We're head-over-handlebars for The Ride's new issue!

When Andrew Diprose has a new issue of The Ride in his hands he talks quickly and excitedly, about the contributors, collaborators and stories he’s uncovered; about his continuing evolution of the journal’s design and about the big plans he’s got once the first ten issues are in the bag. His enthusiasm for this magnificent side-project is infectious. But that’s understandable when you get into the meat of the thing, because all his contributors share that same enthusiasm.

Issue 9 of The Ride is packed full of the usual lyrical waxings about days in the saddle, enjoying the simplicity of two-wheeled travel, and there are illustrations galore by some of the top practitioners in the field. But it’s the smaller things in this latest issue that I’m really enjoying, like the tightening of the grids, experiments with title type treatments and the change of pace between features; something that in the early days was a little one-note.

On a grander scale, there’s this breathtaking feature about climbing rides in the mountains of France with photos shot by Michael Blann. If you’re not into incremental design changes the photos should make you poop your pants with excitement – which is what mountain riding’s all about.