I hit a McDonald's in the middle of nowhere central Florida at 5 am in full lycra on a 247 mile ride on Sunday morning. I can totally relate to how awkward this situation is!
Agreed. I was fully-expecting some trouble from the group at The Cornerhouse, not coffee talk. Then again - at the risk of sounding like Paul Calf - Oxford Road is full of bloody students, so perhaps not surprising after all!
Yeah, rain sucks. I tried Munich-Vienna with one sleeping break and failed after 5 hours in cold rain, needed another night. 2 years later I managed Kehlheim-Vienna 524 km in about 28 hours self supported.
Frank Z. I prefer to just do touring bike and take all the time and camping spots I need. I sometimes even stay in 1 spot for a day or 2 and relax in the tent if I really like an area.
Having done several 24h epics, I can truly identify with Hank. His face told the story. Watching this took me back to the dark feelings one only gets from pushing through when every fibre of body and soul, screams STOP! Quality stuff again from GCN.
I love these epic rides with Hank! To see a more in depth hour long edition of this would be pretty sweet. The suffering, thousand mile stares, look on faces of 'why am I doing this', and the sheer will of determination to even attempt and then complete this sort of thing is...well...truly inspiring in my own life. I love these 'shows on these epic rides!!!
What an amazing effort, I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this was. Mark is a machine and massive kudos to Hank for setting this up and completing the ride. Beast 💪🏻
It is 2:00am Calgary Alberta Sept 27 2022. I will turn 61 in January and videos like this one has me chomping to plan something. A bit late in the year, but next spring/summer, I need to do something. Some shorter trials during this fall to keep me psyched. - Cheers
Just a thought... Would a short 'Credit Roll' of the people involved in the production of these videos be possible? Acknowledging their hard work and excellent results seems such a small thing.
I've been on a 500km+ supported ride and big thumbs up to the support crew - such rides are simply not possible without the support (and spare dry socks in the car)
Great video Mark and James! What I loved about your ride was that it was utterly pointless. And that is the impedious for most epic journeys. Doing somethiing hard and ultimately futile simply to prove that you can do it. Well done.
I raced a “Tin butt” 12 hr with my 12yr old son on the back of my Tandem in 1992. 192 miles in 12hrs so we decided to ride the extra 8 to make 200miles. Food became something to hallucinate about after 6 hrs. We ate every 45 minutes after 2 hrs and within 10minutes i could detect the food like a drug coursing my veins. My sons energy would peak quickly then crash just as quick between eats. We kept each other entertained thru the event and perfected hopping the tandem over seams and small holes to fight any boredom (high speed railroad track hops on the tandem soon after the event). It was an epic bonding event! Congratulations to the both of you on your epic 24 hours and is a true IRON BUTT event!
Full credit to you guys and thanks for putting this together for us mere mortals. In my uni days many eons ago, I asked a buddy if he did anything special in the holidays. Mal was a wonderfully quirky (and dryly understated) guy, about 6'3" and he casually said that he hadn't done anything much. I pushed him a bit and he said - oh, I rode to Adelaide and back if that counts. From Sydney, that's about a 2,800km return. None of knew he even had a bike. Great spirit and many thanks again - cheers from Sydney, Dave
I'm still fat now,after losing over 46kg since last October. Started cycling just under 7 months ago,and got the road bike bug. Today at 104kg,I finished a 68km ride in about 2.5 hours,and feeling quite good actually! These athletes give me great inspiration to keep on with my journey,and keep increasing those distances and durations. And maybe sometime next year I will get into clipless pedals and get myself a proper cycling outfit once I lost some more weight. Thanks for a great video!
Well done! Huge respect! I rode a big one from Edinburgh Scotland to Poland earlier this year - 1700 km in 8 days ; ) The longest one i did in a day was 320 km Edinburgh - Carlise and back.
I wanted to watch the whole video before commenting but guys... Wow what a ride. I picked up a bike not more than a month ago with the intention of doing an Ironman 70.3, hence why I follow GTN too. But these videos actually make my eyes shine from happiness and joy. I love endurance sports and next spring I'll go on a bikepacking trip for sure. Maybe up to Scotland from here in Italy, long ride but 100% worth it
Our team's training ride due to unforeseen circumstances, left us on the road at 12 am, and on the small downslope on the hill on the final kilometers, I absolutely obliterated my left hand and my phone, I'm left handed so I've been excused off of school by my class advisor and will be back in school by next week. Slight PTSD with you guys riding at night, but still pretty inspirational. Cheers from the Philippines!
At 16, I rode 310 miles (499 km) in 24 hours (23 h 47 m)out and back solo, but that was in June in Alaska (24 hours of lightness) on a sunny day with one 2-3 hour stretch where I had a 15mph/24kph headwind (not fun 16 hours into a ride). Definitely takes some mental and physical toughness, especially in the darkness and rain! Mad respect for Hank and Mark.
I now Chromecast GCN videos onto my tv as they're too epic to watch on a phone screen. James you're a tough cookie with all your recent GCN endeavours 👌💪👍
just hooked a tv up tot he desktop computer to watch this one. I agree, the epic ride videos are too epic for a regular monitor. I can't understand how anyone would have enjoyed them on a phone.
Epic ride!! I've done 7 24-hour relay mtn bike races (24 Hours of Adrenaline, etc.) and those were tough as a team, taking 1-1/2 hr race laps every 5 hours. I can imagine how absolutely grueling it must've been to do the entire 24 hour journey with no sleep and minimal rest breaks - great job!
My longest effort was 16 hours where I covered 186 miles with 22000 ft of elevation in the foothills of NorCal. I was trying to reach 200 miles because I’ve never covered this distance in one day. At about 15 hrs. I was literally falling asleep while riding the bike! I decided to call it in rather than end the night on the pavement! By far my best effort! Not a bad solo unsupported effort! I can’t imagine going for a full 24 hrs! Chappó to both of you chaps!
Well this has inspired the shit out of me. No other sport gives you the same feelings of freedom and exhilaration, pushing pain barriers and releasing negativity from your mind. Great video.
That is not so uncommon in the self supported ultra cycling racing community. You eat whatever you can find without wasting much time. I think it is in this movie where Leal Wilcox puts fries in her head tube bag with condiments on top, it looks gross: th-cam.com/video/AEEGIt6FC34/w-d-xo.html
I have done 325, 330 and a few shorter rides in Arizona (Arizona Challenge about 18,000 combined elevation gained in 325 miles) and California. The 24 hour thing is intense as it interferes in the sleep and makes night riding something to be embraced. Have told my story a few times but at least 25-50 riders did this official ride in the 6 years we did it from 1980 to 1985. The thirties were crazy for me but more sane than the twenties and hippie daze and the military. These endurance rides always inspire.
Epic. I'm thoroughly impressed gents. Twice I have done 333km and was destroyed for a week after. I cannot fathom going all night in that weather and doing 497km. Absolutely impressive! Thanks for sharing.
Great video...makes me want to jump on the bike right now! Longest ride I've done was 679km. It was 24:42 of riding time, but took us 30:52 with stops. The pain in your faces brought back a bunch of memories! You're dead right that you only look back with fondness, despite feeling the exact opposite at many point of the ride. Also... NOTHING so amazing as finally seeing & feeling the sun again after a long night of riding in the dark! Major props to both of you!!
Great job gents. Mental and physical fortitude 💯. I’ve completed 203 miles in a 24 hour period at the 24 hours of booty in the states. The best part was riding on the closed loop at night. The sun coming up was a great feeling...I remember just getting bored with it all towards the end. Enjoyed the stops for junk food as well. :)
@@jameslowsley-williams4243 yes been up there many times. Usually with a huge queue of traffic behind me 😂 Some lovely rides around that area - Minch, Cherington, Kingscote, Tetbury etc
I did a 320 km ride recently, that took 20.5 hours. It started at Bristol, and I had a major mechanical by the time I reached Bath. We even did the same 2:30am McDonalds stop - only ours was at Solstice Park, not Manchester! And then, climbing The Struggle after 23 hours? That was hard enough for me to get up with fresh legs. An utterly insane achievement, guys.
I looked into it and it's possible to do in teams of 2,4 or 8. Could be a sick challenge! Such a tough course though with lots of climbing and the descents in the dark must be interesting as well.
It's not just the distance or the 24 hours of riding. It's the hard way going North uphill and into worse weather. Got the feeling Hank broke down in tears somewhere along that ride!! Massive respect🙂👍
That was excellent. Chapeau to Captain Charisma and Hankman - especially Hankman, lasting 24 hours under those circumstances truly was a superhuman accomplishment
Absolutely epic. Hats off to you both. In my youth circa 1980 I decided to cycle Manchester to London on a whim with no planning. I foolishly set off following the main A roads (as I knew no better). In those days they were infinitely quieter than today. I used pubs, cafes and shops to refuel. However come 11pm everything had shut down. My last food stop, climb over the gate and drop down the ramp to Watford Gap services. I certainly got some funny looks. I felt quite proud actually sat there in my cycling gear. I did even make it to central London as well. Ah, happy innocent days.
How ironic this was posted yesterday, as I tried a 24 hour ride yesterday! Unfortunately, I stopped after 20 hours and rode 247 mi (399km). I started at 1:30 AM and rode 100 miles, then I did 8.8k ft of climbing without ever climbing in my life during a 100 mi event (Horrible Hundred Clermont FL) and then the cold set in after dark. I'm from South FL so I'm not used to the cold and didn't dress appropriately so I stopped when my arms started getting numb/shivering so much I couldn't steer properly. The longest I rode before this was 150 mi and I don't regret it!
I wonder how many times he thought, "I could’ve been home already." The mental challenge of this ride had to be harder than the physical exhaustion. Not to mention eating McDonalds 🤦🏽♂️🤢
At least McDonalds in Europe still tastes good. It is about the same taste as 70's McDonalds in the USA used to be. What we get in the USA is awful now, if you can even eat it.
@@Dang_Near_Fed_Up I ride so I can eat at McDonald's whenever I want (which is not that often). Same for pub food, pizza, you name - riding keeps the calories in/out in balance.
@@lechprotean My statement about McDonalds "if you can eat it" is a reference to how bad the quality of American McDonalds soyburgers have become, at least those here locally. The burgers no longer taste anywhere near as good as they once did. I know several people that can not process them, ending up physically ill every time that they eat a burger there now. If it were Taco Bell not McDonalds, I would make jokes about it being Montezuma's Revenge, but this is supposedly hamburgers, not tacos. If your stomach can still process their burgers I wish you well, but personally I will not even attempt to eat a burger from McDonalds any more, and I know of more than a few others who will not as well. Don't get me wrong I am not criticizing your choice of food, I eat home cooked 100% beef hamburgers regularly myself, just not McDonalds mystery patties. Take a look at the nutritional information sheet for McDonalds burgers and you might change where you get your burgers from as well. Personally I would like to see an ingredients list for the mystery patties they serve at any restaurant in America now. The only thing I can say for sure you will not see in a modern burger is 100% beef, be it McDonalds or somewhere else. Soybean has been substituted for a large amount of the meat in many meals in American food, just to name one thing you would likely find in the ingredients list now.
Tremendous guys. Great entertainment. Mark Beaumont really enhances the authenticity of these rides and provides a great gauge of the pain and suffering given he really knows what it takes to be an ultra endurance athlete. Excellent again.
2 tough guys.Respect! To keep going through that freezing rain was admirable.My longest effort in one go was the South downs way double on a Kona hardtail in 2012. It took 27 hours in bad conditions, and I was ok til I got off the bike, then I could hardly stand up.Wish I`d done it 35 years ago and I would have done it in 24 hours
When I see GCN + Epic + Mark Beaumont, I know this is going to be the real stuff. And this episode delivered beyond expectations. Congrats lads, you had to deal with all sorts of weather conditions, yet you never faltered. I can't help but ask - what's next? A fat tyre bikepacking adventure in the snow?
As you know Hank, your epic adventures with Mark are an inspiration. So I decided to tackle a solo 24, in a tree lined national park. It was an 8.5km out-and-back. It was mostly dry and not too cold. It was a mission, but I thought of you guys as the hours ticked by. Thanks for the motivation! (513/4,200)
This was beautiful! You really have to be brave to ride in such rough conditions , for that long. My longest ride was just two weeks ago, 263 km with a tailwind all the way, no rain, in the daytime. I can tell you I was fed up by the time I arrived to my destination. That was less than 9 hours of riding... I can't imagine what a 24 hour ride does to your head
This is why I cycle and watch GCN, not at the same time for safety reasons obviously, but these challenges are fantastic and I hope it inspires more folk to do similar adventures . You don’t need to be somewhere epic to have an epic 👍
I would love to have Mark Beaumont as my friend and do these kind of rides. What a great bloke. James is also inspirational by taking on these challenges with him. Absolute treat to watch!
This is incredible!!! I ride with my dad he's 50 years old and I am 11.He and me took a ride on a bike from Croatia to Italy :).It was 650 kilometers.The avg. speed was 27.8.
This really shows, what the human body is capable of, if only the mind is strong enough. Thank you for this EPIC ride and the superb videography. Congratulations to Mark and James!
Loved it guys, absolute nutters, love watching you two, your 1903 Tour de France day was my favorite GCN vid from last season, amazing... and hey, big thanks to the crew for bringing this to us!! Just riding is not at all the entirety of this video's creation! Cheers to all, ROCK ON GCN.
I fell short of my 500km target for 2019 by 5km back in June during the Summer Solstice. Winter 24 hour... wouldn't dream of it here in the UK that's for sure!
Well done, gentlemen! My paternal grandmother was a Yorkshire Clapham, and my wife and I were in Scotland/Northumbria this summer. So my vicarious enjoyment of your exploits was even greater than usual! Greetings from the States!
That was a fantastic watch, hats off to you both (Mark & Hank). Can't imagine how you achieved this amazing feat 24 hours in the saddle ?? In all fairness the bikes also faired well to the Challenge, outside my price range i Guess. Big well done your both an Insperation ...... Dave B. Thailand. 🎉
This is a physically and mentally draining challenge which I commend both of u highly for, from the looks of it yall didn’t really have too much preparation as a pose to just doing it right of the bat. Incredible, I’d love to do this one day (will be dreading it!! ) great work guys.
Awesome video - I've done 1 major night ride - a 400km audax. Highlights were passing a night club at 3am in Perth and getting a 5am mcdonalds and the dawn perking me right up. This video giving me flashbacks to these memories - thanks.
I could feel the pain bros.. the pain was real.. but so well documented.. UK is a wonderful place to cycle.. it was beautiful. Really deserve the Epic title.. free for cyclists? What an angel.. P.s. what was ur recovery time Hank?God...
That's a sweet comment. As a matter of curiosity (and aside from the cold wet weather which we have in abundance), how does the British scenery appear to you? Does it look foreign and exotic, or quite boring and soul-less?
@@graememorrison333 Im from iraq to.. For me I'm seeing it very very incredibly beautiful The towns and paved streets are fantastic Mountain and agricultural areas are more beautiful I hope to visit the UK and Europe on a bicycle one day
@@yuppp5885 Colorado is interesting in that it has what is called the continental divide in the Rocky mountains. It's where water will flow to either the Atlantic or Pacific oceans depending on the side. the highest point in the lower 48 states is in Colorado as well. We have plains/grass land, alpine mountains, rolling hills, desert-esque/dry areas, and even sand dunes. It's not as green here year round. Watching vids that are filmed in parts of the UK in Nov/dec it appears that it's still very green there. It's -8°c as I write this. It can get and stay even colder. Summer can be over 37°. We can get feet of snow or very heavy rains or be completely dry for months. I've seen snow in July and ate Christmas dinner on the patio before. Within a few miles from my front door I can ride a century that will contain mostly rolling hills or flats or extreme climbing, or a combo. We have micro climates/area that resemble what I see in pictures of the UK. And they are some of my favorite areas. Colorado is generally regarded as a beautiful state. It is. I would say, for me, it's stimulating. I envision the UK as calming/relaxing. More gentle maybe.
Awesome ride guys and very well done, you'll defo look back at it fondly. I did an impromptu ride from Sheffield to Durham solo this year and it's one of the best things I've ever done on a bike. Total euphoria.
Agree, between just the wind, and the debris that comes up from riding behind another rider in the rain. Keep it real, GCN - if they wore eye-pro, at least show them taking it off for shoots.
@@workingguy-OU812 OMG, and we didn't see them peeing, either! They must have gone 24 hours without! Could have caused serious bladder problems! Oh, wait...
@@beeble2003 to that end, I would like to have known how many stops, and for what lengths, they did. I guess none of it matters for the rest of us, though, as we don't have support cars and support motorcycles.
@@workingguy-OU812 The ride is on Strava (twice, in fact) for anybody to look at. They stopped for about 15 minutes after 4hrs20, 7hrs and 14hrs10, and about ten minutes after 17hrs20 and 19hrs20, another 15 minutes at about 21hrs30, and about ten minutes at 23hrs20. Total moving time is given as 21hrs 5minutes, and total elapsed time as a few minutes over 24hrs. I've only listed an hour and a half of breaks, but I didn't look closely for potential shorter breaks. There's also time stopped at junctions, traffic lights and so on.
THIS is the kind of video I like. Ultra Endurance is what truly appeals to me. Like my strava says, "Miles not medals. No races, no drama, just rides."
Chapeau guys epic ride. Myself and some friends rode from Newcastle to London in 2013. 312 miles in 24 hours awesome ride will never forget it. Luckily no rain......
Brilliant video, mates. Earlier this year, I solo biked 304km around the perimeter of my city - Ottawa. Took me 24.5 hours but that included 4 hours of sleep that I took largely because my bike lights were dying. A lesson learned there as I look forward to a 2nd go of it next year. A few weeks after my ride, London-based bike messenger Joseph Kendrick looped the M25 in 17 hours. #loopyourcity is a great way to experiment with endurance cycling. Cheers!
Another wonderfully shot video! I could 'feel' the pain as James and Mark carry-on through the rain and cold. I feel inspired every time I watch on of these videos! Keep up the great work!
Riding for 24 hours in the winter is really tough. Chapeau! When I did triple centuries in the 1983-1987 it was warmer doing it in June and be finished in less than 22 hours.
Mark is such a great person. Very good presenter, likable and all round good egg. Massive respect to both of you.
Great point. Mark Beaumont is a legend, such a nice bloke, really good to see in a successful athlete.
Wow I didn’t know he was part of GCN. That’s cool. I loved watching his ultra endurance videos on his channel.
The question is... can you make an omelette out of him???🤔
Hitting McDonald's in central Manchester at 3am, in full cycling kit, is taking bravery to another level. Chapeau!
I hit a McDonald's in the middle of nowhere central Florida at 5 am in full lycra on a 247 mile ride on Sunday morning. I can totally relate to how awkward this situation is!
B R less awkward in Manchester, more fighty...
@@thesimplecooks It's Florida, they gotta be used to that kinda people.
Outstanding guys so much respect for you 👏👏👏👏
Agreed. I was fully-expecting some trouble from the group at The Cornerhouse, not coffee talk.
Then again - at the risk of sounding like Paul Calf - Oxford Road is full of bloody students, so perhaps not surprising after all!
Love this kind of challenge. This year I rode 600 km from Warsaw to Berlin, self supported in 31h, but it was not raining. Well done guys. 👍🏻
Congrats to you. What a ride!
Yeah, rain sucks. I tried Munich-Vienna with one sleeping break and failed after 5 hours in cold rain, needed another night. 2 years later I managed Kehlheim-Vienna 524 km in about 28 hours self supported.
Frank Z. I prefer to just do touring bike and take all the time and camping spots I need. I sometimes even stay in 1 spot for a day or 2 and relax in the tent if I really like an area.
How do you guys cover your feet from the rain? I bought a rain cover for my shoes, but I always end up soaking wet in the rain no matter what.
@@willek1335 maybe cycling shoes are waterproof?
Having done several 24h epics, I can truly identify with Hank. His face told the story. Watching this took me back to the dark feelings one only gets from pushing through when every fibre of body and soul, screams STOP! Quality stuff again from GCN.
Watching this must be truly inspiring for Dan. I bet he's raring to go with his 1000km+ challenge now.
CnE thinking same thing, or in dans case the opposite😂
Yeah to Scotland and back, that should do it!
@@simonsaville9962 We all know that Dan is going to use an e-bike halfway through his ride.
@@butters6295 all ride long
I love these epic rides with Hank! To see a more in depth hour long edition of this would be pretty sweet. The suffering, thousand mile stares, look on faces of 'why am I doing this', and the sheer will of determination to even attempt and then complete this sort of thing is...well...truly inspiring in my own life. I love these 'shows on these epic rides!!!
Yes!!! Really inspiring
What an amazing effort, I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this was. Mark is a machine and massive kudos to Hank for setting this up and completing the ride. Beast 💪🏻
Every time I watch one of these challenge videos, it makes me want to go clip in. Regardless of the time of day. Great video and congrats gents!
1601chance me too!
It is 2:00am Calgary Alberta Sept 27 2022. I will turn 61 in January and videos like this one has me chomping to plan something. A bit late in the year, but next spring/summer, I need to do something. Some shorter trials during this fall to keep me psyched. - Cheers
Welcome to GCN, Mark Beaumont.
MB has done some epic GCN vids - get looking at the back catalogue, especially the NC500
Marc Beaumont is a GMBN presenter right? I still remember his name at the introduction of GMBN long ago.
@@dan_lazaro Different Marc Beaumont! That GMBN one actually left to go do some world cup downhill racing again.
Just a thought... Would a short 'Credit Roll' of the people involved in the production of these videos be possible? Acknowledging their hard work and excellent results seems such a small thing.
Yes, right on!!
I've been on a 500km+ supported ride and big thumbs up to the support crew - such rides are simply not possible without the support (and spare dry socks in the car)
Absolutely agree!....just show us the drivers, motorbike riders and camera people at the end, just a quick hello, kinda' puts a context into it......
Yes very good idea!
@@lechprotean Yes they are possible without a support crew. It's called randonneuring / audax.
Great video Mark and James! What I loved about your ride was that it was utterly pointless. And that is the impedious for most epic journeys. Doing somethiing hard and ultimately futile simply to prove that you can do it. Well done.
I raced a “Tin butt” 12 hr with my 12yr old son on the back of my Tandem in 1992. 192 miles in 12hrs so we decided to ride the extra 8 to make 200miles. Food became something to hallucinate about after 6 hrs. We ate every 45 minutes after 2 hrs and within 10minutes i could detect the food like a drug coursing my veins. My sons energy would peak quickly then crash just as quick between eats. We kept each other entertained thru the event and perfected hopping the tandem over seams and small holes to fight any boredom (high speed railroad track hops on the tandem soon after the event). It was an epic bonding event!
Congratulations to the both of you on your epic 24 hours and is a true IRON BUTT event!
sounds epic
"The Struggle" 20% grade... LOL! Suitably named. Great job guys!
Full credit to you guys and thanks for putting this together for us mere mortals. In my uni days many eons ago, I asked a buddy if he did anything special in the holidays. Mal was a wonderfully quirky (and dryly understated) guy, about 6'3" and he casually said that he hadn't done anything much. I pushed him a bit and he said - oh, I rode to Adelaide and back if that counts. From Sydney, that's about a 2,800km return. None of knew he even had a bike. Great spirit and many thanks again - cheers from Sydney, Dave
Another epic ride and video! I could almost feel the suffering seeing Mark's and James' faces and body language. Chapeau x 2, gents.
I'm still fat now,after losing over 46kg since last October. Started cycling just under 7 months ago,and got the road bike bug.
Today at 104kg,I finished a 68km ride in about 2.5 hours,and feeling quite good actually!
These athletes give me great inspiration to keep on with my journey,and keep increasing those distances and durations.
And maybe sometime next year I will get into clipless pedals and get myself a proper cycling outfit once I lost some more weight.
Thanks for a great video!
Well done! Huge respect! I rode a big one from Edinburgh Scotland to Poland earlier this year - 1700 km in 8 days ; )
The longest one i did in a day was 320 km Edinburgh - Carlise and back.
A big one? So was that a tall bike or a penny farthing? =P In all seriousness that sounds like an epic ride. Camping or hotels?
@@Boopop1024 he just did it without sleep😅
Can I have your Strava please?
@@Boopop1024 B&B and hotels. Needed a good nite sleep after cycling ; )
@@leszekpawowski2638 yes - if it wasn't on starva, it didn't happen lol
I wanted to watch the whole video before commenting but guys... Wow what a ride. I picked up a bike not more than a month ago with the intention of doing an Ironman 70.3, hence why I follow GTN too. But these videos actually make my eyes shine from happiness and joy. I love endurance sports and next spring I'll go on a bikepacking trip for sure. Maybe up to Scotland from here in Italy, long ride but 100% worth it
My cycling buddy just sent me this. I’m seriously worried. Great job boys. A good watch!
Mark seems like the most genuine guy on the planet. Love watching videos with him.
That was a great effort. I’d love to see a “making off” video too. Maybe some of the pain and come down of the aftermath?
Our team's training ride due to unforeseen circumstances, left us on the road at 12 am, and on the small downslope on the hill on the final kilometers, I absolutely obliterated my left hand and my phone, I'm left handed so I've been excused off of school by my class advisor and will be back in school by next week. Slight PTSD with you guys riding at night, but still pretty inspirational. Cheers from the Philippines!
Earliest I've been to a GCN video -I love the content! You guys are a huge inspiration to us Cyclists.
At 16, I rode 310 miles (499 km) in 24 hours (23 h 47 m)out and back solo, but that was in June in Alaska (24 hours of lightness) on a sunny day with one 2-3 hour stretch where I had a 15mph/24kph headwind (not fun 16 hours into a ride). Definitely takes some mental and physical toughness, especially in the darkness and rain! Mad respect for Hank and Mark.
I now Chromecast GCN videos onto my tv as they're too epic to watch on a phone screen. James you're a tough cookie with all your recent GCN endeavours 👌💪👍
just hooked a tv up tot he desktop computer to watch this one. I agree, the epic ride videos are too epic for a regular monitor. I can't understand how anyone would have enjoyed them on a phone.
Epic ride!! I've done 7 24-hour relay mtn bike races (24 Hours of Adrenaline, etc.) and those were tough as a team, taking 1-1/2 hr race laps every 5 hours. I can imagine how absolutely grueling it must've been to do the entire 24 hour journey with no sleep and minimal rest breaks - great job!
Beautifully photographed, really well-made altogether.
Great stuff.
My longest effort was 16 hours where I covered 186 miles with 22000 ft of elevation in the foothills of NorCal. I was trying to reach 200 miles because I’ve never covered this distance in one day. At about 15 hrs. I was literally falling asleep while riding the bike! I decided to call it in rather than end the night on the pavement! By far my best effort! Not a bad solo unsupported effort! I can’t imagine going for a full 24 hrs! Chappó to both of you chaps!
The UK has the most beautiful sceneries of the world... Hope someday I can ride there, wonderful place.
We don't know how lucky we are here!
It definitely gets taken for granted
Hmmm, it doesn't, though :)
Well this has inspired the shit out of me. No other sport gives you the same feelings of freedom and exhilaration, pushing pain barriers and releasing negativity from your mind. Great video.
" Sports nutrition at its worst". Never a truer word spoken Mr Beaumont.
McDonalds food is delicious.
@@erobertson1417 Of course it is. Theres a subtle difference between taste and nutritional value.
Protein and sugar... Tick
There is no way I could take on McDonalds (or Burger King, Taco Bell, etc.) and continue riding for very long. The grease is just too hard to digest.
That is not so uncommon in the self supported ultra cycling racing community. You eat whatever you can find without wasting much time. I think it is in this movie where Leal Wilcox puts fries in her head tube bag with condiments on top, it looks gross: th-cam.com/video/AEEGIt6FC34/w-d-xo.html
I have done 325, 330 and a few shorter rides in Arizona (Arizona Challenge about 18,000 combined elevation gained in 325 miles) and California. The 24 hour thing is intense as it interferes in the sleep and makes night riding something to be embraced. Have told my story a few times but at least 25-50 riders did this official ride in the 6 years we did it from 1980 to 1985. The thirties were crazy for me but more sane than the twenties and hippie daze and the military. These endurance rides always inspire.
I have many fond memories of Bath when my wife and we’re visiting the UK. Discovered scones , clotted cream , and strawberry jam.
Awesome ride
Clotting creams the best mate
Epic. I'm thoroughly impressed gents. Twice I have done 333km and was destroyed for a week after. I cannot fathom going all night in that weather and doing 497km. Absolutely impressive! Thanks for sharing.
That was really good. Genuinely appreciate the content. Just like GCN of old.
Love it. Keep t up.
Great video...makes me want to jump on the bike right now! Longest ride I've done was 679km. It was 24:42 of riding time, but took us 30:52 with stops. The pain in your faces brought back a bunch of memories! You're dead right that you only look back with fondness, despite feeling the exact opposite at many point of the ride. Also... NOTHING so amazing as finally seeing & feeling the sun again after a long night of riding in the dark! Major props to both of you!!
Best GCN video this year I could feel the pain
Great job gents. Mental and physical fortitude 💯. I’ve completed 203 miles in a 24 hour period at the 24 hours of booty in the states. The best part was riding on the closed loop at night. The sun coming up was a great feeling...I remember just getting bored with it all towards the end. Enjoyed the stops for junk food as well. :)
Some beautiful shots of the 'w' in nailsworth, glos in the early parts of this film
@@jameslowsley-williams4243 one of mine also being a Stroud resident
@@jameslowsley-williams4243 yes been up there many times. Usually with a huge queue of traffic behind me 😂
Some lovely rides around that area - Minch, Cherington, Kingscote, Tetbury etc
Epic ride mates! Saw Mark’s hand still shaking at 15:28. One thing to do it in nice weather. This had to be 5x harder. Well done!
I suppose you realize that this is technically and epic autumn ride. Can't wait to see your epic winter ride.
I did a 320 km ride recently, that took 20.5 hours. It started at Bristol, and I had a major mechanical by the time I reached Bath. We even did the same 2:30am McDonalds stop - only ours was at Solstice Park, not Manchester! And then, climbing The Struggle after 23 hours? That was hard enough for me to get up with fresh legs. An utterly insane achievement, guys.
GCN, have you ever thought of covering a 24h Rad Am Ring guys? 24h around "Green Hell" of Nurburgring. Very few participants from Britain...
I had no idea this existed. I think I just found my own next challenge.
@@mathewrose2951 prepare for HELL 😜 I've completed it 4 years in a row and as much fun it was, it is a mission!
@@mathewrose2951 It's a fantastic event, seriously take a look at it. We've done it twice now in our little club and have had such a good time.
I looked into it and it's possible to do in teams of 2,4 or 8. Could be a sick challenge! Such a tough course though with lots of climbing and the descents in the dark must be interesting as well.
There's some helmet cam footage on TH-cam of a lap around the nurburgring during daytime and I have to say it looks super tough.
It's not just the distance or the 24 hours of riding. It's the hard way going North uphill and into worse weather. Got the feeling Hank broke down in tears somewhere along that ride!! Massive respect🙂👍
Absolutely brilliant video. Love these types of videos. More of them please!
That was excellent. Chapeau to Captain Charisma and Hankman - especially Hankman, lasting 24 hours under those circumstances truly was a superhuman accomplishment
love the vid. James seem to pop up with the unconventional. decinding doing 24 hour, asking mark, etc. great presentation too.
Absolutely epic. Hats off to you both. In my youth circa 1980 I decided to cycle Manchester to London on a whim with no planning. I foolishly set off following the main A roads (as I knew no better). In those days they were infinitely quieter than today. I used pubs, cafes and shops to refuel. However come 11pm everything had shut down. My last food stop, climb over the gate and drop down the ramp to Watford Gap services. I certainly got some funny looks. I felt quite proud actually sat there in my cycling gear. I did even make it to central London as well. Ah, happy innocent days.
Well done lads epic! You have planted this idea in my head now and I want to do it! :-)
God I love these two as a combo
2:37 It looks like the "old" GCN guys are retired 😁
It would be interesting to know how many stops you did within the 24h.
How ironic this was posted yesterday, as I tried a 24 hour ride yesterday! Unfortunately, I stopped after 20 hours and rode 247 mi (399km). I started at 1:30 AM and rode 100 miles, then I did 8.8k ft of climbing without ever climbing in my life during a 100 mi event (Horrible Hundred Clermont FL) and then the cold set in after dark. I'm from South FL so I'm not used to the cold and didn't dress appropriately so I stopped when my arms started getting numb/shivering so much I couldn't steer properly. The longest I rode before this was 150 mi and I don't regret it!
I wonder how many times he thought, "I could’ve been home already." The mental challenge of this ride had to be harder than the physical exhaustion. Not to mention eating McDonalds 🤦🏽♂️🤢
At least McDonalds in Europe still tastes good. It is about the same taste as 70's McDonalds in the USA used to be. What we get in the USA is awful now, if you can even eat it.
DNFU I tried coke with the hfcs recently as I live in the uk and I can say I feel truly sorry for you in America 🤢😅
Deffo mental was harder
@@Dang_Near_Fed_Up I ride so I can eat at McDonald's whenever I want (which is not that often). Same for pub food, pizza, you name - riding keeps the calories in/out in balance.
@@lechprotean My statement about McDonalds "if you can eat it" is a reference to how bad the quality of American McDonalds soyburgers have become, at least those here locally. The burgers no longer taste anywhere near as good as they once did.
I know several people that can not process them, ending up physically ill every time that they eat a burger there now. If it were Taco Bell not McDonalds, I would make jokes about it being Montezuma's Revenge, but this is supposedly hamburgers, not tacos. If your stomach can still process their burgers I wish you well, but personally I will not even attempt to eat a burger from McDonalds any more, and I know of more than a few others who will not as well.
Don't get me wrong I am not criticizing your choice of food, I eat home cooked 100% beef hamburgers regularly myself, just not McDonalds mystery patties. Take a look at the nutritional information sheet for McDonalds burgers and you might change where you get your burgers from as well. Personally I would like to see an ingredients list for the mystery patties they serve at any restaurant in America now. The only thing I can say for sure you will not see in a modern burger is 100% beef, be it McDonalds or somewhere else. Soybean has been substituted for a large amount of the meat in many meals in American food, just to name one thing you would likely find in the ingredients list now.
Tremendous guys. Great entertainment. Mark Beaumont really enhances the authenticity of these rides and provides a great gauge of the pain and suffering given he really knows what it takes to be an ultra endurance athlete. Excellent again.
One of the best GCN videos
2 tough guys.Respect! To keep going through that freezing rain was admirable.My longest effort in one go was the South downs way double on a Kona hardtail in 2012. It took 27 hours in bad conditions, and I was ok til I got off the bike, then I could hardly stand up.Wish I`d done it 35 years ago and I would have done it in 24 hours
love the hug at the end.
When I see GCN + Epic + Mark Beaumont, I know this is going to be the real stuff. And this episode delivered beyond expectations. Congrats lads, you had to deal with all sorts of weather conditions, yet you never faltered. I can't help but ask - what's next? A fat tyre bikepacking adventure in the snow?
I see “epic” I jump in with a big like!
As you know Hank, your epic adventures with Mark are an inspiration. So I decided to tackle a solo 24, in a tree lined national park. It was an 8.5km out-and-back. It was mostly dry and not too cold. It was a mission, but I thought of you guys as the hours ticked by. Thanks for the motivation!
(513/4,200)
Nobody:
GCN: How far can we ride in 24 hours?
Me: How far can I ride in 24 minutes? 🤔
This was beautiful! You really have to be brave to ride in such rough conditions , for that long. My longest ride was just two weeks ago, 263 km with a tailwind all the way, no rain, in the daytime. I can tell you I was fed up by the time I arrived to my destination. That was less than 9 hours of riding... I can't imagine what a 24 hour ride does to your head
Great vid lads 👍
Wow, that looked tough!
This is why I cycle and watch GCN, not at the same time for safety reasons obviously, but these challenges are fantastic and I hope it inspires more folk to do similar adventures . You don’t need to be somewhere epic to have an epic 👍
The Clapham Village store is staffed by volunteers from the village, it's been a regular stop after caving on Ingleborough.
Love the Clapham Village Store - best place to stop. Riding Along the A65, not so much!
I would love to have Mark Beaumont as my friend and do these kind of rides. What a great bloke. James is also inspirational by taking on these challenges with him. Absolute treat to watch!
This is incredible!!! I ride with my dad he's 50 years old and I am 11.He and me took a ride on a bike from Croatia to Italy :).It was 650 kilometers.The avg. speed was 27.8.
THAT IS FAST
This really shows, what the human body is capable of, if only the mind is strong enough. Thank you for this EPIC ride and the superb videography. Congratulations to Mark and James!
Very well done, but absolute bonkers :D
Loved it guys, absolute nutters, love watching you two, your 1903 Tour de France day was my favorite GCN vid from last season, amazing... and hey, big thanks to the crew for bringing this to us!! Just riding is not at all the entirety of this video's creation! Cheers to all, ROCK ON GCN.
I fell short of my 500km target for 2019 by 5km back in June during the Summer Solstice. Winter 24 hour... wouldn't dream of it here in the UK that's for sure!
Well done, gentlemen! My paternal grandmother was a Yorkshire Clapham, and my wife and I were in Scotland/Northumbria this summer. So my vicarious enjoyment of your exploits was even greater than usual! Greetings from the States!
Epic! The last time I tried a 24h stint! I was unable to ride for 8 months! I mashed my feet.... it was an of road ride though!
That was a fantastic watch, hats off to you both (Mark & Hank). Can't imagine how you achieved this amazing feat 24 hours in the saddle ??
In all fairness the bikes also faired well to the Challenge, outside my price range i Guess.
Big well done your both an Insperation ......
Dave B. Thailand. 🎉
you can come to TAIWAN try “one day two tower” (about 520k from north to south
This is a physically and mentally draining challenge which I commend both of u highly for, from the looks of it yall didn’t really have too much preparation as a pose to just doing it right of the bat. Incredible, I’d love to do this one day (will be dreading it!! ) great work guys.
Thanks for your kind words! You shouldn't think about it too much and just try it
Has Hank taken over for the Brick, as GCN's Pain Face designate?
You both deserve an standing ovation, great display of endurance.
Cheers from NYC
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for taking the time to replay
I don’t deserve it
Cheers from NYC
It would be cool to hear about the clothing you used as the ride progressed.
Yeah, that wind + rain must have been terrible so how you coped with that all would be great to hear.
Awesome video - I've done 1 major night ride - a 400km audax. Highlights were passing a night club at 3am in Perth and getting a 5am mcdonalds and the dawn perking me right up. This video giving me flashbacks to these memories - thanks.
It’s confirmed, James is the strongest rider at GCN
James Lowsley-Williams Hank you are unbelievable! 😱💪🏼
I could feel the pain bros.. the pain was real.. but so well documented.. UK is a wonderful place to cycle.. it was beautiful. Really deserve the Epic title.. free for cyclists? What an angel..
P.s. what was ur recovery time Hank?God...
1: 11 those are some well inflated tires
Did you watch the whole video frame by frame ? 😂
Yeah... what do you think? 120 lbs?
Again we love you from Iraq
That's a sweet comment. As a matter of curiosity (and aside from the cold wet weather which we have in abundance), how does the British scenery appear to you? Does it look foreign and exotic, or quite boring and soul-less?
I've never been to Iraq. This is an fyi I guess.
I've lived in Colorado, USA all but one year of my life.
I love the UK landscape. Ireland too.
@@graememorrison333
Im from iraq to..
For me I'm seeing it very very incredibly beautiful The towns and paved streets are fantastic Mountain and agricultural areas are more beautiful I hope to visit the UK and Europe on a bicycle one day
@@gadsden472 how is it different from colorado. I'm from wales btw
@@yuppp5885
Colorado is interesting in that it has what is called the continental divide in the Rocky mountains. It's where water will flow to either the Atlantic or Pacific oceans depending on the side. the highest point in the lower 48 states is in Colorado as well.
We have plains/grass land, alpine mountains, rolling hills, desert-esque/dry areas, and even sand dunes.
It's not as green here year round. Watching vids that are filmed in parts of the UK in Nov/dec it appears that it's still very green there. It's -8°c as I write this. It can get and stay even colder. Summer can be over 37°. We can get feet of snow or very heavy rains or be completely dry for months. I've seen snow in July and ate Christmas dinner on the patio before.
Within a few miles from my front door I can ride a century that will contain mostly rolling hills or flats or extreme climbing, or a combo.
We have micro climates/area that resemble what I see in pictures of the UK. And they are some of my favorite areas.
Colorado is generally regarded as a beautiful state. It is. I would say, for me, it's stimulating. I envision the UK as calming/relaxing. More gentle maybe.
Awesome ride guys and very well done, you'll defo look back at it fondly. I did an impromptu ride from Sheffield to Durham solo this year and it's one of the best things I've ever done on a bike. Total euphoria.
24 hours without glasses? your eyes would be red...
I guess they put them down for the takes.
Agree, between just the wind, and the debris that comes up from riding behind another rider in the rain. Keep it real, GCN - if they wore eye-pro, at least show them taking it off for shoots.
@@workingguy-OU812 OMG, and we didn't see them peeing, either! They must have gone 24 hours without! Could have caused serious bladder problems! Oh, wait...
@@beeble2003 to that end, I would like to have known how many stops, and for what lengths, they did. I guess none of it matters for the rest of us, though, as we don't have support cars and support motorcycles.
@@workingguy-OU812 The ride is on Strava (twice, in fact) for anybody to look at. They stopped for about 15 minutes after 4hrs20, 7hrs and 14hrs10, and about ten minutes after 17hrs20 and 19hrs20, another 15 minutes at about 21hrs30, and about ten minutes at 23hrs20.
Total moving time is given as 21hrs 5minutes, and total elapsed time as a few minutes over 24hrs. I've only listed an hour and a half of breaks, but I didn't look closely for potential shorter breaks. There's also time stopped at junctions, traffic lights and so on.
THIS is the kind of video I like. Ultra Endurance is what truly appeals to me. Like my strava says, "Miles not medals. No races, no drama, just rides."
12:10 the cyclists 1000yard stare 😢
Thanks guys. That was inspiring. I am certain you would GO FURTHER riding in the OPPOSITE direction, under the same conditions.
Those bikes are 🌶😍
a long ride is something i have to mentally build up to - Mark did that with a spur of the moment request to go for a ride. I love the spontaneity .
Really curious to know the calories burnt in this ride.
@@jameslowsley-williams4243 All the respect man! Cracking video as wel.
@@jameslowsley-williams4243 Incredible effort James. Well done!
Chapeau guys epic ride. Myself and some friends rode from Newcastle to London in 2013. 312 miles in 24 hours awesome ride will never forget it. Luckily no rain......
Do they find suffering fun or something?!
In sports in general(I was an athlete), there is joy in pushing yourself.
Brilliant video, mates. Earlier this year, I solo biked 304km around the perimeter of my city - Ottawa. Took me 24.5 hours but that included 4 hours of sleep that I took largely because my bike lights were dying. A lesson learned there as I look forward to a 2nd go of it next year. A few weeks after my ride, London-based bike messenger Joseph Kendrick looped the M25 in 17 hours. #loopyourcity is a great way to experiment with endurance cycling. Cheers!
6:18 "Its very cold"
I thought you were used to that... You live Britain after all...
It's only cold in winter... Anything upwards of 12 degrees is temperate.
Another wonderfully shot video! I could 'feel' the pain as James and Mark carry-on through the rain and cold. I feel inspired every time I watch on of these videos! Keep up the great work!
Great video. However at @1.40 it should read “Scottish Border”. You’re missing a T.
Riding for 24 hours in the winter is really tough. Chapeau! When I did triple centuries in the 1983-1987 it was warmer doing it in June and be finished in less than 22 hours.
First . !