James is the co-founder of Graveleur. Graveleur started as a result of a post ride coffee discussion, it's aim is to build the Australian gravel community and get as many people of the couch and riding bikes as possible. They have a growing community on Instagram and Facebook: @graveleur – plus a website www.graveleur.cc
"My first bike was a silver BMX. I spent my early years riding this bike everywhere. I built sweet tracks with jumps and rad burms in the local bush. Fast forward 20 years, I had taken up cycling in my early thirties, with my only regret that I stopped riding after those early years on my BMX. I soon re-discovered the joy of riding and the perspective that it brings. Most importantly it got me off the couch.
I have since spent several years racing cross country, focussing mainly on endurance events. This racing has included a combination of 4 hour, 100 km and 12 hour solo (once) as well as team 24 hour races. This racing has been on my steel frame single-speed 29er.
Then I built myself a gravel bike. This has become my go to bike – commuting, bunch rides as well as the occasional century and double century adventure gravel ride, with the occasional flashpacking trip thrown in for good measure.
Since 1 January 2020, I have ridden every day - this includes a minimum daily goal of at least 30 minutes and around 10 km - even through the pandemic, I have kept to this riding 590 days straight and counting."
- Hometown
- Saratoga, on the Central Coast, NSW
- Nickname
- Hipster Ned, The Flying Beard
- @jr_w & @graveleur
- Favourite Ride
- The Thunderbolts Adventure. This is a 227 km, 5000 VM ride through the Barrington Tops National Park near Gloucester, NSW. The Thunderbolts Adventure has lots of climbing and so many amazing vistas – it just keeps on giving! My Curve Kevin absolutely loves this ride.
- Achievements
- 2018 – 1st CX/Gravel Category, 68 km – Convict 100
- 2016 – Equal second World Champion – Woodend, Victoria, Aus
- 2015 – Equal second Single Speed ANZAC Oceania Champion – Rotorua NZ
- 2013 – 2nd Single Speed Category, 50 km – Convict 100
- Sponsors
- Curve Cycling
- Rapha
- kLite
- Selle Repente
- Skingrowsback