Boxed & Beyond is a new series from Buxumbox, where we speak to riders about their boxes, their travels, and the role both play in their cycling lives.
National records, Commonwealth bronze, stage wins, hill-climb glory - Hayley Simmonds’ palmarès already reads like a full career. Yet the former Cambridge rower and PhD chemist is just warming up. This season the two-time British time-trial champion has swapped aero extensions for chunky tyres, lining up with the Ribble Outliers gravel team in some of the sport’s most demanding events. We caught up with Hayley to talk analytics, adventure and why a Buxumbox now sits at the heart of her travel routine.
Hello Hayley! Could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about who you are on (and off) the bike?
Hi! I’m a full time cyclist racing for the Ribble Outliers gravel team. I’ve been a professional rider since 2016 and competed in UCI road races and time trials until the end of 2024. I competed in my first gravel race in September 2022 and spent the last two seasons balancing road and gravel racing before making the switch to the off-road scene this year. I have won two International TT medals, two elite National TT titles, 17 CTT National titles and hold the records for the 10, 25 and 50 mile time trials. Off the bike I enjoy spending time in the kitchen, cooking and baking. I made my brother’s wedding cake in 2020 and will be making one for a friend at the end of August! I also love to travel; something I’m getting a lot of opportunities to do this season. I coach a few riders who concentrate mainly of time trialling and I also do some cycling commentary work when the opportunity arises.
From Cambridge rowing to elite cycling - and a PhD in Experimental Chemistry - how have those different worlds influenced the way you ride and race today?
I started rowing when I was at school and so when I was accepted to Cambridge it naturally became a goal to participate in The Boat Race. I started cycling at the beginning of my PhD studies and then won my first elite National TT title in the year before submitting my thesis. I’ve always been highly competitive and motivated by having goals to obtain and a plan to achieve them. There have been times during the more ‘challenging’ periods of my cycling career when I’ve lost sight of the more focussed, step-by-step approach but there are successes that I still believe I can achieve and I’m returning to the ways in which I used to operate. I think my scientific background has helped with an analytical approach to my training and racing; I love data and try to use it to optimise my performances. The fact that I balanced elite sport with full-time study also means that I am able to be disciplined and have good time management and this is very beneficial given my training and travel schedule!
You’re a double British national time-trial champion (2015-16), a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, and you’ve claimed victories including a stage of the Thüringen Ladies Tour and the National Hill-Climb title. Which achievement still gives you goosebumps and why?
It’s so hard to single out one victory that means ‘the most’ because all of those that you’ve mentioned have been special in different ways. The first elite title was unexpected to me and marked the beginning of my professional career whilst the Commonwealth Games bronze medal was the culmination of a focussed winter and one of the most consistent training blocks I’ve ever had. That race was a major focus and so to come away with a medal was a dream come true. In contrast, when I won a bronze medal at the European Games in 2019 it followed a spring of illness and I was unsure where my form was going into the race. Therefore to come away with a medal was a huge achievement. The stage win at Lotto Thüringen is certainly one of the victories that I’m most proud of. I had ridden the course a few days prior and knew the finish suited me - I truly raced on instinct in the finale of that race and believed that I was strong enough to win. Not only did I take the stage victory but I ended up in the leader’s jersey which I then was able to wear during the following day’s time trial, and at the culmination of the race I was 3rd in the General Classification behind Lisa Brennauer and Ellen van Dijk, two women for whom I had incredible admiration. The hill climb victory was also special as I’ve had a history of struggles with my weight and was often seen as “too heavy” to be a good climber; this proved doubters wrong. I feel lucky to have had success in many different races and I don’t take any of the achievements for granted. Most were now some time ago but I truly believe that there is more to come before I (eventually) retire.
"The hard racing style suits me"
You’ve made a shift from elite road and time trialling to gravel with Ribble Outliers. What role did that transition play in reigniting your love for racing?
Truth be told, since COVID I’ve had a tough few years in elite road racing. There have certainly been highs, including the Overall Combativity award at The Women’s Tour in 2021 and a 17th place at the Alpes Gresivaudan Classic in 2023, but there have been fewer and fewer road races each season that I’ve been truly excited for. At the top level, the courses for UCI women’s racing have become spectacular and something I would love to have had the chance to experience, however for British UCI continental teams it is almost impossible to guarantee an invite and I have never relished the flatter Belgian/Dutch racing where positioning is the most crucial factor. Gravel on the other hand offers new challenges; the courses are varying and most require both skill and strength. The hard racing style suits me and although I still have many improvements to make technically, I relish the opportunity. The races are in spectacular locations and the team atmosphere on Ribble Outliers has been friendly, encouraging and fun which has really helped reignite my passion and motivation.
You describe gravel as “safer, more inclusive, and full of atmosphere & community.” How does that compare with your time on the road and what it means for you as an athlete?
There are obvious ‘risks’ in gravel racing, as there is in all cycling, but in my opinion elite level road racing has become more and more dangerous, with increasing numbers of (more severe) crashes. Elite road racing has also at times felt ‘cliquey’. In contrast, gravel really levels people. All riders experience the same course and have their own challenges and at the end of the race everyone has a story to tell. The risks in gravel are often more controllable and riders can judge themselves how ambitiously to tackle the various obstacles and difficulties. Elite gravel is still hugely competitive but there is a feeling of community, in which riders will stop and assist each other if there is an incident, and at the end of the race the atmosphere turns to more of a celebration. My recent race in Mexico really exemplifies this: when I finished the race I was greeted, hugged and congratulated by other competitors. We all sat down together to enjoy food, drinks and music and the podium celebrations took place on giant barrels surrounded by people celebrating, rather than a more formal stage separated from onlookers. When you sacrifice so much in pursuit of success in elite sport it can be draining but the community and atmosphere in gravel makes it infinitely easier.
For someone packing up for gravel, and travelling with serious racing kit, what’s your go-to packing routine?
My bike is often one of the last things to be packed as I tend to need it until just before travel! I’m really lucky that the Buxumbox Ventoux is so easy to pack and requires very little dismantling of the bike. I normally put my travel pump and tools into the bottom of the box first and secure those under the netting. I’ll then take the wheels out of the bike, and secure the frame into the box before removing the seatpost, wrapping that in a bit of padding and then also securing that in the netting at the bottom of the box. Wheels go into the bags, are placed in the box and secured with the central rod and then any extras that I need (such as bottles or spare tyres) are slotted in at the end. It’s so simple and easy compared to other bags and boxes where I always removed the rear derailleur, handlebars and pedals, and also wrapped the frame in an entire roll of bubblewrap in an effort to prevent damage! The amount of time I’ve saved this year in dismantling/rebuilding bikes but also in packing efforts has been incredibly valuable given my hectic travel schedule.
"The amount of time I’ve saved this year in dismantling/rebuilding bikes but also in packing efforts has been incredibly valuable given my hectic travel schedule"
Your box has likely seen trips from Gralloch to Unbound to The Rift. What’s the most challenging travel situation you’ve faced, and how did your Buxumbox perform under pressure?
My Buxumbox has done a lot of air miles this year! I’ve actually had a Buxumbox since 2019 and despite the best attempts of all baggage handlers over the past six years, I’ve never had any damage to my bike or equipment when using either the older box or my new one. The older box now has numerous scratches and dents, and has also had a panel replacement, but I never have concerns for my bike when travelling with the Buxumbox. I think the most challenging travel situation I’ve had was actually one of my most recent trips; returning in mid-July from Gravel Mexico where I finished 3rd. I was due to fly from San Luis Potosi to London via Dallas, landing in London on Thursday 10th July, before flying to Zurich on Friday 11th. My flight from San Luis Potosi was slightly delayed but I still made it to Dallas in plenty of time. Unfortunately my flight from Dallas was cancelled 10 minutes prior to boarding! After some frantic calls and rescheduling, I managed to arrange travel from Dallas to Charlotte on Thursday lunchtime and then Charlotte to London, arriving at 9am on Friday 11th! My Buxumbox remained in Dallas airport overnight, was transferred onto the flight to Charlotte, somehow made the connection to London and was safely collected from T3 on arrival before being immediately transferred to T5 to fly to Switzerland! Despite multiple checks by TSA and five airports, the box and everything in it made it to Switzerland in perfect condition.
Ribble Outliers is known for having a collaborative, adventure-first culture. How has that environment changed your mindset and performance this season?
Despite having many years of professional riding experience, I am probably the least experienced off-road rider on Ribble Outliers! As such I’m really grateful for the knowledge that is shared amongst the riders on the team, relating to everything from tyre selection and pressure, to cornering techniques on different surface types. This friendship and camaraderie within the team is something I’ve not experienced for quite a few years and has made the environment feel like a family, where we all support and encourage each other. The team management is also really enthusiastic about participating in adventure style rides, as well as our key race programme; this offers the opportunity for myself and other riders to expand our calendars and try different things that we otherwise might not be able to. For me personally, it means I’ve been able to experience so many new and exciting rides and races which I’ve loved. In the past few years, cycling has sometimes felt like a chore but this season has brought with it so much fun and so many new adventures that I’ve enjoyed pushing myself again. Although my performances haven’t been quite where I’ve wanted at times (largely due to illness) I am looking forward to tackling the races that I still have on my calendar and representing the team and my sponsors to the best of my ability.
Your 2025 calendar has been packed so far with more racing still to come. What are the key events you're most excited about for the rest of the year (or next year), and why these in particular?
I’ve been incredibly lucky this season to have already been able to travel and race across Europe, Africa and both Northern and Central America. Due to illness in late April and May I was unable to perform to my own expectations in some of my early target races but luckily there is still a lot to come! September is particularly busy and features a lot of exciting racing, including a UCI event in Wales, British National Gravel Championships, European Gravel Championships and Ranxo Gravel (Gravel Earth Series Final). Ranxo was my first ever gravel race and so I’m extremely excited to return to Ponts for the first time in three years. Next season I really want to be able to race Unbound; that was one of the events I’d most been looking forward to but was forced to miss because of my Epstein-Barr diagnosis. Similarly Gralloch is a race that I love but performed poorly in this season as I was ill (but didn’t yet know it!).
"I am so grateful for the peace of mind that I have travelling with a Buxumbox"
Finally, for riders travelling with a bike for the first time, what key pieces of advice would you give – particularly around choosing the right box and prepping for transport?
Travelling to a race can be quite hectic and one of the biggest stresses of all riders is worrying about what to do if your bike arrives damaged. I’ve seen so many people over the years needing to run around in remote locations trying to find bike shops or proprietary components in order to be able to race and this really isn’t what you want to have to do in the days before an event. I am so grateful for the peace of mind that I have travelling with a Buxumbox because I know that even if the box suffers minor damage, my equipment inside will be fine! I would definitely advise investing in a sturdy, reliable box and I would also recommend a box with two sets of wheels that is easy to manoeuvre (and doesn’t require lifting or struggling with through the airport!). I previously had a bag that needed to be lifted at one end to be wheeled and I would end up with very bad shoulder and arm pain the day after travel! The Buxumbox is so quick and easy to pack, and there is also netting at the bottom to secure tools so that they don’t move around and risk knocking into the frame or wheels. If you’re travelling with a bike for the first time then give yourself time to pack everything and maybe make a checklist of essentials so that you don’t forget to add them to the box at the end. Also give yourself a bit more time at the airport than normal; everywhere is different but some terminals require manual inspections of bike boxes and you’ll almost certainly need to take the bike to a different baggage area after checking in.
What Hayley's story makes clear is that good preparation, smart data and the right kit - a sturdy bike box included! - can turn travel stress into performance confidence. We’ll be watching as the Outliers head to British, European and Gravel Earth finals later this year, and we can’t wait to see Hayley’s trademark focus deliver more results on the dirt. Safe travels! Images 1, 2, 4 📸 @metheven_bond Image 3 📸 @hayleyrsimmonds