Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

The Tweed Steed

The Tweed Steed

The Tweed Run was inaugurated in 2009 by the London Fixed Gear and Single Speed crew, which since then has grown into a veritable institution. The format has been imitated, with considerable success, in almost every major capital city on the planet. It’s a sign that, alongside cycling in general, there is an increasing global desire to reduce our frenetic pace and pull back from the ‘Speed is Good’ mentality of our generation.

There is more emphasis than ever on the handmade, the crafts of our forebears, on quality over quantity and on a bespoke, rather than an ‘off-the-peg’ lifestyle. Ian ‘Corky’ Chisholm is a card carrying member of The Guvnors’ Assembly, a UK-based forum centered on appreciation of the Pashley Guvnor — a venerable machine that personifies everything the Tweed Run is about. Corky has prepared himself a personalized bike of his own, in preparation for the next Tweed Run.

It’s a wonder the Harris Tweed Authority, manufacturers of the world’s finest tweed, hasn’t pursued sponsorship of the Tweed Run to the same extent as Ralph Lauren’s Rugby label. Perhaps they don’t have to: as long as there’s a Tweed Run, and riders as passionate as Corky, there will always be a need. A need for Tweed.

Thanks to The Guvnors’ Assembly for the tip-off and Corky for the photos.

The Tweed Steed
The Tweed Steed
The Tweed Steed
The Tweed Steed
The Tweed Steed