Jools Walker: Why I Ride...


Jools Walker, aka Lady Velo, talks life, love and taking risks...

When East London-born Jools Walker bought a Pashley Princess bike six years ago, it inspired her to launch her own blog, Velo City Girl, and kickstarted a series of events that led to her presenting on ITV4's The Cycle Show. Here, she gives us a glimpse of what’s next…

Your first biking memory?
Terrorising everyone on my metallic green tricycle when I was four years old.

The smell of a bike shop is…
The first time I really experienced it was when I got my Pashley in 2010. I guess you could call it the smell of freedom, because everything changed when I got that bike. 

When were you happiest on a bike?
When me and my boyfriend, Ian, hired one in Berlin. We cycled to almost every museum in Mitte. It was brilliant and the first time I’d cycled in a different country.

What advice would you give your younger self?
Having a stroke earlier this year has really put things into perspective. I'd tell myself not to sweat the small stuff and to enjoy life as it comes along. 

What keeps you awake at night?
Fear of failure. I keep waking up with this panic that giving up my full-time job to focus on Velo City Girl is a huge mistake. But then I tell myself to feed off that fear and stop panicking. The worst thing that could happen is not knowing what it could have been.

Your bucket list bike ride
I'd love to get a Brompton and cycle around Trinidad, where my mother is from.  I’d travel incredibly light and cycle around the island, exploring it that way.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?
My boyfriend, Ian. He’s always stuck by me, including through this crazy time in my life. He’s usually there when I’m taking on new adventures for the blog and he does lots of photography for it too.

Which living person do you most admire, and why?
My mother. She’s incredibly strong, she's worked hard throughout her life and had to fight for a hell of a lot of stuff when she came over in the 60s.

Get more from Jools:  | @LadyVelo
Photography by Ian James

tan doan