New Hackney cycling team launches

Pedal power: Hackney GT Push Cycling Team. Photograph: Geoff Waugh

A local cycle fashion label and a cycling shop have joined forces to form a new cycling team.

Hackney GT, a label and collection influenced by cycling, fashion and music, has teamed up with East London cycle shop Push Cycles to launch a brand new grass roots cycling team.

Known as Hackney GT Push, the team has been launched in time for the 2012/13 cyclo-cross season.

Cyclo-cross is a form of off-road racing that takes place over autumn and winter in which the rider navigates a course featuring challenging obstacles such as steep climbs and wooded trails, often having to dismount and carry the bicycle.

Although the new team leans towards cyclo-cross, the plan is to cater for all forms of racing in the future.

The idea of the team is to create an inclusive community of cyclists of all disciplines including people of both sexes and all ages.

Russ Jones, manager of Hackney GT, said: “At the moment we have about 20 members and growing. The demographic of the team is mainly twenty somethings to forty somethings, there are two females, but more are welcome, and one ten-year-old.”

The team is already proving popular, with over 50 people turning up for their launch event on 25 October to show their support.

Jones is keen to encourage anybody with an interest in cycling to get involved.

He added: “We’re all about inclusiveness, partaking, representing the positive aspects of Hackney – and maybe winning a few races here and there.”

Team Hackney GT Push will be hosting its own events and races to get as many people involved as possible.

Jones is hoping the team and the events will be able to “spread some good will among the people of Hackney.”

To get involved with the team go to Hackney GT.