Why? It’s a powerful question that often leads to some of the most insightful stories that have shaped our human history and it’s the question we asked local riders here in South Wales. Since autumn last year we’ve been meeting bikers on the trails and pump tracks and asking them the simple question of why. This first series of Rise With Us seeks to unpack why rising to ride brings joy to people’s lives; it’s a personal yet inspiring decision to simply put foot to pedal and get outside. So, join us for a whistle stop tour of some inspiring stories of risers from across the South Wales corridor.
Lewis Bradley
Introducing Lewis – a true bike fanatic from Neath.
We caught up with Lewis on his lapierreuk Xelius for a true autumnal Welsh ride up the Bwlch, Brecon. The world of bikes has fully absorbed Lewis’ life and he couldn’t be happier!
His work and lifestyle have been centred around cycling since he was a young teen. We asked Lewis to share his journey with us and where this two-wheeled obsession is taking him now:
“So I’ve been riding for about 15 years now. I remember my first time out on a bike was with my Dad and his friend in Afan. I was on a 26 inch hardtail kids Merida bike and the brakes didn’t work. It was absolutely freezing and pouring down with rain but that was it for me. I loved it!
At the moment I’m predominantly forced on triathlon which is such a transition from how I started out. Originally I started out in downhill mountain biking when I was 15 then transitioned into enduro. I loved the social side of this and got to ride some incredible terrain. When I was 17 I was lucky enough to be part of the junior World Enduro series and raced on some of the best mountains and alpine resorts.
During COVID I channelled my energy to ticking off something on my bucket list which was to complete Iron Man Wales. It’s known to be one of the hardest Ironmans’ in the world with a tough but beautiful swim, incredibly hilly bike and run has a mega incline.
I was really lucky as Lapierre continued to support me through that transition from MTB to triathlon. The race went really well and now I’m going to be representing Team GB Age-Group European sprint and Olympic championships and competing in the Mallorca Ironman. So some really incredible opportunities have come up within my first two years of triathlon. It’s been a steep learning curve but I’m so glad that I did it.
“Biking has given me opportunities which I never thought were available to me.” The statement that’s stayed with us ever since our chat with Lewis outside Monty’s Coffee. It’s one of the many reasons we do what we do and what gets Lewis out of bed in the morning; it’s why he rises.
“Honestly, biking brings a lot of joy to my life. It’s a passion which has evolved, grown and changed my life. It has truly given me a direction which I don’t think I would have had a few years ago. It makes me feel proud of myself and what I have and can achieve; I think that’s the most important thing. There’s emotions I didn’t know I had until I unlocked them on a bike. It makes me feel free.”
We’ll be staying up to date with Lewis in the new year tracking his journey to represent Team GB Age-Group European sprint and Olympic championships and competing in the Mallorca Ironman.
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