We’re pleased to welcome Claire Wyatt, a new Carradice Ambassador whose love of cycle touring has taken her from Cambodia and Australia to the remote roads of Central Asia, and eventually, all the way back to the UK.
Now based in the Lake District, Claire’s journey into cycling began relatively late. Growing up as one of five children in a sporty family, hockey was her main passion for many years. After studying at Loughborough University, she moved to Cambodia, where a job managing a bike shop for cycle touring company Grasshopper Adventures introduced her to a very different way of travelling.
Fully laden. Claire on her Mongolia to UK ride. Image: Claire Wyatt
When Covid arrived, Claire took voluntary redundancy and asked for something unusual as part of her leaving package - a touring bike and a set of panniers. Before returning to the UK, she set off alone on a two-week ride across Cambodia. The freedom and simplicity of carrying everything she needed on a bike immediately struck a chord and began five years of long-distance cycle touring.
Inspired by the life and travels of Dervla Murphy, Claire went on to ride through Costa Rica and Nicaragua, as well as completing LEJOG and Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way closer to home.
Once international travel opened up again, Claire found a remote job, packed her laptop into her panniers and set off around Australia, eventually riding around 14,000km. The huge distances and isolation of the Australian outback provided some of her toughest riding, but also some of her favourite experiences.
After another six months riding through Southeast Asia, Claire turned to a journey she had dreamed about for years: The Silk Road. Flying with her bike and bags to Mongolia, she set herself a simple goal: cycle home to London.
Spot where the road should be! Image: Claire Wyatt
The journey took a year, crossing Mongolia and Central Asia, tackling freezing conditions on the Pamir Highway and eventually the heat of a European summer before finally reaching home.
For Claire, the people she met along the way have become as important as the riding itself. Travelling alone, she experienced extraordinary hospitality, from being invited into family homes to strangers stopping their cars to offer food and drinks. The experience has given her a lasting belief in the kindness of people and a desire to encourage more women to experience solo cycle travel.
Durmitor National Park, Montengro. Image: Claire Wyatt
Today Claire is based in the Lake District with her dog Gobi, named after her time in Mongolia and a dog that followed her for three days during her travels. Gobi already joins Claire on the bike, travelling behind in a Burley trailer, with longer adventures together planned for the future.
We’re proud to welcome an ambassador who embodies so much of the Carradice spirit: independent, adventurous and happiest discovering the world at the pace of a bicycle.
Follow Claire on Instagram.
