Liam, tell us about your event, the SSX Mystery Tour. What is it and how did it come into existence?

The SSX Mystery Tour is my cycling event, it showcases my home county of Sussex with one big off-road loop. It started in 2020 during lockdown when all my plans were cancelled and all of a sudden I had a lot of time at home. I started to explore more and more and came up with the concept of creating a big route, starting and finishing from my village Forest Row in the Ashdown Forest. I was sharing a lot about my explorations on social media and as the “mystery” route came together so did the interest from those who had been following online. 

After a while, I thought to myself, ‘What’s stopping me from creating my own event?’. The answer was nothing and so the SSX Mystery Tour was born. On the 19th September 2020 we had our first edition and it has run every year since.

The route is something that has prompted a lot of discussion: how tough it is; how long it is and all the rest. Talk us through your route planning. 

The route has changed every year: the first year was 200km and approximately 80% off-road, the second year was 250km, the third year was 270km and the 2023 route was 300km, so it's definitely getting longer! When planning the route I try to include a bit of everything. I want people to enjoy the route, but I also think about how I can make this hard enough to break someone? I treat it a bit like a video game when creating the route. You know, I'm making a really hard level on Super Mario Bros. Who wants to play? 

Sounds as though it’s pretty tricky, how gravel bike-friendly is the terrain?

Pretty tricky is right haha! The route can be completed on either a mountain bike or gravel bike, and I always say the best bike is the one you are the most comfortable riding – after all, this is not a race. An experienced road/gravel cyclist would be better off sticking with drop bars and the same goes for mountain bike riders who are used to flat bars and bigger tyres. 

Why do you think SSX Mystery Tour has been such a hit?

I wanted the event to appeal to both experienced riders but also to ambitious beginners. We have a very low barrier to entry and it is a true grassroots event. The first-year tickets were just £4.50 and for the start we gathered at my local skatepark for a 5am rollout. For beginners, it's a simple format and a no-frills way to take on a proper challenge without too much financial commitment. For experienced riders, it's a distance they might be familiar with but over a landscape not known for its difficulty. Many riders underestimate the route and that's what accounts for the extremely low finish rate.

Community has been a massive part of our success and it's been great to see people become friends through our events and social rides. Sharing 15/16 hours in the saddle alongside someone creates a bond. That sort of experience and memories won't fade lightly and it is what people chase. 

The first edition was known for its high Did Not Finish rate, what makes people still want to sign up?

We have had some very high DNF rates over the years and through every edition we've seen no more than 30% of starters make it to the finish. In 2022 just 13 riders finished the whole route (from 100 starters). I think people continue to sign up and new riders find us for a variety of reasons, but mainly because people support people – I'm not a massive business and people appreciate that.  Logistically it's also very convenient for a large number of riders due to the proximity to London. 

It’s cool that even though you’ve had the opportunity to ride in some of the most highly sought-after locations in the world, you’re still drawn to organising an event that’s so close to where you’re based. Knowing that we all get home blind, does it not feel boring? 

I have been really lucky to see and cycle in some amazing places! When I'm at home and out on my bike I try to focus on the things that make where I live special. For me, that's focusing on the small things and zooming in a bit. There are no famous snow-capped peaks, switchback climbs or barren deserts to wow me, so looking closer into the details such as a name of a road or an old bridge makes me learn about where I live and wows me in a slightly different way. 

The event has grown year on year since its pandemic roots. What is your vision for the future of the event? Do you see it growing into something for the masses or do you want to keep it low-key?

I'm not quite sure where the event will end up in the future but for now, I just want to keep creating fun. I'm managing the event and everything that goes with it alongside my own calendar. I’m not saying that the Mystery Tour takes up a ton of my time, but it’s most definitely a side project at the moment. In the future, if I have more time, I'd definitely like to grow the event and brand. A new location for a second event is something I've also thought about.  For now, people seem to appreciate the work I put in and together with our like-minded sponsors we will make sure the SSX Mystery Tour lives up to its expectations!

Moving from rider to event organiser must be a challenge, what have you learnt during this time and what is your favourite story from the event?

We have had so many good stories over the years - everything from riders sleeping in hay barns on the side of the track when too tired to continue and then riders being too excited to even get to sleep the night before and setting off at 1am. Everyone has their own stories, some of them I only hear months later and many I never hear at all. I guess it's all part of the Mystery.

You can keep up with the SSX Mystery Tour here: https://www.instagram.com/ssxmysterytour/

Images courtesy of Ollie Adams and Dan King.