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!

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