EDITORS’ CHOICE

Job: Art Director and making everyone look good.

Bio: After riding in Calderdale for three years I like my climbs steep and relatively short, I struggle to pedal with any power on the fl at and I like my downhills long and fast. I’m happy to give most things a go but shy away from super-steep slow-speed technical drops. I have no urge to race (although I follow DH racing enthusiastically) and have no qualms about being at the back of a ride.

relatively short, I struggle to pedal with any power on the fl at and I like my downhills long and fast. I’m happy to give most things a go but shy away from super-steep slow-speed technical drops. I have no urge to race (although I follow DH racing enthusiastically) and have no qualms about being at the back

Best Bits of the Year: Despite riding a lot of good bikes this year the bikes that deserve an Editors’ Choice award in my opinion are the ones that step beyond merely good. They are the bikes that had me grinning and dragging them out of the offi ce door for ‘one more spin’.

deserve an Editors’ Choice award in my opinion are the

The Cannondale Caffeine is possibly the most fun and challenging technical riding bike I’ve ever sat on. Sure it’ll happily plod away mile after mile, but you won’t get the best out of it. Go faster and tighter and the Caffeine bursts into life making you push your cornering skills to the limit and your lungs to their max.

Orange’s Alpine 5 will probably never make production, and that’s a shame, as it’s rolling proof of what happens when you’re not afraid to try new ideas and get your hands dirty. Despite being grindingly tenacious on the ups this bike was made for descents, and here it doesn’t miss a beat with a forgiving and exciting ride. It made me feel a much better rider than I know I am, and how can you not love a bike that does that?

know I am, and how can you not love a bike that does that?

Second? Or third from last?

Onza Ules grips. Having made my last pair of Ules last almost 10 years the best grips ever are back. And they cost just £4. Now appearing on most of my bikes.

Cane Creek Double Barrel Shock. entry-level bike, but I don’t care, it’s been a complete eye opener into just how good coil shocks and indeed suspension can be.

Cane Creek Double Barrel Shock. I know it costs more than a good entry-level bike, but I don’t care, it’s been a complete eye opener into just how good coil shocks and indeed suspension can be.

Alpkit Hunka Bivvy Bag. can have a lifetime’s worth of adventures sleeping under the stars.

Alpkit Hunka Bivvy Bag. For the measly sum of £25 you can have a lifetime’s worth of adventures sleeping under the stars.

Event of the Year: Going 4X riding in Sheffi eld. I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard yet had so much fun on a bike as trying to get over piles of dirt in a shed. I was rubbish, it was great.

Looking Forward To: RockShox Lyrik 2Step Forks. The last versions we got to test had a few teething problems that saw them going back to RockShox for a fettle. When they did work they were very impressive and I’m looking forward to testing a pair that are glitch free.

Watching some racing. Fort William is great but I’m usually too busy working the Singletrack stand to see as much racing as I’d like. Next year I’d like to go to some World Cup races in an unoffi cial capacity, watch the action and maybe even ride my bike somewhere new.

Watching some racing. Fort William is great but I’m usually too busy working the Singletrack stand to see as much racing as I’d like. Next year I’d like to go to some World Cup races in an unoffi cial capacity, watch the action and maybe even ride my bike somewhere new.

www.singletrackworld.com 57