Editorial

Words Liam Friary
Image Cameron Mackenzie

The past few weeks have been a really good reminder of how great bike riding is. There are two instances that really stand out. Firstly, I happened to be in Central Otago attending and talking at Trail Forum, which is something. I mean, rewind about a decade or more and you wouldn’t have this amount of people engaged in riding let alone having businesses that now rely solely on it, and not to mention the regional tourism organisations that clearly know the economic impact of cycling in their regions. It’s truly amazing and I hope we can continue to build trails, foster more riding communities, and create better cycling infrastructure across the motu. It was after this event that an unscheduled ride became an epic outing with four riders who didn’t know each other. I was like the conduit blending these individuals together, knowing that riding would bond them. And, it did. After an all-day ride, we were all mates sharing large amounts of conversation, ups, downs, and good times. Bikes were simply the portal that helped us take in the landscape and connect with us one another. You can’t have that quantity – or quality! – of time in a meeting room (in-person or online) or even sitting in a coffee shop with someone. The standout for me is undistracted time where the other person is engaged and listening without any device diverting their attention. This simplicity is what I crave; just riding and conversing is so refreshing in this fast-paced age.

The second reminder was a ride with a good friend. We don’t get to catch up that often as work and life schedules don’t always align, and we’re not the best at conversing over digital platforms. I mean, we used it to make a meet-up spot but that’s pretty much it. I find a ride meet-up will fill me in so much more about how my friend is doing, rather than a flurry of text exchanges. I got to the mountain bike park, unloaded my bike, clipped my helmet on, and checked my phone… only to read a message from my friend, telling me they couldn’t make it as they weren’t feeling well. I was committed and went riding anyway. The solo riding time helped me decompress from life’s never-ending to-do list and growing work commitments. I connected with nature, stretched myself on rowdy trails and just had some ‘me’ time. I drove back thinking about how that’s not just a ‘want’ but more of a ‘need’ now. I don’t often allow myself the time, but often putting aside part of the day for a solo ride lets me gain perspective on everything. I missed my mate that day, but thoroughly enjoyed shredding the trials alone. You never regret the ride you went on.

Words Liam Friary
Image Henry Jaine

There’s something to be said for the simple pleasure of going for a ride with your buddies. It always reminds me that bikes are just so bloody good. They help you connect with all types of people. These people help you stay enthused and keep you in the riding scene. As they say, surround yourself with good people. For me, this is no more evident than in biking culture. As the years go by (faster than I’d like), I meet more and more riders who all have an immense passion for bikes. It’s the thing that ties us together and often leads to other adventures, rides, or even catch-ups off the bike. These people are some of my closest friends these days. I think in the digital world, we’re not just looking but yearning for more IRL (in real life) activities.

Strava have found the same in their recent trend report. ‘Strava athletes say their number one reason for exercising with others is social connection. Over half of Strava athletes say they’re most motivated by friends or family members who exercise.’ And despite what you may think about the younger generations, ‘Gen Z is also the most social, being 29% more likely than Millennials to workout with another person at least some of the time.’ So, next time you’re going out for a ride, invite someone! Or, if you’re the one being invited, don’t turn down that offer. As you can see from some of the findings – we all inspire each other. And that’s one of the overall objectives of this print publication: to document riding adventures which hopefully provide inspiration.

I’m keeping my tradition of writing this editorial piece right on deadline. It seems I need to get my house in order (i.e this magazine) before I can sit down and write this. It’s not without its drama – my designer and proofreader would much prefer this ahead of time! But, here I am again because, instead of doing this indoor work, I was doing the outdoor work of riding my bike with some test products of course. It’s the outdoor pursuit that often gives me the clarity I need to complete the indoor work. I have so much gratitude that I can put together a publication in a sport that I’m so passionate about. And to those who surround me, I am forever grateful for your endless enthusiasm.