CyclistCyclist Magazine Podcast: Quoc Pham on shoes, Geraint Thomas and the Far East factoriesThis week on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast, James is joined by Quoc Pham, founder and designer of the eponymous Quoc cycling shoe brand. Before cycling, Quoc worked in fashion, running his own label, but turned his attention to making shoes in that classic way people do when they turn inventor: he found himself commuting around London in shoes that just werent up to it, they were either functionally great but ugly, or nice looking but out of their depth in toeclips on a fixie so he set about making his own. His first, a beautiful leather shoe with smooth, contoured sole called the Fixed, quickly developed a cult following in the Eroica scene, and fast forward 17 years Quoc has expanded into road and gravel, even sponsoring Geraint Thomas along the way.In this episode we chat about how that deal came about thanks in part to a personal message from Quoc; the incredibly steep learning curve that was making a pair of shoes from scratch; and how the brand-factory partnership works and how that most crucial relationship affects what kit you wear and what bike you ride, just as much as any technology advance, design team, or economic fluctuation.Chat begins at 7:52Listen to our chat with Chris Hoy on the Cyclist magazine app or wherever you get your podcastsGet the Cyclist iOS app / Get the Cyclist app on the Google Play storeThis episode is brought to you by Rouvy, the indoor riding platform that makes indoor rides look and feel real, from smashing up the Sa Calobra to group rides around Vietnam to Rouvy Fest, which this year takes place between 12th and 25th October and will include a host of special group rides including tackling Mount Teide in Tenerife, riding the shores and hill of Lake Garda in Italy and puffing up dust on the Strade Bianche chalky road of Tuscany. All this plus special ride guests telling stories and answering questions as they pedal, challenges, rewards and giveaways, and the Rouvy Fest Race, a huge single race where the competitive spirit meets fun and inclusive vibes. See Rouvy.com for more details, including how to sign up for a free month using the code KEEPITREALCYCLISTThe post Cyclist Magazine Podcast: Quoc Pham on shoes, Geraint Thomas and the Far East factories appeared first on Cyclist.