[Closed] Mike Hall.

Horrible news and very sad, this happened 20 mins down the road from me.

Not blaming anyone as there are a number of possibilities to this tragedy, especially as Mike commented of being all over the road due to I guess fatigue and the reported vision issues, but drivers around here aren't cyclists friendly and that road is fast and dangerous. I mean they only just brought in as a trial 1m matters campaign for cars passing bikes. Mike complained in a video how little room drivers give when passing.

Very sad and thoughts with the family and the other event riders at this time.

He and still will be my cycling hero, always seemed such a humble fella and just enjoyed pedalling his bike. A truly sad day and a real loss to the cycling world. The things he achieved were phenomenal.

RIP Mike

Gutted. I met him a few times years ago. Always came across humble and unassuming. Will raise a pint to him tonight.

May the wind forever be on your back

He was a cycling machine! an inspiration, a great loss.

Sad news. RIP Mike.

Really sad to hear this. Someone at work asked me this morning if I'd heard of him, and I was like 'yeah, friends on FB, Linkedin etc why do you ask?..' and their mouth dropped, before showing me the BBC website 🙁

Great memories of doing a 24hr solo race, camped next to his support team (just his mum actually). She ended up supporting me too over those 24hrs. Mike was just amazing that day, and has always been amazing. He's one of those people you reference when cyclists and non-cyclists ask you why you like riding, or how far can someone ride in a day etc. or even just to give an example of someone who inspires us all on a massive scale. A true legend that I was very privileged to have met.

Oh jeez, this is devastating news. So so sad for him and those he has left behind. Shocked. He was a true legend and will leave a gapping hole in the sport.

RIP Mike. He had a different version of 'possible' to the majority of us.

Saw his night of adventure talk and followed him via STW

I saw the lady crying on my facebook feed and turned up the sound - absolutely couldn't take in the news

RIP Mike

I now feel I should have been paying more attention to his monumental efforts whilst he was with us

So sad, heard him talk at derby mercury club. An unassuming modest man who could tip up to a club '10' and then bang out mile after mile on ultra distance races. A special talent, will be remembered.....

RIP Mike. A true inspiration. Really sad news.

Chopping onions after watching this 😥

Kristof almost finished and posted the following picture with the hastags #tribute and #unfinishedfinish

A classy move by possibly the only person on Mike's level in the world...

[img] :large[/img]

Probably not the right time to ask this, but I've wondered for a while - what did Mike Hall do to earn money?
I can't imagine his racing/riding schedule being compatible with a 'normal' job - but travelling the world doing this stuff can't be cheap..

RIP Mike Hall, I didn't know you but i'll be telling my kids about you tonight.

Ride in Peace Mike Hall

You're right about that Freeagent.
Show some sensitivity man.

A 🙁

Please consider making a donation on the just giving page if not already, there's very few positives that can come out of this but hopefully the cycling community can do their bit.

Seeing this earlier today was like a sucker punch to the stomach. I never knew him personally but having grown up in Monmouthshire, I've several friends who did and I've known of his exploits for years.

To anyone who knew him, and to those who didn't but like me are affected anyway, my sympathies.

RIP Mike. You have been and will continue to be inspiring.

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You're right about that Freeagent.
Show some sensitivity man.

Yep, on reflection you are right.
I just realised that I'd been following Mike Halls achievements for the last 4-5 years and didn't actually know anything about the real man behind the endurance superman.

Genuinely gutted at his tragic loss.

So sad....seemed such a nice guy 🙁

That quote from that video: "Every time you take a map out again, it gets bigger". Going to teach my kids that.

Probably not the right time to ask this, but I've wondered for a while - what did Mike Hall do to earn money?
I can't imagine his racing/riding schedule being compatible with a 'normal' job - but travelling the world doing this stuff can't be cheap..

Given the situation, I'd hate to get this wrong (and apologies to people who knew him better if this is incorrect), but I believe he worked at Rolls Royce for a few years as an engineer. He certainly was an engineer and loved his technology 🙂
Running 'Transcontinental Race Limited' also took up time.
I guess his true job title was 'Endurance Adventure Superhero' but he would have been too modest to tell people that...

A bit of an obituary over on bikepacking.com:

http://www.bikepacking.com/plog/mike-hall/

God damn what awful news. Mike was a huge inspiration to me and undoubtedly masses of other people. Ride in peace, dude 😥 .

Janey mac that's terrible news, my thoughts go to his family. It's so terrible how things like this happen.

Dragged a mate along to Wirksworth Cinema the other year to watch Dions Inspired To Ride as his earlier films have been ace. Mike was one of the main riders in the film. Shocking news and such a great great athlete. He will be missed!

Only passing knowledge of his endeavours, but all I can think when I read the articles is that's one hell of a kind face the world has lost, if that makes sense.

I've been annoyed about this all day, and I think I understand why now. Whilst I love watching professional cycling it's really hard to relate to those involved, perfectly tanned and groomed with a huge support network they seem as different from us normal cyclists as an F1 driver is my Dad in his Micra.

Mike seemed like an ordinary bloke doing extraordinary things, having done endurance events myself he was someone I could relate to, I could understand what he meant when he talked about the physical and mental toil. But I could still be a dot watcher and marvel at someone at the peak of their powers doing unbelievable shifts on the bike, and a bike not much different from the one a lot of us keep in the shed.

It's probably bollocks but I'm gonna get up early tomorrow and head off to ride somewhere I've never ridden before, it just seems like the right thing to do, just to expand the map

Truly sad news.

Thinking about this all day.
All I can say is RIP Mike.

Never met him but knew of his expoits on a bike,
Just another anonomous guy who had an incredible talent for just keeping going.
RIP Mike . May your trails be dusty, the warm sun on your face , and the wind on your back.

A very sad crack indeed .
Condolences to family and friends .

Tragic! Condolences to his family and friends!

if that makes sense

Yes, that makes sense. I've followed Mike's exploits over the last few years but I've never met him - but you could tell from his interviews, videos and photos that he was one of the good guys.

I knew Mike from university. Not very well, and I don't think I've seen him for a few years. I remember riding with him back then, and he was just one of the guys. He used to come on group rides and he'd be very normal. Not slow, but not the fastest rider. Just one of us. I think at one point he even had a bit of a belly if I remember correctly. Just a sort of average guy.

Then he started being very... un-average. He moved away and we kept hearing about monster training rides he'd been doing. And then he started podiuming at national endurance events. The belly had gone but he was still the same guy, just faster - a lot faster. Then he did the round the world thing, and the Tour Divide. People started to learn his name and the rest is legendary. For me that was proof that anyone can achieve greatness with the right attitude and serious amounts of grit.

I've spent the day quietly trying to work out how I feel about his accident, and why I'm so sad. I've come to the conclusion that it's because he was one of us, a normal guy who did completely extraordinary things. And by doing that in his own humble way, he was what we all want be.

So RIP Mike. Perhaps the most inspirational person I ever knew.

So sad and in shock. I've only met Mike once or twice, but he was one of those people who was I was truly in awe of but somehow didn't make my tiny achievements seem insignificant.

What awful awful news. Ride on, Mike Hall. Legend.

I've commented on another post here that I had known Mike for nearly twenty years. First time I rode with him he had just about finished his GCSE's, I watched him turn left and ride a line that I never even knew existed. I'm not ashamed to say that I have been in bits all day today.

Last time I spoke to Mike, was to ask him to support our Trails for Wales campaign - he duly pitched up with a load of others at the Senydd on our behalf, giving up his precious training time to campaign for better access for mountain bikers.

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(Thanks to ADH for the photo)

"BIkes are brilliant and the countryside is for everyone"

That's a statement that is going to stay with me for ever...

Above picture says it all really. It's just so sad that people die doing something so fantastically great.

Tragic news, i've only just picked up my iPad and found out.

Just seen this on the news. Followed his spot checker on the Tour Divide and was following this week. Legend, often a word overused but in this case....Legend.

So sad it just makes me want to scream.

from 2013 so scary given what happened,

I'm going to ride my bike tomorrow and while it might not be the furthest, fastest or particularly epic ride I hope that by the end of it I'll be a slightly better rider than before.

I hope that's what Mike would want.

To be honest I've never met Mike, never talked to him on twitter etc but this has really got to me for some reason.

Keep riding Mike, keep riding.

Really terrible news. Like many other people, I never knew or met Mike, but he was a real inspiration to me and many others. A normal guy who did really extra ordinary things. Thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP Mike

I had the pleasure of meeting Mike a couple of times at the start of the TCR of which he was the organiser. Doing the TCR was definitely an inspiration (that word again) to me. Made me ride further, climb proper mountains and go to places I'd never have gone to other wise ,all with added thrill of being an unsupported rider and knowing you were out there on your own. So thanks Mike for making me and plenty of other riders take up a challenge and push themselves a bit . You'll be sorely missed.

I met Mike last year at Bespoked. He came and talked to us about whether we wanted to partner with the TCR. I'd known all about the rides he'd done, the incredible feats. The man I met that day though was just a normal man. Softly spoken, generous with his time and with kind words for what we were doing. I thought he was great. As Superficial says, that might just be why he was so inspirational to me and so many others. A hero of mine, for sure. x

Lovely tribute from Singletrack on the home page. It was a pleasure to see him at the awards ceremony last year. A gentle, softly spoken man, modestly doing great things. Remember, be inspired, keep riding.

The justgiving page is past £63k. One positive thing in all this

This has really affected me, I don't normally blub in public but I couldn't help it on hearing Mike's death. I never knew him, never would have, but I admired him and his understated modesty from afar and the whole situation is so incredibly and profoundly sad and upsetting to me. Kristof Allegaerts tribute to his friend and competitor was first class and cheered me up a bit, much respect to him. RIP Mike Hall, a legend.

I, like many on here, did not know Mike Hall personally but I , like so many on here, followed his exploits; amazed, inspired and in awe of his achievements.

Today I rode a long way, for me, to places I have never ridden, I rode fast, for me, I ambled, I looked a daffodils, I rode trail centre downhills, up road climbs, I smiled at all the cyclists I passed, I rode my bike.

Thanks Mike.

Mike was a true insperation to me with his nice guy just riding his bike in an understated way while achieving huge groudbreaking things and really bought a tear to my eye when i read the sad news.
But there is a nagging thing in my mind about how safe endurance events like this are on public roads.
Athletes like Mike pushing themselves further and further into the realms of endurance with little or no sleep can't be a good combination with shit driving on public roads...
Maybe keep the ultra stuff away from public roads so we don't lose any more genuine bike riders like Mike.
Just my thoughts and feel free to tell me i'm wrong.

It's awful. Condolences to those who knew and loved him.

I never knew Mike but the first time I heard of him was winning the 'Puffer. The winners are impressive every year, but the year he won it was the first I remember really thinking WTF?? The guy must be a different species to do what he did.

Maybe keep the ultra stuff away from public roads so we don't lose any more genuine bike riders like Mike.
Just my thoughts and feel free to tell me i'm wrong.

You're absolutely not wrong.
I can't help but think the same.
I got the nice printed journal Lee Cragie did recently about the HT550, I think it was in that there was mention of nodding off on the bike, on a smooth road section.
It just sounded potentially deadly to me, regardless of how much I love the whole scene.

A tragic loss.

When I went to bed last night I read a few pages of the book I am currently reading and this quote seemed very poignant:

"When you are young and strong and full of hope, sit down one day and think about the world. Decide what you would like to do above all else - and then go and do it. Follow your star to the bitter end, no matter what the hazards or perils; no matter even if the star proves to be a false guide and you die in the attempt. You will have lived life to the full. You will have enjoyed yourself and, even if you leave behind no material treasure, you will leave riches in the hearts of those who have known strength from your strength and who will cherish your memory until their day is done."

I think you're both right on the sleep deprivation on the public road thing. I can see organisers now following the tour in New Zealand where they stipulate a 6 hour break in every 24 hours.

Maybe keep the ultra stuff away from public roads so we don't lose any more genuine bike riders like Mike.

You'd never have an on-road ultra event then. Anyway, I think it's down to individuals to decide if they want to ride. IF TCR5 goes ahead we'll see if people pull out before the race or not or whether they just carry on as before.

Anyway, I think it's down to individuals to decide if they want to ride.

We had a nice chat with him after his talk in Brighton a couple of years ago. Just a really nice guy and completely inspiring. So sad to hear this news.

Mike inspired me, his stamina was amazing. I followed him online throughout the last Tour Divide, wondering how he kept going. RIP.

Perhaps discuss the merits of ultra endurance riding in the Indie-Pac thread and keep this one for fond memories of a top bloke hey?

I only found out about him through the fantastic Cycling Maven coverage of IndiePac this year. I was new to the whole dot watching thing too but soon became engrossed!
Whilst it is a tragedy that it has happened, I look forward to learning more about the amazing things Mike did- he seems to have genuinely touched a lot of people.

Inspired to ride is just about to start on bike channel (22:30) for anyone who hasn't seen it and wants to see a bit of who mike was. I can't personally bring myself to watch it again yet but take the opportunity to watch or record it if you haven't seen it

I didn't know Mike, neither did I ever meet him. I watched Inspired to Ride last year and I've read a few bits about him since watching it. He seemed like an amazing person who inspired so many. Such a sad loss, thoughts go to his family and friends.

Ride in peace Mike

A competitor's thoughts on cycling in Australia.
https://cyclingthere.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/reflections-on-mike-hall-the-ipwr-and-cycling-in-australia/

I am ashamed to say I'd not heard of Mike before the recent events, however, I have just watched 'Inspired to Ride' and will forever be in awe of his ability and humanity as a result...RIP

I've just seen an article in Outsideonline magazine by Juliana Buhring about Mike's last race and it is a wonderful insight into the man.
I only met him a couple of times, and Juliana is right - he really did inspire us to do more on our bikes.
https://www.outsideonline.com/2173576/mike-hall-man-who-inspired-world-cyclists?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookpost

[img][url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2920/34010120795_096f1f5373_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2920/34010120795_096f1f5373_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/TPmL22 ]2017-04-13_11-01-18[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinddd/ ]martinddd[/url], on Flickr[/img]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSb-0dwBK7r/?taken-by=rickiesolo24hr

There is a memorial next week.

Any one going to this^^^

I probably am piesoup, he was a local lad to me and I've got friends who were close to him so it seems the right thing to do, for them as much as for Mike

I'll be there.

I'll be riding over from York as we're there for the week. It's the only way I've been allowed to take my bike.

It was a good turn out today in Harrogate.

Obviously not a happy occasion, but it was great to hear people's memories of Mike, and later their plans for riding bikes a long way in the future.

#beinspired #bemoremike

I totally agree with that. It was nice catching up with you and Tom as well as hearing about your future plans. It was a theme that was mirrored in so many conversations. Sad that this had to draw a community together, but hopefully some good things grow from it.

Mike is going for his his last ride next week, along with a Spot tracker.

http://road.cc/content/news/223212-transcontinental-race-go-ahead-mike-hall-take-his-final-ride

For the spot watchers, mikes final journey is now underway:

You can follow it here:

http://trackleaders.com/mikeslastdot17

Still seems very surreal, i was watching his dot that night when the accident happened and constantly trying to update social media for news, then watching it last night again with a few tears.

I know though that he is someone who has truly left a legacy and inspired many.

What a fitting and poignant tribute indeed.

I'm at work all day and in Berkshire, otherwise i'd have liked to ride alongside for a while and salute an inspirational stranger. Think i'd struggle to make it up there to intercept the ride before it ended.

Enjoy the ride Mike.

Maybe it's the lack of sleep, but I can admit to feeling a bit tingly round the edges this morning. Riding along in the middle of the warm night in shorts and tshirt with Mike on my back, the moon coming through the clouds, and his friends around me isn't something I'm going to forget. It was a perfect night for a midnight ride, and thanks to Mike I wasn't in bed and missing it. A privilege to have shared a ride with him in life and death.

What a wonderful send off for an inspirational man.