So I’m a bit late with this, by almost a couple of weeks. But just in case you haven’t heard, Issue 14 of Treadlie Magazine is out!

Its been a fun issue to put together. As usual, by the time it is out in print I’ve moved on mentally to the next one (and even the one after that) so it always seems a bit strange to finally come across it. I love the ‘beard-off’ in this issue with two of our profiles, Marcus Enno (a.k.a. Beardy McBeard) and Guisseppe ‘Pino’ Demaio (of Assemble Projects) sporting quite outstanding examples of modern day hirsute-ry.

There is a great story on the Afghan Women’s Cycling team, written by Noel Probert, that puts many of our first-world cycling problems into perspective. Next time you think its too hard to fit in a ride spare a thought for the obstacles facing these amazing ladies! Not to mention the dedication of women like Shannon Galpin in supporting them.

I’ve come across quite a few cycling shoes lately, those by London’s Tracey Neuls, and others being handmade both in Melbourne and elsewhere, as well as your more traditional performance shoes that ‘cyclists’ wear, so I commissioned Elana Castle to write a feature taking a look at these and the different riders they’re appealing to. Because we all need more shoes, don’t we?

I’ve been wanting to profile the work of Ewen Gellie for a long time. Ewen’s work has a very fine understated quality to it, which if you’ve ever met the man himself, you’ll recognise instantly. It never ceases to amaze me how much of the builder always manifests itself in his bikes.

Living in Melbourne or Sydney it may sometimes seem that there is a cycling festival of some kind on every other week or so. Many of these, like the now resting Melbourne Bikefest and the Bicycle Film Festivals, started out as grassroots events, driven by the determination of a handful of people. Its always interesting to find out what inspires people to do this so I asked Kath Dolan to interview Mara and Ciara of Pedal Brisbane and find out what inspired them to start their very own Brissie bike culture festival.

And you know that reality tv show about the Haul Rd in Alaska, with the truckers risking their lives every time they drive it? Well meet Steven Fabes. He has ridden six continents and while I was trying to work out with him which of his millionty amazing stories would be best for this issue of Treadlie he mentioned riding this road. Just the photos will make you shiver. We’ve never had a riding in Alaska story before and Steven is a great storyteller, and photographer!

At the other extreme, I’ve written a short piece about the bicyclification of New York City. Its always interesting to look at the facts and figures and contrast them with your experience riding on the ground. The New York story is significant because it is the story of a city administration realising just how much they need to encourage riding (and walking) to keep their city liveable into the future. They have made HUGE dramatic changes. Which is not to say, that riding there for a week last September, I wasn’t pining for some aspects of safe-little-downtown-Brunswick!

 

I also really love this issue’s cover. It features Krys Blakemore from Brooklyn in New York City whom I ‘met’ online via Itchy the Movement. Krys has had an amazing year with some major surgery after a horrible accident. She also happens to be great illustrator so make sure you check out her work.

There is, of course, a lot more than this! Issue 14 of Treadlie Magazine is out now, in newsagents and Magnation as well as selected bike and book shops around Australia. New Zealand will find it in newsagents and dairies, while subscribers will have it in their mailboxes, although if you are overseas you may a bit of a wait. (Unless of course you subscribe on the iPad or Kindle, then you’ll have it instantly!)