A Conversation with Cam Jones After the White Rim FKT
We were lucky enough to have Cam Jones stop by Contender Bicycles just a few days after setting the current White Rim FKT in 5 hours, 23 minutes, and change. Fresh off one of the most impressive endurance efforts on one of Utah’s most iconic routes, Cam shared more about the attempt, the challenge of riding much of the route blind, and what it took to get it done.
For Cam, the White Rim had been on his radar for a while. What started as an idea on the way to Sea Otter turned into something much bigger.
“I thought it would be a cool side quest to do along the way.”
Riding Into the Unkown
Part of what makes the ride so impressive is how little he actually knew about the route beforehand. Cam had never ridden in Utah before and only had time to preview the first 45 minutes from each end of the course before going for it. The middle three and a half hours were ridden almost completely blind.
“The middle sort of 3 and 1/2 hours was ridden completely blind.”
That adds a different layer to a ride like the White Rim. It is already long, rough, and remote. Doing most of it without really knowing what was ahead only raises the stakes.
Cam also talked about how an FKT effort differs from racing. In his words, it is much more like a pure time trial. There are no attacks to cover and no tactics to react to. It is just you, the pace, and the clock. His training did not change much going into the ride, but he did make sure to freshen up in the days before so he could give the effort his best.
One of the more interesting parts of the conversation was the mental side of the day. At one point, Cam was behind the previous pace even though he was already going as hard as he could. Instead of letting that derail the ride, he trusted what he had seen in the forecast. He expected a headwind on the way out and a tailwind on the way back, so the goal was to stay close enough at halfway and make up time on the return.
There was also some helpful insight from within the SCOTT camp. Before the ride, Cam called fellow SCOTT athlete Hannah Otto, who holds the women’s White Rim FKT, to get a better sense of what to expect in the sections he had not seen. She offered advice on pacing, hydration, and one section near White Crack where extra caution mattered. It is a cool bit of overlap in the story, especially now that SCOTT athletes hold both the men’s and women’s White Rim FKTs.
The Right Bike for the Job
The bike itself was a huge part of why the ride worked. Cam said full suspension was “100% the best thing” for the White Rim. Even though it is technically a jeep road, the terrain is rough enough that both rider and bike are dealing with something much closer to singletrack. For a long effort at speed, especially on a course he was riding mostly blind, the SCOTT Spark RC made a lot of sense.
For a closer look at the bike behind the effort, read or watch our full bike check on Cam Jones’ White Rim SCOTT Spark RC.
“Full suspension was 100% the best thing.”
Even after setting the record, Cam still had a few thoughts on what he might tweak. He mentioned that his lowest gear was a bit of a grind at times and that there may be room to squeeze in a little more climbing range in the future. Still, his overall take was pretty simple: the bike was dialed from the start.
There were also a few details in the interview that made the whole effort feel more personal. Cam talked about listening to drum and bass during the ride to stay locked in and keep his mind off the pain. He also touched on the less glamorous side of race travel, including earlier trips spent living out of a U-Haul before upgrading to a Honda Odyssey van.
His advice for younger riders was simple and good. Find your own reason for doing big rides. Pick something that scares you a little. Go ride somewhere new. Take on something long enough and hard enough that it forces you to push.
“Go and try and take on something that scares you or challenges you.”
That feels like a fitting way to look at the whole White Rim effort. Yes, it is a record. But it is also a ride that carries a lot of weight, a lot of history, and a lot of curiosity around how hard you can really push yourself in a place like that.
We were lucky to have Cam stop by the shop and talk through it all so soon after the ride. Watch the full interview above, and if you have questions about the effort, the route, or the bike, feel free to reach out.
Big thanks to Cam Jones for taking the time to stop by the shop, and to SCOTT for helping make this one happen.
Photos courtesy of SCOTT Sports
