I am Juliana Buhring, world record holder for the fastest woman to circumnavigate the world by bicycle. Ask me anything!

Would you agree your book is a 'cult classic'? I'll see myself out.

Why no 'like' buttons...?

I amazoned it... and I didn't get it first. Needless to say, a goofy smile and several abnormal breaths resulted from the realization.

I still don't get it. Care to explain?

Simples. I'm a cult baby.

First off, great job. What was the scariest place you ever rode through? How quick are you at changing a flat tire? As a Dad of a girl, I love showing her things like this. You are inspirational to everyone.

Thanks! I think the scariest experience was getting stuck in the mountains in New Zealand after dark, with 170 kmph winds, without a navigator and no idea where the next town was. STarted to get hypothermia as I was underdressed and the temperatures dropped. Couldn't ride as the winds were so strong, they were lifting my bike in the air. Fortunately came on a lovely old couple in a camper van by the roadside who rescued me. Too me in for the night and fed me whiskey and sausages. I can now change a tire in under 3 minutes...

I want

a lovely old couple in a camper van by the roadside

whiskey and sausages

and taking in badass cyclists

to be my retirement.

I'll drop by.

1) What was the most unexpected challenge you faced during your trip?

2) Did you encounter sexism/discrimination because you were a woman travelling alone? If so, where?

Only in India. It was perhaps the only country that I felt continually unsafe the entire time I was there.

Because of the attacks on women in the news? Behavior of people you met?

The moment I stopped anywhere, I'd be swarmed by giant mobs of men standing around me just staring. It was very intimidating. Once the police had to come in with batons to break them up. Even while moving, they'd follow me in big groups on motorbikes for miles. I counteracted this by acting as aggressive as I could. Sometimes I'd shout at them like a crazy woman.

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Yeah, I figured as much, so I wasn't too offended, but it was very uncomfortable. However, with that in mind, I did wear longer trousers over my cycle shorts to try not to look too provocative. But yeh, you don't see women on bikes in general across Asia, however the Malaysians and Thais were a lot more polite about it. I'm fairly certain if they'd laid a finger on me, I'd have trashed them first. ;p

Sorry, only saw the second part. I think the biggest challenge towards the end was the extreme mental fatigue.

Can you ride a bike with no handlebars?

Can you?

It's all about the rake angle of the forks. Some bikes easy, some impossible.

I'd be game to try!

Some are impossible. Very twitchy, inherently unstable.

Some are very easy, but they feel "sluggish" at speed.

Got a link?

You obviously love to challenge your body and mind, what's next?

I do love a good challenge. Every challenge changes you in some way. Right now I'm training for the Transcontinental Race from London to Istanbul over the Alps in August. Next year I want to do something quite different.

Is that a running race or a bicycling race?

Cycle race

Seeing that you encountered and interacted with many different cultures, what is at least one thing that you found to be similar among all of the peoples?

Curiosity and generosity.

during your travels, where would you say was the best place you ate? Also congratulations on your great achievement.

Thanks! Best place I ate: Turkey and pretty much all the East European countries. Giant portions of meat, rice and bread for very little cost.

Wow that is amazing! I'm sure you had an amazing time.

In your opinion, which place was the most beautiful that you rode through?

How many bikes did you take/what bikes did you ride?

If you are ever in the California Bay Area I would love to meet you. My parents own a bicycle shop and it would be a thrill to talk or have an event there. Thanks again for your time.

The most beautiful was the entire coast from Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, Croatia and into Slovenia. I think it's a cyclist's paradise. Highly recommend. According to the GWR rules, I could only use the same bike the entire journey. 'Pegasus' as I called it, was sponsored by a local bike company called Schiano. It was an ordinary road bike, carbon frame, 6.5 kilos. thanks for the invite! If I am ever in Cali, it would be an honour.

Wow, did not expect Albania to be brought up...especially not in a thread like this.

You said you went around the coast. Did you at all happen to traverse the mountainous, windy roads in northeast Albania? I was born in Kukes so the serendipity of you possibly having traveled near there makes me smile in a Lisbeth Salandar manner.

I'm afraid I hugged the west coast, which was also fairly mountainous. I enjoyed Albania immensely. could always find good food and the people were very helpful.

What would say was the greatest thing that you learned about people in general as you circled the globe? Was there any one incident with an individual that stands out from the rest?

Apart from the Thai stalker who followed me a few hours on a red scooter, the majority of people were wonderful. I think we only hear the bad stories, so the world appears a lot more dangerous than is the reality. All through Australia, the locals kept telling me how dangerous it was for a woman traveling alone, and I heard horror stories ad infinitum, yet Australia was also the country I had people chasing me down the road to hand me money, and who were the very helpful.

Thanks for the answer. Of all the countries and places you must have seen, is there one place you would really like to go back to and spend a week or two at?

Turkey, hands down.

Any particular reason? I'm guessing you would go back without your bicycle considering your comments about the wild dogs.

The people are some of the nicest I met in all my travels. The food's great, prices are cheap, the country is full of incredible history. Plus, I think it's even more interesting now with all that's going on in Istanbul atm.

No question, Juliana. Just wanted to say wow, and that what you have done is very, very inspirational! Happy trails! :)

Thanks Don! :D

What inspired you to do this?

The idea kinda evolved out of many things, but in the end the main thing that made me decide to go for it was finding through research that no woman had ever made a record for cycling the world. I wanted to find out why. At the end of it all, I can honestly say, it still baffles me why no female record had been made before. We have the perfect bodies for endurance sport. Perhaps the danger factor is what contributed to this. I hope after this more woman will go for it.

Congratulations, what an incredible achievement:

Someone else already asked what your inspiration was. So here is some others

1. I bet it came with alot of preparation, what was the most work?
2. How did people around you react when you decided this was something you wanted to do?
3. How many flat tires did you have? Thanks for this AMA!

Actually, I was probably fairly underprepared in hindsight. I certainly had no idea what I was in for. The most work was training myself to pedal that much every day. I had never ridden a bike before deciding to do this endeavour, so I had to learn everything about pedaling and bike repairs. Everybody thought I was mad. Nobody believed me, possibly till I actually pedaled out of naples and then nobody thought I'd finish. 29 flat tires!

Wait a second -

You never ridden a bike before this and you just up and ride for 152 days averaging 124 miles PER DAY? WTF!?

I'm a cyclist commuter who has been riding for awhile now and if I ride more than 250 miles in a WEEK then I'm completely washed! You're nuts, and also awesome.

Nuts, probably. ;)

What is the funniest thing that happened to you during your great adventure?

Shitting myself publicly. I really did have to laugh.

It's the only thing you can do. I "shart" myself years ago when I was in Croatia.

So you know all about the funny

You're my hero!

The world needs more cycling babes. ;)

If you'd known before you started what you know now, would you still have done it, and if so, what would you have done differently?

Would still have done it, but in the opposite direction. Battled headwinds 70% of the time..

Should probably have started at the north pole, too, so your ride would have been downhill. :D

I like you.

What was your diet like during the expedition?

Eat what you can find. As much as you can when you can. This was difficult in the more expensive countries like Australia where I pretty much survived on their service station meat pies. You can imagine how happy I was once I hit asia and was feasting on 8 different dishes for under 2 dollars!

Did you stop and eat wild growing things, like blackberries?

Berries weren't in season. ;)

did you ever use your bike as a sexual tool on the long and lonesome roads also was chaffing a factor?

p.s your an actual inspiration to me thank you so much for what you have done.

As you can imagine, sitting that long on anything will kill off any nerves you may have. You quickly become comfortably numb. Three magic words to cyclists everywhere who may chafe: baby diaper cream

Awesome !! Congrats on the achievement

• Why did you choose this route ?
• Hypothetically if someone beats this record and you decide to go for it again, what would be the 3 things you do differently ?
• Do you think you became stronger incrementally as you journeyed and built on past experiences like the dogs in Turkey etc helped you in dealing with India.

I first studied all the routes of previous world cyclists and there were some general consistencies, which led me to believe that doing the alternatives probably meant I'd encounter potential hassles which would impede progress. With that in mind, I chose a route where I knew I would not have problems either politically, with visas, or as a woman traveling alone. I skipped the Middle east, for instance, because it was not possible to cross without an escort, something I didn't have. I wanted to make a record, so I needed to stick to a route that would ensure the minimum possible potential for problems. If I were to cycle the world again, but not going for a record, I'd probably choose a much more interesting route. I am sure someone will beat the record, but I challenge a woman to beat it solo, without support. I would carry even less, and probably try new countries. I'd also go even longer and harder if I did it again. I certainly became more confident as the ride went on. Developed a very good sense of humour when things went wrong, and just kinda "went with it" a lot more. My muscles and body got very good at recovering immediately, so physically I got stronger too as time went on.

As someone who rides a bike I read your story, looked at all your pictures. What you did was pretty amazing. Took lots of courage AND physical stamina.

If you could have any job in the world what would it be, and why?

An explorer. Sadly, the world's pretty much been explored. An anthropologist would be interesting though...

There's actually a lot we don't know about the world. Even large urban areas full of humans can be "explored," or the world's nature/wildlife preserves. There is plenty of exploring to do if you keep an open mind. That's basically what National Geographic does.

Yeh, like I said, anthropology is an interesting field. Studying humans is always fascinating... ;)

Good lord. Congratulations!

No questions - just a request: stories. The great, the challenging, the sights, the food, the people, the animals, etc.

Australian magpies are suicidal kamikaze. The dogs in Turkey are half lions, who roam in packs of 10-15 and chase to kill. Cannot thank the motorists enough who rescued me by coming up behind and running into the packs.

Cannot thank the motorists enough to rescued me by coming up behind and running into the packs.

As in: dogs were hunting you and were only dissuaded by cars aiming for them? Holy crap.

yeh, as in the nice motorists probably deprived the darling canines of dinner.

What did you miss most (besides presumably easy access to running water)?

good coffee

What tires (size) did you run on your circumnavigation?

I started on 23, and ended up switching for 25 and reinforced after all the flats I was getting crossing America

How did your body hold up, if you're comfortable saying? Any major health problems incurred by the repetitive motion?

By the last month, I was totally exhausted. But then it makes you more emotional than anything else. In India I got very ill, first with diarrhea (I shit myself in public, kid you not), then with a high fever and infected throat. That was the only day I was forced to stop. Otherwise, whenever I started getting ill, I would just take a course of antibiotics and carry on. In the very end, my body was pretty destroyed and it didn't help that the temperatures dropped -9 entering Italy. I got really bad frostbite on my toes, took a couple months to heal. I was coughing badly and getting a lot of nosebleeds. But otherwise, my body held up surprisingly well.

How does crossing bodies of water, like oceans, work? Is there a regulation length you have to travel before you can take a flight?

No, you have to reach the coast and then you can fly out. So cycling to BArcelona, and flying to the US would not have been allowed. I had to reach the end of land, aka Porto, to be able to fly over the ocean.

What is the official world record criteria for circumnavigating the globe by bicycle? (assuming you didn't actually bike on water) Do you have to go a very specific route, or a minimum number of miles, or something else?

The Guinness World Record rules require the rider to cover 28,970 kilometers by bike, in an East to West or West to East direction, wavering no more than 5 degrees off course.The total journey distance must be a minimum of 40,075 kilometers, to include all transit by flight or sea. The ride must start and finish in the same place and must pass at least two antipodal points (This is two points that line up through the earth’s center). The new rules now state that the clock does not stop for any transit flights or ferries or at ports etc. It only stops when the rider crosses the finish line after completing the circumnavigation. The same bicycle must be used throughout the attempt, although repairs and replacement parts and bikes are allowed for mechanical failure. Satellite tracking is highly recommended by Guinness World Records and a daily log, signatures of dignitaries and photographs at strategic points must be collated as evidence.

what did you eat?!?

did you pack your stuff for the most part? hunt when in the middle of nowhere? eat with the locals?

I'm afraid the times I ate with the "locals", I ate them out of house and home. Possibly licked the dishes clean and I've suppressed the memory... Didn't pack food. Didn't want any weight. I had a few energy or cereal bars I tried to keep on me for emergencies if I didn't find anywhere enroute, which did happen a few times...

eek... sorry about incurring some ptsd. but still: you, ma'am, are a badass.

Why thank you kind sir.

I'm a bit confused looking at your map, since it looks like you flew over a bunch of places instead of cycling through them. Namely going from Turkey to India, and then India to Thailand etc. What were the qualifications for it to be counted as "circumnavigating"?

Looks like an extremely fun adventure though. I'm jealous! Here I am just training for a triathlon this year and hoping I make it through that.

Yup, as stated below. The main reason I skipped over the Middle East was because I was traveling alone and could not pass through many of those countries unescorted as a woman. I planned a route that would minimise the risk of being stopped or waylaid, and therefore not being able to finish.. according to the rules, you can only pass over physical barriers such as oceans, or countries that are considered too dangerous, such as if there is a war on, or, yes, extreme Muslim countries that women shouldn't pass through alone. I had my route approved by the GWR guys before I set off to ensure that it was all okay.

What type of bike/component set?

Road bike, carbon frame, 6.5 kilos, Red sram shifter, 25x700 reinforced tires. Anything specific you want to know? (Keep in mind I'm actually not a major bike geek, I learned as went)

Any major mechanical setbacks with your equipment, or was it pretty much just flat tires?

Loads. First off, I wore a hole through the deraileur crossing the Alps and had to find a little shop in France to change it for me, after that the bike kept having problems with the shifter. It would either go into the highest or lowest gear across half of America and nobody knew the Red sram system in the mechanic shops I stopped at. It wasn't till Peoria that I found a guy who knew what he was doing and fixed it. Then the whole gear system got bashed in during the flight from NZ to Australia, and the back gears jammed into spokes so had to have that changed. After that, didn't have many problems.

Doesn't sound too bad for 18,000 miles.

No, could definitely have been a lot worse.

How did you carry your stuff on the carbon frame, and what equipment did you take with you?

Also, thanks for posting, you are a formidable woman and reading this is really inspirational!

I went very light, so just used a bag that attached directly under the seat, no bike rack. It was all very aerodynamic for speed. I carried just a change of clothes, socks, rain jacket. Then in the middle frame bag, I carried spare tubes, tires and tools. In the front, a bit of medicine and first aid.

Can you confirm or deny that you also star as osha on game of thrones?

Did you have a chase car or did you have equipment/cloths/food shipped ahead of time?

I don't know whether I should be flattered or insulted by all this Osha business. Though perhaps at the end of the five months I looked grubby enough to pass for her. In the first 5000 km, I had friends following me with a car off and on. After that I was completely solo. After the US, I shed my summer clothes and carried winter till Asia. I had friends meet me and restock me with tubes, medicine, supplies and clothes as the weather changed from continent to continent.

Be flattered. She's a badass and she's easy on the eyes.

Go on...

I read about Annie Londonderry , they say she was the first woman cycle the world. Anyway congrats

Annie Londonderry was the first woman to travel around with a bike, however she did not circumnavigate the world. She hit random countries at different times, not consecutively. She was accused of traveling more with her bike than on it. Having said that, she was a badass for her time. Got to travel with a couple shotguns. For that, I am jelly...

How did you keep your morale up during such an amazing endeavor? Was there ever a point during your journey that was perhaps so exhausting that you began to wonder if you would make it to the end?

The last month I was pretty destroyed physically. I had nothing left in me and the temperature dropped to -9 re entering Italy, so all my energy went towards just staying warm. I don't know how I roused myself at 5:00 every morning. The smallest things would tear me up. It was as much mental exhaustion as physical.

How many years had you been cycling before you cycled the world?

When I decided to cycle the world I had never ridden a bike ( apart from pedaling around on four wheels as a child). I trained for about 8 months before setting off.

One piece of advice for someone who to make a bike journey, not long as yours of course.
Which country you wanted to visit but you didn't have a chance to do because of the record?
also massive kudos for the entire adventure :)

I would love to explore other countries I didn't get to by bike on this journey. I think on my list would be Mongolia, China, and Iran.

How did you afford to go on this trip? I have always dreamed of trying something, anything similar to this but don't think I ever could.

Also did you train much beforehand, or did you pretty much just start going, as you would obviously get in better shape the longer you rode?

Totes impressive I should add.

I couldn't afford to actually. I didn't have much money and couldn't find any sponsors. I just left, hoping someone would pick me up on the way once I'd proved I was serious by leaving. That never happened. In the end, it was literally all my online followers and supporters sending in a bit here and bit there, putting me up in their homes and one or two big supporters who sponsored a few weeks. It all added up and got me around the world. I trained for about 8 months before I left. It would have been impossible to just leave having never cycled and pedal 200km a day for 5 months.

Did you ride on a treadmill while over the ocean?

yes

So did your legs bulk up during the ride?

you know everyone kept saying "you'll get man legs". Not so! You lose any fat you had and it all turns to muscle, but you're just really really lean. My muscles were very defined, but not giant. I suppose you'd have to eat a lot of protein and substitutes to put the bulk on too.

What was your favorite country to bike in?

The USA. So very diverting.

Any state specifically?

Idaho, Wyoming and Oregon

Juliana, as one of your fellow second gen ex memb's, I salute you! You have made yourself famous for something completely different. You are one tough chick. I had no clue this is who you were becoming when I knew you at the HCS. Well done! Makes me wanna drive a little harder and do something amazing, too.

Thanks. :) Don't think I knew myself!

Out of the 19 countries you've been to, which country/city has been your favorite/ most memorable? and why?!

I loved Turkey. Just so rich in history and culture, the people are very warm and welcoming and the food's a delight. However, I found them all interesting for different reasons. The US, for example, had by far the most entertaining variety of characters.

Examples of wacky Americans, please!

There was this one dive bar where I encountered Beavis and Butthead downing six packs next to the incredible Hulk kissing a midget eating chips....

Did you actually beat someones time? I can't imagine there being a big competitive circuit for female globe circumnavigators on bicycle.

No, mine was the first female record. Everyone after me have to beat mine.

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Haha! Nice one. I actually only lost 2 kilos in the end, but I was at about 7% body fat, so it was all muscle.

Have you considered a ketogenic diet to preserve muscle loss? (Due to the cannibalization of muscle for glucose to produce glycogen)

I hadn't considered it. I obviously lost a lot of that muscle in the months following my return when I wanted nothing to do with pedaling. I'm now gaining it all back as I've gone back to hard training.

Bibs or Shorts?

Both. However, having to jump behind a bush with a bib is a real pain in the arse.

Did you weight before and after the trip. In that case...how much weight did you lose?

Yes, lost just 2 kilos, but went from 11% fat percentage to 7% fat, so I lost every bit of fat left on me, and put on a lot more muscle.

Hi Juliana, gonna rib you about shitting yourself on Sunday!

I'm afraid I have no dignity left. I'd do it all again! :p

Me and a friend are cycling around Europe next summer, what type of bike would you recommend? Mountain? Tour?

Depends where you intend to go. Do you want to do some offroad, or sticking mainly to roads? Will you go with a bike rack and bags? I would probably choose a hybrid for something like that.

We're taking the ferry to Norway and cycling down from there, using roads, mostly and taking a backpack, a 60 litre backpack each.

In that case, you can even use a roadbike. If you go lighter, you find it less tiring. I've cycled North Europe on a holiday, and the roads are excellent.

Fantastic, thank you for your advice. Good luck with the Transcontinental Race. If I'm in London I'll cheer for you.

Cheers! :D

Have you ever been hit by a car? Also, what bike would be good but not too expensive to bring to college?

Never a car. Was hit by a truck though. Fortunately just badly bruised and pulled neck muscle, but no broken bones. What do you want the bike for, to cycle to college? You'd have to specify its use.

Pfff... I could do that shit in my sleep...

In my dreams...

So could I...

How did you train for this? How far did you ride each day? Ever take a day of the bike?

I self-trained really. Never rode a bike before I decided to cycle the world. Just started pedaling daily, adding km till I was comfortable riding 200. Also did some weight training initially to build extra muscle quickly. I averaged 202 km a day, but obviously this depended on weather and terrain, so some days a lot more and some less. I only ever stopped one day when I got really sick in India and couldn't get out of bed.

Any interest in doing something like RAAM?

Would love to do the RAAM. I'm riding the Transcontinental Race (toughest race across Europe) next month. When's the RAAM?

It just finished. Registration opens up on August 1st. In theory you need to do a RAAM qualifier as stated here: http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/raam2.php?N_webcat_id=98

But they have a special exception clause... which I would expect you to qualify for =D.

I would suggest doing the Hoodoo 500 for your qualifier though since you mentioned that you loved how pretty parts of the US are in another reply. I, on the other hand, will be a wimp and just do a 24hr time trial =D

Hope to potentially race with you in the future!

Sounds brilliant! I will check it out!

Why did you do this as fast as possible? Isn't it more interesting to take your time to explore the countries you are traveling through?

Yes, if I were to cycle the world again, I'd prefer to do it for pleasure. There were many times I wanted to just stop and enjoy an amazing place I was passing through. However, it was not a touring holiday. I was doing it specifically to set the first record, so speed was of the essence.

So, having never ridden a bike, I'm sure your family must have been shocked that you decided to do this.

What were their reactions like? Funny, angry, supportive?

Obviously, an experience like this would change anybody. What is the biggest change in yourself that you have noticed upon completing this challenge?

Also, this is amazing. You are truly inspirational!

My siblings just kinda laughed. They never doubted I'd do it. We're all a bit nomadic and "different", so they were all very supportive. One of my sisters even contributed money to it.

How many pairs of socks do you wear on a daily basis?

Assuming I wear socks...

I have to say, as a fellow cyclist I'm incredibly amazed by what you've accomplished.

How much in the way of calories did you have to eat to support that kind of distance over such a sustained period?

I certainly burned a minimum of 6-7,000 calories a day, however it was impossible that I consumed that much. I ate just three times a day, and could not have eaten my way through more than 4,000 calories total. I found my body adapted very well, and burned slowly. It could be the female metabolism supports these kinds of long endurance sports better than men, as we naturally have slower metabolisms and more fat to spare.

How much did it cost you for the whole trip? I am currently finishing university and saving up for a trip from Thailand to the UK.

It cost around 20,000 euros in total. The majority of that is spent on flights though, since you have to buy them last minute. Food is the next big cost. You eat like nobody's business. I think I traumatised a couple bony waitresses in Australia. They actually held back a couple dishes for me "just in case".

Two questions!

1. What was the furthest distance you made in one leg?

2. What was the hardest part about going on a 152 day journey away from home?

I have so many more questions but I will try not to take up much of your time.

The furthest I did in a day was 280 km. To be honest "home" is relative to me. I've traveled to/lived in nearly 50 countries, so I never get those feelings of homesickness. Perhaps the hardest part being away from Naples was missing the excellent espresso. ;)

How often did you have thoughts about bailing altogether? If often, what kept you going?

Also, did you have officials at certain checkpoints make sure you were abiding by the rules or was this an honor system?

What would you do for a klondike bar?

Never thought of bailing. I hate the idea of quitting. Would never be able to live myself if I had. There aren't officials at checkpoints for round the world endeavours, though you can be met and surprised at any point. The rules require you carry a spot tracker with you at all times, so your location, speed, km, etc. can be followed 24/7. You also have to carry a log book with signatures from people you meet on the road. Photos and video evidence is also required, so is keeping all you receipts.

Four questions:

What is the most memorable dream you have had about riding a bike? What is your favorite thing to eat in the morning? What is your favorite animal? What are three words that sum up your experience on planet earth thus far?

No dreams that were memorable, I kept on pedaling and planning routes into my sleep. Not restful. When I'm not pedaling I don't eat in the morning. A couple coffees and I'm good to go. Difficult, surprising, beauty

Hi Juliana. Great story. I do sporadically week-long bike rides at a pace of 160-180 km/day. I am always tempted of saying "this is too much, I am done with it!". How many times did that crossed your mind?

Never really crossed my mind during the endeavour. I think I experienced that feeling for a few months following my return. Couldn't think about getting on a bike without a physical and mental reaction.

Have you ever considered hiking the Appalachian Trail ? It's all wilderness, offers the same physical and mental challenge.

Sounds incredible. Thanks for the suggestion.

Why not circumnavigate the globe via a jet? So much faster than peddling.

I'll leave it to people like you....