Oli Joins Jazz Shapers on Jazz FM
Earlier this month, The Slow Cyclist founder Oli Broom joined Elliot Moss on Jazz FM’s podcast, Jazz Shapers to discuss all things slow travel. Jazz Shapers features business founders, modern-day shapers who, much like the great innovators of jazz, soul, and blues, have defied convention, broken the mould, and achieved remarkable success. In each episode, Elliot invites a pioneering guest to share their motivations, character, and the ways they navigate both challenges and opportunities.
Oli joined Elliot Moss for a chat about adventure, purpose, and the art of slowing down, both on the road and in life.
Oli shared the story of how he swapped an uninspiring London desk job for the open road, setting off on a 28,000 km, 14-month cycling journey to Brisbane to watch the Ashes and raise money for charity. That life-changing ride sparked a lasting belief that sits at the heart of The Slow Cyclist: that the best travel experiences come when you take your time to connect deeply with a place.
Together, Oli and Elliot explored everything from “decision detoxing” to building a business from scratch, reflecting on how that first big adventure shaped not only The Slow Cyclist’s philosophy but its ongoing evolution. Oli admitted that launching a cycling tour company was “a bit of a leap into the dark”, heading to Romania, discovering a stunning corner of the world, and hoping others would want to come cycling there too. Thankfully, they did, and the joy it brought became the foundation of everything we do.
They spoke about how embracing the absence of speed can lead to a more balanced, fulfilling life, and how that shaped the Slow Cyclist journeys, where guests can rediscover a sense of play and wonder, and forge real connections with people and places.
As Oli put it, The Slow Cyclist is, at its core, about “giving joy.” And if we can help our guests reconnect with nature, with culture, and with themselves, then we know we’re pedalling in the right direction.
Listen to the podcast in full here.
If you’d like to join us in slowing down for a more connected journey, why not experience the destinations that started it all? Travel with us to Rwanda or Transylvania and experience a journey of joy.
