“What art does — maybe what it does most completely — is tell us, make us feel that what we think we know, we don’t. There are whole worlds around us that we’ve never glimpsed.” Greil Marcus — Thursday May 21st — —

The idea is to die young as late as possible. — Ashley Montagu — Thursday May 21st — —

I love listening. It is one of the only spaces where you can be still and moved at the same time. — Nayyirah Waheed — Thursday May 21st — —

Manual for Speed

With competitive road cycling slowly finding restoration of its former glory by the growing popularity of the sport, the cycling universe continues to expand with interesting new projects, from fashion to a growing field of dedicated media. One of the most impressive new finds for us is: Manual For Speed – as stated by themselves – a preeminent road cycling journalism experience and cultural phenomenon. On their state-of-the-art, perfectly chaotic website they publish race reports (which aren’t race reports) as well as interviews, manuals, typologies, visual showcases and bonus treasures. Subsequently they aim to release on paper whenever possible. In addition to its online focus on spectacle, Manual For Speed plainly champions human athletes; exceptionally gifted – physically & physiologically speaking – men and women with personality; meaning perspective, insight, character, context and point-of-view. All of which are what they (and we) believe make the sport of road cycling not just exciting, but interesting too. As avid cycling enthousiasts ourselves we urge everyone to step into the totally unique cycling crazed world of Manual for Speed and be inspired to ride.

It’s true that at its core road cycling is in fact, about the finest, most transformative, most powerful sport known to man. And for much of the world, that is enough. That is as complicated and/or nuanced as the whole thing needs to be. But for us, for Manual for Speed, it’s clear that road cycling is bigger and more profound and frankly, more interesting than a simple superficial interpretation of Speed.

While the largest end of cycling journalism is concerned with results, the hands-up-over-the-line shot and showing the faces of the winners, who were on the podium, Manual for Speed lurks around back or off to the side looking for insights, depth, candor, humor, and everything which makes out the emotional backbone of the sport. Finally, MFS also has as a target to create an ever evolving collection of limited edition products commemorating various races, ideas and concepts. More often than not in collaboration with non-endemic artists.

We maintain that professional cycling is the Greatest Spectacle on Earth. From the support staff, judges, cops, team cars, fans and rolling enclosures to the mobile performance-based circus that is a high-speed, semi-volatile parade of athletes, Manual For Speed is dedicated to the whole Fuck Show.

All photographs courtesy of Manual for Speed.

Follow the incredible world of Manual for Speed here.