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0:02
[Music]
0:24
really enough yep ride around to the
0:29
double tunnel entrance here we go for
0:30
the safety of town to zoom
0:34
to start to do this house in the
0:36
statement events next it is just
0:38
adventure right in the middle of
0:39
decision yeah I've been industrial area
0:43
[Music]
0:45
like ila I started mountain biking in
0:48
the West Midlands in the 80s looking for
0:50
off-road adventure wherever I could
0:52
along with everyone else it seemed I
0:55
believe that mountain biking was an
0:57
all-american invention but it turns out
1:01
there is another story and one that's
1:04
much closer to home
1:07
[Music]
1:15
I decided to seek out some of the people
1:17
who make up the British story I began at
1:20
the beginning with the rough stuff
1:21
fellowship the oldest off-road cycling
1:24
organization in the world
1:26
so some films in here the other day for
1:31
the result is our films of most of
1:34
cycling holiday New Scotland in the
1:37
early seventies on something
1:39
Scientology's in Scotland
1:41
Wow piece of history yeah Frank Bridey
1:47
was there right at the start riding with
1:49
a group across his native language here
1:53
[Music]
1:56
you've got to go back and looked at like
1:58
issues as it was in the nineteen fifties
2:00
and early sixties when it was an
2:02
industrial base and everybody in the
2:05
lines of section in those days had a
2:06
manual job they were in factories
2:09
engineering workshops coal mines all the
2:11
week and at the weekend they wanted some
2:15
fresh air and obviously I'll throw
2:17
cycling was one of the ways that they
2:19
could achieve that a lot of the members
2:22
used to go to work on the bikes in those
2:24
days and they only had one bite and they
2:27
would use it for going to work on and
2:28
for pleasure cycling of the weekend no
2:31
changes whatsoever so what were the
2:33
challenges of that well it meant that
2:37
when you came to a hill you had to walk
2:40
but nobody seemed to bother that
2:42
everybody accepted it we just got off on
2:44
what their completely different
2:46
mentality yeah I always remember when we
2:49
were in the French Alps and we're doing
2:50
the true the Mont Blanc and people kept
2:52
saying why have you brought your bikes
2:53
you know why you're not just walking
2:55
[Music]
3:05
some said the faucets there
3:08
[Music]
3:12
while some riders were escaping for
3:14
fresh air or the state within the city
3:16
walls
3:20
we're in the 1950s cycle Speedway was
3:23
providing a brand-new adrenaline rush
3:30
it also produced a bicycle that now has
3:33
a familiar look to it something that for
3:36
city kids enabled instant kicks and
3:38
adventure the tracker bite of an old
3:51
Fraley stick as I speak to anyone town
3:53
horn handlebars on it I actually loved
3:57
the physical sensation of riding a bike
3:59
off road I just really enjoy how it
4:01
feels as we rode around on our modern
4:38
bikes I began to wonder how the tractor
4:40
evolved into something more than an
4:42
adapted Speedway bike what was the
4:45
missing link
4:46
I had heard tales of someone making
4:48
bikes to ride off-road years before the
4:51
arrival of mountain bikes from America
4:53
Jeff axe figures at the time a what was
4:57
he kind of keen remember back then sort
4:59
of what he was known for what he was
5:00
doing
5:01
there's an innovator and something that
5:04
was just out there putting together what
5:06
what we're early mountain bikes and I
5:07
think the the the international story of
5:11
mountain biking very much focuses on the
5:13
the team of people in the United States
5:15
that have become famous Laden that may
5:17
be companies out of what they did but of
5:19
course the same thing was developing in
5:21
other places as well it's developing
5:23
here who mentioned the trackers and the
5:25
kids in the 1960s and 70s happened and
5:28
then Jeff was one of the people who's
5:29
taking that further making bikes that
5:31
didn't fall apart experimenting with we
5:34
all sizes tire sizes gear ratios and all
5:37
the other things I quite enjoy
5:44
trespassing and going places I'm not
5:47
supposed to go and bicycles ideal for
5:50
that
5:56
as kids we would gather as a gang in the
5:59
local woods races and to jump oops and
6:03
all that sort of thing but I always had
6:07
this notion it was serious this was
6:11
something that I felt could develop
6:14
interest or to the industry that be
6:23
nineteen sixties and 3:16 65 66
6:28
don't forget mountain bikes didn't exist
6:31
at this point the only off-road
6:33
two-wheeled vehicles were motorbikes and
6:36
specifically trials bikes were the most
6:39
versatile I wanted a bike to ride and
6:52
there was nothing available in shops
6:55
absolutely nothing and I came to the
6:58
realization the only thing I can do is
7:01
build the bike that's in my head I had
7:13
this fantasy that it won't clearly do
7:16
everything a motorbike but it could do a
7:18
whole big chunk of what a motorbike
7:20
could do so much so that it would make a
7:22
viable alternative it was a constant
7:27
process of development evolution trying
7:30
things out yeah these are all these some
7:36
drawings I've managed to save
7:42
yeah so that's about 1977 this is a
7:51
competition wasn't it yeah the Sunday
7:53
Times had this national bike of the
7:57
future competition because I think at
8:00
that time we'd had the petrol thing
8:02
issue crisis and people were turning to
8:05
bicycles as a transport option and there
8:08
was a sudden little upsurge mini upsurge
8:10
of interest in cycling that this is the
8:13
future
8:14
the judges were going to be like top
8:16
people in design and bicycles and I
8:20
thought right at last you know I can I'm
8:23
gonna be able to get somewhere with this
8:25
design what did you want your bikes to
8:29
do to carry me through the landscape
8:33
with the little bit of a a little bit of
8:37
trials thrown in for good measure
8:39
you know the stream to ride through a
8:42
hill to climb and maybe you know a long
8:46
downhill goats faster cell as I could
8:48
but when the judges pronounced which was
8:52
about nine months later is quite delayed
8:54
I said oh we had lots of entries but
8:56
they all look like one-man powered
8:58
scrambles machines so we decided not to
9:01
award a prize no they didn't think oh
9:06
maybe there's a little market developing
9:09
here that we could capitalize on
9:12
[Music]
9:16
one place that knows a gold rush when it
9:18
sees it was developing its own brand of
9:20
off-road riding California are you aware
9:28
of what was happening so that the other
9:30
side of the Atlantic you know on the
9:32
west coast I became aware of that in
9:36
1980 or possibly 81 I just picked up a
9:41
BMX magazine and there was a mountain
9:44
bike I couldn't believe my eyes
9:50
[Music]
9:53
you know Jeff us we were like on this
9:57
whole wild cutting-edge of exciting
10:02
people there was a whole new concept I
10:04
mean this whole notion you gotta take a
10:07
bike off the road are you out of your
10:09
mind
10:10
you can't do that it would be reactions
10:12
like that all the time obviously I mean
10:15
I wrote to them as one would having
10:19
discovered someone else in the world to
10:21
who's thinking along the same lines the
10:25
bike Wow look how laid-back it is you
10:28
know look at the angles on it the extra
10:30
top tube it was a really cool design
10:33
Gary used to phoned me up is about two
10:37
o'clock in the morning having clearly
10:42
smoked a little something and to be
10:47
frank gehry and I hope ease into some
10:50
things I couldn't quite really make out
10:52
what it is trying to say but it was
10:54
quite interesting but we didn't develop
10:58
a relationship so we say were they doing
11:00
the same thing as you were well I I
11:03
assumed they were yes but it turns out
11:06
that they primary objective was to
11:09
dispel blight as fast as they could down
11:11
the hillside
11:13
[Music]
11:22
it's interesting you know that the image
11:25
of mountain biking in a very beginning
11:27
what we like to do is actually a lot of
11:29
crust crunching writing but what really
11:33
sold the bikes was the image of downhill
11:34
racing I mean repack that and that whole
11:37
insanity you know that that made people
11:40
excited about the bikes it seemed to me
11:45
that Jeff had designed the perfect
11:46
off-road bike for the British
11:48
landscaping climate
11:49
I wondered why then we aren't all riding
11:53
his bites the Gary Fisher movement was
11:56
the one that caught on in the Jeff
11:58
afternoon was the one who didn't catch
11:59
them slow high bikes over obstacles
12:01
isn't really where mountain biking went
12:03
had went to the fast racing thing you
12:06
know I mean it's entirely our fault that
12:08
we publicize the the jumping thing and
12:12
the dangerous Jeff never wanted to do
12:17
that it's that old thing man you got to
12:19
have a big-time sizzle on a steak and
12:22
the downhill was this sizzle oh man Gary
12:27
is very important his mother had been a
12:30
movie publicist and he understood ally
12:32
you sprinkled fairy dust over stuff and
12:35
got magazine stories and he knew that we
12:39
had the coolest thing in town man and
12:40
you go turn people on to anything oh wow
12:42
I'll never be the Senate that is
12:45
intoxicating to have that kind of
12:52
by the early eighties the combination of
12:55
California cool and the Brits latent
12:57
desire to get off road at any
12:59
opportunity meant there was of birds in
13:01
Britain I came across two guys with
13:06
their own brand of fairy dust who would
13:08
go on to found a company that would
13:10
change everything
13:14
would you make it actually I'm not
13:16
surprised
13:17
I shoot me but not very it's always
13:21
gonna be something really wonderful last
13:24
night Akron sleep you know the emotional
13:27
the whole thing you know you've seen
13:28
through again and everything the course
13:30
of a century
13:32
remember likely combination if you act
13:38
your way jury you'd have a muddy face
13:39
this word on the back of these muddy Fox
13:44
was cool
13:44
muddy Fox had a cool name muddy Fox had
13:47
cool marketing you know yeah absolutely
13:51
muddy Fox muddy Fox were completely
13:58
different to all the other bike
14:00
manufacturers outcome of us they were
14:01
new to the scene they had no heritage
14:04
they have no no packaged bike industry
14:07
wrens
14:07
they stayed notice for people who
14:10
couldn't afford cars genuine athletes
14:12
and so it wasn't such a gap in the
14:14
market there was just black hole it was
14:18
asking to be filled in demeaning Zuri
14:21
hugely important I think truly awesome
14:23
made an extraordinary thing for those
14:26
days made a television commercial
14:30
[Music]
14:39
[Music]
14:45
driven harried with doing amazing stuff
14:48
to in effect create the whole market in
14:52
the UK and it was very much down to
14:54
marketing they just took a sexy product
14:57
and told people that it just sort of all
15:02
[ __ ] was gonna be manic about it that we
15:04
are going to do it we will make the
15:07
market there was this sort of attitude
15:08
that we had to seem to work more and
15:11
more people just wanted the bias even if
15:13
they'd never cycled before there was
15:17
this one we did with Jackie Fallon who
15:20
is the women's mountain bike champion
15:22
but when we submitted this to the bike
15:25
magazines all the male editors and all
15:27
this sexist that ran that of course they
15:30
did because there was money in it how
15:33
did you feel about that as a young girl
15:35
inspired a female person in the public
15:38
eye that was also out there really doing
15:40
stuff yeah it's the only advert from the
15:42
area that I can remember says it all
15:49
muddy fox made the mountain bike and
15:51
some would say cycling fashionable but
15:54
the traditional cycling community was
15:55
skeptical to say the least
15:57
I remember lot of debate with him the
16:01
vote additional cycling up there as a
16:02
member of at the time quite a lot of
16:04
resistance to this new thing why would
16:06
you want to have mountain bike what's it
16:08
for they're slower they're heavier I can
16:11
remember having some quite heated traps
16:14
with people but either saw the
16:16
opportunity to take her urban adventures
16:19
to a whole new level with everybody
16:33
having a go this is just a few of you
16:38
stupid drop-offs I was probably one of
16:40
the ringleaders sorry I used to be the
16:43
person that would go first and they once
16:44
approved it was possible then they this
16:48
was one of the worst yeah I mean since
16:51
the late eighties you're doing this on
16:54
no suspension there must have been some
16:57
accident along the way there's a chap
16:59
lives next door and he came back one day
17:02
with two broken arms and his mom had a
17:04
right Garrity come here to do why did
17:08
you ride off the sidekick he said well
17:10
the girl next door has done it
17:17
eager to venture beyond the slag heaps
17:19
either would join an emerging UK race
17:22
see I discovered that one of the
17:31
characters at the forefront of those
17:32
early events was none other than Jeff at
17:36
these gatherings at Wendover spawned a
17:39
legendary downhill it became known as
17:44
suicide hill because of one rider who
17:47
thought he would really push the boat
17:49
out so he came down the hill and at the
17:53
bottom you can see there's a slight
17:54
Ridge and at that point he took off flew
17:58
through the air the bike bounced and he
18:01
went way into the trees there right over
18:04
our heads and we heard all these
18:05
branches breaking a photo of him in
18:08
midair and I felt slightly guilty as to
18:10
what this had been doing something else
18:12
and I would have would have done to stop
18:14
him but someone did make some comment
18:16
about the soles of his feet because
18:17
that's all we could see as he
18:18
disappeared through the trees Wendover
18:22
in his annual bash meetings became
18:24
synonymous with UK mounting by racing it
18:27
was the obvious choice for max glass
18:29
team and Jeremy tour to launch the first
18:32
ever national championship series we
18:36
would get maybe a couple of hundred at
18:39
the first event by the second year we
18:42
were getting many hundreds of riders
18:44
coming along
18:48
what was the atmosphere like people were
18:50
just pleased to have anything they had
18:58
something organized organized I say that
19:01
loosely we have very little experience
19:04
ourselves in organizing races whatsoever
19:08
or any kind of people mucked in they
19:12
came with the spirit we organized them
19:14
with us hey you want fun we wanna have
19:16
fun let's just all be relaxed about it
19:18
we did only have one rule and that rule
19:24
was no cheating and people watching they
19:49
got so covered in mud during the race
19:52
when they fell on the ground afterwards
19:54
you couldn't see them because they just
19:56
blend it in with the mud they were lying
19:58
on I think the very important thing was
20:07
that nobody would have anything to do
20:09
with British Cycling and any of the
20:12
official bodies it was very much
20:17
freelance wild thing going on
20:22
[Music]
20:25
this is stay warm from t-money Fox
20:30
impossible here we consider yourself
20:33
pirates where the free spirits where the
20:45
interesting guys knew by now mountain
20:58
bikes were appearing all over the UK but
21:01
what I was surprised to learn was that
21:03
it was an entirely urban icon that had
21:06
led the way first widely available
21:10
widely promoted mountain bike in the UK
21:13
wasn't bloody Fox Mountain it was the
21:17
muddy felt career it was a bike that you
21:19
could then go to the city streets where
21:21
I completely messed up that one I didn't
21:24
think we should go but I thought was
21:27
Denmark into this relatively cheap
21:30
buying we have an exhibition and you
21:33
have to be left the bike behind it
21:35
didn't take it to the exhibition pretty
21:37
rejected I said but through a city I
21:39
just am afraid the discount rate we saw
21:43
30,000 of those bikes in one exhibition
21:46
in two types you're some believable
21:51
the whole of London in a matter of two
21:54
weeks is just white bytes on all over
21:57
the place I think if you asked anybody
21:59
in London at that time to name a
22:01
mountain bike brand it would be muddy
22:03
folks
22:05
mountain biking just seemed to be one of
22:09
those lifestyle things that people
22:11
grasped onto how many people ever went
22:14
off-road in these days wrong that
22:16
percentage is a lifestyle fashion
22:19
product it's like man the whole thing is
22:23
exploding because all that time of names
22:26
everybody was out of stock man
22:29
everything you could make would sell
22:31
boom and we had one and change walk
22:35
bicycles and what a bicycle the cycle
22:48
industry in the UK was now enjoying a
22:49
boom and muddy Fox were getting ready
22:51
for the next level when events took an
22:53
unexpected turn
22:54
we've been borrowing money for the next
22:57
wave of bikes and the company that was
23:01
supplying the money were frozen by the
23:03
stock exchange and in the domino effect
23:06
our assets were first we didn't have
23:08
control over our assets anymore because
23:10
they were tied in with this financial
23:13
company they squeezed our company to get
23:16
their cash out and the venture new thing
23:19
stopped closing down I did a film tree I
23:24
was devastated I was horrible feeling I
23:27
mean and there when we closed down we
23:36
normally lost money except except the
23:40
directors there was such a horrible
23:42
feeling when whenever done but now
23:46
remembering the good times well as a
23:48
nice thing
23:48
[Music]
24:14
1988 was a bit of a turning point we had
24:17
a race of peoples in Scotland that was
24:27
the very first race I believed that the
24:29
professional Peugeot dyes came in we
24:33
looked at Tim Gould and Baker those
24:36
first Peugeot guys we looked at them as
24:39
like complete aliens as you know we
24:42
don't like these people we don't want
24:44
these people in our sport because our
24:46
sport isn't like roadside some Google
24:59
Dan and David Baker came in they come
25:01
from the road cyclocross background and
25:03
turned up at a mountain bike races doing
25:05
everybody away
25:08
we do understand the sacredness riders
25:12
mainly because they're very much more
25:15
professional about it they know their
25:17
tactics they know how to change they
25:22
they brought an altogether more
25:24
professional attitude to the preparation
25:26
of training and that sort of thing and
25:28
phenomenal athlete
25:32
okay David thanks win on your first
25:36
mountain bike the bike start was big
25:39
chaotic and then once I got a star how
25:43
do you think you'll have a go at doing a
25:44
few more yeah we've got a few sounds
25:52
good news for mountain biking in general
25:54
great well done
25:55
when it surprised us took us off to our
25:58
completely because the prizes that
26:02
people were winning at our races were
26:04
ridiculous you never thought somebody
26:19
would come along with an emblazon car
26:21
all the gears get them all poached up
26:24
and we're ready to fight and we will put
26:27
non events that would attract people
26:28
like that as soon as it's not become no
26:31
professional they've got more money
26:34
coming into the spa which is all good
26:35
but it did change the sport and then in
26:40
fact it became a sport
26:51
we started after the news a rocky not
26:56
keen on them because meant that they had
26:59
to be policed or then there was room for
27:04
argument but some of us myself
27:07
Jeremy tore who was the big guy in those
27:10
early days thought this may not be
27:14
enjoyable for us any longer Tim Davies
27:18
must be feeling good
27:19
he's got a nine-point lead over the
27:21
surface also in the title he's got to be
27:23
at least four places clear of Davis I
27:25
pulled out Jeremy pulled out and then
27:29
the whole scene flourished feel good I
27:35
feel really good yeah it's I I never got
27:43
in on anything before on the ground
27:46
floor and to be involved in those early
27:50
days and to have seen it go from just a
27:53
few people up 200 up 2,000
27:56
I just think it's brilliant the Pirates
28:00
may not have liked what was happening
28:02
but for the emerging magazines the star
28:04
riders were their lifeblood
28:06
and Steve Bay was there to capture their
28:09
every move
28:10
[Music]
28:15
there's really a pretty fundamental
28:18
slide which it's the way we used to do
28:21
everything and sheets number treats if I
28:24
need to find it I'll look it up on there
28:25
and the computer gives me the sheet
28:27
number how far back does this go and
28:30
what I started shooting 1988 so this
28:36
really is the history of mountain biking
28:38
contained within these yeah out of the
28:42
early riders one star was to burn
28:44
particularly bright perhaps the James
28:46
Dean of UK mountain biking Jason McRoy
28:50
boy this was from the the midok dirt
28:53
which was made in 95 this was epic Pete
28:56
Tompkins most people's the producer and
28:59
director of the movie whose idea it was
29:11
[Music]
29:24
yeah that's if you look just work and
29:28
then this one here shows some reaction
29:30
detective
29:38
[Music]
29:40
he had you had an amazing riding talent
29:44
[Music]
29:46
a lot of guys are very tired on bikes
29:48
but he could also translate that into
29:49
success in racing
29:55
actually the first time I saw him was
29:57
moving back in 92 and I remember just
30:01
coming back all right
30:03
flat outs out coming past me on the
30:05
trail for our mouths wide open and just
30:09
really stylish fast and aggressive but
30:15
another fast final pace orientated dog
30:18
with a second to spare in addition to
30:20
that he had a great personality he was
30:23
larger than life and and he had the
30:25
looks to go with it
30:28
Jason made that step to go over to the
30:30
US and to race and to seek sponsorship
30:32
because the US was was where mountain
30:34
biking was acting their 3019 snow is
30:36
this Jason McRoy character he's put a
30:38
lot of bike riders in the bleachers and
30:40
goes to the final against Myles Rockwell
30:42
he was winning everything in the UK and
30:45
he kind of him and his dad took that
30:46
step to fund himself together this is a
30:49
very close race indeed over 50 miles an
30:52
hour
30:52
now look at McCoy he comes around I
30:54
haven't seen anybody past there all day
30:56
great pass take advantage of an
30:58
opportunity now Jason report with the
31:00
advantage Rockwell's almost in the fence
31:02
goes through the mark
31:03
McCrory making his move powering around
31:05
on the outside to take the win
31:07
I think Jason's impact on mountain
31:10
biking
31:10
you know globally was so pivotal but a
31:16
contract with specialized USA you know
31:18
the first guy that's got this overseas
31:20
contract and started winning some huge
31:22
races in the US and was really starting
31:24
to put British mountain biking on the
31:25
map to do anything on that bike can you
31:30
say this was just before Jason died that
31:32
was yeah that was a few months before we
31:34
know anything because Toby spring 95
31:39
we've been with Jason the day before he
31:42
died my last sort of department picture
31:46
of Jason was him turning out of where I
31:49
lived with my mum and dad and grew up
31:51
him turning left on his Harley just
31:54
looking cool as well
31:55
driving me a big loud Harley give us
31:59
away if we turned the other way and went
32:01
to the pub and I never saw him again and
32:03
got the call from his mum
32:05
the next morning saying Jason didn't
32:07
make it home last night and
32:09
we were just in total shock couldn't
32:11
believe it
32:20
the British kind of onslaught was led by
32:23
JMC what he managed to do in a very
32:26
short space of time is is just be
32:28
incredibly exciting for the world of
32:30
mountain biking I think that started
32:33
something in UK man biking that never
32:35
left think there's its attitude and you
32:37
came out and biking that we're going to
32:39
be you know there's what top riders from
32:41
this country are going to be stars
32:42
globally it's just a given once the
32:45
British gonna all of it pour the party
32:47
got to be a really good party
32:52
[Music]
32:53
as the 90s progressed a new trend
32:56
emerged instead of competing in a number
32:59
of disciplines on the same bike riders
33:01
began to specialize which brought new
33:04
names to the four Steve peat what an
33:08
incredible writer what a fun guy to
33:11
watch and everything and he changed it
33:14
he changed the whole downhill
33:17
[Music]
33:30
they were right I mean that guy who's
33:35
just good and crazy
33:38
[Music]
33:45
the new breed of UK riders were
33:47
ambitious aggressive wild
33:50
[Music]
33:54
there was just one thing holding him
33:56
back the bikes themselves
33:58
[Music]
34:00
you don't remember when you've got a
34:02
fully rigid mountain bike even with you
34:05
know big fat tires you were shaken dab
34:08
it when you got off onto anything that
34:10
wasn't a dirt you know fire road
34:14
something else that has helped the
34:16
riders get down in one piece is
34:17
suspension the onset of the bouncy bits
34:20
began in earnest in 88 with the flex
34:22
stem this simple system proved very
34:25
popular with riders on bumpy descents
34:26
and in 1990 off-road also produced a
34:29
rear suspension bike do you remember the
34:35
first time you encountered a bike that
34:37
had suspension yeah front suspension
34:40
1993 and it was suspension was that bad
34:43
it would have been better without it it
34:48
was definitely like the early 90s was an
34:50
incredible time and I wouldn't swap it
34:52
for the world to be you know that throw
34:54
the only other period of mountain biking
34:55
because it was so much going on a lot of
34:57
so you know front suspension and people
34:59
invented rear suspension for bikes for
35:01
change in every every week you know I
35:03
mean I've sat when I started riding two
35:05
giant I went to Los Angeles to ride we
35:09
went up into the mountains and we tested
35:11
bikes and do a run come down and all the
35:13
all the time and easy be there with
35:15
computers and then they'd email off what
35:17
we want done from the mountain in two
35:19
weeks later you know we'd have a new
35:20
frame to test again and that was the
35:21
development it was incredible
35:25
one thing led to another and now we've
35:27
got these incredible bikes
35:33
well now you could go to places where
35:36
the rough star fellowship guys in the
35:37
1950s who are pushing their bikes and
35:40
autism you could now ride your bikes
35:49
[Music]
36:00
that's my news as points were rapidly
36:06
evolving new places were needed to test
36:09
the limits of what a mountain bike could
36:10
do
36:14
[Music]
36:27
and it was one of the stars of the
36:29
racing who was instrumental in kickstart
36:31
in the UK trail centre boom pace riders
36:34
Sean Roberts gained her second win in
36:36
the series
36:38
[Music]
36:42
this is not really wrong and I just
36:45
thought it was such a great place right
36:47
and it would be just perfect to invite
36:50
other people here to write receive a
36:55
huge potential in quarter Brennan
36:56
we knew the forest but it's a really
36:59
nice forest trails challenging to spin a
37:07
world cup standard so just the idea to
37:08
begin with but with we lucky people to
37:11
find a way no [ __ ] about yeah we'd
37:15
like a theme park for bikes yeah I think
37:21
the UK's probably got more trail centres
37:24
than any other country it became
37:27
something here and it's spread over to
37:30
the states and other countries as far as
37:33
you know trail centres go so I think UK
37:36
is definitely a leader on that that's
37:37
like that's the number UK's number one
37:39
at trail centres no doubt
37:45
things called a midlife crisis really
37:53
good about yourself but yeah it's just
37:55
as much fun as it ever was probably more
37:57
now women's field like we've got three
38:00
top three riders in the top three is
38:13
gold right well this is this is 94 95 I
38:21
have got pictures of her going on
38:33
European mounted bike chance I think
38:35
that was my first junior European
38:38
countries and this is the way as part of
38:40
this trip was funded by Jason McRoy fund
38:43
nice to get onto the podium and actually
38:47
get a whole career that's had a balloon
38:49
on a big white balloon adjacent artist
38:50
and you can see the kind whole British
38:52
crew there with with white balloons and
38:54
then we all let them off into the sky
38:56
those pictured in pictures is it
39:00
surprised you the success that Tracy's
39:02
had Oh totally I can remember the very
39:05
first time
39:06
you never think your child's gonna do it
39:08
and I remember the first time I thought
39:10
actually she could do this and this was
39:12
the world that aura
39:15
Sweden and she hadn't really you know
39:19
podium before but she came in fifth that
39:21
the world and I've said we thought oh my
39:24
god
39:24
my daughter really could win a World Cup
39:26
or really could win a World
39:28
Championships that was the first time I
39:29
really thought wow so you could do it
39:32
there's always a bit of a pessimistic
39:34
and there was I mean in those early days
39:36
this was an area that was hugely
39:39
important because she had the modern
39:40
classics in these yeah yeah certainly
39:43
that race at Mulvaney mobile classic was
39:45
was the big kind of bike festival of the
39:47
year ready for the for the scene in the
39:49
UK
39:50
and for us to live on the doorstep of it
39:53
not really realizing at the time how big
39:55
that event was I know we went to watch
39:57
and then we then went to competed and I
39:59
think that really did probably put
40:01
Marvin on the map you know it was a
40:02
venue that everyone came to in flop 2
40:04
and the jewel descender the bomb all
40:06
those kind of classic features that made
40:08
them Alban is what it was
40:18
[Music]
40:29
[Music]
40:38
trials the discipline of riding through
40:41
a series of obstacles without setting
40:42
foot on the ground had always been in
40:44
each part of UK events but in the late
40:54
90s to urban riders would take things to
40:57
a whole new level the moment was
41:04
captured by chain spotting a film that
41:06
would have an influence for years to
41:08
come my friend's house one day and that
41:11
they had chain spotting playing on the
41:13
TV remember just seeing it and just
41:15
being awestruck we basically paid for
41:23
own tickets to get on it and we just
41:26
want to be AI and a day and the guy was
41:29
filming it the guy called Nick Brown he
41:32
was like I'm so glad I've got trousers I
41:35
mean because we could literally do
41:36
something outside the hotel that we were
41:39
staying in to go and film Steve peat on
41:41
a mountain you can do it anyway
41:47
[Music]
41:49
but trials have been sort of fairly
41:51
basic at the level we were doing it in
41:55
reporting even the magazine's had been a
41:56
few people here would consider trials
41:58
riders but I guess they weren't really
41:59
writing trials they were doing tricks
42:01
and stunts on their bicycle this must
42:04
have been I went along to a mountain
42:10
bike race with a friend Martin horse he
42:13
rode motorcycles hard as well Martin
42:15
national Martin Falls turned up on
42:17
borrowed by two things greater than it
42:19
just blew everybody away really opened
42:21
my eyes to see that could be done and so
42:24
for some the usual fashion you you get
42:27
their phone numbers and arrange to do a
42:29
photo shoot oh wow young martina stanley
42:32
was just so good at the time to be
42:36
really honest in the UK and the riding
42:38
level in mountain biking was just
42:39
atrocious the trials it was just there
42:43
was no one who was actually any good but
42:45
coming from a background in motorcycle
42:47
trials mine and martin's level was
42:48
pretty high you know we were both number
42:51
one and number two in the country at
42:52
that time the merit of trials
42:56
photography film and sponsors was a
42:58
match made in heaven
42:59
even before youtube but it was one where
43:03
the stakes always had the potential to
43:05
be upped
43:07
Martin would always go out and find
43:09
something incredible to ride more often
43:11
than not it was it was just about safe
43:14
enough to do I don't ride over bridges
43:17
every day to practice trials but you
43:20
know that you can take them skills to a
43:21
place where it's going to be like wow it
43:24
can't go wrong now but that's just mind
43:27
over matter really it's not that's not
43:29
really trials riding that's like how
43:31
much do you want that photo how much do
43:33
you want that bit of video and I've been
43:35
in situations where I'm up on something
43:36
and I can just think well I've got this
43:39
much space to ride across you know like
43:41
if I fall off either side
43:43
I'll definitely die so don't ride
43:46
outside those things
43:52
that's it us the world is that wide
43:55
don't ride off it now that's actually
43:57
quite light you could ride along that
44:02
the difference is I've made a decision
44:04
I'm not gonna ride off it I think you
44:08
might be thinking I might
44:14
I remember there were a few times when I
44:17
told Martin that you know I'm not gonna
44:19
photograph it so don't bother to do it
44:21
because you're gonna kill yourself doing
44:22
that kind of thing if he took the photo
44:24
he knew I try it and I think I think my
44:27
mind had gone past what I can do on my
44:31
bike and how much I wanted the photo and
44:33
it was more than my skill level so thank
44:37
God for Steve fair
44:41
as a new century dawned mountain biking
44:44
in Britain was in a very healthy state
44:46
but a twist of faith will take it to a
44:49
whole new level
44:52
in the creation of a spiritual home
44:55
early summer in Scotland and Britain's
44:58
highest mountain been nervous looks
44:59
peaceful enough but all that's about to
45:02
change
45:02
shadow have banned the World Cup
45:04
mountain bike tour has come to Britain
45:06
for the first time and the hills
45:08
I'm coming alive in 2002 Japan would do
45:15
to host a downhill World Cup
45:17
late in the day they backed out thought
45:21
William previously turned down seize the
45:23
opportunity the timing couldn't have
45:26
been better
45:27
for a rising British star
45:32
so we've got 2002 footage over
45:36
first-ever World Cup in football in the
45:39
radio misty conditions making an already
45:40
typical course even harder it was a new
45:43
course for all of us it wasn't like
45:44
we've been practicing on Fort William
45:46
track for years either so it wasn't like
45:47
a huge home advantage atmosphere was to
45:50
Enders I think is the first time we've
45:52
never seen anything like it the crowds
45:53
so many hundreds of people round the
45:56
course and round the finish area banging
45:58
on the sides and doing Mexican waves so
46:01
the whole atmosphere was electric anyway
46:03
you know and then to see your own
46:05
daughter come down and do it with Tracy
46:09
Moseley here had a crash in the
46:11
qualifying and so starts much earlier
46:13
than her ranking of seventh place but
46:16
she's looking pretty smooth now being
46:18
the start gate the fastest qualifier in
46:21
this evo so it was my second year of
46:25
racing full time renowned as a peddler
46:27
I've had a couple of decent top ten
46:29
results that world comes but to win one
46:32
was almost out the question the world
46:33
champion dropping into the arena now and
46:36
carassius and Caroline so song French
46:38
Varda dominated if she wasn't winning
46:40
them baddies been offensive her
46:51
confidence you feel so guilty because
46:55
you're hoping that everybody else is
46:56
gonna punch her and everybody else is
46:57
gonna have it off or they can have a bad
46:59
run and I you feel shouldn't be thinking
47:01
that but you know it's just tasted and
47:03
praying that everybody else has a bad
47:04
day at home - he's calling out down to
47:07
the finish and Tracy Moseley is on
47:10
course to set the fastest time jumps
47:13
into the arena and it's just the
47:15
straight to go so you can see the time
47:16
ticking away Tracy Moseley powers in and
47:19
it's the fastest time so far fan miss
47:22
ETO he's on to the final section Moseley
47:25
on tenterhooks issue what is the cost
47:28
Geo almost loses it as she comes down
47:31
from Murray's we know she has the win if
47:34
I could have asked to have one but her
47:36
sir woke up it's on worse that would
47:38
have been this lecture notes that have
47:39
the first ever race in the UK and tube
47:41
actually won it it was almost too good
47:43
to be true
47:44
yeah even now I kinda look back and
47:45
think wow that was a perfect start to my
47:47
career really amazing experience
47:51
Cody I'm sort of seeing her but watching
47:53
afterwards the queue of kids wanting her
47:57
autograph I just stood back and watched
47:59
and everybody was so thrilled to have a
48:02
British girl win dad do you remember
48:05
that day Tracy Moseley what a brilliant
48:21
victory World Cup win on home soil
48:26
elsewhere in Scotland a young Danny
48:29
MacAskill was discovering a love of
48:30
bytes
48:33
but having grown up on their idyllic
48:35
island of sky with its mountains and
48:37
locks
48:39
it would be the streets of Edinburgh to
48:42
an ultimately so cases potential
48:49
[Music]
48:50
when 2009 I made this one video around
48:53
Edinburgh was my flatmate over time
49:04
when we put on lane that was a big
49:06
surprise can I hit the men's team he'll
49:08
to do the news through all these kind of
49:12
different websites and then again as a
49:14
proper viral
49:15
[Music]
49:21
I watched this video over again but what
49:24
is it doing what is it and then I just
49:26
designed my own video to fit that kind
49:30
of thing a YouTube viral hit and I was
49:33
like I've got to do that I ended up
49:37
putting a lot of hard work in a road
49:39
bike party and it was all kind of an
49:41
idea what I was just praying people
49:42
wouldn't go why do you think we wanted a
49:45
proper road bike stunt film it sounds
49:47
stupid but that's also what kind of made
49:50
me think that people would because it's
49:52
kind of stupid
49:59
I was hoping for a hundred thousand
50:02
views over a period of time you know I
50:04
was like if I could get a hundred
50:05
thousand views
50:05
I wouldn't feel like a total [ __ ]
50:07
for making this film unfortunately on
50:11
the YouTube channel which was my own
50:13
channel was assigned to my email address
50:16
so every time someone subscribed to my
50:19
channel or left a comment I got like a
50:22
ding on my phone
50:27
[Music]
50:32
and a million people watching your video
50:35
on a phone for 24 hours I was like ding
50:38
ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding
50:40
ding just they've stopped
50:41
[Music]
50:47
and the ridge was kind of a different
50:50
one I wanted to have a bit more of an
50:51
ethic feel and really had very low
50:55
expectations for the film the ridge is
50:56
almost the same surprise to me in terms
50:59
of kind of idle say that and inspire to
51:03
those in name was you know all those
51:05
years ago
51:06
[Music]
51:12
I wish I'd done that that's really good
51:18
but I could never be a meanie does a
51:20
fabulous job that video is brilliant a
51:23
bit that is mountain biking in an
51:24
extreme for sure and my grand thinks
51:27
that's mountain biking so if you can't
51:30
be wrong why now is never wrong it seems
51:36
mountain biking has always been a family
51:38
affair sometimes literally today one
51:41
name is synonymous with the global scene
51:43
a fitting perhaps the blame for all of
51:47
that lies firmly at the door at Dan I'm
51:50
constantly trying to replicate that
51:53
first kind of time I did my first big
51:55
jump really you know that feeling you
51:57
get then all the way through your career
52:00
you're almost constantly chasing that
52:02
feeling almost and Athey was always more
52:04
kind of confident and thought to be done
52:07
like I remember times an athlete we'd be
52:10
able jump somewhere when we were young
52:11
that kind of before we go into mountain
52:13
biking you came up in all this armor
52:15
like a motorbike helmet that he borrowed
52:22
just coming down the road to hit this
52:25
jump nearly make it like he took off and
52:28
it was so right in my eyes that was the
52:35
first time you know I remember seeing
52:37
like that damn [ __ ] in that half you
52:39
had I think like he said is it's always
52:41
about you know like having that feeling
52:45
again that same feeling like you know I
52:47
can remember winning for the first time
52:48
and I was so upset and I'd won like it
52:51
was just such a huge relief and I
52:53
couldn't stop crying and and it was just
52:55
and like I wish that everyone could feel
52:57
like that it was such a good feeling and
53:00
and and it doesn't and there's such a
53:02
shame and and then so you think right
53:03
well what what can I do now that will
53:06
make me feel like that because it is
53:07
addictive you know you want
53:08
you want to feel like you've got a right
53:10
bike because you feel like events
53:13
related to anything
53:15
[Music]
53:22
since 2002 Fort William has grown up
53:25
into one of the world's leading downhill
53:27
venues 2016 looks like a very special
53:31
year even the sun's come out and the
53:37
breeze is keeping the meters at bay
53:41
[Music]
53:54
probably the biggest World Cup of the
53:55
year I've been did I view a wise but on
53:58
site there's nothing like it I mean the
54:00
telling people
54:03
[Applause]
54:10
it's a long life reporte come over here
54:13
but it's a pilgrimage it literally is a
54:15
pilgrim
54:16
[Applause]
54:20
[Music]
54:33
[Music]
54:42
yeah it's gonna be really weird to
54:45
perform bill this year I mean like so
54:47
many people just say wow it's y'all
54:49
watched you racing there I was I was
54:51
going to take a year off and not go this
54:52
year I'm definitely coming up now you
54:55
know I read such a ride with him really
54:57
it's the end of the road for someone
55:00
who's been in mountain biking from the
55:01
very very beginning right from the start
55:06
of downhill you know who's been right on
55:09
top of it
55:13
and never be anyone else likes Dave not
55:15
with these results not with the length
55:18
career certainly not with the following
55:19
and the lovely fans at yes stats that
55:22
nothing is unbeatable
55:24
[Music]
55:37
someone I wasn't expecting to see here
55:39
was Martine Ashton the trial supremely
55:42
who had his life turned upside down just
55:49
had it really all could fall fell from
55:51
about three meters and just like I
55:55
landed on my shoulders this or straight
55:57
down my body just kind of whipped round
55:59
so my legs towards my face and it just
56:02
snapped me clean enough just a like a
56:05
what that was it you know and I was just
56:08
laid on the floor thinking that's that
56:10
I'm just knew straight away I didn't
56:13
have a moment's didn't think I'll know
56:16
what's happened I was just like this
56:18
curry rice
56:21
[Music]
56:23
I was very aware as much as I was aware
56:25
I was paralyzed I was wearing in died
56:27
and I was filled with like phew that was
56:33
close
56:33
I nearly died
56:42
[Music]
56:45
the best thing about the internet now
56:47
social media is that comments because
56:51
people put an awful lot of thought into
56:52
their comments and I think is one of the
56:55
things that got me through my accident
56:56
and so we've such relatives and say
57:02
easily hasn't been easy but with a real
57:05
sense of positivity has been buoyed by
57:07
an actual voice coming through all the
57:10
time from the cycling community saying
57:12
we really want you to handle this and
57:15
we're really proud of how you're trying
57:16
to handle it
57:20
[Music]
57:24
Oh Martin - sir come again best kind of
57:31
like I said have a go why not
57:35
what could go wrong you could get hurt
57:38
he's already yeah and if he wants to do
57:42
it was fine I was watching the Sochi
57:44
Olympics actually in the lounge when I
57:47
was watching six game where they sort of
57:50
in they've just got a single mono ski
57:52
underneath this bucket seat I was
57:55
watching it and I was my mountain bike
57:57
that I had at the time previous to my
58:00
injury was in the living room I just
58:02
added that cuz I thought I just could
58:03
like looking at it and I looking at this
58:06
mono skiing and I was looking at the
58:08
bike and my brain took a little while to
58:10
catch up and I was like just put that
58:12
seat on that bike and roll down a hill
58:15
they're already doing it they're just
58:17
using gravity
58:25
the first time at Rhema car park within
58:28
two minutes he was doing stop even wings
58:30
so literally that's where the back on
58:36
track video came from you know just like
58:37
right a get get me to the top of a
58:39
really cool trail and just if I was
58:43
there some good riders with me who can
58:45
clean up to make sure I keep going then
58:49
just film it
58:51
[Music]
58:57
I mean I've always been around racing
58:59
people and racing people tend to have a
59:01
can-do attitude if you like
59:04
[Music]
59:06
they always try and push themselves
59:08
further and Martin has exactly that
59:11
attitude I want to get back on the bike
59:15
to have that level of enjoyment on a
59:18
bike after my accident is amazing
59:20
because I never thought when I had my
59:22
accident that one of the best days
59:24
riding bikes in my life was yet to come
59:26
[Music]
59:35
like so many I watched back on track on
59:38
YouTube an admit I shed a tear but here
59:45
on the hallowed ground of Fort William
59:48
along with all the other pilgrims
59:50
I was about to witness the magic of
59:53
Martin Ashton you know after can't keep
59:58
a good man down so much
1:00:11
but up he goes this boats gonna dance
1:00:13
right after this there's no doubt about
1:00:15
that
1:00:16
and how much it means to get back on the
1:00:18
bike look that's the whole thing right
1:00:20
who's another one like me you just live
1:00:22
to right by to thank God perhaps in a
1:00:25
slightly different way now you can still
1:00:27
get on a bye
1:00:30
[Music]
1:00:44
[Music]
1:00:57
[Music]
1:01:04
and that demonstrates how to put
1:01:07
something like this into perspective
1:01:08
because you don't know what's there do
1:01:10
you only know what's happening at this
1:01:11
moment and this might be the thing that
1:01:15
facilitates that great is going to
1:01:17
happen and beyond I've had a fascinating
1:01:29
journey through UK mountain biking Story
1:01:33
one defined by pioneers innovators and
1:01:37
risk-takers the wall played their part
1:01:39
of what is now a thriving global scene
1:01:45
the bikes themselves have evolved into
1:01:48
awesome pieces of kit that often come
1:01:50
with a hefty price tag price of bikes is
1:01:54
escalated because of the technology
1:01:56
we've got most people now turn up at Joe
1:01:59
Center and their bikes worth more than
1:02:00
their car that really isn't uncommon and
1:02:02
the thing that's happening now if you've
1:02:03
learned you know they're stealing a bike
1:02:05
they're stripping them down I've
1:02:06
actually been using the data tag system
1:02:08
that they can actually they don't only
1:02:10
track and mark your bike they also can
1:02:12
track all the components multi-vitamins
1:02:18
has given me such an amazing life you
1:02:20
know I didn't ever expect to still be
1:02:22
involved in the industry like I am now I
1:02:24
just want other people to be able to
1:02:26
experience that love for being outdoors
1:02:28
for getting fit for going somewhere
1:02:31
under your own power it's such an
1:02:33
amazing way of transport and their way
1:02:35
of having fun and and I love seeing
1:02:38
people get that enjoyment that both felt
1:02:40
and seeing a big smile on their face
1:02:42
[Music]
1:02:49
one thing that unites all of us it seems
1:02:52
urban or rural pro or novice
1:02:54
cross-country or downhill is the love of
1:02:57
the ride
1:03:03
and all I want to do now is get back on
1:03:06
my bike I discovered someone in North
1:03:13
Manchester whose life was transformed by
1:03:15
mountain biking well it's all very into
1:03:20
cycling when I was younger and then I
1:03:22
just stopped so I got into going to work
1:03:28
and going home and eating the wrong food
1:03:33
and not really doing any exercise and so
1:03:43
I've probably buy more and more Jason
1:03:50
has broken world record to the likes of
1:03:52
Guy Martin and regularly competes in
1:03:54
24-hour endurance races both at home and
1:03:57
abroad
1:03:57
[Music]
1:04:01
today's right date is all about
1:04:03
overnight adventure on your doorstep
1:04:04
bike packing has become really popular a
1:04:07
way to turn your bike into a pack kneel
1:04:09
and go anywhere
1:04:10
we're heading for an overnighter in the
1:04:13
local hills
1:04:14
[Music]
1:04:26
so Jason we've been up here somewhere
1:04:29
yeah well the winds picking up those I
1:04:31
think so I think yeah that looks like a
1:04:33
nice spot
1:04:43
[Music]
1:04:50
[ __ ] view up there Jason it I can't
1:04:53
quite believe that we've come all this
1:04:54
way and then we'll add looking to exist
1:04:57
[Music]
1:05:05
one only one creamy pasta ridiculous
1:05:11
Balkan risotto risotto is not off on the
1:05:15
Balkans doing this kind of stuff see you
1:05:22
know we're we're just miles from the
1:05:24
city finish work having a mini adventure
1:05:27
back to work tomorrow yeah yeah this is
1:05:30
something you do regularly yeah well
1:05:31
yeah I don't know every night but yeah
1:05:36
we'll arrive completely knackered set up
1:05:39
her a bit of a camp as long as you
1:05:41
really tight put the cattle on mod you
1:05:47
on so when you wake up you've got a
1:05:49
decent view I can see what does the
1:05:51
average person that were thinking
1:05:53
together
1:05:54
that's no case like well they think I'm
1:05:59
mad but you know what I think the other
1:06:02
way around I think I think that if you
1:06:04
just if you spend your life and I'm not
1:06:06
saying is anything wrong with it because
1:06:07
you know I like what you know I know but
1:06:10
if you spend your life watching
1:06:12
Emmerdale going on the it's a sit down
1:06:14
watch Ellen oh god too bad get off go to
1:06:16
work etc etcetera
1:06:18
thank you Matt you're absolutely bloody
1:06:21
mad because you know you can you can
1:06:23
just do stuff like this costume give it
1:06:27
a try
1:06:28
so it offers yeah go on tell me if he's
1:06:31
ready
1:06:33
not back but awesome all right a few
1:06:38
years ago I just start mounting bike
1:06:40
it's all about it's all about training
1:06:42
riding fast very seed that's art that is
1:06:44
always about it's not peace about all
1:06:47
sorts of different things
1:06:48
it's about all that but it's also about
1:06:51
just getting out in the hills it's about
1:06:53
doing tough things like this it's about
1:06:57
making stories for your grandkids
1:07:04
like Jason like be rewarded okay a bit
1:07:15
cold
1:07:19
[Music]
1:08:08
you
1:08:15
[Music]
1:09:31
you
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