Cyclopast

There's something profoundly significant about certain stages of life. There are two that I can draw parallels with today, a parallel that has probably never been made before, that might seem far-fetched, but which, today, resonates with a very real present, my reality.

Getting on a Singer bicycle for the first time is a certainty: something magical, but also addictive, that invites you into a story and transforms your vision of cycling. Having always loved building my own bikes, with Singer, I understood that a bicycle is a complete entity, the interpretation of a request, transformed into a bicycle, into a coherent whole.

Entering a psychotherapist's office for the first time is the certainty of experiencing something transformative, but also addictive, of entering the depths of oneself and disrupting the patterns that have driven us until then. Having always believed I could solve everything on my own, the accumulation of sessions has made me realize that cycling is essential for my introspection, but that this introspection is meaningless if it isn't guided by a professional and enriched by new knowledge (philosophical, sociological, or political). The goal is to cultivate a more coherent and peaceful self.

The Singer bike that Sboard lent me soothes me. I descend the five flights of stairs to the street, hop on, and after a few pedal strokes, the magic happens. I glide over the landscape, like the surfer riding a wave in the film The Endless Summer (1966). A Singer bike offers a constant feeling of receiving something new with every cadence you set. A Singer bike is a certainty: the certainty of having a pleasant moment and rediscovering sensations from yesterday, the day before, or even a few years ago. It's an unchanging bicycle, untarnished by time. There's something similar in my therapy sessions: thirty minutes like a constant, questioning like a certainty. Sessions that time cannot tarnish.

These are currently the two new elements in my life, and they are also the ones transforming my daily routine. How could I do without them? The Singer surely resonates exactly at my frequency, precisely touching my sensitive chords, and today, how could I do without it? Just like these thirty-minute sessions that now keep my body balanced like a pile of gold coins.

The parallel may seem far-fetched, but it allows us to glimpse the depth of my relationship with cycling. It's not just a sport, just a passion; it's therapy, a point of equilibrium, a keystone of my sometimes dysfunctional structure. The Singer is a tool in this practice, and it is a tool of incredible finesse and regularity, which makes each moment of introspection an ever more gentle interlude.

A lot of snow this year in the south of France.

These photos were taken the last week of January at the col de Corobin near Digne-les-Bains. The pass was closed due to a small landslide. Because the road was closed, snow was not removed, so I had to do the last kilometers by pushing my bike.

But the view was clearly worth it. Nothing beats a calm, empty road.

I had a similar experience last Monday, attempting to climb the Montagne de Lure ( 1825 m ) in MTB. I had to turn back at only 3 km from the summit. More than 30cm of snow on the road and trails made the progression impossible.

But again, it makes a memorable and epic moment and obviously beautiful pictures.

About the magazine now, I have slowed it down a lot, but still progressing. A spring release seems unlikely now. I finished two articles on the eight that I would like to offer. With Singer and Dejouannet in the same magazine, I may have sur estimate my self, as writing on these two monuments is kind of overwhelming. The good news is that I have all the documents to write about Coponet's voyage and Sablière, thanks to Matthieu. Here is a small preview:

• Coponet's voyage from France to New Zealand. ( ready to be written ).
• Marco's voyage from France to central Africa. (Half of the content in my possession only ).
• Dejouannet ( Last addition was Horseau's phone number ( his last apprentice ) 1847 words so far ).
• Sablière ( I have now everything, but it is very dense with a lot of precise information, and an important work of organizing pieces of information is needed ).
• Singer ( already 3750 words written, not much left in fact )
• Pierre Brondellon, MTB pionneer in Auvergne ( 1/2 finished, might be the next one to be completed, 1865 words so far ).
• Adrien Zammit voyage from Cunlhat to Atlas ( finished with 5044 words, just missing pictures and their legends ).
• Gogo hell cross the last one ( all done, even the layering, ready to print 2481 words ).

I don't have real excuses to progress this slowly; in fact, I'm working only 24 h per week. Most likely, I'm taking my time because this project is not a source of income there is no hurry in finishing it. I still have other volumes in stock, too, so my work is actually for a very small number of passionate people who most likely can wait another few months to have something great and precise.

The idea for the volume after this one would be to go to Japan and write an entire magazine on the Japanese scene. This will require more time and money.

A few days after our publication on François Coponet’s trip, he sent us the missing part of his journey, which contains a few pictures that he took during his trip, with a hand-drawn map of his itinerary.

I’m very excited to be able to say that I have everything to write the complete story. In the same time, I don’t see how this new volume could be ready for Spring 2026 as I’m left with so much work. I might need to skip some subjects to avoid presenting a 300-page book. Singer and Dejouannet are two monuments of our cycling history; it is hard to just write a few pages on both of these artists. Then the trip of Coponet ( two years long ) and Zammit ( 7 weeks long ) is also complex to restore to let you have the best experience of their trip. I’m also left with the giant trip from Paris to central Africa of my friend Marco. The 50-year-old dedicated to MTB cycling life of Pierre Brondello. And the portrait of Matthieu Pelardy. The gogo hell cross subject I finished and I have started to format the layout.

But who cares in fact, as this project is a pure product of my passion for cycling history and done on my free time ( when I’m not cycling ). It progresses slowly. I’m as impatient as you to make it real. This new book is going to be legendary !

Pictures taken from the documents sent by François, showing different stages of his trip from France to New Zealand.

It was time.

It was time to ride a little over 100 kilometers in one go.

It was time for a beautiful day of cycling with a longtime friend.

It was time to take the time to ride this route between Toulon and Nice for the third time since September.

It was time to enjoy ourselves again under the southern French sun.

At my friend's urging, Pouf , we set off on a Toulon-Nice ride, 177 kilometers, which included, in order, the Port-Cros National Park and the famous Place de la Capte, Rayol-Comté of course, with its magnificent jagged coastline that begs for changes of pace and gear, making you want to fly, and finally the Esterel Massif with its glowing red coastline.

Nothing is to be disappointed, at least up to Cannes, and even venturing a little further to Ramatuelle and Gigaro beach allows you to extend the distance and increase the enjoyment. I guarantee you that the road to Collebasse and then the coastal road leading to Saint-Tropez are truly delightful, often free of traffic.

Of course, having acquired a Bernard Carré, this time in my size (55 cm square), it was also time for a proper test ride. Without changing anything except the wheels, I switched to clinchers; tubulars are just too old-fashioned for me. Aside from the gearing being a bit too difficult for me, Bernard Carré's work is exceptional under my legs. Acceleration is easy, the handling is precise, and the feeling on descents is serene. Great pleasure, then, on this beautiful bike, and I hope to have the opportunity to delve a little deeper into the history of this renowned manufacturer later.