You know? I just get such a kick out of these chill, long adventures that the boys go on. A comradarie that hasn't been captured since the original Top Gear. Even when you go solo these are such a treat to watch. More so, when these rides involve Si. He has this knack of not only bringing us the amazing scenery, but a way of bringing us right down next to him, churning those pedals and breathing in Life. Unusually good music too! More than anything, I just L-O-V-E that you all seem like good men. Polite. Courteous. Appreciative. Funny. Still makes GCN the first thing I put on in the morning; and yearn for turning a pedal, or knocking back a latte or a Belgie with you all one day. Thanks for winning at Life.
I absolutely bloody love that feeling at the end of a long long ride! It’s the most special feeling in the world. Absolutely no drug would ever replace that hazy emotion moment. I wish I could bottle it up and sell it or make people who don’t ride bikes or hate bikes, experience it. It would change the world if you sold that feeling in a bottle on the shelves of Tesco! (other supermarkets are available ) 😉😁
Si, thank you for taking us along with you. After watching this, I am now not worried about Sir David Attenborough retiring from television in the future. Great work!
I live and grew up in North East Wales, Betws Y Coed has always been my happy place. I have been there several times this summer and have noticed a lot more MTB and full on Gravel bikes around either just passing though or at the cafes since the much publicised opening to the Traws Eryi, this is a massive win for all the places that this trail passes by and makes me so happy to see people on bikes enjoying all that North wales has to offer.
What a beautiful adventure! Shout out to the filming/editing team for visually communicating that emotional roller coaster. This short film really captures what one of these rides can feel like.
The mawddach trail is my local area. Makes me feel lucky to live here when people like yourself (that have been around the world cycling) enjoy it so much 😁
Si, I just landed in Geneva a few hours ago, coming all the way from the U.S. to take part in the Inferno ride that you took part in last year. It's been almost a year of training. All leading up to this. Inspired by you and the GCN team's hard work and wonderful video. This will be the hardest two-days I've ever put myself through , but I'm excited to give it a shot. Glad you are out there inspiring others and introducing them to yet another epic ride.
I did a similar ride through the mountains and national parks of Slovakia recently. Also stunning and tough, but the knowledge that there are bears everywhere keeps you moving forward!
This is GCN+ esque! Fantastic cinematography and editing. Well done guys. Brilliant film. Well done Simon for doing the challenge, another epic in the bag mate. I've been eyeing up this one. It looks great. I'd probably do it over 2 days though! 😂😂 Thanks GCN this is what you guys do best. Awesome 👍
I came to visit Wales from Poland for a few days in May with my fiancée and we obviously did go to Snowdonia with a rented car and whilst we were there I was constantly saying to her what a cycling paradise this was. And now Si comes up with this a gem of a movie and makes me want to come back there very badly - but with my bike this time. :) That was a marvellous adventure and credit to Si for reaching the end of the route in what seemed to be a very good shape. Brilliant.
Si. Wow. You are a machine!😊 A great effort physically and mentally. You should be proud of your ride. Great scenery. I do note I never saw a scowl on your face, even after stepping off into the bog!! Well done
Yeah, but the "pfaffing around time" is one of the pleasures of cycling isn't it? I'll bet the best coffee you've ever tasted is when you are in the middle of a bit of cycling . For many of us that's one of the greatest pleasures of cycling not just spinning the pedals. Well done done Si. You are one tough guy!
Looks epic, and it wouldn't be a GCN vid without faffing. There's a new C2C route in Southern Scotland, the Kirkpatrick Coast to Coast, 400km from Stanraer to Eyemouth that's worth checking out.
I think Si would be entertaining documenting himself riding literally anywhere. Well done! Your descriptions of joy in adventure are what make so many of us take on stuff like this. Inspiring!
Always enjoy Simon's adventures. Never been to Wales, but have read a LOT of history of how the country was invaded, fought over, traveled through. Really a wild mountainous land. Thank you, Si. Glad you made it and had a great day out on your bike. 😉
Really nice adventure with great footage and excitement from Si. Keep doing more of these. Also, it would be good to hear more about the nutrition plan as you didn’t stop much. May be a good episode.
Four minutes into the video and already excited about your introduction into this challenge. 👍 Aside from the stunning scenery of the UK I am always how well organised it is in terms of guides and helpful reading matters for a specific topic. 😮 Your excitement (coupled with doubts at times which is normal and human) is infectious. This ferryman I give an extra kudos 👋 … it took you 10:01 to beat your demons. Really well done 👏 … 😊
My home cycling area, so excited to watch this video! Nowhere I'd rather ride a bike. Kudos Si, my partner who is first language Welsh appreciated your decent effort at "Eryri" - "Machynlleth" may need some work but you've done well!
Simon your narration was superb, the ride was amazing to share with you 👌 and your enthusiasm and fitness are just off the scale…brilliant mate and I’ve been humbled by this one 🙌
Thanks you Si for this inspirational video. I am taking the gravel bike out next week for a long run so this will surely motivate me to complete. You will definitely be in my thoughts as I hit the trail. Well done and congrats on finishing that ride in a day!!
Thank you Si , and crew...that was great !! Drone shots and beautiful scenery , appreciate the share ! AND , Si , what are those shoes , mate ? also impressive as hell ...sheesh.
Great effort, Si. It was like being there with you. We all those feelings of being drained and feeling like you can't go on. And faffing around! Brilliant video / mini-movie. Hope you had a good sleep afterwards!
Excellent film, well done to Simon, and excellent work to highlight the mental battle we all sometimes face doing our own challenge and that it is not embarrassing to admit we all doubt our talent and ability to face big challenges in life wherever we face them.
On the day I watched this I had just finished what would be a 1/4 of this route but with similar elevation and crazy off road segments. It totally wiped me. I’m so impressed, and on a gravel bike! Fantastic video congratulations on this truly epic ride.
When its Si, you know you'll get connected to a whole heap of inspiration and reminders of the amazing ways to enjoy cycling. TBH I can only be interested in a few "watch us go fast" videos, before I watch GMBN to remind myself it's fun as well. But Si, and Alex's love of affordable bikes, draw me in every time.
Thank you Si. I just love this content. I really needed to see this. I think I have forgotten how much I love doing this stuff on my own. Over the last twelve months, in my attempt to evangelise gravel bike riding, I have somehow become accustomed to only riding with others. It's been great to introduce this lifestyle to many others but it has come at a cost. I love how it wasn't about beating the FKT but about you working out what YOU wanted to get out of it. This is what gravel bike riding is truly about for most of us. Absolutely loved it.
Another mini-GCN+-ish film. Fabulous. I'm always curious to learn about nutrition on huge days like this. We know 2-liters of water were consumed before the cafe stop and replaced plus a tablet (electrolyte?) in one of the bottles. A coffee and some cake for sure. It would be a wise sub-topic to cover fueling for a day like this while encouraging viewers to take on similar challenges. No one wants to bonk in the woods. Bravo! More touring/adventure content like this is always welcome! Thanks Is & GCN.
He definitely refilled all his water more than once. 6 liters is not enough for a 10-hour, especially in the summer and he’s a somewhat heavy sweater. He’s also consuming a minimum of 60 carbs mixed with small amount of protein and slightly more (than protein) amounts of fat. Need plenty of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) via food sources, drink mix, or gels. All of the amounts depend on your size, effort level, temperature, and time.
One of these days you'll give us a behind the scenes to show us how you film these amazing trips. A lot of work must go into it and there must be some great team members who deserve a shout out.
Awesome effort in an incredible landscape - the sort of video that just makes me want to go and ride my bike! Unfortunately I broke my ankle 2 days ago so I can't, I'll just have to enjoy this vicariously. Great content.
Brilliant documentary and well done Si on completing the route. My wife and I are stopping in the Toll house on the bridge in a couple of weeks, and obviously, I'm taking my bike, not gravel, but Mercian Super Audax, so I might give the opening section a go. We love Mawddach, possibly our favourite place.
Awesome ride Si. I did something similar here in NZ last year called Flahute Tour de Peninsula. 200km, 5,500m climbing in and out of bays all day, mostly gravel. 13:41 moving time, 15:00 elapsed for me. Truly a big day adventure and it’s on every year - you should come.
Thanks for an awesome vid and a great reminder of why we do these things Si. Also for sharing both the beautiful landscape of the region and the challenge of your internal mental landscape during this epic adventure.
I rode through Betws-Y-Coed back in April from Bala to Pen-y-Pass. Incredible roads and scenery throughout. Enormous headwind in the final few miles, but the scenery made up for it. I reckon a c2c could be a good one as it's so popular and many people feel doing that in a day is such a daunting prospect due to the miles involved
What an awesome showcase for the wonderful country of Wales, the incredible bike and of course you Si. New challenge unlocked! Definitely going to be planning this one.
Oh Si, faffing around is part of the ride. But this is a great video, incredibly well put together. Thank you so much for making me want to come back to Wales! Me and my gravel bike have to be content with Ontario, Canada. At least for now...
😮Fantastic documentary, GCN. Si, you can tell your story in a way I just stop training and listen to you experiences. I like to thank the editors of this short movie especially. Well done, this way you stay watching and never get bored. Thank you all and keep this GCN feeling alive!! Great movie Si and beautifully edited by the GCN team. (When will the editors be the main actors of the GCN movie?!)
I was there in May but only did a short route through Coed y Brenin (and some ridiculous downhill at Antur Stiniog with my son) It is a wonderful landscape you can return to again and again and not get tired of. I hope to do Traws Eryri one day, but probably not in one day! Chapeau Si.
I absolutely love this content. It has inspired me to take a trip to the UK (from the USA). I found a place that does a tour of this route in 4 days!! I would really love some content on visiting the UK, where to bnb for our and backs near a cool little town with a good bike shop that rents. How to enjoy the countryside you have shown us over the years, staying away from big cities. A list of your favorite places to visit and cafe stops that are the best. Thanks for all you do
Loved the video! An epic adventure with Si, including a challenging ride and breathtaking views. Thank you for the inspiration and also enjoyed being able to crank up the quality and almost feel like I was there.
Si, as we say in Japan お疲れ様です。I clapped for you when you finally made it out of that forest path. Good job for not letting low morale destroy your ride. Something I’m working on. Cheers from a Brit abroad!
I love this type of epic riding, where the scenery and the miles compete to outdo each other. Also, it’s worth watching just to listen to Si nail the Welsh pronunciation.
This adventure is in my bucket list, that feeling is something else, and big congrats to Si for this challenge amd route...love you guys, big love to everyone who loves bikes❤🚲
Feeling so lucky watching this, I live by those slate quarries. My lunchtime loop is up the Ogwen valley to Llyn Ogwen and back down on the old road to home in Tregarth. 13 miles with 1000 ft of elevation
Absolutely incredible stuff from Si here, unreal video and such familiar landscapes for me too. Ogwen valley is one of my favourite places on earth 😍! Bravo GCN, this is the stuff we need to see ❤
What a fab film. I love these challenges and have watched Si as he tackled the North Coast 500 and a 24 hour plus race. This type of film inspired me to tackle the Trans Pennine Trail which I have completed twice now. Please keep making the films… I’m going to give this route a go later in the year. It looked amazing. Thanks again.
