January is often a time when we look forward to the year ahead and with that in mind we are producing a series of articles detailing rides we enjoyed last year, which we thought readers may be interested in trying.
” Rides to try in 25″ will offer insights into four rides/routes/events of varying distances and “difficulty”, for want of a better word, as well as details of how to get involved and try it yourself.
First up, The Headstock……..
Bikepacking adventure – a very Welsh experience awaits in 2025.
Last year our repair technician, Nic, tackled the inaugural Headstock 500 bikepacking adventure challenge ride, on a 1996 fully rigid, rim-braked, steel retro-gravel-adventure bike, fully refurbished here at the workshop, using over 85% recycled components. Whilst this choice of retro-gravel bike presented its own challenges on the often technical terrain, Nic finished 14th in a time of 81hrs51mins and was one of only 16 of the 80 entered riders to complete the event within the allowed event time frame.
The Headstock is a 500 km, four day bikepacking adventure ride with over 11,500m of ascent. The route contours and climbs through quiet lanes, and remote tracks ‘n trails to Mid Wales and back in a circuitous route, visiting the Black Mountains, Cambrian Mountains , the Elan Valley and the Brecon Beacons, before returning to the start venue, Tiny Rebel Brewing in Newport.
Nic is always keen to support local events especially where travel to the start can either be cycled to, or where public transport is available. This event is organised by Newport Based, All Mountain Adventures, making the Headstock 500 an ideal choice.
We appreciate that a 500km / 11,500m four day bikepacking trip might not be for everyone, so we are pleased to reveal that All Mountain Adventures offers a shorter, more accessible version, the Headstock 200. This 200 km adventure can be completed in a very long day, by an ultra-fit and adventure-experienced rider or enjoyed at a more leisurely pace over a few days, making it ideal for those riders tackling a bikepacking event for the first time.
The Headstock 200 will be running again this year, during the early May bank holiday, 3-5th May 2025 and the Headstock 500 will run during the late May bank holiday 23-26 May 2025. Full details can be found here: https://allmountainadventures.wales/ There is also a helpful blog section on the All Mountain Adventures website, which details a rider’s experience of the 2024 Headstock 200.
If you’d like to know more about bikepacking and get a breakdown of Nic’s kit choices, then leave a comment below.
