The Silk Road Mountain Race

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The Silk Road Mountain Race (SRMR) is a 1,850 kilometres loop around Kyrgyzstan, a loop that crosses back and forth over the Tien Shan mountain range and accumulates nearly 30,000 meters. The fastest will complete it in a breathtaking seven days, but many will simply hope to finish in the allotted two weeks. SRMR is a solo and unsupported endeavour, there isn’t a van with spare parts and bikes, nor a person helping feed you. Riders are alone, just themselves, their bike and the vast mountains. As challenges go it’s a real one, not just for the rider but for their equipment too. Once the dust settled we caught up with a couple of riders to hear about it.

Quinda Verheul

"Every race is an opportunity to gain more confidence in your abilities as a rider and to learn how to behave around and in the mountains. My comfort on the bike increases over time, and among other things, brakes are a huge factor in this comfort and growing capability. The faster I descend down the mountain, the more I rely on my brakes. I love the cute sounds they make when they heat up, and when I stop for a second to give my hands a break, they make that classic “ping" sound and let me know they are ready to go."

Have you raced in SRMR before?
No, this is my first time in Kyrgyzstan, and it's been a dream come true as it has been on my list for so long. I finally felt I was physically and mentally ready to take on this challenge.

What bike were you riding?
I was riding a Sour Pasta Party, a bike that I trust completely and feel very confident with. The bike has been set up with Hope Tech 3 and E4/X2, a SRAM GX Eagle groupset and an Ingrid crank (32 x 10-52t gearing). Of course, I have my kLite lighting and charging setup for night riding. During the race I had only two punctures that were easy to fix and no other mechanical problems.

How did the race go?
This was my first race of this length, with previous races being around the 1000km mark, and I decided to make sure I slept properly every night. This made me not the fastest, but my body could recover as needed; even during the race I was able to recover from a bad cough and knee pain and finish strong. I had some amazing encounters with people and loved the high mountains. I would be lying if I said everything was fine; the mental challenge was huge, especially during the long stretches of washboard.

Favourite moment?
On the final climb, after the sun had set long ago and I was surrounded by glaciers and mountains in the darkness, I knew I had another few hours hike ahead of me. The elegance of a thin moon peaked over the mountain tops, and not much later, one of the other riders ahead of me made it to the summit and danced his light at me accompanied by cheerful sounds echoing along. This long-distance connection was beautiful and encouraging.

Any tips for anyone thinking of entering?
Prepare yourself; this is a tough race, so be aware of what you're signing up for. You will love it and hate it for sure, and that's the beauty of it. Lastly, I would advise chatting with some people who have finished such a race, perhaps even some who did not finish, and learn from their mistakes.

James Mark Hayden

Have you raced SRMR before?
This was my third time racing in Kyrgyzstan, previously I placed 4^th and 2^nd. The scale and beauty of the mountains keeps pulling me back, there’s nothing like it. Riding along a plateau at 3,000m with peaks towering above you.

What bike were you riding?
I was using my Fairlight Holt hardtail, I think a steel hardtail is a great tool for the job, I look for reliability and durability a lot for a race setup in Kyrgyzstan, you really don’t want anything to break! I had handbuilt carbon Beast wheels with Pro 5 hubs and used Tech4 E4 brakes. I really like that these are field serviceable and repairable. Actually this year I didn’t even get as much as a puncture! After a few times racing there I think I’ve worked out the right setup!

How did the race go?
Sadly not as planned! I got 1,700 km of the 1,850 km into the race and ended up having an asthma attack. Sometimes life has other plans than the ones we wish, but I’m really happy with my performance and made so many amazing memories in the kilometres I rode. Kyrgyzstan really is a mind blowing place to ride bicycles.

Favourite moment?
Climbing Juuku pass on the second day, my body finally clicked into place and I began riding really well, starting climbing from 1,600m at 4pm at the lake to summit after a two hour hike-a-bike at 1am, it felt great to lay down in my sleeping bag to rest!

Any tips for anyone thinking to enter?
Go for it! It’s such a tough event that the ‘racing’ aspect is more a personal challenge, and whatever happens you’ll be sure to see some amazing mountains and meet incredible people.

📸 Quinda Verheul & Malik Alymkulov