'There's no awkwardness': How building new business contacts on two wheels actually works

It's freezing cold on the Cat and Fiddle, the famous ascent in the UK's Peak District. The rain is coming down in stair rods, and while some have taken refuge in the broomwagon, a hardy bunch of survivors is making its way over the top.

The end is in sight though, and as the riders reach their final destination at Wilmslow, they've acquired a few things. As you might expect, these include cold feet, grimy bikes and a tale to tell; but on top of that, they're also going home with a few handy business contacts.

After all, the ride in question has not only been a memorable and rather epic day out awheel – it has also been a networking event for high-level business leaders.

It was run by Tullio, a young UK-based company dedicated to connecting businesspeople with a love of cycling. It's one of dozens of events curated by the company every year, both in the UK and abroad.

'Cycling is the new golf' was a tagline created so long ago now – dating back to the Lance Armstrong era when the pastime took off in the USA – that the 'new' part no longer applies. 'Cycling is golf' might be more appropriate, but of course that would make no sense.

However you couch it, the phrase relates to cycling's popularity with the corporate elite, especially the idea of taking boardroom meet-ups out onto the road rather than the golf course. And it's been around for so long now it's a wonder that we haven't seen more companies like Tullio pop up.

Tullio – full marks if you spotted the Campagnolo connection – is the brainchild of Dominic Rowing-Parker, an IT professional and entrepreneur who set the company up during lockdown. Initially it offered just one regular networking event, but it has now expanded to include regular rides up and down the country, rides on Zwift and abroad, and also a WhatsApp community.

"We named it after Tullio Campagnolo, who was an entrepreneur and investor; he invented the quick-release skewer and the modern derailleur," says Rowing-Parker. "He was the epitome of what a member might look like. So it was kind of perfect. And Tullio basically means 'the one who leads'. So it was like, 'this name is perfect.'

"The great thing about it is there's no ice to break," Rowing-Parker says on-bike networking. "There's no awkwardness. I found myself going to too many networking events before, where you turn up and it's really awkward. It's really hard to break that ice.

"Whereas with cycling, you get out of the car, and it's 'nice bike, where did you come from?'. It's like you already kind of know each other, and you've got something to talk about. You're kind of networking around your common interest."

The company runs regular local events, as well as bigger monthly 'X Series' events that move around, allowing members to explore new cycling roads and new business contacts alike.

Tullio also functions as a bona fide cycling club, with affiliations to British Cycling and Cycling UK too, explains Rowing-Parker. And with its regular monthly regional rides up and down the UK, there is usually a group nearby if someone wants to sign up.

"Somebody might not be near a club and they want to be part of something, or they might want to join as second-claim," he says. "If you want to race in Tullio colours, you can."

Tullio runs its days out as part-ride, part networking event, with attendees getting together for breakfast before setting out for an 80-90km day on the bike. This will see them riding in slowly revolving pairs, and while business deals might not necessarily be made on the move, useful contacts for the future often are.

"You can ride along beside somebody for two or three hours and have a really good chinwag, get to know them," says Tullio member Sam Leeder, who has been signed up almost since the start. "And then when they have a need, they probably go to somebody within the network that they know, rather than somebody else."

Leeder, who owns Actus Insurance, has graduated to the position of ride leader for his local Tullio monthly ride in Yorkshire.

"I've been running the South Yorkshire / Sheffield group and getting a good network of people out locally," says Leeder. "For some businesses, they don't deal necessarily all around the UK. So being able to network with the same principle, same shared interests, but on a more regular basis locally, I think obviously has additional benefits."

As someone who has never been much of a chatter on rides – largely because I'm generally having to try too hard to keep up – the idea of networking while riding sounds tricky. But according to Leeder, who is a golfer as well as a bike rider, cycling is even more suited to it than its club-wielding predecessor.

"In golf, you might all meet up and you might chat to a few people, then you've got four hours [playing], but only with the people that are in your four-ball. So golf's a little bit more limited.

"I think from a cycling point of view, the fact that you're in a big group, you can sort of mix around the group quite easily. You probably get more chance to speak to more people."

Tullio is currently preparing to take members away to Mallorca next year, on what has become a regular trip for some cycling, some networking and – unlike that fateful Peak District ride – hopefully some sun.

Membership to Tullio costs from £40 and gives riders access to a WhatsApp business community and other perks. Membership is not required to attend rides, but they are cheaper (and even free), depending on which tier you're signed up to.