As a follow up thread I did for 2022 I thought it'd be good if there was a place where folk could share what they have planned for 2023.
It's always nice to see what's out there that others may not be aware of.
Doesn't have to be just mountain bike related, could be anything on a bike.
Paris Brest Paris. 1200km audax.
West Kernow Way. 230km gravel/ mtb round Cornwall.
Nothing planned, but interested in ideas so will keep an eye on this
Gent Wevelgem.Although i wouldn't say 'planned' is quite the term yet.
I'm planning on riding the Badger Divide in April, also trying so persuade my pal to come along.
I'm also thinking of riding the 'Battle of bing' CX race in the new year. As I'm a flabby 45 year old I'll be riding the 'B' category.
Rest of the year I've nothing planned other than promise to my boy to do some more bike packing rides.
But.... would seriously love to ride the HT550 but would need a serious buy in off the wife. Maybe better to think about 2024.
Hopefully and if all goes to plan then Mountain Mayhem 24hr Solo to get the old gears rolling again and a few marathons thrown in for good measure.
Might throw in Trans Cambrian in a day as a bit of training too, was going to do that MTB epics trans UK thingy, but it sold out too quickly.
Devon and Cornwall Trail in June (Devon and Cornwall Trail 2023 - BIKEPACKING.com). Will also go in for 24/12 if it's back on this year.
Good idea, will be interesting to see what other interesting events folks are doing.
Entered the 200K Dirty Reiver in April, so might do the York-Leeds-York Sportive as a warm up. Maybe some midlands based reliability rides.
Might do one of the MTB events at Cannock in Feb/March. Winter Classic or 6hr Dirty Nocka
Want to do a bit more touring with my Dad if he's well enough. Maybe get the Ferry to Calais, and do some of the North Sea cycle route.
Some of the cycle collective XDuro rides look interesting too.
Might see you at Linlithgow CX in Jan if it's open to all, and there's a local race in Auchterarder March 5th.
I'm organising a homage to the Tour of Flanders around Edinburgh and Stirling April 2nd, and have entered the Kinross Sportive on April 29th instead of my usual trip West for the Oban Sportive.
After that am just torn between various big weekend objectives on the road and gravel bikes, especially doing the classic C2C from Bonar Bridge to Ullapool and back but ticking off some additional gravel en-route.
Wife keen on family hols to Ibiza in October, can't say I'm too inspired by the riding opportunities (compared to Mallorca at least) but am sure I'll make the most of it 😎
Edinburgh-London-Edinburgh self supported.
Couple of coast2coasts that mix offroad and quiet B-roads.
LEJOG with one of my sons,if he can get the time off.
Every year I plan the WHW in a day then 'other stuff' bumps it down the list.
Some bits of the Northern Spain Caminos with Mrs FH in Oct.
There has been a weekend destination suggested by some of the (Scottish)STW crowd,if it happens I will turn up.
😆
The Hathersage Sonder gravel ride on New Years Day! that'll be a nice start to the year.
Also...
Gent Wevelgem.Although i wouldn’t say ‘planned’ is quite the term yet.
Yep, me too. The organiser is currently looking for accommodation in Kortjijk I believe. Can't wait, last time was pre-Covid.
Well I bought the LEJOG by MTB offroad from the Singletrack store and left it on the coffee table. I've not been told I can't do it..
Entered the 200K Dirty Reiver in April, so might do the York-Leeds-York Sportive as a warm up. Maybe some midlands based reliability rides.
I'd like to do a couple of the really long Sportives. There's one between Lincoln and York, 262km. Not too badly priced either - cost is going to be a significant factor in this cos there's no way I can afford to do something like LEJOG self-supported.
Also just commenting to bookmark the thread and see what other ideas crop up!
During lockdown I toyed with the idea of doing another Everesting but that never happened - still might consider it if I can find the right hill.
Why not try an Audax instead?
They're cheap, well ran (in a minimal kind of way) and you get badges, you even get a mention in their magazine if you join.
I'm one of the organisers at the Vittoria MTB Marathon at Pippingford Park in East Sussex. The 2023 event will be on 8/9 July with Youth racing and a eMTB event on Saturday and the 80km Marathon on Sunday - it'd be great to see loads of you there. the website will go live on 1st Jan but let me know if you need more info
Stage race.
Nat Marathon Champs.
Team race.
Bit of XC.
I’m one of the organisers at the Vittoria MTB Marathon at Pippingford Park in East Sussex
Can I just say this was one of the best events I've ever done. Great course (lovely balance & use of fireroad/singletrack) & very friendly. Particularly enjoyed the dry weather this year - not so much the damp the previous!
Why not try an Audax instead?
I've done a few, find them useful for learning new places. Same with Sportives.
A few if those in a new (to me) area would be good, it'd be nice to get back into some longer stuff. On my own I'd very rarely go above 200km.
I know what I'd like to do, but it's so unlikely that it's not worth putting into words. I'm sure it's sat on the 2022 thread, mocking me.
And probably the 2021 thread.
A few if those in a new (to me) area would be good, it’d be nice to get back into some longer stuff. On my own I’d very rarely go above 200km.
It's a PBP year in 2023 so there's loads of events on the calendar. You can filter on distance from your postcode.
I may do the road coast to coast in a day and I really want to do the gravel route to the top of the the col de tourmalet and on to the the observatory at the top of the pic du midi.
Rebellion Way and Smoke Ring routes will be ticked off this year at some point. Definitely keen on doing a few audaxes through the year too.
Ronde van Vlaanderen sportive on April 1st, the day before the real deal. I’m not doing the whole thing.
I'm signed up for the https://greatbritishescapades.com/escapades/ North & South Downs (480km, 72 hour limit) in June.
I abandoned in September after biblical rains so it's unfinished business for me.
Not signed up to anything else so far, but might pick up something else between now & then.
West Yorkshire to Newquay on gravel bike to see pal who moved there 2 years ago. Not bikepacking but hotels/ b&b’s. So will be back on here to get some route info as i start planning. 350+ miles over 4 or 5 days.
Vittoria MTB Marathon at Pippingford Park in East Sussex. The 2023 event will be on 8/9 July with Youth racing and a eMTB event on Saturday and the 80km Marathon on Sunday –
Didnt do this year's but did the year before, great course, surprisingly challenging and hilly for a southern softy course, hope to do it next year.
I'm pondering another big tour.
Choices are:
stay in the UK and ride more offroad spend 2 or 3 months at it. I have some bits in Scotland I would like to ride and visiting STWers went well last year
Ride the Rhine and the Danube to the black sea - 3 months ish all on euro bike paths ( perhaps some side excursions to Bohemia and Transylvania 🙂 )
Ride down to southern Germany and on to south east France where I have folk to visit
Oxduro would be the one for me. Last years course was 200km out onto the Ridgeway, mainly “gravel”. I didn’t do it as I was recovering from Covid. The year before the route was 160km. We had been expecting 140km so we cut a corner to keep it at 140km. It was still my longest ride. They only release the route a week before
I’m planning a 3 day loop of the Peak on one of May Bank holidays. A mate just confirmed he’s up for it.
I’ll also do a solo multi day starting in East Devon in the summer. I have planned a route to Southampton that looks good. But it’s all a bit unknown. So I might look at the East Devon Trail as an option
Looks like I'll be driving and spannering for my daughter more than riding next year, although the Vallnord maxiavalanche and the odd enduro in Occitanie or Provence would be nice if the schedule allows it.
Entered the DR, c2c2c audax and Boltby bash.
Bit of a shame all the MTB stuff is down south this year - no national champs for me :(. Will do the gt7 if it is on and/or the Yorkshire MTB marathon.
Would like to get away on the road in Europe. Not been since before COVID. Famous climbs of the Alps or Provence and Ventoux three ways would be my choice.
Would like to do more endurance MTB or gravel. Do will keep an eye out for stuff closer to Newcastle.
It's shit weather outside so I've signed up for three sportives.
May.
https://www.strava.com/routes/7743404
Tour de Connemara, 140km of good cycling through the pretty bits of the west (last year I tacked on an extra 22km to get the imperial century).
June.
https://www.strava.com/routes/429137
Wicklow 200, probably the hardest event of its kind in Ireland, not too dissimilar to the Fred Whitton for duration, hill climbs and the like. Its stupidly expensive but the club are paying this year, should be in a good bunch that work well but some right slow lads too (and just on the hills). I know all the big climbs well as they are local, it's just with them all together make it an effort.
July.
https://strava.app.link/8TsHK2pQHvb
Tour de Clare. New to me but lovely part of the world (yes, back in the west), plus I get to do most of the climbing whilst still fresh too.
Probably doesn't count as 'big' but we will be continuing (finishing?) our Southern Upland Way journey (out and back stages). Travelled a hilly 396Km on our little adventure so far and have reached St Mary's Loch so will be pushing on from there (and back).
Looking forward to more of these days....
LEJOG off road then ride back to the Peak District via a suitably wobbly and off road route. Maybe a 24hr solo.
Whatever else I can pick up.
All dependant on finishing treatment by April and being able to start riding properly again!
Want to be away from Scotland's West coast before midge season gets into full swing.
Fancy doing the WAW too, but might take the motorbike for that 👍
It'd be great if there was follow up posts from these events. Lots are sounding excellent 👍
I'm going to a planning meeting next week for a new local event in North Worcestershire which on paper looks very exciting. Does that count?
Update: The Backcountry teaming Aviemore have posted up their Stravaigin event January 21st, sort of Gravel/sort of MTB, various distances, routes depending on snow levels etc.
They've also posted September 15th-17th for the Graviemore weekend, chilled out gravel and camping with onsite boozing and campfire, win!
I'm not it charge of what is valid or not, just wanted a thread where people can air what they're up to.
I find what others are doing can be both inspirational and aspirational. 👍
I’m lucky enough to have got into the Stone King rally, multi day enduro mtb in the alps in June.
I shall be spending every spare moment up to that point riding and training as best I can, including some southern enduro rounds.
Last year managed the Frontier 300 and some 200km+ bike packing trips round Loch Tay area.
This year I've entered the Dirty Reiver 200 and am loosely planning a bike friendly lap of the NC500.
Looks like I'm doing Rebellion Way in a day, a Gravel Dash or 2 and either back to the Ardennes or the Vosges for a tour or maybe to the Harz mountains.
Didnt do this year’s but did the year before, great course, surprisingly challenging and hilly for a southern softy course, hope to do it next year.
Can I just say this was one of the best events I’ve ever done. Great course (lovely balance & use of fireroad/singletrack) & very friendly. Particularly enjoyed the dry weather this year – not so much the damp the previous!
Thanks guys - it's great to hear that you enjoyed it.
2023 should be even better - there has already been some soul selling done to sort the weather!
https://gloriousgravel.com/product/gravel-sportives/wild-westie
This looked tempting, three days, some reasonable miles, potentially quite an interesting route on Day 2 (if it goes where I think it goes) and hopefully lots of other rides out on track.
I think they've been sensible with the entry fee in keeping it low, but that means you need to sort out food and accommodation by yourself for each day, which sort of takes the shine off it for me, but I suppose then if they had tried to offer food and accommodation (a la Graviemore, sort of) then I guess the price would be much higher.
Sadly I think once I factor in all the additional costs and logistics it might be the deal breaker, I would almost rather just plan 2 or 3 days myself. Still looks a great event for the right person.
Not an event, but mrs_oab and I are:
- pedalling the Moray Way triangle in September with friends.
- planning an autumnal bike tour and mooch somewhere warm in October, possibly gravel tour from Florence to Rome.
- I am also hoping to do a few chunks of the Badger Divide too, I have a few random long weekends and think (weather dependent) I can do a few bits.
Sadly I think once I factor in all the additional costs and logistics it might be the deal breaker, I would almost rather just plan 2 or 3 days myself. Still looks a great event for the right person.
This is where I'm at. That looks reasonable, but with travel etc its cheaper and easier to plan my own route.
My other issue is there are lots of events I'm interested in but (and I'm not expecting any sympathy here) if any distance away they are a no-go as I can't take days off either side of a weekend, as I work in education.
I always enjoy seeing what people are planning and gives me some ideas. Next year I'm aiming to do one of the Grinduro events (not saying which so you don't all grab the places). I've really enjoyed all the gravel-adjacent sportives or events I've done, including the sportives of Strade Bianche and Tro-Bro Léon (both of which I highly recommend).
Might try a 200km audax event as my longest ride this year was a measly 87 miles (albeit gravel). There are a couple of local audaxes but I worry that they'll not use the best lanes for riding and I'll be thinking of better routes!
I'll definitely do a few multi-day bikepacking rides, most likely in Europe, so I'll check back here for ideas. They're best if accessible by rail. Something like La Seine à Velo would make a nice, easy long weekend.
My big plan for 2023 is to work remotely from France or Italy for a few months in spring, somewhere with superb riding (maybe Sardinia? Liguria?) and take my MTB, gravel and road bikes with me.
Oh dear, have just received the early bird email for Flanders Gravel Koppenberg, verrrrrrrrry tempting!
Looks like I’ll be doing the Cantii Way around Kent with work, over two days.
My only concern being that I know most of them won’t train properly, so each day’s riding will be half as long again than if I did it solo, or with my riding buddies.
With that in mind, we’ll be doing it mid May, so at least it will be light into the evenings.
get fit and just keep increasing my ride length. FTP of 150 1.95W/Kg base. Would love to be able to do a century in Summer. Also started visiting all the weatherspoons for free refill coffee with my eldest.
Frontier 300 is the only thing in the diary so far, but hoping to get a 3-4 day tour in too. Did the frontier this year and really enjoyed it - much more than the dirty reiver, which I also did for the first time, but it was a bit too much endless forestry for me.
Nothing planned yet but looking forward to the better weather and being able to cycle in to work more often
Also got my eye on the rumours of the Rosyth to Zebrugge ferry reopening - love the idea of a European bike tour starting from my front door
Also got my eye on the rumours of the Rosyth to Zebrugge ferry reopening
This will be brilliant. I've been watching that too...
www.ridetothesun.co.uk
A three day C2C / Reivers Route mash up on the gravel bike.
Trip to the Alps on the road bike in September for the Marmotte route.
Maybe All Points North on the road bike too.
And the Northumbrian Triathlon
Need to figure more mountain biking plans me thinks!
I'll be hopefully doing:
Welsh Ride Thing
Jennride
Maybe a week on the south coast sleeping out then meet up with friends in Wales to get rad on the big bike
Random weekends ditch kipping in the Lakes, North Yorkshire Moors, Northumberland and Scotland.
Boltby Bash
Maybe Ard'moors
A week or so in France on the big bike if I can
And other stuff as I think of it 👍
Planning a month touring in the USA. San Francisco to LA on the coast. Then a big loop across the desert to Arizona before hitting the coast again at San Diego.
Early Sept to early October to hit the desert stretch after peak summer. Looked at spring but I think weather for the coast is better in September than March.
Wow some incredible adventures planned, not least irc’s desert ride above. That will be special.
I haven’t had a big outing for years now so looking forward to a five day loop from Maastricht taking in five countries in total.
After doing the cingles ride (3ways up mt Ventoux) my heart is still there. I love everything about that area and will go back sometime.
Having plans like these keeps me going and gets me motivated to ride more.
So that's me all set for the Badger Divide on the May bank holiday weekend. Train to Inverness is booked (bike as well). Just need to do some climbing and endurance specific training rides over the next 6 weeks and I'll be good to go. I'm thinking of a ~100km ride every weekend from now until then and maybe a wild camp the weekend before just to double check my kit.
Aim to do it over two days but as I'll be wild camping I can always camp another night if required.
Quite looking forward to it.
Got Pennine Bridleway planned for end of July with 3/4 mates. Settle to Glossop (and home). Doing it over 2 days. More of a jolley TBH, as we're staying in two decent pub/hotels with good food. No slumming it ! Going to travel fairly light with a backpack and light tyres on my FS. I could do it on a rigid MTB, with quick tyres, and a pannier/bag, but don't fancy the constant jarring on my knackered back for 4-6 hours each day (40 miles each day). Looking forward to it, great company, great food, beer, oh and bikes. What's not to like.
Local rapid MTB group is doing a 100mile 'road' ride next weekend. My only hope of finishing with them is sitting mid pack and getting dragged along and someone else of similar ability to me turning up to keep the average speed down! Failing that I'll fall off the back and follow the GPX myself. 🤞🏻
I've not ridden 100 miles for a couple of years & don't have a road bike just a fast hybrid, and the group mostly have around 15 years on me!
@clink I was excited to find this as it’s during the holidays. Not long days but that’s his suites me. Entry includes baggage transfer
I've just spent last week bikepacking the Granguanche route on the Canary islands.
I'd highly recommend it, we had a great time.
Three nights under canvas, and five in hostels or apartments along the way.
Back to back days of huge climbs, culminating in riding along the Teide road in the dark under a starry sky, will live long in the memory.
Managed to get myself 3 days ‘leave’ from the family in June and going to do the King Alfred Way.
