What I like about those self supported long distance off road races is the Wild West aspect. Ride whatever bike you like mtb, gravel, old, new, steel, carbon, gears, single speed or gearbox, front sus, full sus or rigid, drop bar or flat bar. Jerryrig whatever bags & gear & food you need to survive, snatch a hour or two of sleep side of the trail, or in a remote mountain refuge, grab food from a petrol station shop, race for no prizes and all do the same enormous distance any sex any age. It's the true spirit of amateur racing. The spirit of Mike Hall lives on.