Legend has it that he invented the wheel during his stewardship of Atlantis and that his golden locks were gifted from Samson himself. His business strategy laughs in the face of search engine optimization, profit margins, and early retirement. Instead, his success is fuelled by a passion for cycling so hot it would make Aphrodite blush. I’m, of course, referring to the one and only Ronnie “Ultranicus” Romance, aka UltraRomance.
Ronnie has always been a larger-than-life personality within the cycling community, and it’s safe to say he’s become something of an icon. His playful anti-establishment approach to business, riding, and life in general is a refreshing alternative to the mainstream. So, want to guess what his first foray into the cycling industry was called? Nope. Try again. It was Poppi’s Pizza and Public Restroom. If that didn’t convince investors, he procured the tantalizing slogan, Come for the pizza, stay for the restrooms. Yet, somehow this non-sensical name and catchphrase perfectly capture Ronnie and his equation for success. His hypnotic charm and humor draw you in, but once ingratiated into the cult, you stay because he produces some of the best and most desirable cycling and bikepacking products on the market. Sure, being a Romancian has its drawbacks, such as fierce questioning from the CIA, but not even their operatives will be able to fault Fabio’s ‘Classic Waxed’ Chest—or his bags. When I listen to Jimi Hendrix, I want to play the guitar; when you speak to Ronnie, you want to ride your bike. His passion for cycling and creating bikes, bags, parts, and accessories is truly infectious.
Furthermore, Ronnie’s ability to take classic designs and inject them with new technology, elevated durability, and functionality while seamlessly retaining a timeless aesthetic is second to none. His views on accessibility, supporting local business, and championing quality above all else in inspiring. So, without further ado, here is my interview with Uncle Poppi himself.
Where did your cycling journey begin?
I’m based out of Hadlyme, Connecticut, and was raised just 30 minutes from here. I spent my childhood racing mountain bikes and then got into road racing in the late nineties before moving to Austin, Texas. I worked for 16 years on a fishing boat with my father, so during the summer, I’d work 80 hours per week and then take the winter off to tour on my bike. I lived this way for almost a decade, and during the last three years of living like that, I was sponsored by Specialized. I had already been traveling with my partner, Arya, for six years prior to being sponsored, so together we traveled the world on our bikes. Our job was to take photos and share our story; it was the dream. I realized that the sponsorship program wasn’t going to be long-term, and I didn’t want to return to the fishing boat, so that’s when I started considering ways I could make an income from cycling, which timed nicely with the advent of Instagram. I wasn’t completely invested in the equipment I was utilizing, so decided I wanted to design my own.
The first product was the 666cm wide handlebars with Crust Bikes 8 years ago, then the Romanceur bike, and then bags in collaberation with Swift Industries all in 2016, which was five to six years ago, and they were a big success that allowed me to ween off the big S money. That gave me the confidence to build off my name and transition to the consumer-direct model. I also continued to develop products and worked on more collaborations with Crust Bikes—we have many projects together. We moved production from Swift, Seattle, to here in Connecticut. We used a great local factory for a couple of years and when the couple retired, they asked if we’d like to take it on. That was a big step as it committed us to the location and meant Arya took over as manager. I also have a tire company, UltraDynamico, manufactured in Japan. The only challenge with all these exciting projects is that ultimately the lifestyle and adventure are what sell the product, so we have to find a balance to continue doing that.
How important is it for you to be authentic in your work and adventures?
I’ve been curating bicycles since 1993 and constantly developing my taste and style. The art of the build has always been a really important part of my love for cycling. There have been countless occasions where I wasn’t necessarily motivated to ride but I’d just play around with my setup. Through experimentation, you get a better idea of what works and what doesn’t. A lot of the products I’ve released have been something that existed in years past but is no longer offered in the mainstream industry. One of the benefits of the internet is a lot more niche cultures and people that don’t want to go through a big-name retailer. You don’t have to be part of the mainstream to sell things, which is really cool. I also love working with other like-minded people, and I’d say 8 out of 10 things we do are collaborations. It’s awesome to work with other people where the bicycle is the centerpiece of their emotions. In the mainstream industry, you don’t necessarily get the same magic, as there are a lot of people that are just doing it as a job. The beauty of smaller companies is that you can reach out to the person who designed or manufactured the product, rather than just the generic email of a bigger company. It’s very cool.
We started life as Poppi’s Pizza and Public Restroom, and the slogan was something like Come for the pizza, stay for the restrooms. A name so vile that you knew what you were getting into by ordering from us. That’s where we started with the bags and tees and held onto that for about three years. That established a good customer base that understood our sense of humor. Not to mention that in the early days, we were on the road so much that these bags often took months to ship, which made being our customer especially arduous. I made a lot of effort to answer DMs on Instagram and nurture the community that was building around the brand. When I started Ron’s Bikes, I originally planned to just build custom bikes and it evolved from there.
What are the key criteria when creating any new bag or accessory?
I started bicycle touring with the traditional four panniers and the basket up front with the Rivendell ShopSack and either a Rivendell or Carradice bag on the rear. During a ride in Norway in 2015, the route was more rugged than expected, and anyone who has used panniers will understand that once you’re on technical singletrack with overhanging stuff, it’s easy to get caught or knocked off your bike. That posed the question, How do I remove the panniers but still have enough storage to carry all my gear? I also wanted to get rid of racks where possible as this removed another potential point of failure. A lot of bikepacking bags are more athletic in their application so I wanted to find a sweet spot. I wasn’t a fan of super compressed point-A-to-B bags that weren’t especially accessible on the go. Plus, I find many of these products are a stark contrast to the landscape, whereas classic designs are more charming. I was always a fan of the bags from companies like Carradice, but they needed some updates in my opinion. One of the key additions we made was an internal stiffener, which was something a lot of other companies soon noted and adopted. We also integrated a center strap and it worked really well. We realized we had something and continued honing in the design. I borrow a lot from the past but update existing designs with the latest technology. I’m a Luddite in many ways, but not when it comes to utilizing the latest technical fabrics. Connecticut is a big manufacturing hub, thanks to a thriving sailing industry, so we have access to amazing materials, roughly 90 percent of which are sourced here. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just make subtle improvements.
Could you share a little about Nutmeg Needleworks and the importance of “Made in the USA?”
We took over the factory from a couple in their late 70s and they remembered a time when China was a direct competitor. In recent years, I’ve seen an increase in people looking for quality rather than the cheapest price and quickest turnaround. There’s a lot more value in things being made domestically right now, and it’s at the forefront of sustainability. You want to buy once and right. There’s something almost spiritual about the equipment that comes together to make those life-changing trips possible. You understand that all your gear is quality and designed and manufactured by people that genuinely care. Another benefit of Nutmeg Needleworks is that we can assist other small bag companies. Oftentimes, these outfits are someone in their basement painstakingly making the product as a side hustle to their main job. At some point, they can’t get ahead with the manufacturing, and we can assist in making their product in quantity while retaining keystone pricing for when they sell direct. It’s a win-win for everybody.
What was the reasoning for establishing UltraDynamico tires?
Perhaps our biggest selling point is we have small logos. Back in 2005, I was road racing in Texas, which was when I met my business partner and best friend, Patrick. We started road racing together in Austin, and started a Eurocentric cat 5 team complete with a lead out train and doping scandal – you had to be radioactive. In 2018, Patrick had money to invest, and because we’re both passionate about tire design we figured let’s give that a go. Backcountry and gravel riding was booming and that required specialist tires. We have no business model for UltraDynamico, and like everything else, it’s based on our passion and experience as riders. We start by designing tires on paper and I think that makes for a better-looking product as it has a human element. Our tires are made by Panaracer in Japan because I’ve ridden their tires since 1993. It was a big collaboration as minimums are huge and the mold costs alone are super expensive. We started with the Rose 650B x 47.99 and then a week later we designed the Cava, and they came out a month or so apart. We never expected them to be super successful and figured if it’s a flop we’ll have a lifetime supply of tires just for us.
What do you look for in the perfect bikepacking/bicycle touring adventure?
Food, bikes, and then photos. I love taking photos and that has never felt like a job but rather an integral part of riding. It makes me appreciate my surroundings that much more because you’re always looking for beauty.
Any final tips for riders that perhaps want to get out on a longer bikepacking ride?
It can be daunting to get started with all the gear you’re told you need, when in reality, it can be kept simple. After college in 2002, I set out to ride from Colorado to the East Coast and I just had trash bags, a tarp, and a sleeping bag. Start from scratch and realize what you need from just doing it. Get creative; you don’t need a campground, and could simply stay the night at some local woodland. Google maps can be useful; see where you’re comfortable riding to and riding back, pitch camp, and see what it’s like.
Where can people find you?
Instagram: @ultraromance , @ronsbikes, and @ultradynamico
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