A Love For The Sport
A printed declaration of our adoration for cycling and an exploration of its future.
“Our ongoing vision is to stay ambitious for the sport. It’s not a pragmatic, slightly-above-the-horizon vision, because cycling is too good for that. Cycling has the promise to give so much to the world that we should always have our heads up, and always think big.
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Simon Mottram, Rapha Founder
If Rapha was to be defined in a few words it is ‘a love for the sport of cycling’ – this underpins everything we do. As we reach our 20th year, we are presenting a declaration of this adoration in the form of a printed manifesto. Cycling doesn’t follow any political ideology but it is a positive force for all who embrace it. We passionately believe cycling should be for everyone and that it can change lives, build communities and transform society.
Drawing on the voices of an alliance of athletes, thinkers and innovators, this Past Forward Manifesto explores their individual experiences with cycling as a way of life and why they love the sport. Each of our contributors also offers ideas of how we can map out the best future for cycling, discussing what they think we could achieve in the following 20 years, and beyond.
Contributors include Rapha’s founder Simon Mottram and new CEO Fran Millar, EF pro cyclists Lachlan Morton and Alison Jackson, Team AMANI’s Tsgabu Grmay, Mikel Delagrange, and Mary Aleper, #BikeIsBest founder Adam Tranter, and Transport for London’s Will Norman.
Rapha will be in residence at the Truman Brewery during the London Design Festival to celebrate our 20th anniversary, and visitors will be invited to take a copy of the manifesto away with them to read in full. Join us September 14-22 and discover a kinetic installation housed in an ethereal world of archive product and imagery, alongside a packed calendar of talks, parties, experiences and rides.
Printed copies of The Past Forward Manifesto will also be available in limited numbers from Rapha Clubhouses worldwide.
Alison Jackson, EF-Oatly-Cannondale
Mikel Delagrange, co-founder of Team AMANI
Lachlan Morton, EF Education-EasyPost
Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner