My Hardest Off-Road Challenge | Battle on the Beach 2024

[@The_G]

Well done on completing the course - I was the guy seeing if you needed help at 11:20mins - Horrific conditions and kudos to you for doing all of that on a Brompton 💪

[@TheBromptonGuy]

It was much appreciated! So thank you. Never had to do a walk of shame before 🤣

[@davidhunternyc1]

Wow, what a harrowing ride! ... and you made the Puddle of Doom look like a christening. Congratulations on your first place finish !!! Yay !!! You will always be #1 !!!

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Thank you 🙏 I was too scared to fall in and my camera get damaged 🤣. I'm hoping next year they now have a Brompton category.

[@davidhunternyc1]

@@TheBromptonGuy I have no doubt you will be at the top of podium next year too.

[@markhooper5824]

Brilliant mate. Something totally different.😀

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Thanks for the comment as always Mark. This was honestly just such a brilliant event,

[@Gravel-Cult]

Legend of a ride and kudos for hanging in there when it seemed the darkest. I find you just have to keep repeating to yourself "just keep moving and don't stop no matter what happens" at events, especially the long distance ones. I find that running inner tubes with gel in them a good compromise. They are quite bit heavier but it does allow you to run the lower pressures needed for some of the rough stuff terrain. It does mean you have to put in more effort to keep the wheels turning, but it is the journey not the end result when you are ride the small wheel off road stuff. Old adage from my racing days in the 80s you can't win if you can't finish. The lightest and the most advanced equpment do not always make for the cleanest ride for the off road stuff. Big shout out to Schwable Tires for helping out. Neutral tech support is a god send for events. Always treat those guys and girls right!!!! I have never found anything that works good in the sand with 20 inch wheels. You lack the momentum the large wheels allow you to keep rolling when you have to take power off the pedals as you look to control your skid. Gearing down means you spin too much which has it own sets of problems with control. I ride as far as I can and then run it. Great video and story!!! 🙂

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Thank you for the comment! Very lovely to read indeed and very clear you have a good understanding of the tough terrain. Can’t decide next year if I keep the tires as knobby or go for something different like the big bens.

[@Gravel-Cult]

@@TheBromptonGuy I think what would work best if a 20 inch tire with a fine file tread in the centre and pronounced knobby treads on the side of the tire to improve the cornering in the sand. I have seen it in a 700c gravel tire but not in a 20 inch tire yet. Unfortunately there are fewer choices for different terrains in 20 inch tires. If I find it I will let you know.

[@fentuz]

Well done, it is a hard race. 2023 was lovely, 2024 was extreme… it harder, colder and cherry on the cake, got pneumonia and 10days with the nhs… Your video shows some of the hard bit but it was much harder than it seems. Well done for doing it on 20”!

[@TheBromptonGuy]

I did hear multiple times it was the hardest version yet! I feel lucky now cause all I came out with was a slightly bashed right leg. Hope all is well now. Looking forward to see if 2025 returns to a normal less extreme version 😆

[@fentuz]

@@TheBromptonGuy well i started active recovery on my 20” mini velo so hopefully i will be back racing in june

[@HolgerNestmann]

Congratulations. Really amazing work there. I tried a brompton once - casually - on a sand road. I didn‘t like it one bit, so I can only start to imagine the effort you showed

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Thank you so much for the comment :D Very wonderful indeed. I think during my drive was thinking about the amount of time, work and investment I put into this project drove me to the end. Next year I just want to finish without a flat 🤣

[@andyfairchild2383]

Amazing stuff! Well done on getting round, that looked really tough.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Thank you very much. Certainly was a tough effort mate even harder with the head winds. Thanks for watching

[@earlbee3196]

At least you had the fastest Brompton of the day🚵🏼‍♂️🚵🏽🚵🏽‍♀️

[@TheBromptonGuy]

And nobody can take that away from me 😬

[@earlbee3196]

@@TheBromptonGuy absolutely well done.

[@ayclarke1880]

Great video! Great ride! Great rider! Great bike!

[@TheBromptonGuy]

You are an absolute legend! Thank you so much for the support and the coffee. Glad the videos keep you entertained

[@bcd3rdgen699]

Brompton build like a tank.😊

[@TheBromptonGuy]

I’ll continue to test it till I break it 🤣

[@grahamricketts-bq1ft]

I reckon you should have done Paris Roubaix instead !!

[@TheBromptonGuy]

I have just noticed they actually do a charity sportive of it a day before the pros take the stage 🤔. could be a good one to do in the future

[@grahamricketts-bq1ft]

@@TheBromptonGuy I did the Roubaix sportive in 2021 it's about 100km short of the pro's race but includes all the pave, about 50km in 30 sectors, pan flat, but the longest is about 3km and they are varying degrees of roughness, it was great. Did BOTB last year on a CX bike, but needed 40mm tyres, but no clearance on my frame.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

@@grahamricketts-bq1ft Which one did you find harder?

[@grahamricketts-bq1ft]

@@TheBromptonGuy BOTB, definitely, but my skinny 33mm tyres didn't help, particularly on that sandy single track. Roubaix is awesome, just a smidge over 100 miles, but it was dry when I did it, wet would be a whole different ball game. I did Gent Wevelgem a couple of weeks back and there was someone on a Brompton on the Kemmelberg, much respect !!

[@TheBromptonGuy]

@@grahamricketts-bq1ft Yeah thats big respect! I've been looking at some other multiple day events for next year so its good to talk shop

[@jered2177]

Good effort and awesome Brompton

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Thank you so much ☺️. I must say I love this Brompton very much, just unlocks everything (apart from speed 🤣)

[@Robert_Thomas832]

Biking on sand is a terrible thing but makes for a case of schadenfreude, what a word. High pressure washer does the trick 😅

[@TheBromptonGuy]

That is officially my word of the day 👌

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

Driving to reach a "Beach Race", for ordinary bikes, using a slightly modified Brompton! A purpose which at best might be considered rather insane, as a Brompton is at its absolute best during - folded transport in trains, cars, boats and planes, and not intended to use for riding, at all! To protect the EU from the kinds of people who could consider a thing like this, I am indeed fond of the fact that the Continent is now cut off! 😁 Finn. Denmark

[@TheBromptonGuy]

You just watch made and I'll do the longest possible cycle packing on it to reach Denmark 🤣. We Scots are pesky folk..

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

@@TheBromptonGuy Oh please, have some mercy!!!

[@TheBromptonGuy]

@@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188 🤣

[@KavanOBrien]

Are you going to do a video of what you’re planning to do with the lesson learnt from the race ? We won’t mention about the things you forgot to do before the race like making a list so you can do a check list scenario, nobody noticed that bit , if ever there was a race that would put belt drive on a pedestal it’s definitely this race.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Hey mate that is a good idea 🤔. I can conclude a list has already been made and if I do that video will prob be start of next year in preparation for it. You specifically will be interested to know my plan is to belt drive it next year 🤫

[@KavanOBrien]

@@TheBromptonGuy Funny really with the evidence staring everyone in the face yet the industry are trying to hold on to the chain drives, as mentioned in previous correspondence , belt drive systems have increased year on year over the last five years , it’s only a matter of a couple of years now that they will overtake the chain , yes even with Brompton the penny will have to drop at some point = they have definitely lost there way in making cycling easy and simple in fact it seems they are doing the opposite with now 12 gears , if you’re only open to idea within any company then your vision is going to be limited, just come across this new company to me that is and will have a deep dive into it = a company called SCHLUMPF DRIVE = BELT DRIVE SYSTEM. Sorry for long message but as usual only a little sorry.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

@@KavanOBrien SCHLUMPF DRIVE never heard of it will give it a research and see. My M line will go to belt drive if I can work with Rolhoff to supply a hub cause I just don't have the cash to buy one.

[@KavanOBrien]

@@TheBromptonGuy They are a Danish company and they do belt drive systems within their range, From my initial findings they seem to specialise in mountain range and long haul cycling, I know they do a belt drive system but not sure of the dimension of the hub , the Rolloff seems a bit pricey maybe the Alfine might be an option = heard it’s a very reliable and good system.at the end of the day it’s obviously night thought a would squeeze a little humour in , joking apart seriously the Alfine would be a serious contender.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

@@KavanOBrien I feel when I chatted with Ben he gave me the vibes it works best with Rolhoff and don't think it works with the di2 alfine 🤷🏻‍♂

[@PDN_Den]

Wow Dave…hats off to you sir what a challenge! I was made up you managed to finish the race and much kudos doing it on a Brompton🫡

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Thank you so much for the comment and support. Honestly an event I'll never forgot, hoping its less stormy next year.