London’s bike polo crew is a predominantly male, laid-back group mostly in their 20s and 30s that plays wearing T-shirts, shorts or jeans, Chuck Taylors and Vans. A few wear helmets, many have tattoos, and having a beer between games is not uncommon. Since most players are riding fixed-gear or single-speed bikes, there is lots of skidding involved, as players often come to short stops.

Riders play to win, but foul play is unacceptable. (At a recent game, riders frequently said “sorry” after bumping into each other.)

The full blog post, on London’s bike polo scene, is at the NEW YORK TIMES.