Safa Brian is arguably one of the most famous ex bike-messengers around. Follow him, as he returns to the megalopolis of Mexico City, the place where he intended to stay for vacation and ended up living for six years, where he started to get into road cycling for the first time and founded his first company, a bike messenger service. Along with a friend, Safa endeavors on a high paced bike ride on his SCOTT Foil RC, leading him from the buzzing street canyons of the city up to a volcano and back again.
I never intended to live in Mexico City but a vacation soon turned into a six year stint in the megalopolis. It was a city of firsts for me. The first time I had lived somewhere where English wasn’t the first language. I started my first company there, a bike messenger service. And I started riding road bikes for the first time, too. Having spent all my adult years rushing around downtowns across the globe I started to long for fresh air and the absence of cars. To find a combination of those two things in Mexico City you need to climb.
The city sits at 2,300 metres above sea level, atop an old lake bed ringed by mountains and volcanoes, and once you start climbing out of this cauldron a new world awaits you. After spending years ascending to well over 3,000 metres on a track bike, one gear and no brakes, I finally got a road bike and started exploring further and faster than ever.
My weekends went from parties to high plains, my riding gear from board shorts and t-shirts to full lycra. There is so much to see and discover, so much noise and pollution to leave behind, I was hooked on road bikes.
I had the pleasure of sharing this ride with my good friend, Ana Puga. Ana is an industrial designer, Mexico City native, and a great bike rider. I organized a lot of underground bike races and events and Ana always showed up to compete, most often finding herself on the podium, and also lending me a hand with organizing.
She has also raced in crits all over the world and continues to do so today. The route I chose is a classic loop that starts in the south of the city and re-enters it in the west.
The main climb is Ajusco. A 30 kilometre giant that is a favorite of local cyclists. I remember training and racing here frequently. Most times you go up and come down the same way, but for the big days you go over the top. The road creeps up to 3,600 metres and then starts to descend as Mexico City is left behind and you enter the State of Mexico.
The roads here let you know you’re no longer in the city, they’re littered with potholes, hundreds of stray dogs roam the countryside, and cars are far and few between.
We make our way down the bumpy descent and into Xalatlaco a rural town and the biggest pit stop along the way. There is always good food in Mexico wherever you stop, but a favorite for day trippers from the city is la Marquesa, the next stop on our loop. After downing some final quesadillas to fuel ourselves up the final climb of the day we head for home.
Getting back to Mexico City most often involves a big descent that builds up with more and more traffic the more you descend. This day was no different. We ride the highway, cross the toll booth and filter through cars and buses at speed, just another day in CMDX. I no longer live in Mexico but being able to go back and experience the chaos and beauty, enjoy my old training grounds and spend time with friends was fantastic.
And to do all of this on the Foil Ultimate was the cherry on top. Never did I think I’d be flying through Mexico City traffic on a top tier race bike.
