Bruce Hunt’s recalls his Perth to Sydney record ride.

World’s Longest Distance Unpaced Cycling Record

In 1973-1975, Bruce Hunt was in the prime of his cycling career. Often riding off scratch, he set fastest times in the 1974 and 1975 Beverley-to-Perth bike race for professional cyclists and he had impressed in the Australian Professional Road Titles held in Victoria. Encouraged by race organisers to compete in the 1974 Sun Tour, he was taken aback when his application was rejected by the Victorian League of Wheelman because, they determined, he would unlikely stand up to the rigours of the race. Having “trained his guts out” in anticipation, Bruce wondered what to do.

“I know what, I’ll have a dash at the Perth-to-Sydney Sydney record!”.

After landing sponsorship from the WA Trotting Association, other backers emerged including W.A. Peugeot importer Eurocars who offered to cover all expenses and provide a new Peugeot racing bike. Further sponsorship came from businesses as varied as sports brand Adidas, and a local butcher.

While a quality bike, it was not ideal for the record attempt. The Nullarbor wasn’t completely sealed until 1975 and the Peugeot racing bike offered little comfort on tarmac and little assistance negotiating miles of soft Nullarbor sand and deep corrugations the crossing was renowned for. So savage at times were the conditions, Bruce resorted to riding through the scrub and spinifex to the side of the road. In one section, he was recorded as going over the bars 15 times as his front wheel sank into the soft sand.

Bruce had a talented team of 6 support crew that included 1972 Australian National Road Champion Kevin “Spanner” Spencer, 1964 British Junior Champion Peter Robinson and and Coach Ken Norris. They shared cooking, bike maintenance, time keeping duties and of course, driving the support vehicles, a VW Kombi and Bedford bus.

Bruce met all the checkpoint requirements and broke the World’s Longest Distance Unpaced Cycling Record, completing the 2,721 miles (4,380 kilometres) in [11 days 6 hours], but not without one final frustration; arriving on the outskirts of Sydney in the mid-afternoon, out of concern for his safety and the traffic jams he might cause, he was made to wait until the peak hour traffic subsided. One consolation, Bruce was given a police escort through to Sydney’s Martin Place!

Frank West