In this week’s Live To Ride we continue our Scotland trip, driving down from the Highlands where we filmed with Ella Conolly, we met with Lewis Buchanan at his home in Innerleithen. With just a few weeks till the EWS started back up it was safe to say Lewis didn’t hold back on the trails.
Having competed in over 190 races across both downhill and enduro it is no surprise the speed Lewis was riding when we filmed, although he did admit to having two speeds, a race speed and a riding speed.
“I get told that I’m loose, out of control and erratic. I think I am in the right places but when it comes to racing I am all about trying to be efficient. There’s no denying that once the cameras come out you can’t not go fast.” – Lewis Buchanan
Innerleithen is located in the Tweed Valley just 30 miles south of Edinburgh. Lewis’s family made the move from the big city when Lewis was just 11 years old and it didn’t take long for him to discover biking after watching a race at the local downhill tracks.
The town has everything a professional mountain biker needs, from the downhill trails at Adrenaline Uplift to raw enduro tracks behind the local golf course, it even boasts several coffee houses and bike shops on the high street.
“Innerleithen is just a super small town that is buzzing with bikes, there’s reason why people are trying to come here. It’s ideal for my job..” – Lewis Buchanan
With 2020 being a strange year and racing being on pause Lewis has been working hard to keep busy with things like his YouTube channel where he offers insights into the life of a pro EWS racer. He shared with us his experience of setting up his own race programme this year and the challenges he faced.
“Doing my own programme was something that was super last minute, it was all like a massive learning process from doing my own negotiations with not just one brand but like 10 brands basically. From booking flights to figuring out someone who can mechanic for me..” – Lewis Buchanan
Lewis has one of the more eye catching bikes at the races with his Forbidden Druid and if you want to find out more about the bike we did a detailed bike check below.
With the EWS set to host a race in Innerleithen in 2021 a lot of eyes will be on Lewis, he’s excited to race in front of friends and family and admits this might be his best chance to win an EWS.
“I’ve never raced in my home town I think I started my enduro career the year after they raced here. I’m going to try and take full advantage of that and put my best foot forward and ride the trails like I know I can. I really feel like that’s my best chance to win one..” – Lewis Buchanan.
Film & Photos:@nicoturnervideos / @livetoridemtb / Kieran Kenney
