This week, James is joined by Quoc Pham, founder and designer of the eponymous cycling shoe brand. Before cycling, Quoc worked in fashion, running his own label, but turned his attention to making shoes in that classic way people do when they turn inventor: he found himself commuting around London in shoes that just weren’t up to it, they were either functionally great but ugly, or nice looking but out of their depth in toeclips on a fixie – so he set about making his own. His first, a beautiful leather shoe with smooth, contoured sole called the Fixed, quickly developed a cult following in the Eroica scene, and fast forward 17 years Quoc has expanded into road and gravel, even sponsoring Geraint Thomas along the way.
In this episode we chat about how that deal came about thanks in part to a personal message from Quoc; the incredibly steep learning curve that was making a pair of shoes from scratch; and how the brand-factory partnership works and how that most crucial relationship affects what kit you wear and what bike you ride, just as much as any technology advance, design team, or economic fluctuation.
Chat begins at 7.52
----------------
This episode is brought to you by Rouvy, the indoor riding platform that makes indoor rides look and feel real, from smashing up the Sa Calobra to group rides around Vietnam to Rouvy Fest, which this year takes place between 12th and 25th October and will include a host of special group rides including tackling Mount Teide in Tenerife, riding the shores and hill of Lake Garda in Italy and puffing up dust on the Strade Bianche chalky road of Tuscany. All this plus special ride guests telling stories and answering questions as they pedal, challenges, rewards and giveaways, and the Rouvy Fest Race, a huge single race where the competitive spirit meets fun and inclusive vibes. See Rouvy.com for more details, including how to sign up for a free month using the code KEEPITREALCYCLIST
------------------
Did you know Cyclist is also a stunning monthly print magazine?
Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door
We're also a really lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk
","author_name":"Cyclist Magazine"}