Planning The Black Forest 400 - #BlackForest400

My previous distance record for a non-stop ride stands at 485 kilometres (300 miles): the distance of the Trafalgar Way ride from Falmouth to London, in 2014. The #BlackForest400 will be a new personal distance record, in new riding territory.

The Route

The route starts from the city of Arras in northern France, before heading east and south into Belgium, the Ardennes, Luxembourg, and through Strasbourg; before ramping up significantly to the finish in the Black Forest. A total of 644 kilometres (400 miles), with over 8,000 metres of elevation gain.

You can watch the ride unfold on social media, with the hashtag #BlackForest400

The Bike

The #BlackForest400 will be adventure into a new territory, but I have opted to do it aboard a familiar bike - the Neil Pryde Bura SL.

The Neil Pryde was my bike of choice for many great adventures on the road last year, including the #5MaratonasChallenge and the St. Boniface Down Everesting.

I have made a few modifications to the bike, to make it more suitable for such a long endurance ride:

• Cockpit - I have changed my 120mm stem to a 100mm stem, and switched from a racing drop fi'zi:k Snake Cyrano Handlebar to a shallower drop Easton EC70 Road Handlebar.
• Tyres - For added comfort, I have switch my normal 25mm tyres to the Vee Tire Co. 28c Road Runner Tyres.
• Saddle - I have the new fi'zi:k Versus Evo Antares Saddle fitted, rather than my previous fi'zi:k Arione Saddle. 
• Wheels - Rather than the Campagnolo Bora Wheelset I used for most of last year, I have switched to the Mavic R-SYS SLR Endurance Wheelset, because its carbon spokes provide a notable increase in comfort.
• Gearing - Fianlly, I have switched from a 52-36T semi-compact chainset, to a 52-34T custom set-up chainset. I may well welcome the lower gear provided by this, and a 12-29T cassette, when I reach the Black Forest.