In the latest in our Ribble staff stories we introduce you to James. If you've visited Ribble HQ you may have met James as he is one of our lovely sales advisors

Turbo time

James Holloway is one of the sales advisors at Ribble HQ, answering your questions via email, video call and good old fashioned face to face (pre-lockdown of course!).

So James, you're one of the first faces people see when they head into Ribble, how long have you worked here for? Coming up to a year now, but it'll be the fourth year in the cycling industry. 

With you knowing so much about all of the bikes, which are you currently on? I have the R872, after retiring my steel Ribble 525 to the shed once the sun made an appearance. 

What is your general riding like, how many days per week etc? I have a 3-year-old son who demands the majority of my free time and attention outside of work, so most of my miles are clocked up commuting. Fortunately for me, it's a long enough ride to get some decent training in and can still average about 300km per week. Still, it's always a nice bonus to get "permission" for a long weekend ride on a different route. 

James is always the first to get the beers in

Where is your favourite place to clock up some kms? I'm lucky to live in quite a rural area and have plenty of quiet lanes with some great scenery. We have the Forest of Bowland on our doorstep which is pretty mega on a nice day. 

Who do you mainly ride with? I actually enjoy the solitude of riding by myself (headphones are essential though!). Though even I am looking forward to some catch-up rides post lockdown - even if it's just to have someone to watch the bikes whilst I get the beers in at the end haha.

James with colleague and all round happy-chappy Jaco Van Zittert

Did you have any events planned for this year? I was supposed to be doing Dirty Reiver in April, fingers crossed that will still go ahead in September - and at least the extra time should give me a chance to actually try riding on gravel!

The North Coast 500 is certainly a big one on my to-do list as well as the Red Bull Timelaps. 

Do you have any cycling goals at the min? I had planned to try my hand at racing this year, so hopefully will still have the chance post C-19 depending. If not, there's always next year.

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Who is your favourite pro rider?** It'd have to be Lachlan Morton, who I was lucky enough to meet at the Rouleur Classic last year. A great attitude on and off the bike, and such a versatile cyclist who clearly just loves to ride bikes. 

If you could have the skill of any rider who would it be and why? That is a tough one. I've always been in awe of Cav(endish) and the speed and power he puts out in a sprint. I could use some of that on our Ribble weekly ride outs.

The R872: matte black gives you extra watts, right?

What does cycling mean to you? It's the most socially acceptable reason for me to shave my legs and wear lycra. I jest, sort of. I love the thrill of speed on the bike, discovering where your limits are and how far you can push them. Most of all, I enjoy the freedom that riding a bike gives you and it's a way of seeing the world around you that no other mode of transport can offer.

Let us get to know you a little better, divulge an interesting fact about yourself? When spooked - I scream like Ned Flanders. Generally speaking, this happens when I wake up at 3am to see my little boy standing six inches away from my face. 

What has been your proudest cycling moment (hopefully there were no screams of elation) I can't really say I've had one yet, the best is yet to come. 

And finally, what has been the worst ride of your life? It wasn't actually too long ago, February of this year I think. A friend and I had finally managed to arrange a catch-up ride after four months of trying. After 30-miles and at the foot of the Trough of Bowland, the weather took a turn for the worse, the temperature dropped and the heavens opened. This continued for the next couple of hours until all the colour had gone from my hands and my fingers were so numb that I couldn't shift gear or pull the brakes. To add insult to injury, I arrived home almost two hours late - two hours late for the lunch date, I said I'd take the missus out on as a trade-off for going riding my bike. She was not best pleased. 

If you enjoyed reading about James we have more staff rider stories available starting with copywriter and Ribble veteran Alan Gray.

You may have seen this all-round legend and happy chappy hosting videos on our YouTube channel, ladies and gentleman Mr Jaco Van Zittert.

Staff rider stories continues with product team mechanic, Murray Brindle.