Alternative Affiliates

Alternative Affiliates: Paddy Chapman

Photography: Piers Fitton

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.


Paddy Chapman - Soho

 

YOU RIDE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES, GRAVEL, ROAD, CYCLOCROSS. DO YOU ENJOY ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF RIDING? IS THERE ANY YOU ENJOY MORE OR THAT SUIT YOU BEST? 
I’ve always leant towards Gravel riding, the UK has some class trails and bridleways, especially up in Scotland. Although there is something special about a long day on the road bike, pretty cool the distances you can cover. And the cyclocross is just a bit of fun through the winter. There's a couple of good leagues to race in but races like Summercross and Muddyhell usually get the best turnout. 

Paddy Chapman - Soho

YOU’VE ACHIEVED SOME PRETTY COOL CHALLENGES LIKE AN FKT BACK IN 2023. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE FKT YOU COMPLETED? HOW DID YOU PREPARE. HOW DID YOU MANAGE THE CHALLENGE? DID YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC? IF SO, WHAT WAS ON YOUR IPOD PLAYLIST? 
That was a pretty last minute thing in the end. I had just had a crack at the Pennine rally FKT a couple weeks before and the endurance legs were there. The Old Chalk Way starts where I grew up so it had some sentiment. The route was great and the weather was banging throughout. I snapped my gear cable coming over the Ridgeway, luckily I had a spare, but my mechanic skills are a questionable at the best of times and so a fair bit of time was left on the trail. Maybe a good excuse to have another go.

I usually knock up a playlist of random bits before a long ride. It alternates between genres quite randomly, it could jump from the Cure to Aphex Twin or sometimes some random country music. In between that I will fill the gaps with podcasts, I think around that time I was smashing through the Off menu podcast and Life in the peloton. The Peter crouch podcast probably featured and some point too.


Paddy Chapman - Soho

 

WHAT IS YOUR MOST ESSENTIAL BIT OF KIT WHEN RIDING?
Exposure lights for the longer rides, always nice to not worry about running out of battery. Always been a fan of Oakley Radar EV Path sunglasses, can wear them off bike too and they look fresh.


Paddy Chapman - Soho


TOP 5 PLACES IN THE WORLD TO RIDE?
In all honesty I haven't travelled a great deal with the bike but the places I've been were mega.


Top 5 Places


DO YOU HAVE ANY RIDING PLANS FOR THE REST OF 2024 AND INTO 2025?
The next year is looking pretty stacked so far, going to try and squeeze in a lot of the plans I had to cancel after breaking my leg this year. My first big plan of 2025 is Traka 360, this will be the biggest field I've raced in so am looking forward to building some fitness for that. There's a UCI gravel race in Wales at the end of September I'd like to get a ride at and over the next few months I'll be hitting up a few of the local CX races.


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