Fastest known times have surged in popularity recently with some of the world’s best ultra-endurance cyclists taking on the self-supported challenges. There’s nothing new about cyclists competing against the clock, but Fastest Known Times (FKTs) are distinct from road time-trials.
In this article, we’ll explain what an FKT is and why they’ve become so popular. Plus, multiple FKT holder Alex McCormack will advise how to ride an FKT and set a fast time.
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What is an FKT?
The concept of an FKT is to ride a fixed route in the shortest possible time. You then submit evidence of your ride for approval so it is a ‘known time’. FKTs are generally long-distance, multi-terrain routes, either running from A to B or in a loop.
Some FKT routes are very prestigious, such as the Tour Divide and Arizona Trail, as are the cyclists who attempt them, including Lael Wilcox and Lachlan Morton.
In the UK, the Fastest Known Times UK website is the home of cycling FKTs. It compiles courses, ratifies and ranks times and sets rules.
What are the rules for FKTs?
Fastest Known Times UK’s two main rules are that attempts must be solo, ie, no drafting or pacesetting, and self-supported. Under this definition of self-supported, you can only use something during the ride if you’ve carried it yourself or bought it from a public shop. This prohibits you from leaving a stash of kit and supplies on the course in advance.
If the course is a loop, you can often start from any point as long as you finish where you began. Where the route is fixed, if you leave the course, you must rejoin it at the same point.
What are FKTs routes like?
Anyone can submit a course to be classed as an official FKT by Fastest Known Times UK as long as it is at least 150km long and 20% of it is off-road. As a result, there are FKT routes all over the UK, from Cornwall’s West Kernow Way to the Badger Divide between Inverness and Glasgow.
The fastest riders complete shorter courses in six hours while at the other end of the spectrum, Alex McCormack set the Highland Trail 550 FKT in three days, five hours and 55 minutes.
Why are FKTs so popular?
With races cancelled due to Covid lockdown measures in 2020, FKTs, which are by their nature socially distanced, unsurprisingly saw an upsurge in participants. This popularity has persisted despite the return of racing and group riding. Why is this?
McCormack, who also holds the 240km West Kernow Way FKT, says, ‘Ultra-endurance cycling is getting more media coverage and FKTs are like a gateway drug into that. I like them because there’s an incentive and goal.’
What’s more, FKTs are cheaper and more convenient than events. ‘There’s little barrier to entry, anyone can rock up when they want and give the route a go,' he says. 'And pretty much anywhere you are in the UK, they’ll be a route a short train journey away.’
The Fastest Known Times UK website lists the fastest women’s and men’s times for each route, and a leaderboard for the most popular courses, but don’t worry if you’re not at the level of McCormack or Molly Weaver, the road professional turned ultra-distance supremo who currently holds nine FKTs.
McCormack says, ‘Anyone can give the route a crack whether that’s to go for the record or to complete it for your own personal goals. There is an air of competitiveness about it, but it’s not like elbows-out, aggressive racing.’
The fact that FKTs are partially or mostly off-road also ties in with the boom in gravel riding. In addition, as an ultra-endurance racer, McCormack finds the shorter FKTs ideal preparation for his bigger targets, like the Bright Midnight ultra.
How to ride an FKT
To ride an FKT, first familiarise yourself with the rules. Be mindful that you’ll be riding on public paths and roads. As McCormack says, ‘It’s meant to be fun so use common sense – close gates and don’t run walkers off paths.’
Download your chosen route from the Fastest Known Times website and upload it to your bike computer. Then record your ride and submit your GPX file as evidence.
Choose a route and day
Your first step to riding an FKT is to choose a route – ideally a shorter, local one if you're just starting out.
If you have a choice of when to ride, check the weather forecast. before making a decision. ‘I’ll try to match a route to the weather because it has a large influence on how fast you can go,’ says McCormack. ‘If it’s an A-to-B route, riding into a headwind is a bit dumb.’
If it’s been wet, he’ll try to find the driest route available. McCormack will also try to coordinate weekends away with FKTs attempts. Just run this by your partner first.
Bike and kit selection
Fastest Known Times have been set on gravel bikes and cross-country mountain bikes. So in general, ride whichever you own, but McCormack says, ‘For the majority of routes in the [FKT] database, a gravel bike would be the better choice.’
If you have multiple bikes, McCormack recommends mimicking the route record holder’s pick. It’s worth noting that some technical upland routes, like the Peak 200, are probably not suitable for gravel bikes.
Speed is his priority, so he configures his Fairlight Secan gravel bike like his road bike. He’ll carry much less equipment and spares than he would in a race to minimise weight.
'For these sorts of rides, comfort almost goes out the window,' he says. If you are not gunning for a record-breaking time, your setup can be more comfortable.
Training
McCormack has a full-time job as an engineer and he says his six to eight hours of training a week is less than other ultra cyclists. He doesn’t have a coach and trains according to feel.
He must still be a naturally gifted athlete, but his approach suggests most of us can get into the shape to complete, if not set, an FKT just by riding our bikes.
Pacing
Pacing is vital for long-distance time-trials like FKTs, and despite his unstructured training methods, McCormack uses a power meter during attempts to keep intensity in check.
‘l’ll usually try to hold a certain power on the climbs and flat and look at my Normalized Power throughout to check that I’m not getting complacent,’ he says.
Going off feel, though, is cheaper and a potentially more reliable pacing method. On a scale of 0 to 10, your effort should feel like a five or six.
Time, of course, is the more important metric. McCormack breaks the route into splits, aiming to be at a certain point in a certain time, and targets an average speed.
Time saving
During FKTs attempts, the clock doesn’t stop even when you do. 'Keeping my stopped time down is something I’m good at,' says McCormack. He’ll try to carry as much as food and water as possible to minimise time spent in shops.
On longer rides when resupply is essential, McCormack decides in advance of a 'corner shop raid' what to buy in order to save time.
Hydration and fuelling
The duration, difficulty and intensity of an FKT attempt mean you'll invariably burn through lots of carbs.
Therefore high carbohydrate intake is essential: during shorter FKTs, McCormack consumes about 90g of carbohydrates per hour, mainly in energy gels and energy drinks.
'Keeping that nutrition coming in is the main thing that keeps you going,' he says.
