We've been chatting with our supported riders, finding out their riding highs and lows of 2022, what the most inspirational thing to have happened was, their plans for 2023, and more. 

Claire Frecknall is an avid world traveller and never shy of a farfetched destination she’s not afraid to push herself out of her comfort zone but for her, the riding is more about discovering new cultures and places than it is about racing.

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What were your race, ride and bikepacking adventure highs and lows of 2022?

Granguanche was the opener for my cycling season, an incredible journey across the Canary Islands and a lovely bit of winter sun. I thoroughly recommend the route even if you don’t want to race it. For incredible scenery you can’t beat the Dolomites so Veneto Trail was also up there. Roam Scotland Rally was my first proper trip to Scotland and we were mostly lucky with the weather, the worst part was rushing into the tent to hide from a biblical downpour only to realise I had Ticks all over my feet.

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What was the most valuable thing that you learned?

It’s all about the journey… I got stressed at one point during Granguanche when I knew I was going to miss the ferry I was aiming for, feeling that I had failed and was letting myself and other people down.  It turned out that during my forced time of rest waiting for the next ferry I met some wonderful people and ended up riding the last day with friends,  Although I’d enjoyed pushing myself towards the goal of finishing faster the experiences I shared with the people I met along my journey meant much more than race results in the end.

The most inspirational thing to have happened?

Mason hosted a “intro to bivi-ing” night organised by my local club Neighbourhood Gravel. It was so inspiring to see people out on all different bikes and with various kit set-ups, from high end specialist kit to just a basic sleeping bag and a foil blanket, all keen to learn from each other’s experiences and chat about adventures.

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Do you have a big goal for 2023?

No specific plans yet, there are so many things I’d love to do so picking which to go for is a challenge in itself.

Were there any rides/races that you planned to do but couldn’t?

I had a trip to Scotland to race Raiders Gravel that was cancelled as my pairs race partner couldn’t make it, it was a real shame but I made up for it with a night under the stars just 10 miles from home with a friend and her little dog Sid on his first Bikepacking trip. It shows it doesn’t have to be epic to be an adventure.

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Which MASON bikes do you have? Which one were you using on your favourite ride of 2022?

I ride a Mason Bokeh with a few different wheelsets which really makes it my “do everything” bike, I’ve also had the pleasure of borrowing a RAW for a couple of mountain bike trips including a recent recce of a new route across Snowdonia.

Do you have any MASON bikes on the wishlist?

I’ve loved my time on the RAW, it’s really confidence inspiring so I’d love to take it back to the mountains. There’s also been talk of a big ride across the Pyrenees, for which a Definition would be perfect. 

Thanks, Claire, we are looking forward to following all your 2023 adventures. 

Photo credit: Claire Frecknall | Matteo Minelli 

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You can catch up on some of Claire's 2022 rides here: