The Pinch Flat Journal: For Adventure by Bike

Early in 2025 Roll Models was launched, a mentorship scheme helping women and gender minorities to ride adventurously. Now, a year on, with their first year’s cohort having competed the program, Athlyn reflects on their first year as Roll Models sharing what worked, what didn’t, what surprises they faced and how they plan on doing things in 2026.

For five consecutive years the Pan Celtic Race put riders shoulder to shoulder to do battle across five Celtic nations, becoming a cornerstone of the Northern European ultra calendar. For what was to be their final instalment, the Magnum Opus saw 55 hardy souls set off each to complete their most ambitious race yet.

After more than 50 days solo, riding his bike in one of the hottest and most sparsely populated countries on the planet, Lawrence Walters set a new world record for the fasted unsupported circumnavigation of Australia. In case that wasn’t enough, he did so riding a fixed gear bike.

Part emergency drill, part race, part community celebration, the Disaster Relief Trials is a cargo bike competition designed to simulate a disaster relief supply run where riders navigate a course simulating post-disaster conditions. In September 2025, the first DRT out of the US came to Bristol.