Interviewed by Nathan Clarke…
Most people plod through life, never really achieving the things they aspire to and working the same job until retirement and then it’s too late to change things and all they have are regrets.
So it is with an envious admiration that we look upon people who do the weird and the wonderful, those who rub shoulders with celebrities and do things we could only dream of!
One such person is Ed Oxley.
Ed has recently started his own mountain bike skills coaching company – Great Rock – and is enjoying a successful first year in business. His lessons are receiving good press and his tutelage is strongly recommended for anyone from absolute novice to seasoned riders who want a sure fired way of improving their biking skills.
“I’ve managed to gain a good reputation quickly” said Ed, “I have plenty of friends and contacts within the industry who have provided me with some invaluable advice and I’ve enjoyed a surprisingly successful first year. After all, when you go skiing you get lessons, mountain biking can be the same”.
However, Ed is not a born and bred mountain biker. In fact, his first experience with a mountain bike came in the early 90’s, at the age of 19.
“I got started in mountain biking when my dad lost his licence for drink driving and he got a bike… he got bored of it and it was nice kit, so I just started going out on it and it was ace” he said.
Ever since then, mountain biking has played a huge role in Ed’s life and while he may be enjoying a successful business within the industry at the moment, this is actually his first mountain bike related job.
Not a man to shirk a new challenge, Ed has turned his hand to almost everything imaginable. His CV boasts unusual careers, including stints as a Didgeridoo teacher and a 13 year career as a masseuse – not your average mountain biker at all – but now he feels he has found his niche.
“It wasn’t until 2008 that I knew what I wanted to do! I was a didgeridoo player doing workshops and I played live, alongside Rolf Harris in the Hebden Bridge picture house“ said Ed. “Finally I’ve found what I want to do at the age of 41, it’s so great and I’m having such a good time with it”.
The progression from masseuse to mountain bike guide isn’t the most logical in the world, but Ed was determined to try and forge a new career in biking.
“I love riding and I really wanted to work outdoors” he said. This led him to undertake the Scottish Mountain Bike Leader training (SMBLA) to gain some biking qualifications and since then he has continued to follow that trail.
“Through the logged guiding I found lots of people were asking about bike skills so I started to take mini skills sessions with them and I really liked teaching them” he said.
Now with his own company, the coming years could prove to be fruitful for Ed and his beard – partly the inspiration behind the Great Rock symbol.
“Great Rock is a local landmark and it looks out across the ‘valley of the righteous’ – which is Calderdale” said Ed. “It looks a bit like a face so I thought if I could get a cartoon version as logo, it would be a good symbol. Chipps from Singletrack suggested combining an Easter Island head with my beard and local rider Jim Leach made the logo up”.
Ed’s beard is well known in local circles and it has now been immortalised in the Company’s logo. “Beards are great, the only problem is I can’t shave it off now because of the logo. They’re good because they keep you warm in the Winter, like merino wear for your face – it does take a few mph off my top speed though”.
What’s next for this enterprising man with famous facial hair – “Well for now I want to concentrate on biking” said Ed, but his entrepreneurial side is already in gear. “Next I want to have Great Rock branded beer!”
Ever the opportunist, Ed is the essence of the Only Fools and Horses character Del Boy, and he even quoted his own take on Del Boy’s immortal words – “This time next year – I’ll be a millionaire!”
In early January 2010, the weekend of the 16th and 17th, Ed will be running a weekend of skills sessions with former World Cup Downhill rider and BMX champion Nigel Page at Gisburn forest. Ed’s really looking forward to it and if you would like to attend and learn some new skills, from two extremely talented coaches, you can sign up at www.great-rock.co.uk. But you’ll have to hurry as there are only 12 spaces available.
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Is that an Advertorial? 😀
You need to come down here Ed plenty of bods like me that need a bit of tution! any weekends free and I could spread the word.
Free Beer N Bed for the Family!
Rich
Nice one Ed, hope all goes well and see you next summer in the lakes (-;
Well done Ed, hopefully book on one of your skills days in the New Year.
I still reckon the pinnacle of your career was your didge turn at the top of the Hit the North Bombhole 😉
oh and do i get a massage if i book a skilz day 😉
that rocks face looks like jabba the hut smiling 🙂
That Heckler is the same colour as my Chameleon!!!!!
Ed is a great teacher I’m sure and I’m even more sure I could benefit from his teaching; but tha mag/web are in danger of turning into ‘edtrackworld’ 🙂
Best of luck Ed.
Thank you for your comments and smiley faces.
Looks fantastic – love the logo. Good job you didn’t aspire to be a maths teacher though Ed. Got into mountain biking at the age of 19 in the early nineties, now doing it for a job at 41… Can’t wait to try the beer though!
It’s a bit like dog years JaceFace…
‘I played live, alongside Rolf Harris in the Hebden Bridge picture house’
He did too, I was there.
Isn’t this advertising? Did Ed pay for this? Are you going to do profiles on other people who have businesses related to cycling?
best of luck ,can’t wait for my free guided evening before the singletrack weekender . Good stuff!
I wish that gate on the track down to Gorple was always propped open like that…
Is that Barney in the edge of the “follow me” pic? Recognise the jersey since I designed it 🙂
Bushwacked – we’re doing a series of brief interview things with bike folks. This one may be slightly on the advertorial side as “reward” for Ed helping Singletrack out with a whole lotta things throughout 2009. I reckon it’s still an interesting enough little piece as well. Anyone you’d like us to interview next?
Clubber – yes that is Barney. Small world 🙂
Benji – Suppose after being warned by STW for congratulating a mate yesterday, which apparently constituted something you weren’t happy with, and then to see this made me think of double standards!
Good luck to Ed, I think we need more opportunities to get trained up and learn how to ride better. Skiers have ski schools so why shouldn’t we have skills school.
In terms of who you could interview next, I can think of a few people to do such interviews with. I’m sure out there are people who have had quite illustrous backgrounds in the cycling world but don’t blow their own trumpets as much as they could or you don’t hear about quite as much about them as others.
“Ever the opportunist, Ed is the essence of the Only Fools and Horses character Del Boy”
I think he meant to type Uncle Albert, better change it quick!