Category: Cycling
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Breaking the Chaingang
When I first rode the Oxford chaingang, I got dropped in the rain and finished last. I loved it anyway—and I never got dropped again. Over time I found a way to win, week after week, on the same stretch of road. Everyone knew what was coming, but no one figured out how to stop…
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That’ll-Do-ism: A Manifesto for Good-Enough Creativity
This isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about knowing when to stop sanding. A short manifesto on progress, imperfection, and the power of “That’ll do.”
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The Festive 500: Cold Legs, Cracked Tyres, and Christmas Magic
500km. Eight days. One tyre explosion. This is how I tackled the Festive 500 — and what it means to push through when things feel impossible.
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Different Strokes (Part 1): Clots, Wards and My Lovely Veins
It started small: a tingling hand, a dizzy spell, a moment of confusion. Easy to brush off. Until one Sunday morning, it wasn’t. This is what a “minor” stroke looks like— and why the small stuff matters more than you think.
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Hello Darkness My Old Friend
I really hate winter. Every year I dread the clocks changing, the damp roads, and the endless grey. But over the years, I’ve found little ways to make it bearable — good kit, rides with friends, even Woolie Boolie socks. And something unexpected happens: by the end of most winters, I don’t really mind it.…
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How the Worst Injury of My Life Made Me a Stronger Cyclist
After the worst injury of my life, I didn’t just heal—I changed. Somewhere between the morphine dreams and ceiling tiles, I found the fire that would carry me forward. This is a story about coming back. About steel… and unicorns.
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The Time I Dropped a Rider Before We Left Town
When you’ve seen enough rides go wrong, you start to recognise the signs. Sometimes you wait, and hope it’ll be fine. Other times… you don’t. This is a story about cycling, yes. But really, it’s about what happens when you realise something isn’t going to work—and you have to decide what kind of leader, or…
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How I Beat Weird French Engineering and Became a Seatpost Whisperer
I designed. I printed. It broke. Then I met my enemy: a dead French engineer named Nostradumbass. He was the parallelogram-shaped thorn in my side. This is the story of rage, redesigns, CAD-induced breakdowns, and finally—maybe—a little carbon fibre redemption.
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How a Snapped Seatpost Sent Me on a 3D Printing Odyssey
I tried to fix a French bike seatpost with a 3D printer and the sheer power of structural optimism. Spoiler: the seatpost folded in half. Like a croissant. Like my dignity. Bienvenue.
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None of These Were My Name. All of Them Were Me.
Nicknames aren’t always flattering. They’re not always accurate. But sometimes, they stick—because they reflect how you made someone feel.
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The Rollercoaster Lie: Why We Scream at Safety and Stay Silent in Real Fear
A rollercoaster feels scary—but it’s safer than walking. So why do we scream on one and not the other? This post unpacks fear, risk, and what it really means to live dangerously.
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The Definition of Failure (Hint: It’s Not What You Think)
Failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s part of the path. From plastic disasters to surprise breakthroughs, here’s why messing up matters.
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The Quiet Rhythm of Freedom
A quiet ride. A trusted companion. A rhythm that carried me through joy, pain, and everything in between. This is my love letter to cycling—and all it’s taught me.
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The REAL Trotting Horse Lane
A story about a funny road name, an unexpected moment of joy, and the places that fill us up. This one’s about inspiration, nostalgia—and horses.
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I Rode So Much My Bike Disappeared
What starts with a crash ends with flight. A short story about bikes, falling, flying—and what real freedom feels like when you no longer have to think about control.
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The Cycling Mentor Who Showed Me What Leadership Really Means
A story about cycling, mentorship, and the quiet power of leading by example. This is a story about racing, rivalry, and the quiet power of someone believing in you before you believe in yourself. It’s about Jon — the club president who waited. And it’s about the lessons he taught me on and off the bike, the…
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Inappropriate Feet, Unicorns, and a Road Ahead
It starts with bad weather. Detours through unicorns. Ends with a road worth riding. Trust me. Well, I don’t live my life by this quote: “There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes I hate this expression. Yes, there is definitely such a thing as bad weather: hurricanes,…
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The One With the Steak Shorts
My favourite holiday? Easy.Mallorca, with a group of good friends, legs full of lactic acid, and—for two riders—steaks in their shorts. Weird, I know.Stick with me. It was my first cycling holiday with a group of really good friends. The kind of trip that blurs the line between boot camp and fun—early mornings, long rides,…
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I Went Camping and All I Got Was Existential Clarity and a Baguette
Have you ever been camping? I went camping as a kid and came back convinced France was the worst place on earth. Years later, I went back with a bike and discovered I was wrong. (Also, bread. So much bread.) I used to go camping every year with my parents.We’d cram everything into a Ford…
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Riding Into the Light
The clocks have changed—well, for most of us. Spring has returned. Daisy is on the prowl. The blossom is blossoming. The air smells like possibility. This is a ride through golden hours, cool evenings, and that feeling of starting again. Spring Awakens I love spring, it’s my favorite time of year! If a year was…
Davide la Locomotive 