DotWatcher.cc
Bikes of The Land Between 2025
21 August, 2025
Jon Fairclough
Age: 71
Cap number: TD5 7QL
Location: Kelso
Bike: Cannondale Topstone Carbon 105
Key items of kit: All weather clothing, puncture repair kit, first aid kit, gels and biscuits and two bottles of drink, sleeping bag and tent if camping. I use two or three Restrap bags to carry it all. I go tubeless, but carry an inner tube. I have a dynamo for lighting and can charge from that, but also take a battery pack for charging phones, lights, headphones and Garmin devices.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 40-44mm
Electronic shifting: No
Jack Westwood
Age: 226
Location: Cumbria
Bike: 2024 Brother Big Bro - SLX / Deore mix build with custom wheelset from Ghyllside Cycles in Ambleside with a Son28 powering a K-light in the front. Prologo Dimension 143 saddle, bags a mixture of Ortlieb, S2S and Decathlon.
Key items of kit: Full Endura waterproofs, montane down jacket, OMM 233 sleeping bag, probably going to take a Alpkit Soloist tent to maximise recovery and have somewhere to hide from the midges.
Frame type: Hardtail - Fully Rigid
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 50mm+
Electronic shifting: No
Jordan Matthews
Age: 32
Location: Sunderland
Bike: Fairlight Secan
Key items of kit: A dynamo hub for lights and charging, plenty of gears for Clennell Street and a bivvy for a night under the stars in the North Pennines...we can all dream!
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 45-50mm
Electronic shifting: No
Gordon Mackenzie
Age: 50
Location: Invergordon, Scotland
Bike: Enigma Escape Sram Rival AXS XPLR 10-44, 42t chainring Wheelsmith Carbon / Hope Pro5 wheels Panaracer GravelKing X1R 45mm Zipp Service Course Seatpost and Handlebars USE Vybe suspension stem Chris King headset & seat clamp
Key items of kit: Full Restrap Race bags including Race hydration vest. Sleeping kit by Alpkit, Hunka bivi bag, Numo sleep mat, Ultra80 sleeping bag. Clothing by Albion, Traverse jersey, ABR1 pocket bibs, Zoa mountain jacket, Zoa rain shell, Wind gilet Lights by Exposure, Maxx-D and Diablo for seeing and Boost & Boost R for being seen. Garmin Edge 530 for navigation. Alpkit juice tank to charge on the go. Leatherman Skeletool for every eventuality and a Ti spork for food stops. Chamois Buttr Ultra to stop and potential chaffing. And finally a midge net because I’m from Scotland!!
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Titanium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 45-50mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Jed Warwick-Mooney
Age: 32
Location: London
Bike: Ribble CGR 725
Key items of kit: Shimano 105 34/50 with 11-40 rear cassette made possible with the spa cycles extender Restrap front bag containing Alpkit cloud cover and bivvy Feed bag attached to front bag Top tube bag with spare tubes, power bank and food Frame bag with some warm layers, spares and trusty multi tool Saddle bag containing a sleeping mat but likely to be removed on the day Raveman PR1400 for lighting the way
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 40-44mm
Electronic shifting: No
Craig Monteith
Age: 27
Location: Glasgow
Bike: Bombtrack Hook EXT, Scribe gravel wheel set, GRX shifting 36 x 11-42.
Key items of kit: Restrap saddle, frame and top tube bags. Knog Blinder front light. Albion Zoa rain shell waterproof, alpkit bivvy and a down jacket.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 650b (27.5")
Tyre width: 50mm+
Electronic shifting: No
Andrew Broadway
Age: 43
Cap number: 21
Location: Edinburgh
Bike: Ribble AllGrit, SRAM APEX groupset with DTSwiss G1800 wheelset
Key items of kit: Trying to go light weight, but always failing to not pack my fears. Bags a muddle of Alpkit, Restrap and Wayward Riders. Taking a hydration pack this time after my bottles got covered in sheep poop on the first descent last year 🤦♂️
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 45-50mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Alex Dyson
Age: 31
Location: Leeds
Bike: Gloria FKTi, RockShox SID 110mm Forks, Shimano SLX, SQ-Labs Bars & Inner-Bar Ends, Ergon Grips, Profile Design 35c Aerobars, Raceware GPS & Light Mount, Exposure Toro Front Light, Rear Light & Headtorch, Wahoo Roam 2, Redshift Pro Seatpost, Brooks Cambium Saddle, Continental Dubnital 2.2's
Key items of kit: Restrap Custom Frame Bag, Restrap Race Top Tube Short, Restrap Race Hydration Vest, Styrkr Bars, Gels & Drink Mix, Albion Cycling Kit.
Frame type: Hardtail - Front Suspension
Frame material: Titanium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 50mm+
Electronic shifting: No
George Morris
Age: 28
Location: Edinburgh
Bike: Brother Mehteh
Key items of kit: 45mm GK X1s 11speed, 48:31 up front, 11-34 at the back Heavy and Ferrous. Hopes and Prayers.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 45-50mm
Electronic shifting: No
Toby Willis
Age: 45
Location: Chester
Bike: Enigma Escape MKII
Key items of kit: Restrap custom frame bag Exposure Lights USE components SRAM Eagle Mullet Groupset Puravelo Wheels Maxxis Tyres
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Titanium
Wheel size: 650b (27.5")
Tyre width: 50mm+
Jack Yates
Age: 33
Cap number: 68
Location: Edinburgh
Bike: Trek Checkpoint, GRX with 46/30 and 11-40, Conti Terra Hardpack in 50mm, and a Kasai FS dynamo. Aero bars might be dead weight but they're comfortable. Some people regretted choosing gravel bikes last year, but I got through my first ultra on this bike a couple of months ago so I'm going with something that I know won't cause bike fit/comfort issues
Key items of kit: A few layers and tools in the frame bag, misc. bits and food in the top tube bag, bivvy and sleeping bag at the back. My other saddle bag split apart on Trans Alba and this one is partially ripped, so let's see how much kit I still have at the end!
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 50mm+
Electronic shifting: No
Oliver Glen
Age: 21
Cap number: 44
Location: Durham
Bike: Fairlight Secan 2.5
Key items of kit: Bright lights, lots of carbs and aero bars
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 650b (27.5")
Tyre width: 50mm+
Electronic shifting: No
Matt Jones
Age: 26
Cap number: 52
Location: Edinburgh
Bike: Salsa Cutthroat - GRX/XT drive train, Redshift kitchen sink bars, 2.35 Mezcals front and rear
Key items of kit: Duct tape, cable ties, 1 million squares bars
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 50mm+
Electronic shifting: No
MRS HELEN COLLARD
Age: 59
Cap number: OX278HD
Location: Oxfordshire
Bike: Open Upper
Key items of kit: Restrap frame bag Epidural saddle pack . Sleeping bag & mat . Snacks
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 40-44mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Rosalind Clark
Age: 56
Cap number: 65
Location: Alwinton
Bike: Open Up
Key items of kit: Restrap kit bags Ortelib tail bag
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: Other
Tyre width: 40-44mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
