BKW is intended to be a celebration of our sport, not a look book. Personally, I don’t care how a rider looks (or smells), but rather the raw emotion they evoke. The use of “PRO” translates to all that is great about our sport. Not who is wearing the most white, smells the mintiest or has the veiniest legs.

Vogels is a great example, he rides with his heart. Burying yourself for a team mate and bordering on hyperventilation and vomiting is another fine example. But so is a rider who exhibits a suppleness on the bike that defines the beauty of our sport (regardless of how fast one is.) I am moved by the sight of an elderly couple standing along side the cobbles in the spring for a quick glimpse of the PROs as they pass.

The smell of embrocation is an aspect of our sport that has become a celebration for me. The bold scent is unmistakable and when the spiciness hits my nose I know I am completely immersed in my element, I am face to face with my passion. The embrocation reviews on BKW are pulled directly from the post-ride coffee chats, it is the kind of stuff cyclists talk about with other cyclists. It’s an element that bonds all of us together.

Part of the celebration of cycling is the look, feel and smell of the PRO ranks. It’s an important aspect of our sport and each provide a depth and visceral dimension to this life-diversion called cycling.

PRO Defined

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received came from the bike world, a comment that was so simple in its very nature that it remains a beacon in my cycling journey. My friend JM said to me: “The ideal bike is defined differently by different people”. So simple, yet so powerful. I take this with me into every aspect of cycling. For some, the kit and the gear is the most important part of the game. For others, the sharp end of the race is the only aspect that matters. With the exception of the coffee shop, never shall these two meet. But on a two lane road filled with irate, road raging drivers a common bond is immediate.