It was freezing cold and snowy, I was plagued by thoughts of quitting. Little did I know that I while later an explosion of creativity would happen!
VÄSTERÅS, Sweden. 2021-06-24
A notification on the phone. A dear friend from our XL Biking Instagram community
wrote something like the following:
"I saw your picture by the fire and thought: you burn for good things".
Not easily quenched
The weather couldn't have been worse! My motivation was suffering after the Pandemic and a difficult year on several fronts. The dark clouds of my temperament seemed to think that the Scandinavian winter darkness wasn't dark enough and pulled the brain blinders down. I thought of quitting. In a surge of rebellion I put on the winter cycling clothes on, layer by layer and decided to challenge the elements going out for a ride, I needed some time alone. I found a nice spot 16 km away, started a fire and cooked me a meal and some coffee. The fire was inviting to sit by, and as always I tried to preserve the moment by letting the camera roll a bit. Hopefully I could be inspired by the images later. Home again. The moments of reflection and peace were losing their effect, and a thought followed: "I better let someone else do this...I don't have the strength to stand against a cycling culture that insists on stigmatizing and excluding fat and non-normative folks. They've won...". Then came a notification on the phone. A dear friend from our XL Biking community wrote something like the following: "I saw your picture by the fire and thought: you burn for good things". I opened Instagram and saw all XL Bikers from our community around the world, people who have been excluded and stigmatized, but still burn for their passion and cycle in their own terms! Inspiration came back in big flames that now could not be easily quenched!
We burn for good things, and when my ember was just a flicker in the fire the XL Biking community (once again) brought it back to life! I want to fan the flame, let it glow, I dream of a different cycling culture in which the fire of this passion is passed on from heart to heart - more than that: I wanna wear it shamelessly and let people know what I stand for! Nothing will take my fire again!
The Ember Jersey was born! It symbolizes our passion, our love for cycling. To me it is also a celebration of all who cycle against all odds and dare to be exactly as they are! You inspire and motivate me! You're burning from the inside and spread warmth, passion, courage, independence, steadiness and energy! I mean it when I say you're my heroes! Keep sharing, posting, cycling, it does make a difference!
Living symbols here and now
Psychologist Carl Jung wrote often about the importance of symbols in different cultures and contexts. He explains that symbols are also links, even those apparently without meaning in themselves. I believe the Ember is such a symbol: one that receives meaning from each and every person who bears it and chooses to link it to what they deem relevant for them. My ambition as a designer is that you give the Ember your very own personal meaning so that it may feel important to you - there are no rules and no limits!
If you would like to share what the Ember means to you, you're welcome to post about it, tell your friends, share with our XL Biking community in any way, shape or form.
I want to encourage you to be creative about it, in the certainty that this could be an exercise that will bring many exciting things to the surface!
Thank you for being a living symbol here and now! It's a privilege for me to exist in the same time and age as you! Your life counts! Your dreams count! Don't give up! Let nothing take your fire!
Warm greetings from Västerås, Sweden. Ebbe Silva, XL Biking.
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Want to order this jersey? Mail to xlbiking@gmail.com