The latest Treadlie arrived in my mailbox. Excitement! Despite having many other magazines and books in my pile, this one goes straight to the top.

In it, is an article I wrote on custom bicycle maker Ewen Gellie.

I drove out to see him on what must have been one of the hottest days of summer. He’s all the way out in the bush blocks beyond Eltham, down a long, winding dirt road and then up a long, winding driveway.

But his little patch of nature is divine. Steep hills and spindly grey gums. His house – a work in progress still – is being kitted out to be sustainable: solar panels, rainwater tanks etc.

I ‘interviewed’ him in his workshop, though. I put ‘interview’ in inverted commas because it was more of a pleasant chat, really. Sipping iced water he kept obligingly refilling, we chatted about riding, steel, touring and the kind of people who buy custom-made bicycles.

I have to confess, I love writing for Treadlie. Not only are they really nice folk, but I get to hang around bike workshops and chat to master tradesmen (and women). It’s endlessly good fun.