Violet Crown cycling, Austin group rides, and local bike club history. In this conversation, Phil sits with Jay Bond (Oliver James Bond V) to explore the culture of group riding in Austin, the long arc of the Violet Crown club, and what draws people—from locals to visitors from Europe and beyond—onto the roads together.
They talk family names and military-school lineage, the practical realities of staying in the sport, the social fabric of weekly rides, and the quiet ways a local club becomes a place of connection. The episode opens a larger series looking at Austin cycling and the stories that shape it.
Come ride with Violet Crown in Austin, Texas. You’ll meet people from all over and find a community that shows up week after week.
Where has group riding or local cycling culture shown up in your own life? Share in the comments if it feels right.
#philphails #violetcrown #austincycling #grouprides #cyclingcommunity #personal growth #identity #resilience #localculture #texas #roadcycling #storytelling
(70) Phil Phails @ Violet Crown
https://www.philphails.com/cycling/
About Jay Bond
Oliver “Jay” Bond is a longtime Austin cyclist. In addition to leading and participating in weekly local bike rides over the past 50 years, he was instrumental in creating the Violet Crown Sports Association and has served the club in a variety of roles since it was formally established in 1982.
Although Jay later worked as a legislative staffer in the Texas Senate and in the U.S. House of Representatives, and then as a legislative and regulatory policy analyst — he spent ten years working in the bicycle business in the 1970’s and 1980’s, including stints in three Austin bike shops and at a bicycle factory in Houston.
Jay has extensive experience in bicycle racing, having raced on the road, in cyclocross, and on the track. He was 5th in the Texas State Championship 100-mile road race in 1978 and placed in the top-10 in that event on several other occasions. He was 2nd in the 1981 Texas State Championship 25-mile time trial and placed 3rd in 1978, 1979, and 1980. He participated in the U.S. National Championship cyclocross championships a total of seven times between 1978 and 2015, finishing 8th in the event held in Austin in 1978 and 10th in Eugene, Oregon in 1981.
👉 Find Violet Crown:
Web – www.violetcrown.org
Social – www.instagram.com/violetcrowncycling
Strava – https://www.strava.com/clubs/1843
Linktree – linktr.ee/violetcrowncycling
About Phillip Jones
Phillip Jones is the creator and host of Phil Phails, a podcast exploring philosophy, psychology, resilience, relationships, identity, and personal growth.
Through long-form conversations and reflective solo episodes, he examines how people navigate uncertainty, meaning, suffering, discipline, and transformation.
Drawing from years of personal development, psychotherapy, mindfulness practice, and ongoing study, Phillip approaches each conversation with curiosity rather than certainty. His goal isn’t to teach from above, but to learn in public alongside his guests and audience.
Based in Austin, Texas, he believes growth happens through honest reflection, thoughtful dialogue, and the willingness to remain a student of life.
👉 Follow me on Social Media:
website: https://www.philphails.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phil_phails/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philphails/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@philphails
🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell to get notified about new videos: https://www.youtube.com/@PhilPhails
chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Name Stories
05:00 Citadel Roots and Family History
15:00 Getting into Cycling and Local Shops
30:00 Violet Crown Group Rides
50:00 Community, Visitors, and International Riders
01:15:00 Practical Realities of Staying in the Sport
01:45:00 Stories from the Road and Club Culture
02:15:00 Looking Ahead and Series Plans
02:30:00 Closing and Invitations to Ride
source
