(Intense music)
- I tell you what mate, we're a long way from Scotland.
(laughs)
- We're not quite where we should be
to be honest.
(intense music)
- It's going to 14 hours of night riding.
(intense music)
- It doesn't matter who you are,
24 hours hurts.
- Ow (explicit)
- Ah.
- {Man} How far can you ride in 24 hours?
What would happen if you just decided
to set off one day and ride
and not stop until the clock
ticks past 24 hours?
We didn't know. But it seemed like
something we should try.
We told the Swiss bike brand, BMC,
and they were keen to make it happen.
And so it was that.
In next these than perfect editions,
at the onset of winter here in the UK
where temperatures are just in single digit.
Nighttime hours are significantly longer than day
and it rains, whereas much it always does here.
It looked like we'd be finding out.
Only this is the second time i'll be
trying to find out.
The first, you might remember,
was when Chris and I tried it,
but were thwarted by an epic day of rain,
strong winds which made it almost impossible.
Unfortunately, Chris wasn't up for it this time,
so I needed to find the person most qualified
for a stunt like this.
And by a stroke of luck,
he happened to be in the neighborhood.
- {Man} Mark, I'm massively inspired,
across all your adventures.
Now, you've got to get home tomorrow, okay,
I'm guessing you've got a flight?
- [Mark] Yeah, its quite a long way, yeah.
- [Man] So, what about, and work with me here,
we set off from around here,
and you cycled up to Scotland?
- [Mark] That would involve about 14 hours
of darkness.
- [Man] Yup.
- [Mark] And I reckon its about
500 kilometers to the Scottish border.
- [Man] You up for it?
- [Mark] Lets talk about it afterwards, all right?
- [Man] (laughs)
Here's the send off party
- Absolutely, there you go mate.
- You got the route?
- Got the route.
- Heading north.
- Yeah.
- Some highlights, absolute highlights.
- Have you got your live tracks on so we can work out
where you are?
- Yes.
So, when you are up checking us at 2:00 am.
- Absolutely mate.
- I'll set my alarm.
It sounds like your both ready, anyway, so we should wish
you the best of luck.
- Actually you don't need luck really.
Hank.
- Good luck.
We're fine, common buddy.
- Here we go.
- Onwards, good luck.
- Scotland here we come!
- (mumbles)
- Have you seen the forecast later up north?
- Okay, lets keep it down.
- Anyway, its lunch time, lets get into the pub.
- Excellent idea.
- Yeah.
- We'll keep an eye on whether they're on the live tracker.
(Up beat music)
- [Man] Of all mad-cap ideas,
I mean I'm all for green travel, but,
substituting my flight home for a bike ride.
I mean I've enjoyed one long bike ride with you before but
that was like, mid-summer crines in the sunshine.
- This my friend is totally different.
(Upbeat music)
- [Man] We're about forty minutes into the ride
and this is definitely the false sense of security.
I don't care how much big miles riding you've done
there's always the anticipation, the nerves, and then
you're on the bike and your 'Hey I feel a million dollars'.
You know, none of the pain, the suffering, the regret, has
sank in yet.
But right now, I can do this.
- Yeah I'm wondering if it's too much excitement
or energy through my excitement.
- It's all about reigning it back, isn't it?
- Exactly.
- (music)
- Now, you'll probably wondering what we are riding?
We're riding BMC road machines that BMC kindly lent us
For this utterly crazy challenge.
And if you want to know more about the bike
Well, here's me checking it out.
- (music)
It's pretty much apart from the
performance endurance category.
In a sense, that they have an out in out race bike
in more to excel in their endurance days
the long days in the saddle
they've go wider tire clearance
and a frame that is design for comfort
as well as performance.
That said they're still really light
with a frame weight of only 850 grams.
Now, BMC say's well as boosting the compliance
of their frame by dropping the seatstays
and using that D shape seat post.
But they're also increasing the torsal stiffness
of the frame.
Which gives extra size handling and responsiveness
of the bike.
- (music)
- Ready for night time. It's going to be a long night.
- It's only, I can see my breath already.
It's only, not even 5 o'clock in the afternoon
lights are on. It's going to be at least 14 hours of dark.
- So this is a new bike for me.
A BMC never ridden until this morning.
I did do a few things to try and
adapt to a road of endurance.
First and foremost, double tape the bars.
I literally, a second layer of tape
trying to get some extra comfort.
This is for the first 12 hours
second 12 hours you can start to feel the hands.
- The form batch has already gone
I've got a battery pack and chuck in there all my goodies.
I'd be lying saying I was pretty nervous this
It's going to be 14 hours of night riding.
I've got minimal experience in night riding.
And, it's very cold.
Yeah, we'll see, I mean...
- (music)
- Hey, we're in Manchester by closing time
- (mumble)
- (laughter)
- 8 hours 20 minutes riding time in.
And, we've done 175 kilometers.
And the rain has started.
Now, it's giving a little dusting in the minute
But, we've looked at the weather forecast
and says it going to get a bit heavier as well go north.
I'm just praying it's not going to be too heavy.
- (music)
- I'm feeling that we're actually in the middle of nowhere
the chat has died and it's wet and it's cold.
This is starting to be feel pretty tough.
- (music)
- This is a getting a bit interesting.
The forecast is diabolical.
We're kind of lulled into a false sense of security
It would be dry for as long as we thought
It's just a case of we're wet, cold the middle of the night
Get some food and if we stop for 5 minutes
we'll be far too cold.
- Right let's go big guy.
Cheers boys for the first check.
- (music)
- I want a filet o fish
I don't know what it will taste like, but I'll try it.
Do you want anything else?
- A cheeseburger as well actually.
It's 3 AM and we thought we join the party goers
in the middle of Manchester.
And, a night out at 3 AM you get yourself McDonalds.
So we'll doing just that.
Marks waiting for an order
he's looking out of place there.
- (laughter)
- This is the worst.
- (music)
- What coffee have you got there mate?
- Flat white probably.
- Flat white fair enough.
Cappuccino man.
- Cappuccino
We got to get cappuccino.
- Cappuccino!
- (laughter)
- (music)
- So, we're two thirds away through
well over 200 miles in
and not quite where we should be to be honest.
- It feels so nice to see the sun.
14 hours of darkness and this is a really nice wake-up call.
- It's cold this made it through dawn.
- Long night.
- (mumble)
- (music)
- I haven't eaten a lot for 3 or 4 hours
and it's caught up on me.
I need to get some food ASAP.
- This is what I need.
- Yes!
- First
- I'm in desperate need for food.
- The first village shop.
- Wow. That's Yorkshire that is.
- Eggs Yorkshire.
- Eggs.
- Don't know where we are.
- Cyclists stop here for drinks, cakes and sandwiches.
- Yes I will.
- Thank you.
- N
- Thanks alot gents.
- Thank you.
- I've never been so tired in my life.
- (music)
- Those pain au chocolat go through me a big rough patch.
Stop by that shop to get some warm pain au chocolat
and bacon betty has perked me right up!
- (music)
- So that's exactly what we need mate
23 hours into our ride
- I know.
1 hour left.
And we go up this.
- Whoa!
- (music)
- I mean, I know we're standing I can find my wheel
it's a glorious day and if you are to ask me 12 hours ago
I would not thought it was possible.
- It's a highland coup, now it's beautiful
I think my knees are going to explode.
- It doesn't matter who you are
24 hours hurts so I think I'll tell you in a weeks time
I loved it, but right now can't wait to get to the finish.
- (music)
- All right mate.
- 20 minutes to go
- Thank the Lord.
- (music)
I've ridden 460 K to get a train home.
- I'm not quite sure of a train home
- Yeah.
- (music)
- 1 minute to go
- 1 minute.
It's going to be the longest minute of my life.
- 24 hours. Come on buddy.
- 24 hours done mate.
- Come here
- It's been emotional chap
- (laughter)
- I'm broken now.
- That was that. 24 hours.
We failed to reached our goal to the Scottish border
although rest assured, Mark still made it home
to look after his kids for the weekend.
In total we clocked up 497 kilometers.
And, no I wasn't tempted to do the extra 3 kilometers.
This hurt this really hurt we finished on the shores of
Ullswater in Northern Lake District.
Just shy of our destination.
But safe in the knowledge that we ultimately succeeded.
We rode our bikes as far as we could for 24 hours.
That was a hard days out.
- It was. It's kind of a states of a hangover but without
having to be near a pub.
- Yeah.
Mark that was another
absolutely just a incredibly difficult ride.
- We're making a habit of this.
- We are. 24 hours a struggle
we ended on the aptly name struggle.
- As we had for most of the day a massive block headwind.
I'm sure we are going look back very fondly of this ride
hope you have enjoyed this as well
just listen to that wind and please give us a thumbs up
This is on him it's his idea
and maybe leave us a comment
and tell us your big rides.
If you do fancy ticking that big
box and trying taking that 24 hours
absolutely go for it.
Maybe not in November.
- If you guys want another video of maybe us suffering
Why don't you check out the 1903 film
that is just down there.