about 3 years ago

We've all seen them. Categories of weekend warriors, wrapped in brightly coloured (often overstretched) Lycra, sipping lattes in a cafe set with what seems like a somewhat overweight version of a pro cycling Peloton. The familiar "click-clack" of cleats on polished concrete is all too familiar in most inner-city cafes on weekends. Combined with the usual brunch conversations, you'll hear earnest debates on topics like average watts, the aerodynamic advantages of shoe covers and the best leg hair removal techniques.

Whilst MAMILs (Middle Age Men In Lycra) have been a widely mocked, and dismissed as try-hards suffering some kind of identity crisis, many are now actually cottoning onto the very real business advantages of the weekend group ride.

During the last three decades, golf has reigned supreme as the business enterprise networking activity for the discerning Executive. Many a high profile corporate deal was sealed on the fairways of the world's golf courses, or over a post game drink in the country club. Today cycling has firmly entrenched itself as preferred networking event of the modern business person.

Golf and cycling share many a similarity, and it's obvious why increasing variety of corporate players are hitting the roads every weekend. The fashion choices are notoriously dodgy, with plaid pants or overtight pink Lycra a standard sight. The obsession with having, and showing off, the best and priciest gear can be prevalent in both sports. It's not uncommon to see a $20,000 bike in a suburban group ride around Melbourne. Carbon wheels, power meters or carbon shafted clubs. It's the same really.

It's the social facets of a shared, physical exercise that hold the key to cycling's popularity amongst our business leaders though. Rather than the staid, formal and structured interactions that prevail in our boardrooms, cycling offers a calm, fluid environment and also a very real sense of shared achievement and camaraderie. The group ride also allows participants to assess their comrades at a natural, primal level without the masks and personas of the conventional business meetings. Not merely fitness, but a willingness to work for a team goal, self-sacrifice, aggression and resilience are all on display and impossible to fake when you're riding in to a screaming headwind with 40kms still to ride. Sometimes it's the communal suffering of a difficult ride that bonds participants. The shared water bottle, the warm pouch of "fruit" flavoured energy gel passed to a flagging companion.

The post-ride ritual of cake and coffee (or a full fatty fry up) is where the magic really happens. Sharing stories of real (or slightly exaggerated) ride highlights, power outputs, average speeds and Euro-Pro fashion tips. The bond that develops on an organization ride makes for an ideal environment for business deals to be made. Information is shared, opinions are asked for and given, and contacts are made. It creates sense. Needless to say you would conduct business with someone you ride with over a stranger.

As an individual who works in a sales based role, I've found cycling to be invaluable in building and cementing not merely real social friendships, but additionally mutually beneficial working relationships. I not merely take pleasure in the fitness and social elements of the ride, but find that could work benefits as much from the open networking of social cycling One stop town.

The great thing about cycling over golf is that it takes next to almost no time to get at a degree of competency which will permit you to participate. You don't have to hit endless practice shots for a long time on end in order to not humiliate yourself, you only need a bike, some Lycra and a vague level of fitness.

If you're establishing a company, trying to broaden your network, or just want to make some new friends, cycling is a great way to meet people. Help you on the road. I'll bring my business cards.