Bicycling Magazine Sweden finnally broke the mold and for the first time in its existence included a fat cyclist in its pages!
VÄSTERÅS, 2021-08-16
Everyone included
In a groundbreaking daring move, Bicycling Sweden embraced the XL Biking community and decided to challenge the status quo of the swedish cycling scene. I honestly didn't believe this was going to actually happen and had almost given up all hope that Sweden's most important cycling magazine would ever acknowledge our community let alone allow a fat rider with an all steel gravel bike to be seen by it's readers. The mission of XL Biking is to inspire and motivate larger riders and all those who feel excluded by the cycling industry to cycle more and never miss out on the biopsychosocial benefits of cycling ever again. We also have a vision to accomplish the mission, that is to influence all areas of cycling through positive work, call the cycling industry to collaboration, visit shops and brands and give our certificate to those who really care for all cyclists beginning with larger ones, challenge media to include non-normative cyclists, create a welcoming community on social media, and design, make and sell products that fit so we can lead the cycling industry by example through serving those who feel ignored by it with excellence, care and proactive listening! Not a small thing for one guy, and I'm thankful for all the input and inspiration I get from the community - this victory is a victory of us all! We're changing the cycling scene in one of the hardest places on Earth towards fat people and fat cyclists: Scandinavia.
You're taking the entire road!
When I got the news that the article made the cut, I thought of only one way of celebrating it: going for a ride. I had so many happy thoughts in my had: Man, the XL Biking community is now acknowledged by Bicycling Mag... Wow, maybe people will now dare to show themselves riding their bikes, maybe there will be less fatshaming and less stigma! We might not even be mocked by other cyclists anymore... we... "Hey, do we have to stop for your big *** you're taking the entire road!!!" I got yelled at (again) for being fat. Some people still see that as a sport, and that's why exposure in the media, inclusion, education (XL Biking does offer seminars on being fat and cycling while fat) and all the work we do needs to go on! We're not going to be given a minute to celebrate ourselves the way we are - we've gotta take it! Our way is collaboration, dialogue and hard work. Off course it hurts to be yelled at, laughed at, mistreated at shops and ignored by the industry; but, litte seeds like this one Bicycling Sweden just planted will bear fruit and we all will be there for the harvest.
Not on the cover, still awesome!
The magazine is not out yet. I got mine in the mail since I'm a subscriber. Well, the rough reality is that I had to convince myself to subscribe, I'll explain. I always liked the magazine, but the more I cycled the more I question why would I pay money to something that doesn't have the least representation of larger riders in it? Everytime I looked into it at the stores, I browsed what I liked but refused to buy it. I finally came to terms with my own indignation and wrote to Bicycling's Editor in Chief here in Sweden, Daniel Breece. Lead by example, right? Call to collaboration and challenge all aspects of cycling. Breece mentioned that the last thing they intended was to make anyone feel excluded, and we talked a little more until they decided to make history happen! Will there be more articles? I don't know. Will they show larger riders and brands that cater for our sizes? I don't know. Why weren't you and XL Biking on the cover? I don't know and I don't think its relevant for now. All I know is that it is awesome that for some reason a magazine that nearly all cyclists look up to finally included people who look like you and I! I want to celebrate that together with the community, and not ask the one that just started to take some steps in a good direction to do a 900 degrees flip and land fakie on a skateboard. I will, nevertheless, continue to do what I promised: continue the dialogue and seek more avenues of collaboration. As long as people are still yelling and cursing at other people for riding a bike while fat we've still got plenty of work to do! May this edition of Bicycling Sweden help fan the flame that will keep us going!
I want to thank everyone in the community for believing in what we do and giving us precious feedback, time, and for having the courage to sport our colors out there in the real world - you are my heroes! Many thanks to body-positive photographer Fredrik Stävegård for saving the day in the last minute and taking awesome pictures some of which were used in the article. Thanks Daniel Breece for being a pioneer! I'll do my best to obtain permission to translate and publish the article here on the blog so everyone can read it. Did I say I appreciate you all? I do! Thanks for enriching my life in so many ways! E.
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