Life in Slow Motion

When we established Blackwell and Sons and began selling magnificent hand-built Pashley bicycles, which are built for style, reliability and comfort rather than blinding speed, something very interesting happened.

We saw how highly our customers value an uncomplicated, gentler-paced, cycling lifestyle. We listened as they told us how their Pashleys serve as perfect foils for the non-stop, instant-gratification, act-now demands of modern living.

In our customers’ eyes, cycling – for leisure rather than hurtling towards a finish line – epitomises many of the ideals and experiences they treasured when they were young: freedom, adventure, possibility, friendship, fresh air and simple pleasures.

The more we investigated, the more we discovered a groundswell of appreciation and desire for this kind of slower, simpler lifestyle. And so ‘Slow Motion’ was born.

Slow Motion isn’t exclusively about cycling. It encompasses any idea or pastime – from preparing and consuming locally sourced food, to walking, gardening, reading, photography or simply breathing in nature – that involves decelerating and opening our senses fully to the people, places and experiences around us.

All of these activities involve breaking away – temporarily at least – from the incessant demands of phones and devices. Slow Motion isn’t a rejection of technology outright. We love gadgetry and openly embrace its capabilities and possibilities. But when it completely dominates our existence, much is lost.

The multiple benefits of a gentler, more appreciative lifestyle are well-documented: Improved health and a longer life, better relationships, deeper friendships, enhanced sensual experiences, improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and more patience, tolerance and general enjoyment of life.

You’ll be seeing, hearing and reading a lot more about Slow Motion as we develop new videos and publish a regular magazine (linked below) to share ideas and stories. So, unclench, breathe deeply … and slow down! You can also read some Slow Motion wisdom (among other things!) in our seasonal mouthpiece Blackwell Bugle. The latest issue is here.