COLOMBIA

When Clipped Tours, a Latin American cycling tour operator with a taste for the extraordinary, invited us to explore Colombia by bike, this turned into an invitation to ride straight into the country’s lungs, legs, and soul.

Over seven days, photographer and cyclist Rik traced a line deep into the Colombian Andes. From the mythic Alto de Letras to the rolling green of the coffee region, through misty mountaintop villages and sunlit valleys, the terrain didn’t give up anything for free. Led by local guides with road wisdom and rhythm, the experience struck a great balance. Big days in the saddle, boutique hotels at night. Curated food stops, roadside fruit, and daily massages softened the edges. Grit met grace.

The story unfolded in two gears. One minute, Rik was dancing up 4,000m climbs, soaking wet and grinning. The next, sipping café tinto in sun-bleached plazas, or stretching out in design hotels with panoramic views that didn’t need a caption.

This wasn’t a shoot. It was lived-in storytelling. A genuine ride turned real-world campaign. For Clipped Tours, for Colombia, and for the brands that came along for the journey. The gear felt natural. The shots felt honest. It was less about product placement, more about purposeful presence. A collection of moments that brands could inhabit without ever stealing the scene.

Because when the goal is a genuine experience, the story doesn’t need selling.