Marcus Enno, aka Beardy McBeard, is Australia’s most recognisable cycling photographer, but he wasn’t always a cycling nut.

In fact, Beardy first saddled up only to avoid parking tickets.

"I started riding my bicycle just because I didn't want to leave my motorbike out on the street all day and get a parking ticket," he said. "And then I realised I actually really enjoyed it."

His love of riding snowballed quickly. Riding to work became pub crawls around the city on fixed-gear brakeless bikes. Eventually, he bought his first road bike. But it was overcoming cancer that gave him the guts to try making a career out of photography.

Beardy’s Career Is a Cycling Bucketlist

In his photo career, Beardy has checked off just about every bucket list item a cycling fan could want. He has shot six Tour de France, five Giro d'Italia, and two La Vuelta. He has completed assignments in Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Switzerland, Scotland, and Slovenia.

Beardy’s photos have appeared in magazines and online publications worldwide, and his clients have included Santini cycling wear, among many others. (He took all but one of the photos accompanying this story and shared them on Instagram. See if you can guess which isn’t his.)

Beardy's commitment to his craft was tested in 2014, when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He spent six months undergoing chemotherapy but continued to work throughout his treatment. Beating cancer made him realise life was too short to be afraid to go after your dream. He quit his studio job and headed straight to Europe to photograph the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.

Other sports photographers revere Beardy's work.

“It almost feels a bit like a painting,” said Beardy in describing his photographic style. “It’s something that’s telling the story but is also an artistic shot. I think that’s when I feel like I’ve done my job.”

Hit by a Car, Back on the Bike in Six Months

On Saturday 18 March 2023, Beardy set out for a ride near his Hobart home and didn't come back the way he left. A utility vehicle turned into his path, and the collision left him with a broken arm, hand, and leg.

His tibia was shattered by the ute’s bullbar; it took 19 plates and screws to reconstruct it. Beardy spent three weeks in hospital and three months in a wheelchair.

Tasmanian cycling legend Richie Porte was among the sponsors of a GoFundMe campaign to help cover Beardy’s medical costs and lost income. It raised nearly A$30,000.

Beardy required surgery, intensive physiotherapy, and mental health support. But there was an unexpected silver lining. He got to spend more time with his second daughter, who arrived during his recovery.

Beardy was back on his bike only six months after the accident. For a man who had already beaten cancer, this fortitude was no surprise.

As Beardy once said, “When the worst happens, and you make it out the other side, it gives you such a sense of purpose and level of motivation. The impossible becomes achievable."

How Did He Get That Name?

If you've ever seen Beardy in person, you already know where his name comes from. When Marcus started cycling, clean-shaven faces were the rule. His heavy beard made him notable from the moment he clipped in.

"The beard started as a way to stand out on the bike," he told Giant Bicycles. He came up with the Beardy McBeard moniker so he would be recognisable on the Strava leaderboards.

It worked, and riders started recognising him out on the road, asking if he was "the Beardy guy" from Strava. By now, years later, the name has become his brand and is what 50,000 Instagram followers know him by.

“I had no idea it would become my trademark” he said, at the time.

Ride With Beardy in Tasmania

In 2018, Beardy relocated to his wife’s home state of Tasmania.

When COVID closed the world's borders, he looked around for local business opportunities. The result was a cycling tour operation that filled the gap left by the cancelled overseas work.

“Tasmania has become a very popular destination for people who would normally travel overseas for a cycling holiday," he said.

Beardy’s flagship offering is the Tour de Tasmania, which he runs in partnership with tour company Après Vélo. It's a five-day, 400-kilometre journey rated 4/5 in difficulty.

The route takes you through the Huon Valley, over the historic Pipeline Track, and up the painful Kunanyi/Mount Wellington climb. Rising from sea level to 1,270 metres, this ascent includes 17.7 km of climbing at an average gradient of 7%.

It’s a killer.

On the trip’s last day, you finish up with a long lunch at one of Hobart's finest vineyards.

If you might want to join Beardy for his Tour de Tasmania, visit apresvelo.com. You can also follow his photography on Instagram and buy his prints and calendars at beardymcbeard.com.