Tag Archives: Cyclocross

Adam McGrath: Cyclocross’ Wanderlusting, Micro-Farming Homesteader, Part 1


Photo via Van Dessel Sports.

Adam McGrath’s story begins like that of the typical professional cyclist. Fast junior with promising natural talent rises to the pro ranks, travels the national racing circuit and makes a few forays into the European scene. From there, however, it takes a sharp turn towards unique. Nomadic travels around the world, the formation of strong philosophies on injustice and inequality, and homesteading on a small piece of property out on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula took precedent over racing. In part 1 of 2, Adam talks about his early exposure to cyclocross growing up in Boulder, CO, his path to professional racing, and his motivation to see the world.

Continue reading

Brian Vernor: Santa Cruz’s Adventurous Filmmaking, Photo Taking, Native Son


Brian at the Tour d’ Afrique, the subject of his film Where Are You Go? Photo from Good Problem.

Brian Vernor has a cool thing going for himself. The fourth-generation Santa Cruz, CA resident is a photographer, filmmaker, and adventurer who travels the world using his cameras to tell stories (and very frequently, ones about bikes). Sometimes it’s companies like Rapha or Jamis who send him off on a job. Other times its for his own projects like The Cyclocross Meeting and Where Are You Go, films that he shot in Japan and across Africa respectively. I spoke to Brian about his start as a filmmaker and photographer, his love for cyclocross, his adventure on a “rail bike,” the subjects currently catching his eye, and more.

Continue reading

Brian “Sally” Fornes: Drinking, Single Speed Racing, and Repping One of America’s Largest Bike Companies


Sally (left) in uniform.

Sally Fornes is exactly the kind of guy you want to have at a cyclocross race. He’s there with the beer hand-ups for the crack-of-dawn Cat 4 races, he’ll heckle you mercilessly through a megaphone while you’re racing, then he’ll invite you back to his team tent to hang out for a post-race recovery drink. He’s also been known to hold his own at the front of the single speed race, was the lead organizer of the latest Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships, and, in his spare time, is Raleigh USA’s main marketing guy.

Continue reading

Zach McDonald: Cyclocross, Mountain Bikes, and the Future of his Sport


Photo by Wil Matthews. Source: Rapha Focus.

Zach McDonald is a cyclocross phenom. The 19-year-old from Bainbridge Island, WA has only been racing for a few years, but already has two national titles, has podiumed at a world cup in Europe, and is racing as a professional for the new Rapha Focus team. I talked to Zach about balancing the demands of life, school, and professional-level racing and his experiences racing in Europe and America.

Continue reading

Stevil Kinevil: Bikes, Booze, and the Art of Heckling


Photo by Forrest Arakawa. All images courtesy of Stevil Kinevil.

I’m excited to kick off The Bicycle Story with All Hail The Black Market’s Stevil Kinevil, an industry insider, racer, professional artist, wild man, and, in his own way, outspoken advocate. I first came across Stevil when he was working at Swobo and writing How To Avoid The Bummer Life, a regular journal dedicated to bikes, beer, mustachioed men, art, music, and everything in between. Stevil went rogue a little over a year ago and started his own venture with All Hail The Black Market. AHTBM continues the Bummer Life tradition documenting cycling culture at large, Budweiser, bacon, fine art, and most importantly the riding and racing exploits of Stevil and his friends.

Continue reading