CargoBikePacking – New film from Markus Stitz documents a 1,100km bikepacking journey from Scotland to Germany via Route YC on a gravel cargo bike
An 11-minute film documenting a 1,100km journey on a Hase Gravit Dust gravel cargo bike from Edinburgh in Scotland to Erfurt in Germany has been launched on YouTube. ‘CargoBikepacking’ – which was supported by Route YCand Hase Bikes, also features a new cycle touring route on the Yorkshire Coast.
Cycling on Route YC, where ‘Great British Gravel Rides’ author and round the world cyclist Markus Stitz was joined by Guinness World Record Holder Mark Beaumont and local riders, formed two days of the eight-day journey. The Edinburgh-based filmmaker spent the last six months mapping new routes on the Yorkshire Coast between Staithes and Spurn Point, which will be launched at the end of January 2024.
Markus comments: ‘It was really nice to be joined by Mark for two days. We had cycled in pretty wintry conditions from Oslo to Berlin last year and I guess this time it was a bit more relaxed. It was pretty windy, but we had some amazing sunrises and sunsets along the way. And it was just an enjoyable way for both of us to enjoy the Yorkshire Coast and Route YC, also being guided by local people.’
‘Wayne Elliott, a local bike shop owner, met us on the beginning of the third day and Lee, who tracked our progress online, guided us into Hull. This combination of getting to know the region through our eyes but at the same time through the eyes of someone else was just magic. I am excited about the launch of the routes I have developed for Route YC at the end of January.’
Markus’ daily logs and route for the trip can be found in a collection on the Route YC Komoot profile at www.komoot.com/user/routeyc. Even though he faced adverse weather along the way, he arrived at his destination Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia, as planned on 22 December. Along the way Markus also visited the factory where the bike originated from, the Hase Bikes Schaltwerk in Waltrop in North Rhine-Westphalia.
He continues: ‘The second part of the trip was cycling through the Netherlands and Germany, also pretty familiar territory for me. I had the opportunity to cycle the bike back to source. My route took me past the Hase Bikes factory in Waltrop, where I gave a talk about my adventure in the evening and chatted to people who actually assemble and design the bike. It’s always really special getting to know the people behind what is normally just perceived as a product. It makes it just more personal.’
‘CargoBikePacking’ can be watched on YouTube here. More information about Route YC can be found at www.routeyc.co.uk/cycling. More information about Hase Bikes can be found at www.hasebikes.com.
