I rode self-supported around the world on a singlespeed steel mountain bike, but not every adventure needs to be that epic.\u00a0<\/p>
Since completing my 34,097km circumnavigation of the globe in 2016, I\u2019ve worked as a filmmaker, author, route creator and speaker.<\/p>
One of my main goals is to lower the barriers to bikepacking, be they geographical, physical or psychological.<\/p>
After all, adventures by bike should be open to everyone, straight from their front door.<\/p>
Adventure cycling should be fun<\/h2>Exploring by bike takes you past quirky sights. – Honor Elliot<\/figcaption><\/figure>Adventure cycling is any bike ride that takes you out of your comfort zone.\u00a0<\/p>
Having ridden across North America, Europe and Australia, almost every cycling situation is in my comfort zone.\u00a0<\/p>
But everyone\u2019s comfort zone is different, and flirting with the edges of what\u2019s comfortable for you will open up new adventures.\u00a0<\/p>
Some people love sleeping in a tent and looking at the stars. I also know people who say: \u201cNah, that\u2019s not for me\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>
On my round-the-world trip, I had no financial support other than bag and bike sponsorship from Apidura and Surly respectively.\u00a0<\/p>![\"Markus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/03\/IMG_5429-scaled.jpg\")
Having pedalled around the world, Markus is comfortable with most things cycling throws up. – Markus Stitz<\/figcaption><\/figure>I carried all my own stuff and mainly slept in my tent. I booked hotels when I wanted time to myself and continue to do so now.<\/p>
On bikepacking trips<\/a>, you can keep a mixture of the two. I still love camping and riding massive days.\u00a0<\/p>Of course, when there\u2019s no accommodation available where you stop for the night, it\u2019s better to use your tent.\u00a0<\/p>
But if I have the opportunity to sleep in a nice bed, I won\u2019t turn it down, especially after a hard day on the bike.\u00a0<\/p>![\"Male](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/03\/IMG_1626.jpg\")
After a big day in the seat, even Markus likes a shower and a warm bed. – Markus Stitz<\/figcaption><\/figure>This is meant to be fun after all.\u00a0<\/p>
My philosophy for adventure cycling is the same as for cycling in general.\u00a0<\/p>
What counts is riding your bike and having a good time. What a \u2018good time\u2019 looks like is so individual though.<\/p>
You don\u2019t even have to ride from A to B to have an adventure.\u00a0<\/p>
I\u2019m setting up a self-catering cottage in the Cairngorms, where guests will be able to discover new trails while returning to the same place each night.<\/p>
Adventures don\u2019t have to be long, remote or off-road\u00a0<\/h2>![\"Markus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/03\/136A5532.jpg\")
An adventure can be had on any surface. – Honor Elliot<\/figcaption><\/figure>I\u2019ve created all kinds of bikepacking routes.\u00a0<\/p>
In my adopted home of Scotland, I designed the Central Belter, the nation\u2019s longest off-road route.<\/p>
My Iron Curtain Gravel Trail follows a 700km section of the former border between West and East Germany, where I grew up.\u00a0<\/p>
On some of my routes, like the 246km Capital Trail between Edinburgh and Glasgow, people compete to set the Fastest Known Time<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>But, despite the motivation of some adventurers to ride as fast as possible, I want to dispel the notion that if it\u2019s not epic, it\u2019s not cool.\u00a0<\/p>
This may sound odd from someone who rode 34,000km with one gear for the sheer challenge of it (the simplicity of a singlespeed<\/a> also won me over).\u00a0<\/p>However, there\u2019s no limit \u2013 short or long \u2013 on the distance a ride needs to be to impart a sense of adventure.\u00a0<\/p>![\"Jenny](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/03\/30_10_23_27.jpg\")
Markus shot a film to promote the Route YC with fellow round-the-world cyclists Jenny Graham and Mark Beaumont. – Jack Armstrong<\/figcaption><\/figure>The Route YC, a collection of rides I made in Yorkshire, is a testament to that. It includes different distances and difficulties: the shortest loop is 14km and the longest is 415km.\u00a0<\/p>
Riding 30km a day is still 30km more than the average person has done anyway. If someone wants to do something epic, that’s totally fine as well.<\/p>![\"Markus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/03\/IMG_8268.jpg\")
Markus aims to lower the barriers to adventure cycling with readily accessible routes. – Markus Stitz<\/figcaption><\/figure>Adventure cycling is often associated with remote, off-road riding. But I aim to make my routes accessible via public transport.\u00a0<\/p>
This helps more people to ride them. I\u2019m also a big fan of making everything as sustainable as possible.<\/p>
That\u2019s not to say I\u2019m against flying to go on a cycling adventure. In fact, I do so myself, but I try to limit how many flights I take.\u00a0<\/p>
On or off-road, you choose<\/h3>
There are also routes for road bikes<\/a> and tourers<\/a> in my Route YC series. You can explore on tarmac too.\u00a0<\/p>I have three gravel bikes<\/a> and looped the world on a Surly Ogre, a steel 29er mountain bike<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>However, the bike I love the most is my 1970s Claud Butler that I primarily use for city riding (no prizes for guessing it\u2019s singlespeed).\u00a0<\/p>
Let\u2019s keep bikepacking inclusive\u00a0<\/h2>![\"Markus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/03\/136A9169.jpg\")
Compared to a decade ago, bikepacking better represents society. – Honor Elliot<\/figcaption><\/figure>When I started bikepacking<\/a> 10 years ago, most people who took part rode ultra events like me.\u00a0<\/p>Since then, it has become far more inclusive \u2013 it\u2019s now open to electric bikes<\/a> and people who ride 40km a day.<\/p>This is a hugely positive development and something I\u2019ve tried to support by organising my own self-supported bikepacking events, like the Dirt Dashes.\u00a0<\/p>
I prefer to ride in what could be considered a self-supported way. For instance, I didn\u2019t have a support crew on my round-the-world trip.<\/p>
Adventure cycling is any bike ride that takes you out of your comfort zone.\u00a0<\/p>
Having ridden across North America, Europe and Australia, almost every cycling situation is in my comfort zone.\u00a0<\/p>
But everyone\u2019s comfort zone is different, and flirting with the edges of what\u2019s comfortable for you will open up new adventures.\u00a0<\/p>
Some people love sleeping in a tent and looking at the stars. I also know people who say: \u201cNah, that\u2019s not for me\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>
On my round-the-world trip, I had no financial support other than bag and bike sponsorship from Apidura and Surly respectively.\u00a0<\/p> I carried all my own stuff and mainly slept in my tent. I booked hotels when I wanted time to myself and continue to do so now.<\/p> On bikepacking trips<\/a>, you can keep a mixture of the two. I still love camping and riding massive days.\u00a0<\/p> Of course, when there\u2019s no accommodation available where you stop for the night, it\u2019s better to use your tent.\u00a0<\/p> But if I have the opportunity to sleep in a nice bed, I won\u2019t turn it down, especially after a hard day on the bike.\u00a0<\/p> This is meant to be fun after all.\u00a0<\/p> My philosophy for adventure cycling is the same as for cycling in general.\u00a0<\/p> What counts is riding your bike and having a good time. What a \u2018good time\u2019 looks like is so individual though.<\/p> You don\u2019t even have to ride from A to B to have an adventure.\u00a0<\/p> I\u2019m setting up a self-catering cottage in the Cairngorms, where guests will be able to discover new trails while returning to the same place each night.<\/p> I\u2019ve created all kinds of bikepacking routes.\u00a0<\/p> In my adopted home of Scotland, I designed the Central Belter, the nation\u2019s longest off-road route.<\/p> My Iron Curtain Gravel Trail follows a 700km section of the former border between West and East Germany, where I grew up.\u00a0<\/p> On some of my routes, like the 246km Capital Trail between Edinburgh and Glasgow, people compete to set the Fastest Known Time<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p> But, despite the motivation of some adventurers to ride as fast as possible, I want to dispel the notion that if it\u2019s not epic, it\u2019s not cool.\u00a0<\/p> This may sound odd from someone who rode 34,000km with one gear for the sheer challenge of it (the simplicity of a singlespeed<\/a> also won me over).\u00a0<\/p> However, there\u2019s no limit \u2013 short or long \u2013 on the distance a ride needs to be to impart a sense of adventure.\u00a0<\/p> The Route YC, a collection of rides I made in Yorkshire, is a testament to that. It includes different distances and difficulties: the shortest loop is 14km and the longest is 415km.\u00a0<\/p> Riding 30km a day is still 30km more than the average person has done anyway. If someone wants to do something epic, that’s totally fine as well.<\/p> Adventure cycling is often associated with remote, off-road riding. But I aim to make my routes accessible via public transport.\u00a0<\/p> This helps more people to ride them. I\u2019m also a big fan of making everything as sustainable as possible.<\/p> That\u2019s not to say I\u2019m against flying to go on a cycling adventure. In fact, I do so myself, but I try to limit how many flights I take.\u00a0<\/p> There are also routes for road bikes<\/a> and tourers<\/a> in my Route YC series. You can explore on tarmac too.\u00a0<\/p> I have three gravel bikes<\/a> and looped the world on a Surly Ogre, a steel 29er mountain bike<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p> However, the bike I love the most is my 1970s Claud Butler that I primarily use for city riding (no prizes for guessing it\u2019s singlespeed).\u00a0<\/p> When I started bikepacking<\/a> 10 years ago, most people who took part rode ultra events like me.\u00a0<\/p> Since then, it has become far more inclusive \u2013 it\u2019s now open to electric bikes<\/a> and people who ride 40km a day.<\/p> This is a hugely positive development and something I\u2019ve tried to support by organising my own self-supported bikepacking events, like the Dirt Dashes.\u00a0<\/p> I prefer to ride in what could be considered a self-supported way. For instance, I didn\u2019t have a support crew on my round-the-world trip.<\/p>Adventures don\u2019t have to be long, remote or off-road\u00a0<\/h2>
On or off-road, you choose<\/h3>
Let\u2019s keep bikepacking inclusive\u00a0<\/h2>
![\"Markus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/03\/136A2922.jpg\")
![\"Markus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/03\/IMG_8107.jpg\")