That was an epic ride!!
A full 6,536 kilometres (over just 62 biking days)…including a whopping 84,413 metres of ascent!
To put that in a bit of perspective…the Tour de France this year covers 3,320km and 51,550m of ascent!! Haha! …maybe next year!!
Firstly though…a huge thank you to my four great cycling companions! It was just a pleasure…sharing time….experiences…and plenty of beers!
Martin…who covered 1,564kms and 21,853m of ascent
Iain 1,067km and 17,336m
Andrew 1,979km and 26,750m
Corey 1,736km and 13,517m
…with the balance covered on solo day trips!
There really are far too many highlights to highlight…but the climb up to Stevia Pass with Corey must rank as the most satisfying. Indeed all the segments included some fantastic passes…and spectacular descents to follow!
The bikes went well….albeit with some tyre issues, worn out brake pads (not very surprising really!), worn out bearings…and one broken chain!..but generally both bikes rode like a dream, with really no battery stress this year at all!!
So we made it to the most Southern point of Europe…and are now more than halfway to the most Northern point of Europe.
In April next year….the next Mad Bike Ride will be back on line!
But…whether we do indeed make it to that most Northern point….will remain a question for some months I feel.
Riding in the wet is just miserable. Riding in the cold and the wet is even more miserable! Drinking beers outside in the freezing cold is just miserable. Having to eat dinner at 5pm sounds just miserable.
But…the route through Norway is said to be one of the best rides in the world!
And I could buy lots of biking gear suitable for arctic conditions.
And I should of course stop smoking.
And with 24 hours of daylight…we could just bring our day forwards and and pretend we are eating at 8pm!
….or…..I could just change the challenge. To enjoy swimming in balmy warm seas instead…..climbing more mountains…and maybe enjoy a few more Gyros!
I really am not yet sure.
Time will tell!
One thing I am sure about: there will be another Made Bike Ride!
I cannot wait!!
April 2026
“And I should of course stop smoking. ” I am shooketh
Bloody great stuff dad!!! What a ride!!
And of course a big round of applause to the four compadres!!!!
Fantastic well done -amazing map reading and booking .com best customer
Just bought myself a decent rain jacket for next year!!!!
Well done, Neil and fellow conspirators ! I so admire your grit and determination.
Jan
What an accomplishment to ALL “Mad Bikers” ! I’ll miss following along daily blogs…how am I going to fill in ‘smoko breaks’ now??
I echo Anna’s surprise . . . picking myself off the floor . . . and beer too? Naaaah, only when the seas dry up! Congratulations – a truly epic and impressive trip by you and all the mad participants. Look forward to seeing you soon down this end of the country or somewhere in between.