The Italian Job

We were lucky enough to visit Italy last week, researching an article for the next issue of the magazine. We won't spoil the surprise by telling you exactly where we went or who we met but we will tell you that we were in the north east of the country, in Veneto, a region that's about as steeped in cycling history and culture as it's possible to be. 

Between epic mealtimes, during which we made serious inroads into the Italian calzone mountain, we met sprightly septuagenarians and energetic 20-somethings; we visited small family businesses and huge conglomerates; we watched all sorts of manufacturing processes and wandered around awe-inspiring cycling museums; we discussed the past, present and future of the cycling industry. But one thing remained constant: everyone we met shared such a deep passion for all things cycling that we couldn't help but be inspired and energised. 

Our love for what we do rarely wavers but it doesn't hurt every once in a while to give ourselves a fresh little espresso shot of enthusiasm. Grazie Italia e arrivederci a presto!

A new arrival

Just as a fine wine needs time to allow its flavours to mature into something special, the best print publications also reward patience. We're delighted to be able to reward yours by announcing that yesterday saw the birth, on press, of issue 7. Cycling is, in large part, about the beauty of objects. We know people who have bought bike parts with no intention of ever using them. All they wanted was to admire them. Perhaps that's why we take such care to make Simpson a thing of beauty. For us, nothing beats the romance of print. From the images we use to the way we present them on the page right down to the quality of the paper stock, everything is carefully considered and, if your comments are anything to go by, it seems you really appreciate that. This sensory appreciation goes even further for some - an Australian reader once told us that, upon releasing his issue of the magazine from its packaging, he was struck by how fine it smelled! The launch of Simpson CC delayed work on our latest issue but it also gave us the time and distance to stand back and really consider the variety of its content. From Team Sky world exclusives to Big Kev and Denise's eulogy to their tandem, we believe this issue covers the whole spectrum that road cycling has to offer. While our attention has been intensely focused on issue 7, issue 6 has been earning us some very welcome recognition by being voted 'Magazine of the month' by Brighton based publication Viva Brighton - vivabrighton.com.

The year ahead

It's been another busy year for Simpson magazine. 2014 has seen us participate in a number of events from the retro to the nocturnal and take to the boards at the Lea Valley Velodrome with the launch our own team. As ever, we live to ride but we also want to share, captivate and involve others in this beautiful sport through the publication and this website. Prompted by numerous inquiries about our trade team kit, we're now working on the launch of our own cycling club, Simpson CC, together with a range of clothing for on and off the bike. We're also in the process of organising our own rides and we'll be actively encouraging you to join us on the road. There'll be no membership fee or forms to fill in (life's too short), we just want as many people as possible to get the most out of their cycling. We're big fans of the increasingly popular idea of non-affiliated cycle clubs - groups of riders getting together and riding, just for the sheer pleasure of it. We also admire the graphics being generated by this new independent scene. They are unique, original and 100% homegrown and we love them! Just like the magazine itself, Simpson CC will be open to everyone. It's not about elitism - all ages and abilities are welcome. Issue 7 of the magazine will be making an appearance early in the new year and it will be full to the brim with the broad spectrum of content you've come to expect from us. We know we drop off the social media scene every now and we understand that this might create the impression of inactivity - but more often than not it really signifies intense spells of offline work. We hope you agree it's usually worth the wait. We firmly believe that all work and no play might make us as dull as some of the other cycling titles out there (titles that we're far too polite to name, obviously) so we fully intend to kick back and address this by signing the trade team up for some challenging rides for 2015 season both in the UK and on the continent. Watch this space for further details!

Balance, control and skill

With the third and last of this year's grand tours starting this weekend we are looking forward to launching our Vuelta edition t-shirt. The processes involved in it's production are, be it on a much smaller scale, as intricate as putting together of any major race or event. We draw inspiration from a wide spectrum of sources, anything from market stall fruit wrappers through to film culture.

We have a collection of t-shirts that we think work, both for their design and appearance. Every stage of the creative process is considered in minute detail. Colours are precisely matched to replicate an intended look and feel. If you pardon the pun, it's much like riding a bike, it's all to do with balance, control and skill.