Publishing our daily work here at PEZ is just an extension of our love for cycling. So it’s no surprise we also love Rouleur magazine, produced by the high-quality guys at Rapha in the UK. If you haven’t see it, you should – and fast. Our resident watch-dog of written works, Les Reissner tells us why it’s cool.
- Reported by Leslie Reissner -
Rouleur is quite unlike any other cycling magazine on the market. Leafing through the stack in front of me (not including Issue No. 1, long sold out and examples of which are already exchanging hands on E-Bay for staggering sums among the cognoscenti), it seems to have consistently met the criteria of its creation: “to celebrate the drama and beauty of road racing;...to focus on exquisite photography and writing that gets under the skin of the great riders and theatres of road racing.” Drama? Theatre? Probably best not to look here for “How to Prepare for Your First Century Ride.” The editor, Guy Andrews, means business, admitting to both a love of the classic races of the 1970s and 1980s and a hatred of black socks. Sounds promising.
Each issue examines and presents another of cycling ‘holy places’ – like the Stelvio.
For the most part, Rouleur delivers. It is beautifully produced on heavy, glossy paper, lots of photographs and some heft, as an issue is typically 100 pages. The small stable of contributors that Mr. Andrews employs include Grahame Fife, Matt Seaton, Jack Thurston and William Fotheringham, well-known cycling journalists from the United Kingdom. Their pieces are all of a certain thoughtful quality, with history gently unveiled and emotions captured, sometimes clinically and sometimes rapturously. But it is the photographs that make Rouleur particularly special. The work of Graham Watson is well-known to many in North America but the magazine serves to showcases others of considerable merit.
Ben Ingham’s work is a case in point. His photos of the Tour of Flanders course, in Issue No. 2, lead off a set of articles about cycling on cobbles. They are black-and-white and only three of the whole dozen of them actually show cyclists. Most are brooding images of cobblestones, or expectant anonymous fans or even empty chairs waiting for those fans. There is dark anticipation: you just know that anyone racing over those roads, probably in the wet, is going to suffer a whole lot.
Again and again the eyes are drawn back to the black-and-white photos, which express the drama of racing better than the colour ones do. They have a monumental quality, and with Rouleur’s use of old photos mixed with new ones there is a timeless quality and a feeling that here is capital-A Art. The worn surface of the velodrome, the showers at Roubaix – the commonplace, sculptured in light and shadow, becomes totemic. The colour images are usually excellent but in some cases, such as in Issue No. 9's feature on the Alpe d’Huez, the colour of the old photos has a washed-out, imprecise look, like old East Bloc postcards.
Image from the story on the Croix de Fer.
Rouleur does not have equipment tests (although there was a lovely article dedicated to wheelbuilding in No. 3 by Rohan Dubash, photographed by the indispensable Ben Ingham) and does not offer training tips per se, but does describe in useful detail the most famous roads in pro cycling’s history, all in Europe: the route to the top of Mont Ventoux, the Galibier, the Croix de Fer. There is a great deal about pain and suffering, unsurprisingly.
There are interviews with legends of the sport, such as my favourite, Federico Bahamontes (with fabulous photos by Timm Kölln, TimmKoelln.com another regular) - although I was less enamoured of more modern stars, such as the omnipresent David Millar, who appears photographed as if for GQ magazine. The magazine has very little advertising, primarily from Rapha CC, the clothing manufacturer that underwrites it, although sometimes articles, such as the one on Brooks the saddle makers, veers a bit towards the infomercial, a criticism that can be honestly applied to coverage of any business.
Federico Bahmontes’ work station.
Interspersed with all of this glorious history and superb images are literary touches, such as short translated excerpts from Paul Fournel’s “The Need for the Bike,” and, best of all, an interview with Tim Krabbé, the Dutch novelist responsible for “the Rider,” the finest piece of fiction devoted to road racing and apparently held in suitable awe by Rouleur and, in fact, Rapha as a whole.
It is such a pleasure to read and reread this publication that the not-inconsiderable subscription price is justifiable, particularly if you think of each issue as a small book rather than a magazine. The Rouleur website is currently being updated but if the Rapha website is any indication it will be a valuable and attractive annex to the print version.
PEZ Sez: Even sitting by the pool on a recent trip to Vegas, Rouleur makes me want to ride my bike.
Rouleur is for those who appreciate history, art and literature as much as cycling. This kind of focus could lead to self-parody or, worst of all, pretentiousness but the single-minded dedication of the editor and contributors makes Rouleur majestic, while twice-told tales are still somehow fresh. Perhaps it is an acquired and refined taste, but what’s not to like? Black socks, I guess, and there is not a single photo featuring them that I have yet found. Recommended and completely addictive.
• To subscribe, or for single copies, contact Rapha CC at Rapha.cc
• Special thanks to TimmKoelln.com for reproduction of his photos.
Leslie Reissner, who prays daily to Eros Poli, is training hard to ride the Route des Grande Alpes this summer, when he will amuse the crowds awaiting the Tour de France and his fellow-cyclists. Until then, he may be found editorializing at www.tindonkey.com.
Roadside St. 14 When you start each new Giro you understand you’re a year older. You feel a stranger to the village approach and for a moment ... More....
Professional cycling has, over the years, attracted only a few documentary film makers. A few, such as Jorgen Leth’s “A Sunday in Hell,” have even ... More....
I’m just digging out from a few days at the BMC training camp, and while I won’t be reporting on doing Jaeger-bombs and Redbulls with Cadel & George, ... More....
As the final Madison got underway the arena was packed to the rafters, all the talk of Six Days in crisis forgotten for now. The finale was ... More....
Six Day racing comes to Berlin for the 99th time on Thursday, 28th January, 2010 with the great tradition of winter track racing in Germany in a ... More....
American Classic spent the last couple of years reworking their line up and the 420 Aeros are the latest to leave the bench. Take a look at the new ... More....
A couple years in the making, Pez head up to see arguably the top custom builder on the planet. We hit Serotta's NY shop, take a peek at their ... More....
You’ve still got today and all of tomorrow to ‘git ‘er done! Your holiday shopping that is… and armed with the complete set of 4 gift guides ... More....
If the stocking's not full - somebody's not doing their job. Good thing we're here to help with a big ol' bag full of the kind of stuff we'd love to ... More....
Winter riding is almost upon us - except for you lucky Aussies - and that means less riding outdoors. But with an indoor trainer and a Netflix ... More....
Many ergogenic aids, both legal and illegal, have been touted as the magic bullet that will improve cycling performance. What about something that ... More....
Having goals is one of the important first steps in achieving your dreams. They can be small goals or they can be big goals, but without them you’ll ... More....
Is cycling your religion, or at least one of them? If so, you’re not alone. Many people define themselves as “spiritual,” even if they don’t practice ... More....
Post-Giro Roadside: I love Scotland; but there’s no Gazzetta in the morning, most of the coffee tastes like John Wayne brewed it beside the ... More....
Sunday July 20th 1969; that’s 40 years ago now but I remember it clearly as the day that I first became aware of professional bicycle racing – I was ... More....
Roadside Recap: As we make our merry way through the rounds of the PEZ Looks Back, Ed is up for his retrospective on the Tour that was. As the ... More....
Coming on four years ago, Saul Raisin was one of THE big things in US pro cycling. Top 40 in a hard Tour de Suisse and mountain king at the Tour de ... More....
The last time we spoke to Garmin's Steve Cozza was after the 2008 Paris - Tours; where he produced another solid performance from a consistent and ... More....
Just about to start his second season with Cervélo - thanks to strong Classic rides and his first Grand Tour finish, in the Giro - Englishman, Dan ... More....
In October, nine-time Tour de France rider Frankie Andreu announced that he would be Director Sportif of the Ohio-based KENDA Pro Cycling p/b ... More....
With so many (too many?) others looking back to best-of-2009 or decade highlights, why not look ahead? A new decade beckons, after all, so who better ... More....
We first talked with Lostende Bike Tours owner and avid cyclist Allan Reeves about his Pyrenees Cycling Challenge, from the Atlantic to the ... More....
So, riding in Texas is mostly flat, with only tumbleweeds and armadillos to avoid right? Well, not exactly. You see, Austin is situated in what’s ... More....
Roadside St. 14 When you start each new Giro you understand you’re a year older. You feel a stranger to the village approach and for a moment ... More....
Professional cycling has, over the years, attracted only a few documentary film makers. A few, such as Jorgen Leth’s “A Sunday in Hell,” have even ... More....
I’m just digging out from a few days at the BMC training camp, and while I won’t be reporting on doing Jaeger-bombs and Redbulls with Cadel & George, ... More....
Race report: Alejandro Valverde stayed upright to seal his Vuelta victory – the first Grand Tour win of his career. On such a short stage, ... More....
Race Report: Today David Millar won his 5th stage in all his Vuelta’s, he was given one of the swords that Toledo is famous for along with the ... More....
The loss of Franco Ballerini is not one that will be forgotten anytime soon. The sport's best are at a loss and two of the greatest riders of our ... More....
Updated! Hallelujah, they're racing in Qatar, and I just got back from celebrating with every other New Orleanian on Bourbon Street. There's ... More....
It was a dark Sunday morning in Italy when the news services announced that Franco Ballerini, ex-professional, former dual Paris-Roubaix winner and ... More....
The maracas shake, 'Cara mia, mine !' blasts from the PA. Bang! The little cannon fires and the hall fills with smoke. Yes, this is the right place, ... More....
When the K-Mart Classic of West Virginia stormed through the state in the mid-90s, it opened awareness as to just how great the bike riding is in ... More....
After riding the final 17 sectors of Paris-Roubaix yesterday, and typing to you with still swollen, sore, and blistered hands, I understand to my ... More....
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/amclass/amc420alarge.jpg",900,698);)
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/serotta/meilarge.jpg",2000,1244);)
