Cycling is a way of life
There are many ways we can experience it.
Do you want to explore a landscape, solo or with friends?
How about a ''social coffee and cake'' ride?
A ''pedal 'n' post pint'' social'?
How about a Sunday club ride?
Shall we cycle on the road or the trails?
Shall we cycle on the flats or up the cols?
How about participating in a sportive or a race?
How about cycling on an island like Mallorca?
How about a bike ride up and down the cols by Nice, a few days later enjoying
the Tomorrowland festival at the top of Alpe d'Huez?
A bike ride around a lake followed by a concert by the waterside?
A bike ride followed by food and drinks with friends on the mountain watching the sunset down the
cols and seeing the stars emerge?
How about a bike ride to a Tour de France stage and cheer on the pro cyclists?
What shall we do after a bike ride?
The list is endless depending on your interests and how you use available time. The only thing that matters is having a good time. Cycling can make you feel alive! A dedicated cycling life page is coming soon.
A cycling diary entry - 14th & 15th of July, 2023
It's 9am on a sunny July day in the French Alps. A good time for some coffee and breakfast, then head out with new friends to cycle up and down the Col de Joux Plane. Come afternoon it's chill-out time in Samoëns Square, to sip away a beer under awnings to keep cool from the sun's heat and watch the world go by. The commune of Samoëns continues preparing for the arrival of the Tour de France, stage 14 of the men's 2023 edition. Coincidentally, it's Bastille Day (France's national day). That evening Samoëns transformed into a small city, giving way to a large party, attended by many cycling enthusiasts enjoying the moment and anticipating the next day. Some people, who camped up the mountain roadside played games, enjoyed some good food and drink, saw the Bastille Day fireworks display too. In the town's market square musicians and DJ's play away until the early hours, and smiles are on people's faces. It's a joyous time in a wonderful setting.
The following morning cyclists and Tour de France fans cycle and march up the Col de Joux Plane. The atmosphere is festive as crowds await the Tour de France riders. Later on helicopters with TV crew approach and you can hear cheering from further down the mountain. Lines of fans by the roadside build. In no time, Sepp Kuss, Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogačar, Adam Yates, Carlos Rodriguez and the peloton are passing through, en-route Morzine. Thousands cheer on the pro riders, the sound is loud. Seeing the idols of the sport, a metre from you is something you don't forget. Back down the mountain for more celebration, enjoying the time that has been given, and having a further appreciation of the sport that is cycling. The experience was another chapter of a cycling story. What will be experienced next in relation to cycling? Turn the page and the next chapter will unfold. You can experience the same!
Cycling up the Col de Joux Plane
Crowds in Samoëns town await Bastille Day celebrations, hours before the TdF arrival
The Col de Joux Plane, stage 14 of the 2023 tour
Whether it be your first 5 kilometres bike ride or taking part in your biggest challenge to date,
cycling for a hobby or for a living, on the flats or up and down the cols, to attending events, enjoying life,
there is a place for all in the cycling community! Lets enjoy it together.
Flats to Cols was set up by Pierre Devlin at the beginning of 2024, just over three and a half years into his cycling journey. He is an architect, belonging to a group that strongly believes that architecture is about life. How do we want to live? It's a question asked regularly in architecture. Buildings are infrastructures that enable certain ways of life and happenings to exist, imagined by architects and subsequently by those who use them. Pierre views cycling similar to architecture i.e. it's a way of life. A bike is a tool that enables one to encounter joy when cycling. We have at our disposal the keys to all the amazing roads and trails that the famed cyclists train and compete on. It's a unique sport from that point of view.
From the Romney Marshes to the French Alps, the origins of Flats to Cols
A new way of life began on 28.04.2020
The Romney Marshes, England
The Romney Marshes, England
The origins of Flats to Cols dates back to the 28th of April, 2020. It was a wet Spring day and that evening Pierre went for a five kilometres bike ride. It was the first time doing sport in nearly a decade. Years of a sedentary lifestyle due to university and work had finally caught up with him. He wanted to change his ways. A few kilometres down the road he paused to reflect upon having freedom again, post a back injury and watch a rainbow emerge. The photograph of the rainbow to the top left is from that day. Little did Pierre know onwards would be the beginning of a journey that would lead to incredible experiences, meet some great people and have lasting memories.
He is an ordinary cyclist that went from cycling 5 kilometres to a few years later completing a 242 kilometres Flanders monument amateur race, and achieving his number one target on the road, L'Étape du Tour de France. So, what's next? To continue enjoying the life that cycling offers, including exploring landscapes, participating in some cycling challenges, attending events and meeting interesting people from the cycling community.
Back to 2020 and post the 28th of April Pierre would venture off to the Romney Marshes, an area of 100 square miles of criss-crossed waterways and reclaimed land in South East England, to start building up his riding skills and enjoy his new found hobby. It's an ideal area for zone 2 heart rate training rides as well as dealing with at times headwinds (''Dutch Mountains''). Pierre's first 25, 50 and 75 kilometres bike rides would take place on the flat roads of the Romney Marshes.
Wye Hill of the North Downs (a category 4 climb)
White Hill of the North Downs (a category 3 climb)
Following cycling on the Romney Marshes time would be spent ascending and descending the North Downs hills in Kent to take on category 4 and category 3 climbs. The steep hills are suited for puncheur cyclists and for those wanting to train for sportives akin to the Spring classics in Belgium. Once adapted enough to the North Downs Pierre made it a priority to join a local British Cycling affiliated club, although that would have to wait a year due to the covid pandemic. A fair amount of solo riding had to take place on the marshes, North Downs or on woodland trails due to restrictions on normal social life. Once the lockdowns had been lifted he finally joined Hythe Cycling Club (Kent) at the end of April, 2021.
The training on the Romney Marshes and the North Downs roads had been worth it, as they are used by a number of British Cycling affiliated clubs including Hythe Cycling Club for Sunday Club rides. A few months after joining a first road bike had been purchased and Pierre would progress up through the four groups of the club.
Llanberis, Snowdonia National Park, Wales
Sa Calobra, Mallorca (a category 1 climb)
Autumn 2021 would see Pierre complete his first 100 kilometres bike ride and participate in his first sportive with Hythe Cycling Club. He had a taste for sportives from then onwards. More training would take place in the North Downs to prepare for the 2022 edition of Hell of the Ashdown sportive, Kent's premier sportive and a few months later completing a 100 miles New Forest sportive. Cycling is a sport but it is also a means of travel and adventure for which Pierre regularly documents when exploring landscapes. This would lead to training camps in Wales and Mallorca and taking on category 2 and category 1 climbs. Those trips wouldn't just be about riding a bike. During non-riding time there are so many different things that one can do with friends etc to have a good time. Mallorca is an ideal place that packs up punch in a small place. All sorts of terrains, various sports, sun and good cuisine by the beaches.
By May 2022, Pierre had experienced cycling on flats and the following climb categories, 4, 3, 2 and 1. All that was left to complete would to be to cycle up and down the most challenging of the Cols, HC climbs (Hors Catégorie, without category). In July 2022 Pierre cycled in the French Alps for the first time at L'Étape du Tour de France. It wasn't to be his day but things were to change in 2023 there would be a return to the HC climbs. Pierre would attempt to complete an ambitious sportives treble, the Hell of the Ashdown, 2023 edition, the Flanders monument amateur race and L'Étape du Tour de France 2023. He would go on to complete all three and achieve his No.1 cycling target.
During the Summer of 2023 Pierre had a sabbatical in the French Alps. One by one he would take on HC climbs whilst exploring the landscapes around Alpe d'Huez and Morzine. Spread over a number of days over seven weeks touring the French Alps and completing L'Étape du Tour de France Pierre cycled over 2,500 kilometres and over 45,000 metres of elevation gain. During his time in the Alpes he joined UC Oisans Cycling Club, based in Le Bourg d'Oisans for Sunday club rides. There were many memorable moments out in the French Alps, re-enforcing his belief that there is a better life to be had on two wheels.
Views from the Col de la Ramaz, France
Sunrise near Le Bourg d'Oisans, France, prior to ascending Alpe d'Huez
Sunset near Taninges, France
During the sabbatical on non riding days time had been spent walking on trails in the French Alps, including those just above Alpe d'Huez. The trails lend to some of the most stunning views that you can come across. If staying in Alpe d'Huez during the Summer it makes things easier by just heading out from your hotel room and explore the landscape. Other places nearby explored included Le Parc national des Écrins.
Alpe d'Huez, France.
Le Parc national des Écrins, France
A sportive in the French Alps, come Summer time is a challenging event to complete but the feeling of completing one like the Marmotte Granfondo or L'Étape du Tour, after weeks or months of training feels pretty special! It's also a great excuse to celebrate and enjoy other aspects of life too, ''a lil' party do no harm''.
Winter miles = Summer smiles at L'Étape 2023
Samoëns town, the night before stage 14 of the men's 2023 Tour de France
Bastille Day, Samoëns town celebrations
So, there we have it, the journey from the Romney Marshes to the French Alps, from the flats to the cols.
A description about the Flats to Cols logo:
The logo has 6 components which represent the flats and the five generally recognised climb classifications, Category 4, Category 3, Category 2, Category 1 and HC (Hors Catégorie), the later being translated as ''beyond categorization'' and also being the toughest to climb.
The majority of cycling experiences in relation to Flats to Cols take place on roads, whether they be on the flats or up and down the five categorised climbs. Rides are documented, for which some will be featured in the landscapes and news sections of the website.
