We're super excited to welcome Sam to our roster of contributors. As a former gymnast and acrobat, turned cyclist and content creator, Sam's experience is very unique and he'll bring a special flavour to this community.
From: France
Lives: East London
Social: @samtbrt
1. Tell us about yourself.
I’m Sam, born and raised in France but made London my home. I’m a breaking news correspondent and started cycling in August 2024. My biggest challenge this year is Badlands.
2. What do you love about cycling?
As a former gymnast and professional acrobat, when I stopped, I missed something that took me a long time to find—feeling my body completely exhausted. Cycling gave me that back. While I no longer play with gravity, I have gained a freedom that I yearned for: I can cycle as far as I want without relying on anything other than my body.
3. What barriers have you faced in cycling?
When I first joined, I felt intimidated by the community, especially in London. I could not find a group I could relate to, or feel safe in. It took me a while to find my marks and make cycling my own. However, I have met many people, some of whom I now consider my best friends. I do believe there is a group for everyone, you simply have to find it - or create it!
4. Why were you interested in contributing?
I want people to know that there’s no one way to get into cycling, and there are certainly no rules about having to be “born into it” or needing to be a certain body type. YOU are the only person that matters when you are on your bike; whether you decide to commute to work, go on a weekend ride with your friends, or race.
5. Your fondest memory on the bike
After about a couple of months after starting cycling and falling deeply in love with the sport, I decided to challenge myself and cycle London-Paris within 2 days, covering almost 500km.
While it was mentally challenging and I had to adjust to issues I faced (such as four punctures in a row, thus losing about three hours), I also had the best time. I woke up the second day after barely two hours of sleep, thinking I would not make it. About 20mins later, the sun rose and all I had was a smile.
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