Making Cycling Better Q&A With Marta Coll
"Every company's greatest assets are its customers, because without customers - there is no company." Since launching our company in 2013, we are so grateful to have shared and received some amazing memories, stories and photos from many of our customers, backers and followers.
At See.Sense - we want more people to ride their bikes. We believe that giving decision makers the right information at the right time can play a huge role in creating the transformative change that is required to get more people cycling more often. That’s why we have established a Smart Cities team who are working with partners in local government and organisations like British Cycling to use the insights from our lights to help plan for better cycling infrastructure in our towns and cities.
We like to call this 'Making Cycling Better' - but one thing we wanted to do was keep our customers involved in this side of our business. That’s why we thought we would take a few moments to look at some feedback from See.Sense cyclists - how they got into cycling, why they love it, and what kit makes their rides better. The first, is Marta Coll, a London cyclist originally from Barcelona. Her story is amazing! But we'll let her do the rest of the talking...
What's your Background?
My name is Marta, I am from a small town close to Barcelona and I moved to London 5 years ago for a 6 months work placement as a Civil Engineer. I got a fellowship to do my final year in a prestigious university in Paris and it was required to do 6 months working and preparing my dissertation. I always thought I would go back home after that but I fell in love with this city so now London is home to me as well.
What got you into cycling?
Very soon after arriving in London I got a very simple bike to move around the city. I never thought at that point that I would end up cycling as much as I do today. I wasn't enjoying my commutes on crowded trains and people nearly fighting to get in, so the bike was the perfect solution to that. I never covered big distances with my fixie but it allowed me to discover so many hidden gems in London. Not long after I joined a group of work colleagues to do a sprint triathlon in Dorney, I had to get a better bike to train for the occasion and it was then when cycling became much more than a daily commute to work, it became part of my life.
What's your favourite ride?
My favourite ride to do...this question has many possible answers but I will keep it short. I have been lucky enough to ride all over UK and in many other countries, doing some of the most famous and beautiful climbs. I could give a list of unforgettable rides but instead I will tell you more about my day to day rides. Riding to Surrey from London would be a winner for me at the weekends. I live in South West London so Surrey Hills is always a perfect escape from the city. I have a route that goes through Box Hill, that is my favourite one, around 125 km and 1.800 m of elevation. During the week and when the days are longer there's nothing that I love more than going to Richmond Park after work by myself or with friends and bump into so many other people that I know. Sometimes we end up staying until so late that is pitch black on our way home, another reason why I always have my See.Sense lights on.
Who is your favourite cyclist to follow?
I don't follow any specific cyclist but I like to keep an eye to the main races during the year and I enjoy watching them. I really got into watching women's races last year even if the coverage is so limited compared to the men's ones, hopefully this will change and get more balanced at some point. The finish between Van Vleuten and Van der Breggen last year in La Course by Le Tour de France was an example of how exciting women's races can be.
What brands or products do you use to help make your rides better?
In terms of my essentials when riding here's the list:
- In terms of cycling kit, I can't speak highly enough of MAAP. I tried their women's bib shorts for the first time two years ago and it was an eye opener of how a women's kit can be as good and as high performing as the men's one.
- Another piece of kit at the top of my selection is the Metier jacket and gilet and their new base layer. There's nothing like it on the market. Apart from the lighting features in the jacket /gilet that makes it so unique, the material is extraordinarily versatile in all weather conditions and the base layer is thermoregulated.
- My helmets are all Kask Protone. I like the look and how they perform.
- My GPS is a Wahoo Element Bolt. It's my first GPS so I can't compare, but I did thorough research within my fellow cyclist groups before I got it and it has surpassed my expectations.
- In terms of nutrition, there's nothing like a good cafe stop, this is why we all ride right? ;)
- Finally, I never leave the house without a set of lights, even if it's a morning ride and the sun is out. I easily end up in shady countryside lanes and having lights makes it easier to be seen. It gives me peace of mind as well some of the features of the See.Sense lights, I like the crash alert and changing lighting patterns depending on the traffic.