Finding your cycling soul
Searching for excellence and inspiration
By Robert Thorpe
When we ride a bike, we don’t just experience physical exertion; we undergo a spiritual renewal. As the endorphins kick in and our eyes light up, we bond with the landscape, feeling the wind kiss our faces. It is an inspirational experience meant to be shared with friends—riding for coffee and cake, then sitting outside cafes in sublime landscapes. There are too many such halts to count here in the Yorkshire Dales, and far too many castles and abbeys along the way. The landscape is part of the journey; it becomes a part of who we are. At heart, we are all still that young child, exploring the world for the very first time. Forgetting about your best time on a Strava section allows you to properly reconnect with your cycling soul. Having the right bike helps, too—one that speaks to you, shares your personality, and becomes a friend.
These days, a conveyor belt of brands from China tells us to snap up their latest designs. Yet, in too many instances, these designs are mere copies of someone else’s. They hold about as much meaning and inspiration as a supermarket own-brand chocolate bar. Let’s be honest, there’s something special about a Toblerone—you simply cannot replicate that feeling. Cycling is exactly the same. In truth, it is not just a sport. You only need to look at videos of Mark Cavendish after a win in his epic career to see that. He lived and breathed every pedal stroke, every metre of the tarmac. It became a part of his DNA. A good, well-engineered bike does the same. It helps us discover who we are by taking us on those special journeys.
The evolving tapestry of TIME
Tucked away in Europe, TIME bikes continue the unique, legendary journey they began in France 40 years ago. The small, quiet town of Nevers, near Bourges, is where this iconic brand first began weaving braided carbon in 1987. Today, production is based in Gajary, near Bratislava. Yet artisans still use those same legendary looms to create braided carbon from over 16 different fibres, placing them over wax mandrels and using resin transfer molding to create some of the world’s best bikes.
Taking the path less travelled, founder Roland Cattin was a true visionary. He didn’t just create precision-engineered carbon bikes; he sparked a movement, a philosophy of cycling based on pure passion and the continual search for the perfect ride. That search continues today as skilled hands weave the evolving tapestry of TIME. Simply looking at the intricate patterns of my own nude carbon TIME Scylon is mesmerizing. It is a work of art that I could place on a wall and admire alongside the paintings at home—and my wife, thankfully, agrees.
Brands like TIME prove that the conveyor belt in Shanghai isn’t the only option. They show that bikes with a pulse and a personality are crafted elsewhere. In fact, calling them ‘made’ is almost an insult—they are brought to life. When you ride a TIME bike, whether here in the Yorkshire Dales or on roads further afield, you experience that special ingredient woven into every frameset: passion. That’s why, when I’m searching for my cycling soul, I instinctively look toward TIME, Look, or Bianchi. I look toward Europe and along the road less travelled. I look for where the beating heart of cycling still exists, searching out the innovative engineering excellence of the continent.
Inspiring excellence in others
There are also some new kids on the block in Europe, creating carbon wheels and handlebars that sit perfectly with the artisan framesets of TIME. Over in Barcelona, SISLENT are making themselves heard by quietly creating some of the most well-engineered wheels and cockpits in modern cycling. Despite being a boutique brand, they’re already attracting the attention of Nicolas Roche and Philippe Gilbert—former pro peloton riders who know the exact value of bicycle engineering.
Their products are smooth, stylish, and strong, tested in labs and wind tunnels as well as at the highest level of our sport. As a side issue, they’re also extremely light and responsive. Why is this a side issue, you ask? Because lightness can mean compromise, as too many cyclists have found out the hard way. TIME, for instance, focuses on the quality of the engineering and the ride, constantly seeking Le Défi—the challenge of the perfect ride. When you pair a TIME frameset with components from SISLENT, you create something both unique and special: a machine made in Europe, built with a soul.
Ultimately, cycling isn’t about the speed of the ride or the weight of the bike. It’s about how we feel and the journey we are taken on—both philosophically and physically. Riding a TIME Scylon paired with SISLENT components does just that. It lives and breathes every pedal stroke with you, allowing you to focus entirely on the pure experience of the ride.
