Pictures by Marek Ogień, Steff Gutovska and Mireia Simo.
Szymon [SHI-mawn] is a photographer, writer, guide — and, above all, a romantic cyclist.
Raised in the Pieniny Mountains of southern Poland, he now lives much of his life on the road, following his passion for riding bikes.
After quitting university and several conventional jobs, he chose a different path shaped by adventure. Today, he works as a freelance photographer and cycling guide, exploring high alpine passes and remote landscapes from Iceland to Tibet — always on two wheels.
Projects I’m most proud of:
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Author of the Roadtripping photo series from Norway, Calpe, Tirol, and Sierra Nevada, published by CyclingTips (Australia).
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Former PR agent for World Champion Michał Kwiatkowski
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Raced competitively for 11 years, both in road cycling and mountain biking, earning a bronze medal at the Polish National Championships.
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Founder of Romantic Cycling, a movement rooted in the joy of riding without competition — now with over 50,000 photos shared under the hashtag #kolarstworomantyczne on Instagram.
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Collaborated on campaigns and creative projects with tourism boards from Tirol, Switzerland, South Tirol and Catalunya.
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Worked as model, photographer, producer, and scout for numerous cycling-focused productions.
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My work has been featured in several print publications including Lonely Planet, Cabin Porn, Kraft, PNT, Far Ride Magazine, Szosa, National Geographic Traveler, and Circa Editions.
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Received 2nd place in the 2016 Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year Awards.
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Collaborate regularly with brands I admire, currently – Pinarello, Oakley, Dandy Horse and Pajak.
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Currently working on my book about Romantic Cycling — a collection of stories on finding joy in the ride free from competition, and my reflections on the modern cycling culture.
Let’s be in touch!
Instagram: @szymonbike
Facebook: /szymonbike
Vimeo: /szymonbikepl
Tumblr: szymonbike.tumblr.com
Strava: athletes/szymonbike
email: [email protected]
