Slow Spin Society, 2025 Still (Mostly) On Film…

Jan 5

By Paul.D

So! As you might have noticed, the title has changed a little… And don’t worry, I have answers! But before that I want a talk about how every year, as I push myself to create the best work I can for SSS (and for myself), I can’t resist experimenting with new techniques, new film stocks, new ideas… All of which usually result in a bit of a “mixed bag” when it comes to photography. So when I look back at this year, I feel like I‘ve tried a lot of things. Not always successfully…

On top of that, even though it began in 2024, I’ve kept expanding throughout 2025 what I consider part of the SSS “Range.” This past year I published about gravel bikes, cargo bikes, mini-velos, even a few vintage MTBs. Different shapes, different purposes, but all connected by one thing: They fit in my aesthetic.

More simply put, it all comes down to one feeling: “Damn, this is awesome, I want others to see it.” I can guarantee you, there isn’t a single bike on SSS that I didn’t genuinely think looked pretty damn good before hitting publish.

As my vision of cycling expands every year, so does the way I capture it. In a release you’ll see very soon, I’ll dive into the whys and hows behind getting my hands on a digital camera, something I used for a handful of articles last year. You can find them all below: (They‘re all tagged with “SoD” , Shot On Digital.)

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Mini Bike Fest Berlin #3: Old Frames, New Concepts, and Cargo Potential

Part 3 and the final act of my favorite bikes from Mini Bike Fest 2026! You can catch the first two parts here: [Mini Bike Fest 2026]. In this final installment, we’re looking at…

What Shanghai Is Riding Right Now #03: Barely Scratching the Surface

Here is the final article in the Shanghai series, and while writing it, I quickly realized that adding yet another triple bike check would not do justice to the incredible variety I experienced during…

Mini Bike Fest Berlin #2: 20” Madness

Part 2 of my favorite bikes from Mini Bike Fest 2026! By now, you’ve probably seen the first chapter of this multi-part series, and if not, you can catch all the entries through this link…

What’s Shanghai Riding Right Now #02

This is the second installment in a multi-part article series about my time in Shanghai earlier this year, as well as some of the incredible bikes I came across there…

Mini Bike Fest Berlin #1: Small Bikes, Clever Cargos

The Mini Bike Fest rolled back into Berlin for its second edition, and what a feast for tiny-bike lovers! I made it there just in time to photograph some incredible mini creations…

What’s Shanghai Riding Right Now #01

When I was in Shanghai last year, I wasn’t really able to document the incredibly rich culture I witnessed in the Chinese megalopolis. Fixed gear, road, cargo bikes and so many uniqu…

Shooting a BMX Jam Is No Easy Job…

At the start of summer, during a packed weekend in Paris, I was just finishing a shoot when my friend Diego called, urging me not to miss the closing moments of a massive BMX jam…

Cutting-Edge Cycling Tech, Built by Hand: Inside GOOSYNN

A few weeks ago, we shared some footage from the factory tour we did with GOOSYNN in Xiamen, China. Even though that short video gave you a bit of context, there’s still a lot more to say…

Kryptonite Locks Reviewed: The Good, the Bad, and the Practical

A tale as old as time itself: you stop for a quick thirty-second convenience store run, leave your bike outside, and tell yourself you’ll be fine…

Win the Ultimate Custom Bikepacking Bag Setup!

At Slow Spin Society, we’ve always celebrated tailor-made products. From NJS frames to the incredible custom bikes we discover at shows, we’ve always believed that…

Bespoked UK 2026 Dispatch #05: Special Minivelo!

Here it is! One of my favorite bikes of this show: a full suspension BMX built by Ted James of TJD Bikes. This concept of a BMX that you would take out on downhill trails has been…

Rolf Prima Vigor FX Review: A Fixed Gear Torture Test Across Asia

…So imagine how stoked I was when the name Rolf Prima popped into my inbox, asking if I’d like to test one of the longest-running models in their lineup: the Vigor FX…

Bespoked UK 2026 Dispatch #04: Quirk, Pashley Cycles, and Condor

It’s been hard not to hear about the recent development that happened at Quirk Cycles recently. After years of fully bespoke builds, the brand has relaunched with a focused range…

SSS Staff Favorites: Summer 2026 Essentials

With the return of long days and warm light, part of the Slow Spin team and I have curated a selection of our summer essentials. Bringing together the gear, objects, and inspirations we’ll have close…

Bespoked UK 2026 Dispatch #03: Medusa Cycles, Clandestine, and Collins Cycle Works

In the previous installment of this Bespoked UK series, we talked about Pete’s Medusa Kangal, and while I usually decide to feature only one bike per builder, I had to put this one in as well…

Bespoked UK 2026 Dispatch #02: Ron’s Bikes, Medusa Cycles, and Sentient Works

You probably already know Ronnie Romance of Ron’s Bikes and Ultra Dynamico, here with his personal prototype of the Alumax II as a continuation of his very personal approach to bike design.

Bespoked UK 2026 Dispatch #01: Jaegher, Sturdy, and No-Ni

A quick introduction before we dive in. Every bike show feels like its own kind of adventure, a few intense days stitched together with hangouts, after-parties, too many drinks…

Etching Memories with the IIWII Track, by So

Do you know that rush when a new frame arrives? It never really gets old. This time, it’s the It Is What It Is (IIWII) track frame that Paul sent me, and honestly, the name says it all…

[Urgent] Save Hop Kingdom from Eviction!

Last week during my few days in London to attend Bespoked UK, I made a mandatory stop at Hop Kingdom, as this is one of the few places on this planet that truly makes me feel at home…

The New Omnium Nano: When Smaller Makes More Sense

Omnium bikes were undeniably born with the European market in mind. The cycling infrastructure across Western European cities has shaped the different models in the Omnium range…

G.A.S. Corner: A Few Hours With the Leica Noctilux f0.95, by Ermanno

The Noctilux is Leica’s super‑fast lens family, ranging from f/1.25 all the way to f/0.95. The most famous member of the family is undoubtedly the 50 mm, first introduced in 1966…

Built for More: A Touring Setup With the OMM Divide and Ponderosa

Speaking from a purely personal point of view, I’ve always felt that a front rack or basket simply looks better than anything rear-mounted. That said, I’ve usually ended up filling…

[Video] Bike Check with a Fuji X-Pro1 (Almost 15 Years Old!)

As mentioned in my previous article, I started using a digital camera on and off last year for a couple of reasons. The main one was to experiment with a different medium…

Paul’s Top Picks of 2025

2025 has been by far the best year for me in a very long while. Personal and professional development as well as real opportunities showing up for this Media that is almost five years old…

Art in Motion: By Jaegher Cycles

Cycling and art have long been intertwined, forming countless meaningful connections over the years. To me, any cycling company that gives artists the opportunity to express themselves on such a unique canvas…

Overbuilt Bikes Deserve Overbuilt Baskets: OMM Elkhorn and Hemlock Review

Who doesn’t love a good basket?! Personally, I’m a big fan of the look a basket brings to any bike, especially when it’s on an overbuilt frame like this one. That was exactly the vibe behind an article I wrote over two years ago…

[Video] The Monopole Mini Cargo 6 Months In: Still Worth It?

So finally, after spending around half a year riding it almost daily, I think it’s finally time to tell you whether you should consider getting one, and in which setup it makes the most sense…

[Video] Builders Talk: Weis MFG x Stolen Garage

If you weren’t there during the Weis Galaxy Tour weekend in Paris this summer, you’re in luck! We decided (a bit last minute) to record the meetup between Romain and Fin from Stolen Garage, and Cole, Logan, and Tom from Weis MFG…

From Perfect to Personal : Building a Bike You Actually Love

For most cyclists, the search for the perfect bike is a familiar obsession. I’ll admit, I’m usually the first one hunting for the “next” thing, and I fall way too often for the famous N+1 rule: the correct number of bikes to own is always one more than you currently have.

Mission Log: Weis Galaxy Tour in Paris

Today’s a little different! While I’ve done event recaps here on SSS before, like with Rust Out and Love Letter Turbo, I’ve never been so much on the organizing side of things. But after bringing the Weis Manufacturing Team…

As you can see, it’s not much. For some pieces, the entire article was shot digitally; for others, it was just a couple of frames; and sometimes it was nothing more than the video thumbnail. The point is that experimenting across mediums and different ways of documenting cycling culture is part of this ongoing, never-ending process. And that’s probably one of my favorite bit about this whole thing.

That’s it for the photo talk, and I can’t thank you enough, all of you readers, for giving me the freedom to capture moments the way I see them. I don’t feel confined to any specific style or format, I just do my thing, and most of you seem to enjoy it.

As per tradition now, here’s a mixed bag of shots I captured throughout the year, with some you might have already seen, others that have been sitting quietly in a folder for over twelve months. Enjoy!