In honour of the 100th Tour de France (which starts this Saturday) we have pulled together a list of our favourite cycling companies, branding, photography and art.
Ineo Designlab's branding for the Berlin based bike company Højmark Cycles combines two of our favourite things; cycling and beautifully crafted typography. Højmark specialises in handmade frames of exceptional quality with Ineo incorporating a number of hand-rendered details into the brands visuals including a custom-drawn logotype.
American photographer Emily Maye's love for cycling came after she entered a fantasy league with her dad and his friends (with little knowledge of the sport). Four years later and she is quickly becoming one of the most talked about names in cycling photography offering a refreshing take on the sport. 'I want to give a sense of what it's like to be at the race in person... rather than just the actions of the competition' (It's Nice That). Her most recent project was shooting a (very muddy) Cyclocross race in Belgium. She has also teamed up with iconic brand, Rapha when she photographed Team Sky on the island of Mallorca, Spain.
'There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life' - Fellini. Il Dolore is the online scrapbook of cycling fanatic, Simon, which showcases the history of cycling. From a heartwarming image of British cyclist, Beryl Burton teaching her daughter how to ride a bike in 1963 to photographs of the iconic Coppi brothers this blog is a must for any cycling fan.
To mark the 100th edition of the Tour de France, Rapha have commissioned ten illustrators and designers to create artworks commemorating the 100 Tours that will have taken place since 1903. Each piece of work represents a specific era and captures 'the diversity, beauty, suffering and cultural significance of cycling’s grandest race' (Rapha). We love this one by Geoff McFetridge, which celebrates the sport from 1994-2003.
Image has always been important to cyclists - from the days when competitors used to carry combs in their back pocket to ensure that they looked their best for that all important winners photo to today with websites that inform of this seasons trends and what not to wear on the road (yes, really). That said, we have succumbed and purchased many pieces from Rapha (well, they are practical too). For more about cycling culture and style check out Cycle Love.
We know very little about Jack Saunders but really wanted to share his graphic design work for Rapha. Check out his website here. A fitting end to this post.
Make sure you catch the start of Le Tour this weekend.
