Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Dales Divide 2025: A Self-Filmed Ultra Cycling Documentary (Video)
Over 130 riders gathered in Arnside on the UK’s west coast for the 2025 Dales Divide. Among them was Josh Reid, who carried his big camera and put together a 17-minute video from his 600-kilometer journey. Watch the video and learn more about Josh’s filming techniques here…
Words, photos, and video by Josh Reid
It took me a little over 50 hours to finish the 600-kilometer Dales Divide, an ultra in Yorkshire, northern England. Winner Angus Young — a machine! — rolled in 16 hours ahead of me, completing the event in under 34 hours, a record. I’d like to think that at least one small reason for those additional 16 hours was the fact that I was also filming. The end result is a 17-minute video that I hope captures the essence of the event. It also includes interviews with organiser Chris Ellison and Mike Hall’s mum, Pat.
For the first time in an ultra, I carried my big camera, a full-frame mirrorless with a 16mm lens. I ought to weigh this camera at some point, but let’s just say it’s “heavy.” Typically, I film with a mouthguard-mounted action camera (a DJI Osmo) and an iPhone 15. That was the set-up I used for a Dales Divide video I shot at last year’s event (which, for various tech reasons, I didn’t finish) but for this year’s edition, I wanted crisper footage and to focus less on the pointy end of the race. I tend to start races red-mist fast and invariably fade; I’ve turned this foible into a feature by filming those who were behind me as I slide backwards.
I can’t ever claim that I’d win a race like this if I didn’t film, but even just thinking about angles — and stopping to grab that must-have shot — swiftly takes you out of the running. I’m more than happy to sacrifice a slot on the leader board to tell a story. By shooting with an SLR instead of a smartphone (including when riding), I’ve found that people assume you’re more “pro” and they seem to open up more.
I really enjoy the flexibility of shooting on the hoof and then crafting a compelling story in the edit. Compared to my earlier videos, the storytelling in my latest ones has evolved for the better. I’m also loving the fact that producing these storyful YouTube videos funds bike rides not just in God’s Own Country but all over the world.
Further Reading
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