When most of the people think at the two-wheeled world they take as reference points all those riders you see on the television during the annual big media events such as Tour and Giro. Let’s say that our friend Fish is not exactly one of these. He is a great rider, we can give it for granted. He has a cycling career on the shoulders and his passion for this sport has made him spend his entire life diving into the different shades of the bike world. It must be said he definitely has his own approach and attitude, as he explains ”very extreme and non-conform to normal road racing” .
He introduces himself as a street racer and fixed gear rider with a background as bike messenger in several cities around the globe. Now, when he doesn’t ride, he keeps himself close to the cycling world working as a bike mechanic and part reseller. He is one of the riders of Bombtrack and last year he attended, with a ciclocross bike, the TransAlps, a 7-day-race that crosses four countries, nearly 600 km and over 19,000 vertical meters. No risers bars neither suspensions, just an unsuspended carbon fork, drop bars and 34c tires. Yeah, the bicycles brand needed a story, a story to baptist their new Ciclocross bike that Vis collaborated to design. Well, competing the race with a CX bike was definitely a genial way to introduce to the world the new bike.
As planned both the bike and the rider survived! For Fish it wasn’t that hard, he was more worried for the other riders and bikes than for himself. As he told us his Bombtrack was designed to survive, and riding a ‘harder’ bike always makes him ride more mindful and with more pleasure.
In September he climbed the Mount Ventoux on a track bike. Hairpin turn after hairpin turn he conquered the top, riding all the 1200 meters of his elevation. No gears of course, you know: no pain no gain! Actually rumors say that down was more challenging than up!
We met him in Milan two weeks ago during the conclusive Red Hook Criterium of the year. We spent an afternoon taking some shots for our new Urban Performance wear collection. We have to admit it wasn’t that easy to get decent pictures of him riding because when he’s on his track bike he forgets everything and starts pushing on the pedals, speeding everywhere. We were pretty much chasing him. The Red Hook Championship series is one of his current main goals since now he is focusing on his career as urban fixed gear racer and all-round rider. This fixed gear cycle racing allows him to challenge on the track all his skills, experience and velocity. He kind of loves this competition where you can still feel an extreme spirit and see a different way of facing a bicycle race. In 2013 the four-race championship series landed for the first time in Barcelona and was Stefan Vis who stood on the highest step of the podium. This year as part of the independent cycling Team Cinelli Chrome he won the Red Hook Criterium team Championship by finishing 8th place.
We asked him a simple question to investigate his relationship with the bike: How a bike can really change the way people live the life in a city?
Vis: The bike can change your way of life, not only in the city but also outside. In the city It can shorten your travel-time. Especially in bigger cities like Milano, where in some parts you spend an hour to cross 3 km. On a bike thats about 7 minutes. When you change from your car or public transport, many cities become smaller then you always thought. Its a plus of course that you are exercising while commuting, and soon you will take a big detour to work.
Outside the city biking makes a difference too. Just because you take your surroundings to you because you move slower. Which allows you to grow into where you going, rather than travel at high speed and misunderstanding your surrounding. Its like a fugitive who experienced the whole way to a certain country and being hopefull, while the people where they moved to are in complete shock because new people arrived… most bikers understand traveling, thus accept other travelers and this could even lead to a more peaceful world. Well ok, we need to work hard for that but just think about it!
…More great performances and interesting stories to come!
Words: Debora Tonini
Pictures: Mauro Tittoto
