleway is 3 miles of flowing swoopy downhill singletrack that’s not been damaged by horses, probably one of my favourite parts of the route and more than worth the climb before it. More food purchased including a milkshake and still no sign of Javi.
As I rode on it was starting to get colder so my next target was Lynton which is about mile 104. I wanted to get to the toilet block there to use the facilities, swap my windproof for my lightweight insulated jacket, put on my waterproof trousers to keep the wind off my legs, and fill my bottles. The toilet is just off route and I thought I’d be passed whilst I was in there.
Heading out again I was now much warmer, unzipping my jacket on the climbs and zipping it back up on the descents. I have to confess to having to walk sections of the climbs, even on the tarmac, as the gradients were just too steep for my gearing and/or energy levels.
My next target was Combe Martin. There wouldn’t be anything open, but in 2017 I made it there for just before 7am and made it to the shop just as it was opening. I wanted to see how far ahead I was this year. I’d started out with a target of a sub 24 hour ride (I did it in 26hr 18 mins in 2017) so I’d be able to gauge where I was based on this. To my shock it was just before 2am which meant I was 5 hours ahead of where I was in 2017
At this pace a sub 22 hour ride was possible 
There was now less than 30 miles to go so I just had to keep turning the pedals. The hills get smaller towards the end and the last section of the ride is a flat sprint to the finish. I had been looking out for tyre tracks and had seen several which I dismissed as locals but there was no denying one of them was a Javi’s preferred Maxxis Icon so he could well be back in front of me. The last flat section was much better with the bigger gear I was using this year and at 05:15 I swung into the car park at the café to be greeted by….. no one. Perhaps he’d already headed off to the campsite? I saved my ride, sent and ok from the SPOT and took a picture of my garmin screen as proof of the time.
A bit blurry but I think it's readable. I was pleased with the amount of stopped time, or rather the lack of it, as this includes stopping for dinner as well as the other food/shopping/clothing stops. I did notice at the time that after the first 4 hours I only had 5 minutes of stopped time.
I rode back to the campsite but there was no sign of him. My tent had a layer of ice on it so good job I’d been out riding or I’d have had a cold night in my summer bag. I took off my waterproof trousers and shoes, which were banished to outside due to the smell and had a few hours of sleep. By 8 the campsite around me was getting up so I got up, had 2 coffees, cereal then porridge. My relaxed approach to breakfast and getting organised meant I arrived at the shower block at 11:00 just as they were closing it for an hour for cleaning. Once showered I rode back to town, it’s only a mile, to see if anyone was about at the café. Ian PV was there along with someone who was just heading off. Alan G arrived and we sat down for food and a catch up. Still no sign of Javi so I still didn’t know if he’d beaten me back. Javi arrived and he had finished just after 06:30. His split tyre had cost him an hour to fix. I’m still waiting for the official results but it looks like I was first back with a time of 19 hrs 45 minutes which is also a new single-speed record. The course is slightly faster than 2017 but it only misses a section of muddy bridleway so not enough to account for the 6.5 hrs I knocked off my previous time.
When I started the ride I had expected to blow up at some point and have to struggle round but somehow that never happened. The route is great in that just when you make it to the top of a long/steep road climb and are just about done in you turn off road for an amazing descent which recharges your enthusiasm.
Thanks to Ben for the route and organising the group start, hopefully the event can grow in the future as it is well worth riding. There are enough places to re-supply and if ridden at a 2 day pace with a bivi there are lots of options for a sit down dinner and breakfast the next day.
If you’ve made it to the end of this you’ve got the staying power to make it round the route and I recommend it, but make sure you go after a dry spell, there are parts which look like they'd not be as much fun if they are wet
My enjoyment was helped by the improvement in my riding over the last 2 years. In 2017 I'd never ridden on rock before but this year I was clearing sections I previously walked, both up and down hill, which is both quicker and much more fun.
