Alex Pretti reminded me of myself. Speaking recently to my sister, Renee Good reminded her of herself, too. They both could have been us.
I've participated in countless protests and never feared for my life. I've regularly brought my kids and felt that was certainly the right thing to do. Not a risky thing to do.
That certainty is certainly a hard-won privilege. And, despite the peril that so many immigrants – and frankly, non-white people – currently face in the USA and elsewhere, I can only imagine that Alex Pretti & Renee Good did not feel existential fear in the minutes leading up to having their lives taken but rather pride that they were fulfilling their sense of obligation to themselves, their communities & their country.
The same sense of obligation that I believe everyone I respect also feels when they vote, show up, and speak up for what's right; help others when they fall; and defend others when they're attacked.
The cold truth is that right now in the USA (and Iran!), fulfilling that obligation can cost you your freedom or even your life.
Lucas Winzenburg
Thank you, Lucas and the Bikepacking team for making this tribute.
Last year, I shared Timothy Snyder's 20 Lessons on Tyranny. Here they are again as cues to hopefully help us all feel a little more capable of making a difference in our communities and beyond. ❤️
- 🫡 Do not obey in advance.
- 🛡️Defend institutions.
- ⚠️ Beware the one-party state.
- 🙋♂️ Take responsibility for the face of the world. "
- ⚖️ Remember professional ethics.
- 🪖 Be wary of paramilitaries.
- 💭 Be reflective if you must be armed.
- 🌟 Stand out.
- 🗣️ Be kind to our language.
- 🗝️ Believe in truth.
- 🔎 Investigate.
- 👁️ Make eye contact and small talk.
- 👟 Practice corporeal politics.
- 🤫 Establish a private life.
- 💳 Contribute to good causes.
- 🌍 Learn from peers in other countries. "
- 💬 Listen for dangerous words.
- 🍃 Be calm when the unthinkable arrives.
- 🗽 Be a patriot.
- ❤️🔥 Be as courageous as you can.
"If none of us is prepared to die for freedom, then all of us will die under tyranny."
Sending solidarity to all of those standing for kindness and equality, not just in the States, but around the world. We're all in this together.
wishing you a good week ahead & thank you for reading,
Jon
p.s. If you would also like some beauty to start your day, Wade at Escape featured the best shots of the 2025 Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year awards on his Substack. Give it a scroll.
Twotone is celebrating 11 Years and we've updated our annual offer: Every paid subscriber makes a big difference! Thank you! 😊
January
- 🇳🇱 28 Wheelrunner Wednesday Ride (Weekly at 6:30am)
- 🇳🇱 29 The Mechanics of Joy Nº52 with Melvin de Groot
February
- 🇳🇱 8-9 Nieuwsfiets' B2B Festival
- 🇳🇱 11-12 Shift Cycling Culture Barcamp
- 🇳🇱 12 Gregario Movie Nite: Quicksilver!
- 🇳🇱 27 Dox Under The Tracks Nº14 (Artists TBA)
March
- 🇳🇱 14 12hr Alleycat (Twotone HQ is the karaoke checkpoint!)
- 🇩🇪 20-22 Cyclingworld Düsseldorf
Bikes
Broomwagon Season Nº9: Petor Georgallou
Follow Fergus on a Tour of Ritchey HQ
BAM! – Bicycle Adventure Meeting 2026: June 5 to 7
Alice Allione
BAM! – Bicycle Adventure Meeting announces the official dates for 2026. From June 5 to 7 & what makes BAM! unique on the international scene is its philosophy: the festival begins at each participant’s home. Most travelers reach Piazzola sul Brenta by cycling for days or weeks. Read more here & maybe you'll finally see me there this year!
Ideas
Financial Times' Everything you need for a cycle adventure
14 reasons not to become an influencer
Claire
I'm a big fan of Claire's musings, and the dilemmas she articulates often resonate with me. I'm no influencer per sé, but to some, I am. Hell, you're reading this right now. ; ) Ultimately, I don't anticipate quitting social media any time soon, but her (actually 17) reasons are good food for thought!
Notes on Not Posting
Anu
Quite to followup to Claire's reason to not be an influencer, how about not posting at all?
"The internet doesn’t need you. It’s good to be reminded of that once in a while. The lesson scales to life itself. The world moves with or without you. Do what you will." – Anu Atluru
Friends
Mechanics of Joy Nº52 with Melvin De Groot 29.1 2pm CET
Feb 12 Gregario Movie Night: Quicksilver
Each month, Gregario highlights one of their local riders' favourite movies, and I had the honor to choose Quicksilver, a 1986 movie about a disgraced stockbroker, Jack Casey (Kevin Bacon), who loses his fortune and trades the high-stakes world of Wall Street for the gritty streets as a bicycle messenger in San Francisco. RSVP & join us on 12 Feb!
FIX EVERYTHING at Café de With on 30.1
Fix Everything
Fix Everything played Twotone's 5-year anniversary 6 years ago, and we've been friends ever since. They're playing a sad set on the 30th, and if there ever was a time to play bummer music and fix everything, that time would be now! Tickets.
Radness
Peter Riegersperger's Gas Station Planner on Fwends.net
Thank you for reading!
Here's to believing your eyes this week!