June’s Recap!
How’s your summer going?
I hope everyone’s found a place to hide and recharge from the blazing sun we’ve been getting here in Europe. Whether it’s a breezy escape outside the city or a cool river nearby, any excuse is a good one to ride toward your next shady spot, far from the boiling urban heat.
It’s been a hot month here at Slow Spin Society too, with plenty of new articles I’m happy to share in this month’s newsletter.
If you haven’t seen it yet, I want to draw your attention to the open letter I published last week. Slow Spin Society has reached a pretty critical point, and as always, finances, and how this platform operates, are never easy topics to bring up.
That’s why I’d be infinitely grateful if you took a moment to read what I had to say ⬇️
So! About that…
First of all, thank you!
I’ve received so many kind messages of support lately, and it means the world to hear that others care about Slow Spin Society as much as I do. Some of you also sent thoughtful suggestions on how to make the project financially sustainable, including ideas like:
Putting everything behind a paywall
Creating merch
Running ads on the site, with a “premium” ad-free version
Selling digital products like zines or PDFs
Offering early access to content
…and so on.
Short answer: I believe culture and information should remain free and accessible, without intrusive ads or paywalls. That’s just part of what Slow Spin Society stands for. And while I do occasionally work with companies I believe in, it’s clear I can’t rely on brand deals or sponsoring to keep this platform running consistently.
Right now, the best way to keep SSS alive is through donations and monthly support.
That’s why I’m once again pointing you to Buy Me a Coffee.
Any one-time donation is super appreciated, but subscribing to the $4/month membership truly helps secure steady funding to keep things going.
It’s about the price of a latte, and I know it’s easy to think, “If I don’t do it, someone else probably will.” But this only works if we all take action. I don’t like asking, but I will if that’s what it takes to keep this project alive.
So without further ado, let’s get into what happened on SSS this past month!
June kicked off with a bike check I’ve been meaning to do for a while! Yuki’s Brooklyn Machine Works Gangsta Track isn’t just any Gangsta either. This build hits that perfect middle ground between raw and refined, with a lot of heart in every detail.
➡️ Bike Check: Yuki’s Brooklyn Tracklocross Gangta 🇯🇵
Next up is a write-up I genuinely didn’t expect to publish or even research this year. But after a few emails, a long conversation with Mike, co-owner of No. 22, and some back-and-forth on how I should turn this article, I felt it was time to address the elephant in the room.
➡️ Tariffs, and Trouble: A Deep Dive into the Cycling Industry’s Latest Crisis (With Mike from No.22) 🇺🇸
The “Bike Check” train didn’t stop there this month. If you’ve been following for a while, you already know Romario. And if not, here’s a quick way to get up to speed, with two of his unique track builds. First, a fully custom Colnago OVAL CX Pista that’ll make some envious among us.
➡️ Bike Check: Romario’s Colnago Oval CX Pista 🍕
And then, a piece of cycling history turned art. A Soviet-era Colnago Master Pista with its load of stories and incredible details!
➡️ Bike Check: Romario’s Colnago USSR Master Pursuit Pista 🌏
June also marked the end of the STOKED Photo Contest, and simply put: “wow”, you guys really delivered. Analog, digital, moody, clean, raw, staged, chaotic… Every corner of the fixed gear spectrum was represented. Picking winners wasn’t easy, but here they are.
➡️ The Best of STOKED Photo Contest 2025 📷
Finally, an interview with Chris from CycleSpeak that will give you a better idea behind how SSS came to be, as well as a bit about me (Paul).
➡️ A glimpse behind the scenes with CycleSpeak ✏️
Of course, all blog posts are up and live for you to enjoy wherever you are, getting some ice cream, or on your way to the nearest beach.
Thank you to every member on Buy Me a Coffee :
Till, Clarke Street, Random 🍕, Isaac, @tobirivanco, Filip, @lucasouell, and all the other supporters
For backing Slow Spin Society.
✍️ : Paul
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