Bikes of North Wales 400 2025

George lees

Age: 38

Location: High peak

Bike: I will use my Santa Cruz Blur which hopefully should see me round with a small degree of comfort.

Gx / xo1 group Hope brakes Hand built wheels Rekon race tyres 2.4 Rock shox fork and shock. Mixed selection of bags.

Key items of kit: Many snacks and some spare socks.

Frame type: MTB - Full Suspension

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Ben Brough

Age: 30

Location: Peebles

Bike: Specialized Chisel FS Evo

Key items of kit: OneUp Components Carbon Riser Bar, Fox Factory 130mm fork, X01 Drivetrain, Specialized Wheels, Maxxis Rekon Race Tyres and a medley of Tailfin, Restrap and Straightcut bags.

Frame type: MTB - Full Suspension

Frame material: Aluminium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Rob Young

Age: 37

Cap number: 2

Location: Mold

Bike: I'll be riding the same Ribble Gravel e (with battery and rear hub motor removed) on which I completed the 2023 NW400, using a SRAM Apex 1x11 groupset with a 38 tooth ovalised chainring at the front and the standard 42-11 cassette on the back. Wheels are 27.5 / 650b Hope Tech XCs on Pro IV hubs, with some fairly used WTB Sendero tyres to regret along the road sections.

Key items of kit: Unlike on the NW400 where I was extremely front-heavy, I've replaced the bar pack with a Decathlon Rockrider saddle harness and bag. All of the rest of my carrying kit is Restrap. Main light is an Exposure Toro, with a dinky commuter light strapped to my helmet which does an incredible job considering. Will most likely carry just a down jacket and a bivvy for forty winks.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Aluminium

Wheel size: 650b (27.5")

Tyre width: 45-50mm

Electronic shifting: No

Alex Berry

Age: 43

Cap number: N/A

Location: Disley, Stockport

Bike: Copy and paste of Dales Divide...as that seemed to go well.... Pipedream S6 Sirius Ti, Roost Ti Bars, Specialized Roval Wheelset, Conti RaceKing 2.2 Tyres (may change to 2.6 rekon / forekaster), Hope Brakes, Custom Homemade Framebag, Tailfin Top Tube Bag. Going for a fast and light approach - no sleep system being carried as weather looks on point.....(will rethink if it changes).

Key items of kit: Food, music, water filter and a good attitude!

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Tom Avon

Age: 37

Location: South Wales

Bike: Specialized Epic

Key items of kit: Stealth frame bag, for carbs mix, pump and cold/wet clothes.

Pro aerobars with Revelate bag, bivy with PHD half bag and Patagonia puffy jacket.

Tailfin bags with spares, electronics and snacks.

Exposure lights and Silva headtorch. Carrying all my water in an Apidura vest.

Frame type: MTB - Full Suspension

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Mark Riley

Age: 52

Location: Cilcain’s, Wales

Bike: Whyte 629 2018 frame, repurposed trail bike!

Key items of kit: Barzo Mezcal tyres to replace the Magic Mary! A few modifications from last years NW300 setup, still carrying tent and stove, still not in it to win it but to finish on time.

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Aluminium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Alan Goldsmith

Age: 61

Location: Wiltshire

Bike: Stanton Sherpa. 120mm forks, OneUp dropper. Ortlieb bar bag and seatpack, with Restrap bumper bar and Wolftooth Valais. Tailfin top tube bag.

Key items of kit: Garmin Etrex for navigation. Big Agnes Fly Creek tent, Exped Synmat and Rab sleeping bag for comfortable overnight rests. Showers Pass waterproof jacket. Exposure lights.

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Steel

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Jonny Bound

Age: 27

Location: Bristol

Bike: Scott Spark 910

Key items of kit: Bags are mostly Restrap, paired with 3L Evoc hip pack. Alpkit bivvy and sleeping bag.

Frame type: MTB - Full Suspension

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Stu Taylor

Age: 48

Location: Kirkby Lonsdale

Bike: Sonder Broken Road Ti

Key items of kit: Redshift seat post, Miss Grape Ilcoso bar mount, Coras Dura gps unit, SQ Lab saddle and grips, Alpkit bags and sleeping gear.

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Tom Bruce

Age: 38

Location: Mellor, Stockport

Bike: Cannondale FSI, SRAM x01 gears, magura mt6 brakes, mezcal tyres (trail rear/race front) JRA Knarr rear wheel, Hunt XC race front, charge saddle

Key items of kit: Restrap top tube bag full of snacks and basic tools, backpack with a lightweight bivvy bag for a power nap. Don't intend to stop for long. Exposure lights.

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Bobby McNicol

Age: 33

Location: Manchester

Bike: Vitus Rapide 29er, Hope Pro 5 wheelset, Shimano XT/XTR groupy

Key items of kit: Rapha head to toe, Restrap luggage, Exposure lighting the way

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Matthew Scott-Chalmers

Age: 40

Location: Caernarfon, Wales

Bike: Sonder Broken Road Ti 2x12 Shimano XT

Key items of kit: Full camping setup with HYPERLITE MOUNTAIN GEAR tent & Stove

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 650b (27.5")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Harry Barden

Age: 30

Location: London

Bike: Brother Cycles Big Bro with RockShox Sid front squash and Redshift suspension seatpost and brooks c17 for the bum.

Mish-mash of bags from Alpkit and Tailfin + an OMM bum bag on the day.

Key items of kit: Front Harness made by my talented friend, Luke Cadman! Well happy with this, before I was just lashing a dry bag to my bars.

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Steel

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 45-50mm

Electronic shifting: No

James Evans

Age: 58

Location: Llanbedrog

Bike: Broken Road TI

Key items of kit: Goretex Bivi. Suunto watch for Nav.

Frame type: Hardtail - Fully Rigid

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Peter Abernethy

Age: 37

Location: Peebles

Bike: Commercial meta ht

Key items of kit: Barzo tyres Ergon grips Nukeproof saddle Hope f22 pedals Rockshox pike 130mm Tailfin top tube bag

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Aluminium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Nick Percival

Age: 63

Location: Devon

Bike: Sonder Broken Road Ti mk2

Key items of kit: Looking forward to the many climbs and flowing single track downhills - so spinning a 28t oval & 50/10 cassette from my Cane Creek Ti cranks. Wheels are custom built DT Swiss with 30mm rims holding Barzo / Mezcal tyre combo. Rockshox Sid 120 and Fox air dropper post should give some comfort & confidence when it gets chunky. Bags are a complete mix of Alpkit frame bag (tools, spares & food), Alpkit stuff sack in Straight Cut harness (waterproof & sleep kit) , Restrap top tube (electronics) & Revelate handlebar food pouch for snacks.

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Electronic shifting: No

Graham Cottingham

Age: 37

Location: Edinburgh

Bike: Gloria All Terrain

Key items of kit: Fox 32 Step Cast, Fox Transfer SL, Sturdy Cycles Titanium crankset, Shimano XTR drivetrain and brakes, SQLabs bars and Black Inc wheels.

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Steve Barlow

Age: 64

Location: Conwy

Bike: Giant anthem advanced 1

Key items of kit: Backpack , frame bag , t/t bag , handlebar food bag

Frame type: MTB - Full Suspension

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: Yes

Pete McNeil

Age: 40

Location: Inverness

Bike: Sonder Broken Road - Singlespeed (32/19)

Key items of kit: Hunka bivvy bag, food, waterproofs... Restrap Hike-a-bike harness

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Cat Wright

Age: 36

Location: Edinburgh

Bike: Sonder Dial

Key items of kit: Spider aeroe back rack Podsacs fork bags mounted to rear Rockrider drybag 2x crochet tortoises who come on all our adventures

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Aluminium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Thomas Webb

Age: 47

Location: Sheffield

Bike: Trek Supercaliber 9.8GX

Key items of kit: Similar set up to Dales Divide but after a week in Wales on the 'bigger bike' (a Cotic Flaremax) I've switched to a Tailfin bag rather than saddle pack so I can run a dropper (although I'll need to eat some sandwiches before there's room to drop the saddle). Other potentially interesting bits include SQLab inner bar ends, two Exposure Strada lights, Sol emergency bivvy and OMM pufferjacket, and nearly enough food to get me round...

Frame type: MTB - Full Suspension

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Sarah Hall

Age: 35

Location: North Wales

Bike: Sonder Broken Road, Shimano XT 1x12 10-51 with 30t oval chainring to save the knees! Teravail Honcho & Ehline.

Key items of kit: Snacks. Tailfin & Alpkit bags. More snacks.

Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No