Downhill Legends, part three – Hawziee, Titley and Andy Parks

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Martin Hawyes.

Hey Martin. OK – tell the people who you are, how old you are and where you’re from please.
Pwhoar, painful question! I’m Martin Hawyes, I’m 42 and I come from yesteryear!

How many of you have a Chainspotting video somewhere?

And what earned you the BDS legends invite?
I have… absolutely no idea! I think I’m just one of the guys to make up the numbers, honestly!

What might people remember of you from your cycling career?
I’ve done a couple of demos once at the Cycleshow on a trials bike. A couple of videos. Jumping over a stick!

Sweet bin bag, dude!

How’s your weekend been?
Absolutely brilliant. I was just saying to Jason who I’m on the same team with this weekend that I’ll be a bit sad when it’s all over. It’s been so much fun! Within 20 seconds of seeing each other we’re all taking the piss out of each other, it’s been brilliant. I do expect to fall asleep at the wheel though!

Do you still ride quite a lot these days?
Look at the shape of me! Absolutely no way do I ride at all, no!

And when did you last ride a downhill bike?
1998! This is my 8th ever downhill race!

And a trials bike?
Oh crikey. Honestly, about a month ago. I rode with Chris Akrigg and Eddie Tongue in a quarry up north. It was a little birthday treat.

You’re on a Diamondback DH-8 DH bike this weekend. How does that compare to the DH bikes you might have ridden back in the day?
That’s the most common thing we’ve all said to each other this weekend – that we can’t believe how good the bikes are now and what they actually do. You look at the course on Friday and you’re like “bloody hell!” and then you start rolling down and with the geometry and the suspension they just eat it all up. It’s amazing. I’m not fast but it’s like a comfort blanket.

Fancy riding a bit more after this weekend?
I’d like to ride a bit more actually, yeah! I don’t know if I’ll compete but I’d like to ride a bit more – it’s really good fun.

 

Andy Parks

Hello! What’s your name, how old are you and where are you from?
I’m Andy Parks from Catterick and I’m 39!

Retro jersey right there

So how might people know you from your time riding bikes?
I started racing World Cups in ‘95, got on the Worlds team in ‘96 and crashed out but never mind! I guess I was probably known for downhilling and a bit of showboating – knocking the odd no-foot-can or suicide out and playing to the crowd.

And what team were you on?
I was on MBUK for a bit, Specialized, Kona, Spooky. It was Arthur Caygill Cycles that started me out. He’s a legend, Arthur.

What was the last downhill bike you rode before today?
I can’t remember mate! Possibly a Spooky or a Storm? That was the last time I raced.

And when did you last go mountain biking?
I’ve got a little Specialized P1 for kicking around Hamsterley Forest on. I borrowed my mate’s Big Hit three weeks ago and had a couple of runs on that. Apart from that it’s BMX only. It’s my first time down something like Antur in 15 years certainly!

And how did you find it?
Scary! But nah, that was my second run and it was way better than my first so I’ll keep doing runs and finding some speed.

How do you think the bikes feel compared to your time racing? Do they feel different?
Completely different, yeah. It’s just smooth. The brakes are mint. It doesn’t bottom out. Back in the day, 6in travel bikes were just taking off and weren’t very good really!

 

Andrew Titley

Hey Titley. Can you remind the fans who you are?
I’m Andrew Titley. I’m from Shropshire originally but I’m a Bristol boy now. I’m 40!

He never looked that cherubic in MBUK either

What’s earned you the reputation of a BDS legend?
Oh… I dunno! I’m not sure if I’m a legend or not. I’ve been racing non-stop for 27 years probably? I’ve been there or there abouts. I rode pro for 4 years, did the World Cup circuit. I rode for MBUK and the Saracen Coors team which was pretty wild!

Coors as in the beer?
Yep!

Amazing! What would say are the highlights of your time racing bikes?
I dunno really. It’s been different stages. Back in the day riding for GB was up there. I rode for GB four times. I was pretty stoked about that. Riding as a pro was pretty cool too. Getting paid to ride your bike and travel to some amazing places around the World. And I’ve carried on enjoying it and racing – just the racing mate!

What bike are you on today and what bike did you race in your career hay day? How do they compare?
Probably … on the MBUK team on a Santa Cruz. Heckler, that was pretty tricked out. I’m on an Intense M16 now. There’s just no comparison between them, they’re just unbelievably competent now. I can’t believe we used to ride what we did on those bikes! I’ve got one of my old bikes that I use as a run-around when we go away in the motorhome and I struggle to ride down the road on it, never mind go down a mountain on it! The bikes these days are absolute beasts!

And how about the tracks?
Those early tracks were a lot more natural. These days it’s evolved a lot more with the bike park, man-made stuff. There was very little man made stuff back in the 90’s. I was all still full on and really gnarly back then though. There’s a lot more big jumps these days!

 

Last but not least, this race is obviously a tribute to Jason McRoy’s memory. Is he someone you spent any time with?
Yeah, I wouldn’t say we were best buddies but we were definitely good mates. I spent a lot of time with him and to be fair he was a legend in my eyes. I was actually with him right up to the day he passed away, where were all at Steve’s house hanging out. I knew him pretty well.

Do you think this weekend has been a good tribute to him?
It’s been an amazing tribute to him. Just getting everyone together. It’s really made me realise that time flies so quick. There’s been a few little moments where I’ve been on my own and thought about Jase and it’s really brought back some strong emotions. I think it’s been a brilliant tribute to him.

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Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 23 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

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