The Headstock Explorer is our introduction to ultra-distance riding - a shorter, more accessible alternative to the Headstock Challenge, but still a proper adventure in its own right. Taking place on the same day as the Headstock Challenge, the Explorer follows the same route from the start through to Blaenavon, where the two events split. From there, the Explorer deliberately avoids the Black Mountains, Brecon Gap and Sarn Helen - removing many of the longest and most brutal climbs found on the Challenge route. Instead, riders join the scenic and largely flat Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal before making their way onto the Taff Trail, climbing gradually via gravel tracks towards the same checkpoint and feed station used by Headstock Challenge riders. From the checkpoint, the character of the route begins to ease. Quieter cycleways and more forgiving terrain carry riders back towards the finish before one final off-road section delivers a fast gravel finale. The Explorer is designed primarily as a multi-day adventure. Split it across two days with an overnight stop at a campsite, hotel or B&B and it becomes a more relaxed way to experience the landscape and terrain. Take it on as a single-stage ride, though, and 90 miles of mixed surfaces, climbing and technical riding still make it a serious challenge. The route starts hard and progressively becomes more forgiving towards the finish, but good bike-handling skills are still important. A capable gravel bike could take on most of the route, although a mountain bike remains the better all-round choice for the rougher sections. If you want to step into ultra-distance riding without immediately taking on everything the Headstock Challenge has to offer, the Explorer is the ideal place to start.