Documentary: Tackling the Gobi Desert on fat bikes

People ride bicycles for so many reasons. Some ride to prepare to race. Others ride to get to school or work. Some ride to connect with other people. Others ride to get away from it all. Some other ride to get lost far from home – to find the middle of what they might consider to be ‘nowhere.’ Even fewer actually get to ride through the places in the world where that nowhere status really rings true.

There, in those almost impossible to reach places, we find GCN’s Conor Dunne and Jenny Graham. They have made it to the Gobi desert of the Mongolian high country. The two riders, from very different backgrounds, set off on an exploration to define that place that is a blank spot on so many peoples map through their shared interest in cycling.

While the two riders are no stranger to self-supported, multi-day cycling, this challenge requires something different. The duo is going on an adventure this time, fully supported with a film crew to keep them moving and nimble. Additionally, they are astride fat-bikes on this adventure to take on the rocks, sands, ravines and dunes of one of the world's most extraordinary deserts.

Deep in the Gobi Desert, the toughest and most remote part of Mongolia, Jenny and Conor are attempting to become the first cyclists to conquer one of the largest and most daunting sand dune systems in Asia. To do this they need it all to go right.

Nonetheless, the destination is only part of the point. Along the way, the duo take in the mesmerising quality of the Gobi, discuss the unique geography of the region and engage with the nomadic culture of the local people. From milking goats, to climbing through the verdant Yol Valley, this trip gave both riders a whole new experience that you will not want to miss.

Check out the trailer for the documentary Mongolia: Taking on the Gobi above and be sure to subscribe to GCN+ to watch a deep archive of bespoke cycling documentaries, as well as live racing from across the calendar and around the world.