Rouleur podcast: Rob Hayles and Café du Cycliste

Rouleur podcast: Rob Hayles and Café du Cycliste

Gold medals, rainbow jerseys, national championships bands, TV commentary – Hayles has done it all. Now it’s bespoke jewellery from carbon and titanium, and bits of the Manchester velodrome


“I’ve always made stuff. I used to take my needlework home with me.”


Not many former pros can boast as varied a career as Rob Hayles. The former Cofidis rider and British national champion holds Commonwealth and Olympic medals, and track World Championships golds in the team pursuit and Madison (with Mark Cavendish).


On retiring in 2009, Hayles slipped seamlessly into a commentating role for television and radio, but also repairs carbon frames and, interestingly, now makes jewellery with cycling at its core – carbon and titanium loom large.


Rob tells us what he’ll be bringing to the Rouleur Classic in London, and recalls what life on the GB squad was like in the cash-strapped pre-Lottery funding days. It’s not all glamour, as you might guess…


Café du Cycliste make some of the loveliest garments in cycling. Morgane Bigault from the quality French kit makers discusses the brand’s inspirations – from Morocco to the avant-garde.


Your host is Ian Parkinsion, and Executive Editor Ian Cleverly chips in with news of the Rouleur Classic


Listen on Acast


Listen on iTunes


Listen on Spotify


SPONSORED BY LAKA


We are delighted to have Laka as a brand partner of the Rouleur Podcast.


Laka is an innovative bicycle insurance company powered by the community. Cyclists join Laka to protect their bikes and gear without paying upfront premiums.


Instead, Laka settles claims in their community first and shares the cost fairly with everyone at the end of the month. No claims mean you don’t pay.


If you are new to Laka, you can get a £10 credit by signing up today with the discount code rouleur

The post Rouleur podcast: Rob Hayles and Café du Cycliste appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.

READ MORE

Tadej Pogačar riding solo ahead of the peloton on stage one of the 2026 Tour de Suisse

Pogačar in ominous form ahead of the Tour de France

Tadej Pogačar soloed clear with 70 kilometres to go on stage one, turning his first Tour de Suisse into a procession — and sending an...

Read more
Tadej Pogačar at the 2024 Tour de France

Tour de France prize money: How much does the winner receive?

With different jerseys, stage wins, and a GC classification, we look at what is awarded to the riders throughout the Tour de France

Read more
Tour de France 2026 route: Catalan Grand Départ, time trials and two ascents of Alpe d'Huez

Tour de France 2026 route: Catalan Grand Départ, time trials and two ascents of Alpe d'Huez

All you need to know about the route of the 113th edition of the Tour de France

Read more
Illustration of cyclists, a bike and a bidon tumbling in a cloud of dust beside an "Allez Opi-Omi" roadside sign, depicting a Tour de France crash

Over and Out: four riders on crashing out of the Tour de France on day one

Crashing out of any race hurts, but the opening stage of the Tour de France? Four riders who have lived that day-one nightmare on the...

Read more
Luke Tuckwell in the race leader's yellow jersey leads the peloton on a mountain stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné

Del Toro delivers, but UAE struggle for control

The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (the renamed Dauphiné) was a race without control — an interesting audit of the biggest teams' strengths and weaknesses three weeks out...

Read more
Pep's big day out: The lost cycling history of FC Barcelona

Pep's big day out: The lost cycling history of FC Barcelona

As Barcelona prepares to host the third Spanish Tour de France Grand Départ, Rouleur uncovers a forgotten chapter of FC Barcelona’s cycling ambitions.

Read more

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE