25th June 2019
MASONite | Philippa Battye, GBDuro Rider
IMAGES 1 & 4 COURTESY OF REUBEN BAKKER-DYOS
Have you done this sort of thing before?
Tell us a bit about your riding.
As above, the I did the SilkRoadMountainRace last year, and the Italy Divide and All Points North this year. My amount of riding has steadily increased over the last 10 years, mostly solo tours increasing in length. I've done the dd triathlon and organised runs etc, but I'd rather do events where I'm going to be seeing exciting stuff and preferably not sharing it with too many people!
What bike are you riding, and what have been the hardest decisions regarding setup?
Mason Bokeh. My hardest decision is still whether to take my waterproof trousers or not. The rest has felt quite straightforward.
GBDivide has a 50:50 road:gravel split. How has this changed your planning compared to a road event?
Mostly tyre choice, and an additional super bright light so I can hoon it down more technical terrain.
What's in your sleeping kit?
Inflatable mat, down trousers and jacket, and bivvy.
How far do you plan to ride each day?
I'll aim to hit the CPs on the suggested dates, so it's around 180-200km a day. Obviously the earlier I hit the CPs to relax and recover the better.
How much sleep will you get?
Between CPs I imagine I'll need 3 hours per night. I can't seem to ride on much less without dozing off! At the CPs - plenty!
What's your target finishing time?
2nd July.
What attracted you to GBDuro?
I'm going to see the length of Great Britain and a lot of what's in between in a relatively short space of time!
Bits you're worried about?
The weather. I always worry about the weather!
Bits you're most excited about?
The first beer at each CP. And ALL of the riding of course...