Get In Gear: The Track – Portreath, Cornwall

On June 3, 2008 by

Portreath is a small sea-side town in the south west and is home to ‘the-track’. The UK’s premier out door mountain bike facilities. It is set out on a 5 acre floodlit site and had challenges for every level of BMX or Mountain bike rider.

It firstly has a beginners section. This is suitable for all abilities and a good place to get into your days riding. It also has new small dirt humps for the small and younger riders. It has a great BMX race track with concrete start gate. Staff there are still working on this but at the moment you can still ride the first part of the track, so you have the head start you need on competitions for this year.

One of the main features to the track is one of the only out door multi ramp foam pits in the country. Measuring up at around 12 foot wide, 18 foot long and with a good depth of foam it is the perfect place for the serious riders to practice their tricks into before taking it to the hard ground. For the rest of you its there to always have fun.

Portreath Jumps

Next to the foam pit is a new feature, the Resi Ramp. This is made from a five foot wooden kicker ramp, similar to the foam pit ramp. The landing is in the shape of a dirt jump landing but with no gap. The landing is made from wood, with layers of soft sponge and foam, to make it soft, and with a layer of hard plastic on the top.

This is so you can ride it with the same feel as a dirt jump, or jump box, but with less impact on landing. This is usually used for the riders to practice their tricks on, after they have tricks dialed in the foam pit. It’s the step before going for your tricks on solid landings.

My favorite part of the track is the pro line of dirt jumps. This has been there since the track started up in 2004. They have been knocked down and changed each year as the progression of UK dirt jumping has gone through the roof. It has a main line at the top of the park consisting of 6 dirt doubles the are great for any type of dirt riding, weather your into tricks or just having fun a flowing through with trail style.

To the left of the Pro line, there is a smaller set of more technical dirt jumps with hips and berms. The more experienced rider can combine the two sets of jumps and you can ride endless lines of fun transfers and flow. At the end of the top set you have a choice. Turn round and go back to the top for another run, or to proceed on to the bottom jumps.

The Track – Portreath

These are built only for the experienced riders as they jumps are up to seven foot high kickers, boosting you up to 10 foot in the air and higher. Also with gaps around 16 feet long they are great for holding competitions and for showing of your big tricks.

For more pictures and info about the track go to www.the-track.co.uk. They are host to many events this year so be sure you check them out as the atmosphere is great and the riding is unreal.

Get in Gear: King of Dirt 2008

On June 1, 2008 by

On Sunday April 6th, the first round of the UK King of Dirt series kicked off at Chicksands. A lot of people woke up that morning to find everywhere covered in snow, but this didn’t stop the riders from doing their thing!

The open category saw some great riding and some new faces. Tricks are being thrown down in the open, which would have probably won the pro category a couple of years back. Tricks like tailwhips and backflips are a common thing in UK dirt jumping contests now. The best run of the open category going to stinky Pete earning him the Open Nike 6.0 killing it award.

The pro competition saw 14 of the UK’s best dirt jumpers compete for the cash prize. Although some big name riders could not attend due to international commitments, the level of riding was still as good as we’ve seen this year.

Diamondback rider, Sam Pilgrim rode in a league of his own throwing down several backflip variations, double tailwhips and his first frontflip over dirt, and well deserving of first place. In second place came DMR rider Sam Reynolds, Guy Raymond Samson would round out the top three, he rides for Last bikes.

The Pro Nike 6.0 killing it award went to Ricky Crompton. Riding his full suspension bike and still nailing so many big tricks, he showed the judges why he deserved the prize.

Here is a link to a trailer of the first round at Chicksands.

To find out about the coming King of Dirt events check out www.kingofdirt08.com or www.myspace.com/kingofdirt08

Leaping youngsters in class

On May 29, 2008 by

The Extreme sport of parkour is becoming more and more popular a young cousin of mine living in Cornwall is becoming very good at this recently. I have also noticed it is becoming increasingly popular at schools among young people. I think it Rocks!

Source : BBC News

Get in Gear: A Tail Whip Tale

On May 28, 2008 by

At the beginning of March I travelled up to Colchester with my friend Lewis to ride with Sam Pilgrim at his house and his foam pit! We arrived at Sam’s house at around 10.30 and rode his foam pit until about 2.

After about 20 minutes of riding we made a start on shooting pictures for the Mbuk article. Sam was helping me improve my tricks and teaching me others as well! I was surprised how riding with someone of that level actually helps a lot with your riding.

Sam had an old bike of his with no wheels taped up with bubble wrap and card board to make a bike that can be used on a trampoline. With no wheels, cranks, brakes or pedals it was very small and flighty and the perfect thing to learn on. I took the chance to perfect my technique for tail whips.

I then used jump on my bike and with a bit more effort, landed to the pedals in the foam pit. He also helped me with my superman’s and I was giving some superman seat grabs ago as well. In the afternoon we drove out to Dedham to ride Sam’s jumps. I started off slowly as I hadn’t ridden dirt in quite a while but got used to them fairly quickly.

After doing some no-footed cans, back flips, superman’s, and a back flip x-up, Robin (Mbuk photographer) was waiting for me to try a tail whip. I’d never attempted a tail whip over dirt before and I’d only just learnt the proper technique about 2 hours before in the foam. But I went for it anyway. I had about five goes and managed to ride away with 1 foot dragging!

Overall a great days riding and pretty cool article.

To see the pictures from this day of riding and the full article grab a copy of Mbuk issue 224 and check it out.

Get in Gear with Jack

On May 23, 2008 by

About me: My name is Jack Gear, I’m 18 years old and have been riding mountain bikes for about four years now. As most of us do, I started off riding street using curbs and small kickers and over these couple of years I’ve slowly progressed through park riding and am now riding dirt most of the time. I ride for 24seven bikes using the 24seven slacker ST.

A lot of my progression with tricks has happened over the past six months as I’ve been riding a lot more than I used to. I ride mostly at the-track in Portreath, Cornwall. It’s the best place for learning as it has the foam pit and resi ramp for learning and the dirt jumps of all sizes. I go all around the UK competing in Competitions, Jams and just riding new places.

My Style: I like the feel of hitting a big gap with lots of speed. My style of tricks is mostly upside down variations.
Backflip x-up and Backflip No-hander: The flip x-up was the first backflip variation I learnt and have done it so many times I find it effortless. I feel that I just makes the backflip a little bit less boring and more controlled. Now i can do it on anything.

The flip no-hander I have only been doing again recently just because I love the look of the trick. I learnt it last year but broke my back in November doing it on a mellow jump box, filming for a dvd. That put me off the trick for a while and have only recently started doing them again, but they are defiantly a trick for dirt!

Barrel roll x-up: This trick I really learnt my accident or with out wanting to. I was riding a foam pit with a friend and already had straight barrel rolls down. I got the idea from John Cowan to put variations into the trick. I gave a barrel roll one hander a few goes but could quite keep the bike under control so couldn’t get it right. After about seven or eight tries rolled in for another go and pulled a pretty clicked x-up with it. I done a few more and had it pretty dialled with a couple of goes. Done it first go on the resi ramp first time and later on the same day pulled it off on a dirt jump. I really enjoy the feel of doing them over big gaps as it feels like your flying.

Backflip Superman and Backflip Tailwhip: These tricks I have only just this week started trying them into foam but think I have the all round feel. Just a few more sessions in the foam and I will giving them a go on the resi. Watch out for these.

My Bike, 24seven Slacker ST: This bike is an all round great bike, as you can use it for different disciplines. I have used it to ride street, park and dirt and it has handled all of them brilliantly. It runs a SANKO steel frame set with marzocchi dirt jumper 2 forks. It has a 28t by 12t drive chain set up giving you no hassle with gears and good all round gearing. 3 piece superfat cranks and 24seven star pedals. 24seven dirt vinyl embossed saddle and an Avid Juicy 3 rear brake. As well as looking slick with the matt black paint job and 24seven orange hubs, its also a great all round bike that fits and works to my style of riding!

If your after advice on your riding, New places to ride or just a general chat, meeting new riders and people in the sport, get signed up on the forum and build a profile and you can get chatting straight away.