September 21 marks the Equinox, a brief moment of balance where we all experience 12 hours of light and darkness in both hemispheres. Cyclists across the world chased the light together as for MAAP's Equinox challenge: a 12-hour ride, from daybreak to sundown. Unlike last time, where the group was rained out after 146km, the full 365km ride was completed with blue skies.
As told through some of the cyclists who rode with us:
"Time ticks by so far. You are 100k's in by 9am. Insane!" – Heiko, Team Standert
"Riding the MAAP EQUINOX was a wicked experience, from the pre-dawn start to the relentless pace set by a strong group of cyclists. Pushing through 365km around Berlin is both intense and exhilarating, making it a truly remarkable experience - chapeau to everyone who accomplished it." – Amanda, Team Standert
“The memories of last time still gave us some anxiety towards the ride. But it turned out so perfect. A nice warm day, slight breeze, low light and an amazing group. For many this has been the best day on the bike this year. I haven’t experienced such an ambitious group of female and male cyclists in a long time. Nobody skipped turns, everybody working towards that flowy and fast pace. That was the best summer finale I can think of…” – Maxe, Team Standert
"A crisp first light guided us through the quiet city streets of Berlin at 6am. With nervous faces through the group about to undertake this monumental challenge. The hours ticked down, the group was working well together through a thick headwind and the farmlands Brandenburg. It was 10:30am and we had already reached further than we had in the previous edition of the equinox ride. We were making good progress. As we refuelled every 100km, so we were met with new faces along the route, keen to get in on some of the action of the ride. One or two punctures couldn’t keep the Standert train down and we were well and truly on the way to completing our mission this time around. A group ride like this is never easy, from total beginners to complete ultra veterans we had a real mixed bag, but camaraderie was high and all the way through till the last light of the day everyone pulled their fair turn on the front of the group. Never have I experienced such a great group working together all day like this. I always talked about doing a ride like this for a long time to close off the season but this one was truly special. Thanks to all. It was a perfect day out on the bike." – Isaac, Team Standert