The Weekly Rider - Brendan Edwards

Brendan Edwards is the La Velocita Weekly Rider! Brendan is the latest addition to the La Velocita team, he loves seeking out and challenging himself on the best and hardest climbs and less explored rides.  

He’ll be sharing this passion with us, bring you his experiences and talking you through new and amazing rides!

Photography thanks to Kirsten Stewart and Nigel Welch

Name:  Brendan Edwards although some of my cycling friends tend to call me the "Bman"

Lives: Endeavour Hills

Dream Bike: One with two wheels, a seat and rides

Favourite local ride: My favourite local ride is climbing the backstreets of Belgrave South in the Dandenong's.  You very rarely see a car, and there is a good diverse range of hills, and beautiful scenery that make this area quite serene to ride around.

My current cycling goal is: To climb Frances Street in Lorne, which peaks at 40% gradient, and arguably one of Victoria's hardest climbs.  Only a couple of riders have ever climbed it without having to get off and walk their bikes up it.

When I am on the bike I: love the challenge of climbing a hill.  There's something quite rewarding about getting to the top of a challenging climb.  

Share a cycling memory: I was amongst the first group of riders attempting to Everest at the start of 2014.  I put my heart & soul into the training and on the actual ride came down with a 24 hour virus which did enough to derail my Everest attempt, and was forced to pull the plug at 7,400 vertical. 

I did a whole heap of soul searching after the ride, and wanted to find that motivation to go back and succeed.  I was born on the 7th, in 1977 & my birthday was only 7 days away.  The profile picture of Perrins Creek Road on Strava looked like a 7, and I had fallen short by 7 laps.  7 was the magic number.  I had this crazy notion of returning 7 days later, not having recovered from the first attempt, having less sleep, with the determination that if I was to Everest I would do it Hells 500 style as hard as possible.  

I returned and experienced one of the hardest rides I've ever endured and did it.  The feeling of euphoria at finishing was amazing.  It wouldn't have been possible without the help of my friends who supported me throughout the day and night, and I'm very grateful of the comradery that cycling brings in people, and which unites us as a group. 

I love to ride because: It allows me to live the dream