Congratulations to James Benson-King for setting a new WUCA Record for his Khambhat City at 0m to Umling La pass at 19,024ft attempt – in these categories: Male, Solo, Unsupported, upright bike, 18-49 age group. He rode for 1305 miles in 93H:14M (riding time) and climbed a total 57,727 feet.

This also a new GWR record! Congratulations James! You have laid down an amazing mark to beat!

Rider’s Summary:

Record attempt: Fastest Ascent from Khambhat to Umling La Pass by standard bicycle

Rider Name: James Benson-King

Start Date and Time: 7th June 2025 – 06:16 AM

Start Location: Gulf of Khambhat (insert coordinates). Exit the Gulf of Khambhat parade to the south until you hit the sea. At 0m begin cycling.

Conditions:

The 2,100 km route has two distinct sections. The first section from Khambhat to Chandigarh is relatively flat and intensely hot during May/June. Temperatures in the daytime peaked between 47–50°C. This meant the ideal time to ride was outside of 10 AM–4 PM. I approached the conditions during this period by starting cycling around 4 AM and stopping around midday for a few hours, finding somewhere to sleep. Monsoon season was about to start as well, although fortunately on this section of the route I never saw any rain. Even during night riding and late evening, temperatures rarely dropped below 32–35°C, so conditions were always hot.

The second section of the route is the Himalayas. Through this section, the temperatures did cool slightly although midday temperatures still hit 35–40°C, although much less humid. Nighttime temperatures dropped though, and average daytime temperatures dropped, making the riding much easier. Here the elevation started to take effect, with multiple climbs over 5,000 m. Throughout this section the weather can change instantly, and I had one day of intense rain and storms. Fortunately, after this day though, the mountain passes were on my side and the rest of the route remained dry.

Conditions were a big part of this trip as you need to time the mountain passes being open in the second section without hitting monsoon season in the plains. All in all, I was happy with only one day of rain!

Why a record?

My friend Michiel set the highest elevation handbiked in India last year. I supported him for the first month of his trip but unfortunately never saw the Himalayas. I read up more about the route and realised no one had ever set a time on a standard bicycle from sea level to the world’s highest road. I thought it was an incredible challenge and loved the idea of documenting this journey to help inspire others to push themselves whilst also showcasing how bike travel connects cultures.

What equipment did you use:

I rode a Curve GXR gravel bike with a lot of USE carbon fibre components. My gearing went incredibly low with a 10–52 cassette on the rear. For bike baggage I used Restrap Frame, Saddle, Handlebar, and top tube bags. I also used a Restrap hydration vest. The bike itself was lightweight and with my 40mm Schwalbe tyres was incredibly fast rolling. I definitely think I brought along too much baggage to store additional food and sleeping gear. If doing again I would take less! I don’t think any of my gear was necessarily special although it was all special to me!

Eat and drink:

In the first section, due to waking up so early, breakfast bought from somewhere wasn’t an option. I would source oats/bananas the night before and make my own breakfast in the morning. I would then snack on my bundle of gels/biscuits/bars until around 10 AM when the day would heat up and I would lose my appetite. During this time I would solely drink water and electrolyte mix until I stopped for lunch. For lunch I would normally eat local and have plain rice/plain bread/plain potatoes or, if I could find some form of fast food—burger/pizza/fries—I would also eat this. In the afternoon I would resume solely drinking water/electrolytes plus liquid calories via fruit juice etc., then in the evening I would refuel with a big evening meal similar to lunch.

In section 2 the fuelling strategy changed and was much more consistent. For breakfast I would usually eat at the guesthouse I was staying at due to the later wake-up time. This would normally be some form of eggs and carbohydrates. I would then fuel consistently on gels/bars/biscuits/protein bars throughout the day. For lunch and dinner I would eat similarly to section 1 with plain rice/potatoes/bread, although in the mountains, fried rice and chow mein were constant options as well.

All in all, fuelling was a big concern of mine for the latter section but it needn’t have been. There were always options for food along the way with the speed I could ride at. If riding again, I would not carry as much food along the way.

Best part:

Lachalung La descent was potentially the most interesting and best part of the ride. The changing faces of the mountain blew me away and I really felt like I was in another world.

Hardest part:

Over the last few days, there were multiple climbs over 5,000 m. The off-road climb in particular had gradients above 15% and turned quickly into a hike-a-bike. The lack of oxygen and how exhausted my legs were made these climbs incredibly demanding and were definitely the hardest part of the trip. Although a close second would have to be the plains and soaring temperatures of 45°C plus.

Anything unusual:

There were a lot of unusual events along the trip. This is India. Road rules are not always followed. Cars and trucks driving the wrong way down highways. Animal crossings on motorways. However, I should mention the unusual issues with my bike. Brake pad issues and broken spokes caused big delays on the journey and I estimate to have lost around 3 days to these issues!

In terms of trail magic though, being offered to sleep in a police officer’s quarters whilst he camped outside in his tent was perhaps the most unusual and incredibly kind offering.

Exact finish location: Umling La – Highest motorable road sign!

Exact finish time:

  • Saturday 21st June – 10:41 AM