Alternative Affiliates: Harry Macfarlane

Social: @harrymac03

WHERE IN THE UK DO YOU LIVE AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO RIDING?
I was born and raised and live in London, I got into riding like a 'forest gump moment' I took my dad's bike out on a hot sunny day at 17, rode for hours without food or water, must have done 50km or so, completely died on the way back in, thought that was super cool and kept doing it until be bought me a bike for my 18th birthday, the rest is history.

Photo: Lawrence Carpenter

I'VE MAINLY SEEN YOU RIDE ROAD BUT DO YOU ENJOY ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF RIDING? ARE THERE ANY THAT YOU PREFER OR SUIT YOU BEST?
I mainly ride road, including crit, road races and my favourite type of racing hill climbs. I used to ride offroad alot but I sold my CX bike for parts after riding it into oblivion a few years ago. By far the best type of riding I've ever done is bike touring, it gives you so much more than any type of cycling could ever give you, because weirdly with bike touring, the best part about it isn't the cycling, it's everything else around it! 

YOU CURRENTLY RACE FOR TAAP KALAS, HOW DOES THE TEAM WORK? DO YOU HAVE FREEDOM TO RACE WHAT YOU WANT?
They are a great bunch of people, with a team like this there's a underlying rule that you should race of course but there's no crazy pressure to, perfect for amateur cyclists working full time like myself. Allows you to do other things too, rather than a pro team that tells you what you have to race and when.

 

Photo: (L) Al Stuart; (R) Kurt Rasschaert

WHAT IS YOUR MOST ESSENTIAL BIT OF KIT WHEN RIDING?

I think my most essential bit of kit is tubeless tyres, after finding the right sealant and tyre setup, I've had a total of 1 puncture in the last year, saving me from being late for work, out of races and just general faff during training, the days of tube changes by the side of roads are gone!

If we're talking about clothing then I'd probably say shorts with a good chamois in, surprisingly hard to come across but lord does it help in the long run.

Photo: OliviasGalleryUK

ARE YOU LISTENING TO MUSIC WHEN TRAINING AND IF SO WHAT IS ON YOUR PLAYLIST?

I mostly train by myself so I do listen to music when training, only in one ear so I can still hear traffic. What i listen to depends on what efforts I have and how I'm feeling, hard techno/dnb for efforts, for zone 2 it could be rap, indie, rock, classical, anything in between. 

Photo: (L) Bogdan Melnik; (R) Milan Josy

TOP 5 RACE CIRCUITS YOU'VE RACED?

  

WHAT DO YOU GET UP TO WHEN YOU'RE NOT RIDING?

Pub.

Photography.

Camping.

Pub.

Seeing mates.

Arts and crafts kinda stuff.

Pub.