LONDON → ICELAND
Earlier this summer, three KXNGS riders travelled from London to Iceland to race The Rift.
None of us really knew what we were getting into. Icelandic gravel. Lava fields, river crossings, black sand and weather that could change by the minute.
For Lew, it would be his first gravel race. For 03J90, it would become a race defined by one moment: alone, on the ground, with nobody around and only one option — get back up.
For all of us, it became about much more than the finish line.
03J90 — SHOT BY JULIEN MAZARD
LEW BLOYCE — SHOT BY JULIEN MAZARD
BUILT TO GET YOUR BIKE THERE
Getting to Iceland with a bike is part of the adventure.
We travelled with the KXNGS × BUXUMBOX 01. Built around one simple idea: your bike should arrive ready to ride.
Built from 6061-T6 aluminium, with an anti-crush structural bar and TSA-compliant lock, it was made for exactly this kind of journey.
London → Iceland. Bikes out. Wheels on. Ride.
We came to Iceland to race. But some of the best kilometres happened before a number was pinned on.
Empty roads. Long light. Lava fields. Three bikes and nowhere particularly urgent to be.
Sometimes the ride before the race is the one you remember.
THE RACE
Volcanic gravel. Black sand. River crossings. Wind.
And three very different races.
THREE QUESTIONS
LEW BLOYCE
How would you describe the whole experience?
“The whole experience was brand new. My first gravel race, unknown territory, a myriad of possibility but also potential problems.”
What was the toughest moment, and what kept you moving?
“The toughest moment was racing through the sand sections. When you’re not used to that type of cycling, seeing the elites just glide along the sand at 30+ kph can be demoralising. But you’ve got to keep on clicking. It’s not over until it’s over, and there’s only one way home.”
THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY HOME.
What’s the one moment from the trip that will stay with you?
“Spending time with Max and Saranu, off the bike. Just enjoying one another’s company — getting closer as friends and teammates.”
03J90
How would you describe the whole experience?
“A truly unforgettable experience. One that pushed me beyond my limits and left me with memories I’ll carry with me for a long time.”
What was the toughest moment, and what kept you moving?
“The toughest moment was when I fell, completely alone in the middle of nowhere. With nothing around me but the Icelandic landscape, I told myself there was only one thing to do: get back up, keep moving, and finish the race.”
What’s the one moment from the trip that will stay with you?
“The course, the vast landscapes and the raw beauty of Iceland were incredible. It genuinely felt like running on another planet.”
A DETAIL WORTH KEEPING
There are the things you bring home because you packed them. And the things you bring home because somewhere along the way they became part of the story.
Every KXNGS × BUXUMBOX 01 ships with your own name plate. Yours, on the box that gets you there.
POWERED BY KXNGS
Long days on the bike start long before the start line — and continue long after the finish.
KXNGS Pro Formula was part of the daily routine throughout Iceland. Before the race. After the race. Ready for the next ride.
FROM LONDON TO ICELAND
The KXNGS × MET 02 and KXNGS × FLATLIST came with us from London to Iceland — and both riders raced in them.
Designed for riders. Made to be worn everywhere.
THE RIFT, IN MOTION
Photography by Julien Mazard
We came to Iceland to race. We didn’t all ride the same race.
Lew remembers the sand. 03J90 remembers being alone on the ground.
What stays with me is something closer to Lew’s answer: the time around the race. Riding together. Travelling together. Getting to know each other better when nobody was watching the clock.
The race gave us a reason to go. Riding gave us everything else.