5 20 | April 2025
MINUTES WITH... BikeBiz speaks to Lily Rice, Director of The Long Run Club. Lily Rice Guy Whitby
Launching a business during an industry downturn is a bold move. What specific opportunities did you identify that made you confident in The Long Run Club’s success despite the challenges? We knew that launching was going to be a challenge but we also felt confident that there was a real need for better custom kit. So many brands are set up as retail first, custom second, which means it’s always a bit of an afterthought. We wanted to really shake up the market and create the most ethical custom kit on the planet. Allowing businesses, teams and even individuals the opportunity to wear custom kit that really represents their values. Plus any excuse to talk kit, bikes and coffee all day should always be taken!
In your experience, would you say the sportswear industry has historically been male-dominated? How have you navigated this landscape during your career, and what changes would you like to see that would create more opportunities for women in leadership roles? There aren’t many industries that haven’t been male- dominated and sportswear is no exception. I’ve always been quite vocal both in terms of sharing my thoughts on design but also in trying to create space and roles for other women. I think we need real top-level change to allow more women into leadership roles, flexible, remote working for both genders for example.
I think some of the responsibility falls to men too, I am very
lucky to be supported both at home by my husband, and also by my co-founder, Guy, but we still get some contacts who make it very clear they want to speak to “a man”! I love that articles like this are happening though, representation in the industry is vital and we need to shine more light on women and under-represented groups within cycling. If you go to an event and it’s 99% male attendees or speakers, collar the organisers, what are they doing to encourage more women to attend? Support female-run events
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