Latest Posts

Page One

Sea Otter Classic 2026, Day 1

Padraig
It's become a cliche to say that in the bike industry we come for the gear and stay for the people, but it's true. That said, the gear never gets boring. I'm not going chapter and verse; these…
Page One

Paceline Podcast 462

Padraig
The bike industry's annual family reunion, better known as the Sea Otter Classic happens this week at Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, Calif. We're posting a day early because Lori and Patrick will…
Page One

Curiosity

Padraig
One of the gifts mountain biking presents to us is the opportunity to cross paths with truly wild animals. My use of that adverb is meant to delineate the difference between turkeys wandering across…
Page One

The Watermelon

Padraig
I found out the hard way that mid-ride bonks come in more flavors than I would have guessed. I've had ones that snuck up on me, arriving in between two efforts. One minute I've got full power. Then…
Talk

Revolting 225

Emlyn Lewis
TV Had Rotted Our Minds Long Before the Internet Came Along. You must see that the Internet is just the Choose Your Own Adventure version of television, and long before the algorithm was developed to…
Talk

Paceline Podcast 461

Padraig
This week Lori and Patrick welcome guest Paul Tolmé, the media relations director for Cascade Bicycle Club. With roughly 10,000 paying members, Cascade is one of the largest, if not the largest…
Op-Ed

Because Bikes: Duty

Padraig
We rounded a bend that the map said was a sure-fire exit from Monte Carlo to a coastal road that would run to Nice. My group numbered six, maybe seven riders—I no longer recall exactly because…
Talk

Revolting 224

Robot and Stevil
A Participation Trophy for Your Trouble. It’s award season, because it’s never not award season when people who already make a lot of money and are crazy famous also want to be told they’re doing a…

Featured Posts

Page One

Llamas, Donkeys and Sage

Maureen Gaffney
The Wuanita loop in Saguache (“Saw–watch”) County, Colorado was my third bikepack, but my first without the handholding provided by a 2021 “Bikepacking 101 Course” offered by Rim Tours in Moab, or a…
Page One

Part of Me

Pat Navin
In my dream, I am riding up a steep climb on a narrow road winding through redwoods, barely able to turn the pedals. But I am happy. Ecstatic, really. I am one with my bike, an extension of my body,…
Page One

The Watermelon

Padraig
I found out the hard way that mid-ride bonks come in more flavors than I would have guessed. I've had ones that snuck up on me, arriving in between two efforts. One minute I've got full power. Then…

Page One

Page One

Sea Otter Classic 2026, Day 1

Padraig
It's become a cliche to say that in the bike industry we come for the gear and stay for the people, but it's true. That said, the gear never gets boring. I'm not going chapter and verse; these…
Page One

Paceline Podcast 462

Padraig
The bike industry's annual family reunion, better known as the Sea Otter Classic happens this week at Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, Calif. We're posting a day early because Lori and Patrick will…
Page One

Curiosity

Padraig
One of the gifts mountain biking presents to us is the opportunity to cross paths with truly wild animals. My use of that adverb is meant to delineate the difference between turkeys wandering across…

Op-Ed

Op-Ed

Because Bikes: Duty

Padraig
We rounded a bend that the map said was a sure-fire exit from Monte Carlo to a coastal road that would run to Nice. My group numbered six, maybe seven riders—I no longer recall exactly because…
Op-Ed

Because Bikes: Grit

Padraig
Of the many facets in my life that give me reason to feel gratitude, cycling keeps coming up for me. Who I was as a young person—deeply neurodivergent, madly intelligent and epically…

Classified

Talk

Talk

Revolting 225

Emlyn Lewis
TV Had Rotted Our Minds Long Before the Internet Came Along. You must see that the Internet is just the Choose Your Own Adventure version of television, and long before the algorithm was developed to…
Talk

Paceline Podcast 461

Padraig
This week Lori and Patrick welcome guest Paul Tolmé, the media relations director for Cascade Bicycle Club. With roughly 10,000 paying members, Cascade is one of the largest, if not the largest…
Talk

Revolting 224

Robot and Stevil
A Participation Trophy for Your Trouble. It’s award season, because it’s never not award season when people who already make a lot of money and are crazy famous also want to be told they’re doing a…

Cycling is more than just a sport—it’s a way of life, a passion that connects people through adventure, endurance, and the freedom of the open road. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just beginning your journey, the Cycling Independent is here to bring you insights, stories, and the latest updates from the cycling world. Stay inspired, explore new trails, and embrace the cycling lifestyle.

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