Every. Day. Ride #43 with Harrison

Tell us a little about yourself

I’m Harrison, 26 and from Plymouth in Devon. I’d love to tell people I’m a full time amateur athlete but sadly, that doesn’t quite pay the bills.  By day I’m a professional golf coach as golf was always my main sport. That changed in 2022 when I stopped competing and found a new love for endurance sports - fortunately, working for myself allows me to do plenty of both :)

Outside of training an irrational amount for someone so slow, I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend, drinking beer, and little doom scroll here and there ;) 

How and when did you get into riding?

I got into riding in 2024 when I signed up for a full ironman and had to get out on the bike. Prior to this I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was about 11. 

What are the best and worst things about riding?

Best things - the freedom, the speed, the places it takes you and being able to train whilst chatting with your mates.

Worst things - crashes and how expensive it can be.

Tell us about your most memorable ride to date.

My most memorable ride was probably the bike leg of my ironman last year. 180k of glorious hills and potholes in the streets of north Leeds. I managed to beat my goal of sub 6 hours by literal seconds giving me an average of 30kph but this came at a cost - I bonked hard on the run. Like really hard. 

What’s the best piece of riding advice you’ve ever been given?

Consistency -  Ride regularly for months/years and you’ll get fast. Also ride with people faster than you, don’t avoid hills, and remember content is king. 

How do you keep your bikes secure at home and on the go?

Always keep the bike indoors - I would never leave my bike unattended on the street (unless it's with the LITELOK X1). ALWAYS keep it in sight - if you stop at a café/pub/shop have the bike next to you and have one of your mates with the bikes if you go inside.

When someone asks what kit you recommend, you say…

If it’s safety related i.e helmet, shoes, components etc then don’t cheap out - buy quality. Anything aesthetic related, but what you like and make sure it fits right. 

What’s on your riding bucket list?

Since getting into cycling I’ve gathered a real obsession for mountains (which is funny as I’ve never been to anywhere with them) so I will have to say either the Alps, Dolomites or Pyrenees. But honestly, I’ll just take anywhere with no potholes at this point.