👜 Stage 30: The $29,000 Louis Vuitton town bike
plus equipment that costs you watts, but increases fun levels
Hey there!
How are you today? I think this week’s issue of the newsletter is one of my favourites. We have everything from culture, to extortionate equipment, to the joy of finding a stolen bike.
I’ve only just unpacked my suitcase from my flight from Belgium, and I’m already starting to think about repacking it as I’m flying back to Brussels in a couple of days for another race block. I’m getting way too familiar with Barcelona airport these days!
I’ve had a crazy week of racing in the Motherland of cycling, Flanders. We raced up some of the most famous cobbled climbs in the region, against some of the biggest names in the sport. If I could go back and tell my younger self that this would be happening, I’d have laughed. Cycling is a wonderful sport but is inevitably filled with lows. I didn’t get the results I wanted from these past couple of races, but every time you race in Belgium, you learn something new.
Catch you next week,
Joe
📖 Read
#womenscycling #culture
The female cyclists of Afghanistan are fearing for their lives. They are destroying their bikes, and burning all of their gear, too. This article sheds some light on the very real story of female Afghan cyclists looking to escape persecution.
5-minute read
#€€€
Last week we brought you the $10,000 handlebars, this week we have the $29,000 town bike. Why? We’re not really sure. Louis Vuitton have decided to team up with French bike maker Maison Tamboite to release their own bike. It’s cool, but a little expensive. Even though it has a GPS tracker under the saddle, I still wouldn’t forget to lock it up when you get to the café.
3-minute read
#strange #stolenbike
Having a bike stolen is horrible. Having a custom bike stolen must feel even worse. Three years ago, that exact thing happened to CyclingTips editor, Caley Fretz. His custom, titanium Mosaic bike was taken from his house. He had given up all hope. That was until last week when a guy named Kyle found his bike. The bike was found less than a mile from where it was originally stolen. This story leaves more questions than answers, but I love it.
6-minute read
#tech #fun
Would you be willing to sacrifice some speed for more fun? Most of us want to go as fast as possible, and you can buy the equipment to help you do that. From faster tyres, to more aerodynamic kit. However, what is the best gear you can use that makes you slower? I bet that’s not a question you expected to be asked!
8-minute read
#weeklygravel
Boulder, Colorado is a place that has always been high on my bucket list. Both as a place to visit as a tourist, and as a cyclist, Boulder seems to have it all. When I spied this gravel event, just 17 miles (30 km) west of the city, I was intrigued. Take a look at Ned Gravel, and join me in adding Boulder to your bucket list.
2-minute read
#training
Injury is the bane of all evil. There is nothing worse than having to stop a bike ride because you have an unexplained niggle. We’ve all experienced lower back pain at some point or another over our cycling life. A little bit of investment off the bike can save lots of pain on the bike. Here are some top tips for preventing back pain.
5-minute read
📱Tweet of the week
Please, tell me what other professional sports would be interrupted by a cow
🎧 Listen
The Nova Eroica gravel event in Tuscany, Italy is a festival of cycling. It features five different routes, from the 15 km Eroica Family Mini, to the 130 km full event. The 130 km event is inevitably raced. Pro-roadie and Gravel enthusiast Nathan Haas went along. This was his first gravel race, and his nerves and excitement make us all want to jump off-road.
54-minute listen
👀 Watch
To celebrate their 60th Anniversary, 3T have released a new bike. The bike costs an eye-watering €19,000. What’s even cooler, is the bike comes with its own garage.
10-minute watch