‘Escape. Exploration. Time to think. Challenges to push yourself,’ is what attracts Tim Wiggins to the bike. ‘I don't think that's ever really changed.’
Tim grew up on the Isle of Wight and, after years away from the homeland, has returned in recent times to rediscover the joys of the small island off England's south coast. ‘It's a fantastic place to train, and provides endless variety, despite its compact size.‘
It was the local MTB scene that first caught Tim's attention as a young lad – racing orienteering events around the south of the UK. He drifted away from riding before reigniting the flame in 2010.
‘I was asked to race mountain bike in the International Island Games – like a mini-Olympics, for islands all over the world,’ he says. ‘After that I was hooked again. I bought a road bike, and started racing for the Isle of Wight sponsored team.’
What followed was a few years racing the British Cycling Road Race and Criterium Series all over southern England and Wales with the likes of Team Wiggle. Then, in 2014, Tim refocussed.
‘I began to turn to Endurance cycling events – completing my first real challenge of riding non-stop from Falmouth to London, 300 miles.‘ Since then it's been pretty much non-stop travel and exploration – endurance stage races in Italy, trips to Mallorca, Scandinavia as well as epics on home soil. He finished off 2016 in style, ‘a 1,900 kilometre unsupported bikepacking trip over the Pyrenees, with 29,000 metres of climbing!’
His dream trip?
‘I'd ride with Jens Voigt –for laughs and David Millar – for style. My good friend Jack E.W., for great conversation, my pal Augustus Farmer, for incredible photos, and my neighbour Francis, because he's who I started riding with.’ he says. ‘We'd ride The Dolomites in South Tyrol: on the big mountain passes, and the small twisting single track lanes. There would be gravel, grinding, grimaces, and grins.’
And his ride?
The Bura SL of course. ‘I've always had a thing about 'hunting vertical', so the lightweight chassis of this bike is incredible. It also looks incredible.’