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Edinburgh cyclist rides round world on singlespeed bike

Markus Stitz returned to Scottish capital yesterday after year-long, 34,000km journey

A cyclist has returned to Edinburgh 12 months after he left the Scottish capital to ride around the world – on a singlespeed bike.

Markus Stitz, originally from Germany, ran a gear of 32x18 on his Surly Ogre bike his journey, which finished on Edinburgh’s Portobello beach just before 4pm yesterday after 34,097 kilometres in the saddle.

The 37-year-old set off on 3 September last year, his trip taking him through 29 countries, with the cyclist regularly posting updates on his progress on his website as well as on social media.

After leaving Scotland, his route took him through France and Spain, from where he flew to Iceland before crossing the United States.

From there, he crossed the Pacific to New Zealand and Australia, then through Asia and Europe – including his native Germany – and finally, via Ireland, back to Scotland.

Ahead of the final leg of the journey yesterday from Glasgow Green to Edinburgh, in which he was joined by friends on their bikes, Stitz recounted memories of his travels to Herald Scotland.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14708414.Edinburgh_world_beating_cycl...

The people of Iran provided the warmest welcome he encountered. "I wasn't sure what to expect, and had really mixed feelings about going through the region and then I was just blown away,” Stitz revealed.

"It is an amazing country and such a different culture. They would stop me to offer me tea. They welcomed me into their homes, and give me a bed, or a space on the carpet. It is how they welcome strangers."

He said that “the scariest moment” of his year-long journey came when he was chased by farmers’ dogs in Illinois, although he was able to give them the slip.

Stitz now plans to write a book about his travels, which will focus on how conditions for cyclists, and attitudes towards them, differ in the areas he cycled through.

"I simply wanted to see what cycling around the world was like, and whether it was possible to do it with only one gear on my bike,” he said.

"Emotionally I’ve been at my limits, I’ve had ups and downs, went from being shaken and high with joy to almost collapsing at bad times.

"I don’t know whether or not someone else has ridden around the world on a single gear. It might be a world first, but then it might not be.”

He added: "For years I carried around the feeling that I wanted to do this; I’m looking forward to carrying around the knowledge that I’ve done it."

An experienced long-distance cyclist, Stitz devised the 150-mile Capital Trail bikepacking route through East Lothian, the Lammermuir Hills, the Borders and the Pentland Hills, which made its debut at the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling last year.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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8 comments

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CygnusX1 | 6 years ago
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Yep, first person to cycle round the world did it on a penny farthing. Can't get more single speed than that.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Stevens_(cyclist)

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Welsh boy replied to CygnusX1 | 6 years ago
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CygnusX1 wrote:

Yep, first person to cycle round the world did it on a penny farthing. Can't get more single speed than that. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Stevens_(cyclist)

 

What about this then:

http://www.worldunicycletour.com/wheres-ed/

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PRH | 6 years ago
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Awesome achievement, but definitely not the first.  People have been doing it since the end of the 19th century when single speed was all they had.  Thomas Stevens was the 1st I believe on a high wheeler.  Then Thomas Allen with friend on "safety bikes," then others.  Google them.  I ride a single speed to work, as it is the only setup that will continue to work day to day in snow, rain, muddy city conditions down to minus 30.  I ride a 48-20 which is about 60 gear inches which is low enough for any hill around here and good enough for almost 25 km/ hour on average for any distance you want to ride.  Have to admit I was very skeptical about single speeds at first , but they really open up an interesting new aspect of riding and is worth a try.

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marche | 7 years ago
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I also met angry dogs in Illinois when crossing the american continent. Some nasty Great Danes…
But I never had the chance to travel to Iran. Maybe some dog owners from Illinois should come with me to the welcoming Persia…
3x10 speeds  3 

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antonio | 7 years ago
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The bike, if it can be done, it will be done, Worlds best invention.

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tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
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Rockstar laugh

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ridein | 7 years ago
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Not a fixed gear or belt drive.

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Luv2ride | 7 years ago
3 likes

Popped into to Charlie The Bikemonger's when on holiday near Swanage a couple of weeks ago, just as they were waiting for Marcus to pass through (they'd been sponsoring him).  Was pretty amazed when they told me what he'd been doing.   "Chapeau" doesn't quite seem to cut it for this particular feat!  Looking forward to the book.... 

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