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My mate Phil is having a crack at this at the weekend, following months of training and planning. He's going for a quick time.
I'm going up with him to drive the van a bit/take photos/send tweets/ride my bike a bit/shout motivational slogans at him at 2am.
details here (including a Spot Tracker link)
http://www.on-one.co.uk/news/teams-and-riders/q/date/2012/09/14/phil-is-doing-the-double
you're desparate for someone else to buy that bike so you don't have to 😉
Good luck to him with the ride - a really good challenge.
Good luck to him. Weather doesn't look too great though 🙁
I take it this will have to go down as a "supported" ride 🙄
I take it this will have to go down as a "supported" ride
not really. the van is a safety measure. I'll only be riding my bike to go and hide in a ditch with a camera. He won't be drafting me or anything like that.
Oh I know. It's just that there was a thread on here recently, started by someone claiming to hold the records database, suggesting that even all you are doing was somehow deemed as "support" because the rider had an emergency bale-out/safety option (not a stance I agree with btw).
wow I wish I could be awesome enough to get into the hallowed records database 😉
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😀 Good Phil!
Re. 'supported' it's got to be people riding with you and support van supplying food/drink, shirley?
Good luck Phil ... this is a tough challenge rode it in one direction on way to east coast and was happy I didn't have to make the turn at Fort William and ride back.
I think the rules people are having a go at weren't made by Steve but adopted from the US guys ... in those regards it would be considered 'supported' argument being your approach differs to one with slightly less regard for personal safety if you know you have a lift close by... anyway doesn't detract from the enormous task ahead.
The Spot link on the On-one site doesn't work for me. The correct one is [url= http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0MDKSjyUG6VkGrPVN0S2ERKUvpn8OvcHu ]here[/url].
cheers Shaggy.
On-One site now updated with the correct Spot URL.
Daisy Duke is doing it this weekend also. Starting at 7am, unsupported
Hope he doesnt mind me mentioning it on here 8)
Good luck!!
Daisy Duke is doing it this weekend also
the double?
Yep
cooool
He is my hero!!! swoon.....
Ben from our club (could be daisy duke on here) is doing the double this weekend aswell-after doing one way a couple of weeks ago!
Seems all the rage :0)
Spot tracker is not updating...?
Windy day here, cloud lowering, best of luck to them both..
My bad, tracker is working...
Phil is nearly off the nasty bit by Loch Lomond and is ahead of schedule.
Terrahawk is offering support by being sat in a pub miles away eating tatties and mince.
Good luck everyone.
I'll be offering support by sniffling manfully into a hanky, checking the feed and feeling sorry for myself.
Heading into Fort Bill soon. Quick McPoo with Lies in Maccy D's (yeah, 'course I'll buy something) then turn around and head for home.
goo on lads
Couple of miles from half way. No idea what the conditions are like or how long until the turn.
Previous record was 41 hours (I could be wrong, I'd had a drink when this was explained). He has been going for just over 11.
Target is 26 hours.
Terrahawk has seen him a couple of times and got some photos. Hopefully he can post a few on here once he has finished his own 10 hour training ride. They are not doing this together, Jason is just within an hour or so with the van should it all go "Kates Up".
I hope he does it, because that route needs a proper high standard record set on it.
Through Fort William in about 12h 30m.
By 'eck lad.
Doing an awesome job in some horrendous conditions... just seen him passing and flashed my lights in salute!!
Previous record was 41 hours (I could be wrong, I'd had a drink when this was explained).
Has been done in 38
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/west-highland-way-double-1
Seriously impressive
Back at Loch Lomond in 22 and a bit hours.
Weather - Rubbish
Phil - Knackered but still going strong
BTW Phil won Strathpuffer solo this year, so he knows what he is doing. Impressive stuff.
If he is at Loch Lomond already, he must be on course to smash the record.
Whilst Phil suffers Jason is tweeting pictures of his own epic task. http://twitter.yfrog.com/mm9s9vmj
Text update from Phil to Jason. He is out of the Loch Lomond bounder field. Back of the ride broken. One big climb left.
Jason is about to tackle his second breakfast.
wow I wish I could be awesome enough to get into the hallowed records database
Why don't you gents just step up and give self-supported riding a go instead of just being elitist and belittling about it. Put a few times down on here:
[url= http://www.bikepacking.net/ultra-records/ ]http://www.bikepacking.net/ultra-records/[/url]
You don't own these big (by UK standards) rides, and are far from the only ones out there riding them.
Eh?
Terrahawk, along with TwinklyDave, holds the record for the Trans Cambrain Way and The Way of The Roses.
http://imba.org.uk/where-to-ride/trans-cambrian-way/
http://wayoftheroses.info/news/story/ragley_riders_break_the_way_of_the_roses_record
Why don't you gents just step up and give self-supported riding a go instead of just being elitist and belittling about it.
OR we could all just stop being finicky about giving 'riding a bike for a long period of time' so many rules, regulations and excuses to behave in a 'elitist' way.
Jeez, it reminds of of the whole 'solo vs "super" solo' 24hr racing silliness that nearly started a while back.
You don't own these big (by UK standards) rides
Eh?
Right - what "support" has anyone given the person doing the riding? If it's merely being in a van somewhere in the highlands incase everything goes horribly wrong then it can be considered support in any meaningful sense. For many stretches of the WHW there is no road access and no mobile phone signal and the bits where there is both are so bloody easy to ride that nobody will ever have a problem on them.
If the guy in the van are preparing meals, fixing and swapping out bikes, towing the guy along - then it's a supported ride. Anything else is just nonsense.
Did the stupid interpretation of unsupported come from across the pond per chance? If so that might explain the pure knuckleheadedness of it.
Dont recall any of these arguement threads when the rob lee crowd were trying it with their full support crew and nutritionalists etc
Is it because they are about to finish with a tangible record that is 1 complete ride ?
Or is it just a case of phils face doesnt fit the picture to smash this record ? / has the wrong friends / is a gritty northerner
Right then... back to the OP.
Phil is comming up to the last check point now and is looking at a time in the region of 28 hours. That should get him in at about noon.
Go phil ! Pedal! Only big ring riding left !!!!
Fantastic effort that. Good to see a proper high quality record finally being set on the route.
Right - what "support" has anyone given the person doing the riding? If it's merely being in a van somewhere in the highlands incase everything goes horribly wrong then it can be considered support in any meaningful sense. <snip>If the guy in the van are preparing meals, fixing and swapping out bikes, towing the guy along - then it's a supported ride.
I don't think Phil would argue about whether it was a supported attempt or not (or care, frankly!). He's got a mate in a van who meets him every now and again to check he's OK. The van has water/energy food in it and (horror of horrors) he had some porridge in Fort William that he didn't make himself.
Thus his ride is meaningless, futile and puny in comparison to anyone who has ridden it using only water they've dredged from the ground themselves, eating only the heather and thistles they pass on the way and not making eye contact with anyone they see en route in case they get a mental boost from it 😆
(In all seriousness though, it must be classed as a "supported" attempt and I don't think anyone worth listening to gives a flying f...)
Or is it just a case of phils face doesnt fit the picture to smash this record ?
I'll have you know Phil is one of the least ugly JMC riders... 😉 😀
I dont dispute that but with competition from you and jase its not a hard accolade to have 🙂
So, it's merely propping him up a little in times of serious need rather than supported.
(In all seriousness though, it must be classed as a "supported" attempt and I don't think anyone worth listening to gives a flying f...)
I agree, to the vast majority of people it's a fantastic time for a hell of a ride.
Personally I find all this talk of rules set by a bunch of Americans the complete opposite of what mountain biking is about.
What a ride from Phil ... outstanding effort on what is one of the hardest mtb challenges this country can offer.
Self supported or supported still a great ride.
Think people need to relax a little about what 5teve is trying to put across in terms of a level playing field for all utilising mostly rules adopted from the US scene ... 5teve himself has an enviable list of completed rides and is just trying to create a database of records.
Terrahawk, along with TwinklyDave, holds the record for the Trans Cambrain Way
You might find that Mark Goldie holds that title with a time of 11 hours 44 minutes.
Ragley supported riders Jason Miles and Dave Powell, of Team JMC-IT recently rode the Trans-Cambrian Way across mid-Wales in a record breaking 9 hrs 51 minutes - the previous record was 12 hrs 25 minutes, so they took over 2 and half hours off - good show!
http://www.hotlines-uk.com/News.aspx?NewsID=429
You sure about that^?
Just checked, WHW is 96 miles one way? And this guy has done it back too?
Holy cow, unsupported or supported in any time let alone less than 30 is amazing, what an achievement!
Well done Phil for finishing the double just half an hour ago and doing most of the ride in the rain and dark.
28hr's 59 mins a new record [bows]
http://twitter.yfrog.com/estc9sqij
I don't see the harm in distinguishing supported vs. unsupported rides, guys attempting either are hardcore in my eyes.
Here's Phil.
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Job done.
8)
On a dry day that would've been mighty impressive, but factoring in howling winds and lashing rain on top, he's shown exceptional grit and skill... very well done 😀
What was the final time?
?28hr's 59 mins
Awesomez
[quote> http://www.hotlines-uk.com/News.aspx?NewsID=429
You sure about that^?
Yes ...The time of 9h 51m was actual riding time not total time. Their total time was 12H 10m.
Phil, ya big crazy fool ya! Bloody well done!
Yes ...The time of 9h 51m was actual riding time not total time.
That's a wee bit lame to use actual riding time instead of total time taken to complete a route.
Does the 28hrs 59mins ^ refer to actual riding time or total time?
Total.
Wow, brilliant. Congrats, that's awesome!
Now that is digging deep. Well done Mr. Simcock. I'm humbled.
You might find that Mark Goldie holds that title with a time of 11 hours 44 minutes.
He does, out time was a good 20mins longer that that. He holds the record. (We just recorded both the 'riding' and 'elapsed' time cos that's how the original record was noted down)
Think people need to relax a little about what 5teve is trying to put across in terms of a level playing field for all utilising mostly rules adopted from the US scene ... 5teve himself has an enviable list of completed rides and is just trying to create a database of records.
Steve is a legend and an inspiration, no-one could deny that - I certainly wouldn't, I think what he's achieved is ace. I'm just not sure clutching a list of rules in one hand, a list of rider in the other while telling people off for being 'elitist' is helpful!
Anyway, quibbling aside and back on track HE SMASHED IT.
28hrs 59min
Grinning from ear to ear for the guy 😀
Bloody awesome effort that Phil. 200 miles in those conditions, in that terrain is beyond amazing and out the other side!! Dead chuffed for you. Enjoy the glow that goes with doing something that us mere mortals can only dream about doing.
You smashed it big time!
Well done mate, took me 3 days....... one way! 😆
Wow! Fab achievement fella. 😀
Well done Phil, Hats off Sir 🙂
Inspirational stuff!
Bloody hell, I felt entirely justified giving up after twelve hours of that trail in the rain, but 28!! Good job.
Superb achievement. That was not good weather yesterday and today - windy all the time and wet today...
That's a wee bit lame to use actual riding time instead of total time taken to complete a route.
It's text taken from a sponsor's marketing news item and in fairness, the previous record was published by IMBA in the same way.
I think you're trying to pick holes in something for the sake of it really.
Well done for digging out a news item from August 2010 though. Brings back some happy memories.
oh, yes. the actual thread topic.
Just got back home with the Team JMC van, loaded up with all Phil's bike clobber and whatnot. Knackered but happy to have been part of the weekend's epic.
Feel very proud of him now. I know how hard he's trained for this and watching him execute the ride over the last couple of days and make it look easy was a privilege.
Not trying to pick holes in anything for any purpose. Just merely pointing out that if someone was trying to claim a record based on "total moving time" that it could be easily manipulated. But, if that's the way the record was presented initially then fair enough - just seems a strange way to do it.
Hell using that method I reckon I'd be able to beat the new record WHW X2 set over the weekend. The total ride time including stops would probably be around the 5 years mark though.
Has he any thoughts on how much less time it would be possible for him to do it in given more favourable conditions?
Has he any thoughts on how much less time it would be possible for him to do it in given more favourable conditions?
At the moment he only has thoughts on how much food he's going to eat over the next few weeks.
Doing it on a 29er is cheating 😉