Get to Know Merlin’s Staff – Paul and his Ridley

Paul is our general manager here at Merlin as well as a member of The Merlin Cycles Rivington Brewing Co. Racing Team. At the weekend, his result from the UCI Gravel World Series round at The Gralloch, Scotland put him into a qualifying position ready for the world championships in the Netherlands this October. But what’s really behind his love for riding? We sat down with him to find out.

What got you into riding?

I was drawn to the freedom cycling gave me — the ability to just head out and explore. My dad also had an old race bike hanging in the garage that I used to admire. I wasn’t big enough to ride it at the time, but it definitely sparked something.

Favourite bike you’ve had?

Definitely my first proper racing bike. I remember every detail: it was a blue Reynolds 531c frame, full Campagnolo Mirage groupset, and Mavic CXP33 rims. I absolutely loved that bike — I rode thousands of miles on it and it really cemented my passion for the sport.

Dream place to ride?

Belgium, without a doubt. The short, punchy climbs suit my riding style perfectly, and the post-ride beer options aren’t bad either!

What is the toughest ride you’ve been on?

That would be the UCI Gravel Race in Turnhout earlier this year. I went in slightly underprepared, thinking the flat terrain would make it easier — I couldn’t have been more wrong. It turned out to be brutally hard but a great experience all the same.

Your biggest achievement on the bike?

One of my proudest moments was placing third in the North West Junior Road Race Championships over 20 years ago. I shared the podium with none other than Mark Cavendish and future WorldTour rider Matt Brammeier — a pretty special memory!

To find out more about our staff riders here at Merlin, follow our ‘Get to Know Merlin’s Staff’ blog series.

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  • Merlin's youngest member of staff. Love all things on wheels - a regular mountain bike rider and enduro racer.

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