F This Sh#! I'm Going Riding! - Friday 16th January 2026

Hey Legends,

Where We’ll Be Unbound

Vaughan and Robbie loaded the car, triple-checked the coffee situation, and pointed the nose west — Sydney to Adelaide, 15 hours of asphalt, playlists, Hydraplay cans, and questionable posture — all in the name of Tour Down Under and RADL GRVL.

With the largest Apparel stand in the Tour Village the boys will be showing off the full CIOVITA men's and woman's range. The stand is number C10 and we also have our friends for pour Capetown head office and factory joining us.

We are also excited to announce our partnership with RADL GRVL where we are hosting a Hydrate and Celebrate station at the finish line. With both our platinum Hydraplay natural hydration drinka and our Gin bar pouring our international award winning gins, the post grav race vibes are ging to be umping as we have DDJ Dusty Robbie Allen on the decks as well as our brand new UV GRAD 2.0 wheels on display.

Add in rooftop parties, wine-fuelled evenings, pop-up hangs, and the kind of side quests that only happen during TDU, and it’s shaping up as one of those weeks where the bike barely stops moving and the stories write themselves. Stay tuned for more details on the madness ahead — and if you want tickets to the wine night, don’t muck around, link below.

Where We Were Unbound

Lucy Allen delivered a standout ride at Nationals, finishing 5th in the U19 Road Race. After a frustrating time trial plagued by mechanical issues, it was a seriously impressive bounce-back performance. Calm, composed, and racing well beyond her years — exactly the kind of result that reminds us why showing up and sticking with it matters.

Robbie rolled into Adelaide off the back of a casual 15-hour drive and, with barely enough time to remember where his legs were, lined up for the local Adelaide crit. He rode it smart, stayed sharp, and walked away with third place — a tidy result considering the circumstances and a solid tone-setter for the week ahead.

Back in Sydney, the Hydraplay crew fronted up for the replay of the Heffron Trophy, and it was anything but friendly. Tough conditions, a stacked field, and plenty of riders fresh off the festive break made it a brutal return to racing. No results to hang on the fridge this time, but plenty of effort, grit, and lessons learned — the kind that pay off later in the season.

Gear We Love

The CIOVITA Commuter Back Pack - Its perfect for work, school, or leisure, combining practicality and durability to support your active lifestyle.

With a generous 23L capacity, this durable canvas backpack features a roll-top main compartment with secure YKK zips, ensuring your belongings are protected and easily accessible. The three main compartments, including a padded laptop sleeve and multiple internal pockets, offer ample space to keep everything organised, while two water bottle pouches add convenience for hydration on the move.

 DJ Dusty's Playlist of the Week:

RÜFÜS DU SOL — Burning Man 2024 (Deep as the Playa Gets)

Once local Sydney lads lugging gear between beachside warehouses and inner-west parties, RÜFÜS DU SOL have quietly — then very loudly — rewritten the rules of modern house and melodic electronic music. What started as aspiring DJs chasing sunset slots has become a global movement that sits somewhere between deep house, indie electronica, and full-blown emotional release.

In the world of house music, RÜFÜS don’t just belong — they transcend. They live in that rare air where club credibility meets festival-scale catharsis. Not peak-hour bangers for the sake of it, but slow-burn, heart-openers that hit hardest when the sun drops and the dust hangs just right.

Their Burning Man 2024 set is exactly that. Deep. Patient. Expansive. Built for long pedals into nowhere and big thoughts under wide skies.

This playlist is a track-by-track journey pulled straight from that set — no shortcuts, no fluff, just layered grooves and hypnotic momentum.

 Listen here:

 https://soundcloud.com/ashleymayy/sets/ruefues-du-sol-lib-playlist
 

Bike Tech - Tips and Tricks

If you’re heading into a big week of riding or racing, now’s the time to check the small stuff. Fresh brake pads, clean rotors, and a quick bolt check can save you from mid-ride stress when the pace lifts. Five quiet minutes in the garage beats a long walk home or a DNF every time.

#FTSIGR Moment

There’s something special about this time of year when everyone’s back on the start line, a little underdone, a little overexcited, and very ready to suffer together. From crits to nationals to the first big race week of the season, the energy is back and the stories are already stacking up. The legs might not be perfect yet, but the stoke definitely is.

Friday’s Love Drop

This week’s love goes straight to the crew getting Tour Down Under off the ground. The long drives, the early starts, the bike Tetris, the stands being built, packed down, and built again. Massive props to Robbie and Vaughan for eating up the highway, hauling bikes, gear, and half the team across the country so everyone could roll in ready. It’s the behind-the-scenes graft that never makes the highlight reel but makes everything possible — and seeing the whole crew come together in Adelaide reminds us why this community works as well as it does.

Full Send Freudian Slip of the Week

“I’ll just drive down and take it easy” — said no one, 15 hours and three coffees ago.

— Charlie Blaze McRae

Yeeeoooww