Congratulations to Kenneth Lamont for setting a new WUCA Unsupported Germany N-S record in the following categories: Unsupported, Male 18-49, Standard Upright Bike, non-fixed gear.
This is also a new Guinness Record as certified by WUCA.
Rider’s Narrative Summary
Record Attempt: Unsupported Germany North–South (Male)
Rider: Kenneth Lamont
Start: 05:45, June 18th 2025
Start Location: Northern Denmark/Germany Border
End: 02:26, June 22, 2025
End Location: Birgsau Hof Hotel
Motivation
This ride was the third of four WUCA world record attempts I’ve planned for 2025, forming part of my preparation for the Transcontinental Race later this year. I also used the opportunity to raise funds for a Down Syndrome charity, a cause very close to my heart as my brother has Down Syndrome.
Preparation
I stayed the night in Tonder – close to the border with German and set-off early to the start point. There were no pedestrians around at that point – so I took a geolocated video and set off.
(start)
General Challenges
Cycle Paths
Germany boasts some of the best and most comprehensive cycle paths I’ve seen anywhere in the world. However, this also means that as a cyclist, you’re generally expected to use them. These paths often don’t follow the most direct or flattest routes, which can significantly slow you down.
I did use the roads for parts of the ride, but often felt unsafe due to the large speed differentials, even on country roads. At one point, a man swerved at speed while cutting a corner and didn’t see me — I had to throw myself into the verge to avoid a collision. That was a sobering warning.
Additionally, I encountered hundreds of intersections, many of which were poorly signposted, leading to frequent navigation errors and wrong turns.
Road works
More than once on my route there were roadworks blocking my way and I was forced to take a detour. This happened quite early on and I was forced to take several km detour.
Heat
During my attempt, Germany was in the grip of a heatwave. The extreme temperatures caused considerable discomfort and forced me to make more frequent stops to rest in the shade and rehydrate.
Hotel Issues
For other record attempts, I’ve typically booked accommodation on the day via Booking.com to ensure a place to sleep. In Germany, this strategy didn’t work as well. When I arrived at a hotel in Fulda with a confirmed booking, the man at the desk insisted he hadn’t received it yet and refused to check me in. After an argument and an unsuccessful attempt at a nearby hotel, I eventually had to rebook — costing me nearly two hours.
Cash Only
Many small towns in Germany inexplicably don’t accept card payments. After a meal in Bavaria, I discovered I couldn’t pay by card and had to cycle to the next town and back just to settle the bill.
Faulty Inner Tube
My tyre had gone flat either during transit or earlier, so I had a new inner tube fitted at a bike shop in Copenhagen. From the start, the back wheel felt uneven. Eventually, it went flat again. On closer inspection, the tube was of poor quality and had bumps. When I tried to change it, the tyre rims were so tight that I broke a tyre lever and damaged another inner tube in the process.
This forced me to divert to a bike shop in Hamburg to buy new tubes — another time-consuming setback.
Holding the Map Upside Down
Embarrassingly, after leaving Fulda bleary-eyed with only a couple of hours of sleep, I picked up the route in the wrong direction. I cycled 17 km before realizing the mistake. For some reason, my Komoot navigation didn’t alert me, so I had to retrace my steps — further delaying my progress.
End
I arrived early in the Morning at Birgsau Hof Hotel. There are no staff there at night and all was quiet so I took a GPS located video.
I arrived my hotel back down in Oberstdorf – and got final witness signature the next morning.
