👴🏻 Stage 27: Penny farthings and building the oldest cycling clothing company
plus the simple love of riding a bicycle
Hi!
How are you doing today? I’m coming at you from my apartment in sunny Girona. I’ve just come off a big training block, 15 hours ridden in the last three days, with an awful lot of intensity. It’s safe to say I’m pretty tired! I’ve just arrived home from Espresso Mafia after meeting my teammates for a super easy recovery ride.
I’m heading to Belgium on Saturday too, we’re getting super close to racing again. I will be racing in Leuven. The circuit we are using is actually the same as the one that will be in the 2021 Road World Championships this September. I’m excited and apprehensive. It’s been a very long time since I last raced, and with plenty of setbacks since then, it’s not an easy course for my comeback.
Alas, I’ve got to make my comeback somewhere! My target for the race is nothing too special. I just want to be back in the pack, it really is that simple. Also, how sad is it that the Olympics are over? I’ve really enjoyed the last few weeks of watching every cycling discipline.
Have a good week pedalling,
Joe
📖 Read
#Olympics
The Olympics are over, and what a shame that is. For the past three weeks, I’ve enjoyed switching on the coverage each morning. We were treated to a brilliant ending on the track though. Jason Kenny, who many thought was down and out, pulled out one of the greatest Keirin rides in Olympic history, making him Britain’s most successful Olympian of all time.
3-minute read
#diversity #roadcycling
My team, Hagens Berman Axeon, announced that we would be opening a trainee spot that would directly open pathways for riders and improve cultural and racial diversity within the sport of cycling. British rider Red Walters has been selected for the spot. Red and I will be doing some races together and he’ll also be coming to Girona for a short amount of time!
3-minute read
#lifestyle
Riding a bike is beautiful. It brings exploration and exhilaration. There is no greater feeling than riding a bike. Riding a bike is also a stress reliever. Often, a simple bike ride will bring the answer to all your problems. Parts of Australia are currently in COVID lockdown, this small piece will remind you of the beauty and need to ride your bike.
3-minute read
#training
Having stability on the bike is so important. One would argue that it’s even more important when riding lots of gravel, as the roads aren’t as smooth. You’re constantly throwing the bike around, and if you’re not strong, you’ll be using excess energy. These simple off-the-bike exercises will help you gain strength and go even faster on the bike.
5-minute read
#weeklygravel
This week I’m not bringing you a gravel route to explore, but a new gravel bike. Founded in 1885 in Milan, they truly are part of cycling’s illustrious history. So, when they released a new gravel bike focused on racing, a few eyebrows were raised. What do you think about this?
5-minute read
📱Tweet of the week
What not to do after breaking the Team Pursuit World Record!
🎧 Listen
Castelli are legendary. I’d argue that they are the most iconic clothing brand in cycling. The company dates to the late 1800s, around the time of the first-ever bike race. Castelli is an Italian brand with a long, complicated history, but much of its recent success is due to an American who came onto the scene in 2000. He had no Italian heritage, no real cycling industry experience, but he did have a love for cycling.
68-minute listen
👀 Watch
Penny Farthings are a thing of beauty. The original bicycle, they paved the way for the world as we know it and the machines that we love today. I got a weird sense of nostalgia watching this video. I’ve never owned, nor ridden a penny farthing, but this video sent me down many a rabbit hole.
4-minute watch