Fast and Epic
Fastest Known Times
For Part II of our Ride Free series, we caught up with Neil Phillips, a true legend of the game who’s done it all and continues to do it with souplesse and quite possibly even more foraging.
Fast and Epic
Fastest Known Times
For Part II of our Ride Free series, we caught up with Neil Phillips, a true legend of the game who’s done it all and continues to do it with souplesse and quite possibly even more foraging.
What is an FKT?
A fastest known time is the speed record for a cycling route, these routes are often incredibly long, off-road and take multiple days to complete.
Neil is a man who knows a thing or two about these challenges. His achievements range from drilling it for Tekkerz & Kibosh on the road, to an overall pairs win at TCRno.3, 2nd place at TCR no.4 and Trans Pyrenees ‘22, as well as holding the FKT on King Alfred’s Way. In other words, he’s a multidisciplinary machine!
We ask him about the equipment he uses and tips for undertaking these extreme challenges.

What's your bike of choice?
The Diverge STR
In saying this a lot of UK off road FKTs and ultras sit in the void between gravel and xc MTB. Where both have their benefits and drawbacks, this new rig helps to fill that gap. Reducing fatigue your body feels and therefore saving precious energy on the long +15hr rides whilst allowing for quick speeds on smoother surfaces and inclines, as well as getting loose on the descents with the 2cm of travel up front and 3cm in the back.

What are your tips for anyone attempting an Ultra Race or FKT?
- Plan some refuel/water stops so you're not stopping to search.
- Maybe an obvious one but keep it steady, better to finish going really hard than crawling for the last few hours.
- Be courteous to others using the trails, a lot of UK off road routes will be heavily used by walkers etc be nice and pass them carefully, a few seconds to slow down isn't going to jeopardise a 15hr ride.
- HAVE FUN!
The Kit
Take a look at some of the equipment Neil uses when undertaking his immense challenges