We were rewarded heavily with good weather, fast racing and an unbelievable track layout that has us rating the venue very highly indeed... Did we mention well run? Track crew? First ever round ever? Mental.
This little movie we've made below is as RAW as they come with some MX2 first lap GoPro courtesy of Shaun Mahoney in the mix to paint you guys the realest picture possible!
Its a massive chunk of support to us if you hit the subscribe button if you enjoyed the video!
More coming soon :)
Bon appetit
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After years of racing bikes ourselves instead of taking up the offer to head to the Isle of Man with Big Vern, a last minute “screw it we have to” decision had us rushing back from Hawkstone park Acerbis nationals and throwing whatever clean clobber we had in a bag to finally see what all the fuss was about!
Once we arrived, we found a spot in Ramsay to park the van up, found the Upavon mxc head honcho Lee Mason for his homemade cider and got our heads down buzzing for the unknown.
We headed over the mountain road first thing en route to the pits to get an understanding of the track and it all started to set in just how amazing these riders really are pushing the limits with no room for error whatsoever! It really does leave you speechless…
Of course, we had to get some snaps of the bling on show before heading off to film the practice week for all of you at home in a bid to make sure we tease you enough to go next year and not hang it out like we did! The video is awesome but there is nothing like it in real life so get that ferry booked and we’ll see you there!
Don’t forget to buy yourselves some socks from our online store!
Enjoy the Raw FansEyeView ✊😮💨
YOUTUBE LINK - https://youtu.be/mKxMa7eSz5s
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Now, if you keep up with us on socials you'll know all about our mission to keep Cuan Conway, a talented 16 year old from South Africa on track with his racing while his dad can't be here in the UK for a while. With that being said, we have had an overwhelming amount of support from some really amazing and generous people who have teamed up with us to make this possible as we all know the cost of racing bikes does not make this an easy task.
Anyways, back to the story! We rolled into duns and our eyes lit up, amazing scenery and a track that had us grinning like Cheshire cats. (unsure of that reference but hear it used everywhere)
Cuan was first out on track and after an evening of changing tyres with our good friend Cymru Cartel and some fiddling about fitting a start device supplied from dirthut.co.uk we were ready to roll with the first moto after a few fun practice laps figuring out the track!
Unfortunately, there are no results to speak of other than a big DNF 3 laps in and a lap after a little tip over trying to make a pass, the trusty 2018 let go in a big way! Luckily it happened wide open uphill so nothing too dangerous to report on but we thought we would share some damage pics with you guys and follow that up with some good news once you're done inspecting and diagnosing the mess!
As you can see above, it was a big hit to the system and we have more to inspect as we strip the bottom end but there is a silver lining to this cloud!
We had been in talks with Gary who runs the Wulfsport Suzuki Team about a ride, with him not having anyone to pilot his 450 this year we had a few conversations and had thought it be best we get to grips with racing the bigger bikes and for everyones sake, get to know each other before going in blind and letting Cuan loose on such a fast bike!
After a few rounds of getting to know each other and racing the same meetings, Gary who has been in our corner regardless asked the question once he had seen Cuan looking a little distraught if now was the time to make the jump! So the next time you see Cuan racing we are over the moon to announce it will be on board the Meredith Motocross - Wulfsport Suzuki 450 Competing in the MX1 class at the Acerbis Nationals and the AMCA Championships!
Stay tuned to our socials and subscribed to our YouTube to keep up to date with the new chapter of our journey, teaming up with some of the best people in UK Motocross!
Special thanks goes out to Shaun Mahoney from 1st Call travel LTD for the continued support, we would have to write a new blog to explain the lengths he's gone! Chris Brown @ Factory Touch for the suspension servicing! Tom Evans for kitting Cuan out with fresh threads for the year and once again DIRTHUT.CO.UK for shipping us out some every day essentials to keep us on track! We really couldn't do any of this without you guys!
Big love and we'll see you all soon!
Summit Moto
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Check out our latest video where we show you a unique behind the scenes, up close and personal to the racing, BS talking & action packed round one!
A big thank you to :
- Dirthut.co.uk - Chris Brown from Factory Touch Suspension - Gary from Wulfsport Suzuki - Paul Gale for being Paul Gale - All you guys who purchased some top quality clobber & Tom Evans for being an absolute legend!
We hope you enjoy this one! ✊📺
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Our friends are holding a race meeting nearby on Sunday the 25th so theirs no chance we’ll be clashing with that, we are going to change the date to SATURDAY 24th September.
It’s the day before it was going to be so nothing major, just gives people chance to practice on Saturday and go and race Sunday too 😊
BOOKING IN via the link below, we also have a start gate (5 person) with a start straight that will funnel into a single run off for you guys to have some fun practicing starts! (Let the banter begin) 😂
This will be a separate wrist band and will be just £5 and it will be open from 10:30 until 3pm to use as much as you please between your sessions
✊😎
BOOK IN HERE 👇 SEE YOU THERE! 🎥
https://www.goracemx.com/event.php?eid=5436
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Don't forget to check out the new tee's in our store!
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After a windy weekend cancellation we were treated to perfect, if not chilly weather conditions for round one of the World Motocross Championship at Matterley Basin!
As usual we spent all day with our cameras in our hands to bring you a fans perspective of the weekend, although this time we were welcomed into the awnings of the Factory teams to get some close ups of their machines and tool box sets ups running the Superlite Titanium range!
For now, we have the MX2 class from Sunday where the Gas Gas pilot Simon Längenfelder took a clean sweep to set him up with the red plate heading into Mantova!
Enjoy!
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The weather was kind enough for us to not have to hide our cameras so we got lot of footage that we have put together as the day played out!
Enjoy!
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So our series has been cut short due to some behind the scenes complications and we have, with the help of our instagram following, decided to wrap it up with the 4 rounds that we have completed and run a presentation at our final date at Yarley this Sunday, 19th of December along side a practice day which, if you raced at our last round you know the track is running sweet as right now!
After some real fast racing with drop-ins from some pedigree riders, Luke Dean of FiveTwoRacing took the first Summit Moto Crown after showing everyone how to ride a 125 this winter since hopping on the Fantic motor and sealing the deal on the 300 notes cash prize! Ross Kersey was 66 points back in 2nd place and rocket man Jordan Barrs rounded out the top 3!
In the B class Kyle Banks was the Boss after a winter long battle with Dean Cummings who after taking a slam at Yarley ended up finishing 3rd overall in the championship leaving the 2nd place spot to the Wild Welsh man Kyle Probert, king of the @CymyruCartel
The C class championship was won by the Mowhak man Kye Flippance, BMX racer Dan Leak flipped his skills over and took 2nd place and Harrison Boyd took the 3rd step with some race wins under his belt too!
Huey Samson took the auto title with a very mature riding style for a little man! In 2nd place was Logan Lewis who took a moto win at each round! 3rd step although also taking some moto wins and holeshots was Jaxon Bishop! all three of you speedy Auto guys are invited to the Champions Training Day with Luke Dean (date & venue tbc)!
65 class and our first round maximum point taker Jayden Neale took the overall title away from LDR coached Olly Hadlow in 2nd place and 3rd was flying Freddie Banks!
(image courtesy @leigh_wotton)
85 small wheels now and Tyler Cooper is our first Champion, he took the top spot away from "holeshot" Harley Quinn in 2nd place and George Clark took the final spot after missing the first round, he took 2 maximum point days to the table one at each track!
85 big wheels champion was Alfie Irons took the title from under the nose of Fabian-Junior Morrison who battled through the pack a number of times to secure second spot on the podium away from Callum Swain who's consistency this winter landed him on the podium and in the Summit record books!
Finally the names that you'll soon never hear the last of, the youth/rookies class, under 18 but you wouldn't know it by their riding! Always Developings rising star Harry Ridgway is your new champion ahead of Archie Taylor putting the first 125 on the box in second! Riley Ward kept it close just 8 points behind to finish the series with the Bronze medal!
(Charlie Richmond at North Nibley @leigh_wotton)
All of our Champions plus the top 3 Auto pilots have won a ticket to the Champions Training day with our A class Champion Luke Dean giving you guys a coaching session going into next seasons racing! Date and venue tbc!
You can find the final series standings on this link https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Organizations/442324/Championships
If you won a free ride at the last round you can show up on the day and ride! We have your names to the side at signing on, just let us know you're you!
Thank you all for your support this winter! It has been a blast learning how to pull all of this together and we hope you have enjoyed your racing with us and can't wait to see you guys more often!
Booking in for Yarley this Sunday is via the link below!
We are a small team so Go Race really help us out with paperwork issues! https://www.goracemx.com/event.php?eid=4214
if you haven't been to Yarley, our last blog post has a video showing you the track including drone footage from @rollzee, go check it out!
Hope this clears some stuff up and we see you all Sunday!
Summit Moto
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For those who don't know, the Yarley track is sat on a exposed mound in Somerset which gives us some real steep hills to ride but it loves midweek rain! Winter series HEAVEN! @rollzee chased you with a drone and @whosche mixed some beats to help us bring our videos to YouTube and show you what we get up to our way!
Graeme Irwin came to hang off the back the beast that he's built and took 3 wins on the day but not without a fight! In moto 3 he had a first lap tip over that had him battling through the pack and giving us all a spectacle as he worked his way back through to finally pass Brad Wheeler who had Inherited the lead from Luke Sturgeon who had the world in his hands on the new 350 KTM when Irwin initially tucked the front on lap one... and breathe, your best bet is just watching the video haha!
Did we mention Luke Dean on the 125 chasing Irwin and Wheeler until a last lap crash?
Go check out our store we have just dropped the Limited Edition Hoody's!
Stick around to watch the B class after the A class results and well see you at North Nibley this Saturday!
Tadaa!
Summit Moto
]]>It's finally arrived! Our Two-Stroke Ride Day.
Vital info:
Venue: Apex Motocross track, junction 6 of the M5. Postcode WR4 0AA
Times: 10:00 - 14:30
There are no sessions, so you can ride as much, as little, as frequent as you like.
It's going to be a great day.
Some more important stuff...
The signing on cabin has a list of names for people that booked a place via our website so if your name's not on the list, please don’t attend and try and ride. If you are riding a bike smaller than a full size 125 motocross bike please get in touch for a refund, as the day is strictly for 125 two stroke machines and above.
The weather forecast is perfect. After a bit of rain Wednesday and Thursday the track will be absolutely spot on.
Scorch Images will be in attendance so wear your best gear and check out his website afterwards.
Goody bags and t-shirts can be collected on the day. They'll all be stacked up in XITE Energy bags so don't forget to collect yours. They'll be somewhere near the steps up to the spectator area more than likely.
Burritos (if you missed out, sorry, it's too late to order one now) will arrive about 13:45-14:00.
We're looking forward to seeing you ride!
]]>Race 3 needed to be its own race documented as it was a crazy one so we have pulled race 2 into this video, unlike the other 2 big bike classes!
Track conditions were very tough on the 125's and momentum was key to success that's for sure!
If you haven't already, have a look around our other blog posts to find MX1, MX2 and a heap of other cool stuff!
Don't forget to help us out by hitting the subscribe button!
Taadaaa!
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YO!
We hope you enjoyed the MX1 race one vid!
If you haven't already seen it, check it out!
https://summitmoto.co.uk/blogs/news/amca-championships-gate-drop
www.scorchimages.com for the goodies!
125 class coming up next! Don't forget to subscribe & check out our merch!
]]>Round one of the AMCA Championships for 2020 kicked off at Boraston this weekend, Here are some of the highlights from MX 1 Race 1!
Don't forget to subscribe to help us!
Enjoy!
lead image courtesy scorchimages.com
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Sadly, this doesn’t seem good enough for some folk on social media, as currently, and when I wrote this on the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August, many events are prohibiting spectators from attending. It’s just me but I think this is the right thing to do at this moment in time. I’d much rather see full gates with no spectators than see meetings with half full gates and a couple of hundred fans in attendance. But are some of these people fans? Comments from some on social media indicate otherwise… threatening to not attend future meetings because they can’t attend this one? Come on…
Returning to the boost for the motocross industry, racing always results with damaged bikes for some, whether it’s a simple broken lever or in extreme cases the conrod cries enough and exits the motor through the engine cases. Either way, those that race and especially those that compete in a championship will simply dig deep and get their bikes fixed, firing money directly into the industry.
I’m not embarrassed to say that I’m a bit of a practice track princess nowadays. I spent 10 years or so racing all over the country on a shoestring budget with many nights in the garage until gone midnight when the bike’s let go racing, and there’s another race the following weekend that just couldn’t be missed. It’s bloody tough, but it’s bloody brilliant.
So, let’s all just do our bit without taking chunks out of each other please. Line ups are indicating an upswing in our sport which is a great thing and when we can go and check out some racing, make sure you go - just don’t complain about the price of admission!
]]>If you've bought our products, liked and shared our posts, subscribed to our YouTube channel, stuck our stickers somewhere or you've just landed here, we just wanted to say thanks. It's not been an easy start to this decade but we've seen our social channels and website traffic continually grow month on month so we think we're doing something right!
Throughout the year we've stuck true to our word on why Summit Moto was created. Job one was to create a skate inspired clothing brand which we've done, with new styles and products available now.
The second reason was to invest in passionate people, that absolutely live to ride. We've done that. Videos, spotlights, and photography of some of the finest talent in the South-West, but also in America. Check out @christiandresser on IG, or @harryparker280 to name a couple.
We've said 'we' a few times. Reason being, we've had to expand the team! Anyone that runs a business will know how hard it is. I've been sales, marketing, HR, customer service, purchasing, delivery driver and wore many other hats too. The list goes on which was impossible to manage so we've a few chaps behind the scenes keeping the wheels turning while I'm out grafting.
Our private hire next week marks the start of something we'll do more of in the future, only they'll be bigger and better. This one is to test the water and we had enough people interested to easily run two groups at Apex. We were seeing a number of people not quite able to get enough riders to run their own hires, so we're linking up a number of like minded individuals which we think is pretty cool.
Just like Jeffrey Herlings around a sand track, we'll be staying on the gas as 2020 continues and we're glad that you've chosen to come along for the ride!
Cheers!
Mitch
]]>It's open sessions so you can ride as much as you like, four hours should be ample time to safely clock some laps. If you've not ridden for a while, ride steadily and ease back into it, no one likes armpump! No racing other people, sawing front wheels off in the corners, or stunts, will be tolerated.
PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN PEN TO SIGN ON
STAY AT LEAST TWO METRES APART AT ALL TIMES
The signing on cabin will have a list of names for people that booked a place via our website so if your name's not on the list, please to do attend and try and ride. If you are riding a bike smaller than a full size 125 motocross bike please get in touch for a refund, as the day is strictly for 125 machines and above.
The weather forecast is hot and sunny so please bear this in mind prior to the day. You won't need a coat but you might want to bring sun cream, and a hat. Water's a good shout too.
Scorch Images will be in attendance so wear your best gear and check out his website afterwards.
If you have any specific questions, please send us a message on Facebook.
We're looking forward to seeing you ride!
]]>The AMA Supercross series is 17 rounds with a weekend off at Easter, with the concluding rounds followed by one weekend off. Then it’s straight into the outdoor motocross series that takes in 12 rounds over 14 weekends. So, it’s pretty non-stop racing from early January until late August. In my opinion, the plan to complete the 2020 series’ remaining seven rounds in a three-week period could well be something that’s utilised, to a degree, for future AMA Supercross championships.
American racers and teams are pretty vocal about the length of their racing calendar which may or may not contribute to Team USA not fielding their strongest line up at the traditional season ending Motocross of Nations event in the autumn. My thoughts are that through the season, at a minimum two events, run the race on the usual Saturday night, then run another round on the following Tuesday or Wednesday night, for these reasons…
Promoter costs: For Feld Entertainment, the cost of shipping their staff, trucks, track builders and the rest of the circus from Anaheim, to St. Louis (like they did to start the 2020 season) will save 3792 miles if travelled by road. Keeping all of this in one place will clearly save a lot of cash. The following round could then be California based to ensure a quick construction of the next round’s track. The same savings will also apply to race teams.
SX Futures and/or an amateur day could take place on the Sunday/Monday, creating more revenue for Feld, contributing to covering the costs of the venue hire and cover other costs. Imagine being able to go on a riding holiday at California Motocross Holidays, watch the season-opening A1 race and then race inside the stadium the day after? Sign me up now. Combine admission and race entries into a discounted rate and it’s bound to get people in the stadium.
Rider costs: This isn’t so much of an issue for the factory level riders that have their expenses covered (for the most part). Plus, they ride three days a week so why not throw a race in there? However, for privateers, the backbone of racing, if they could park up at, or nearby a venue for a few nights and race two events with no additional travel costs (imagine the diesel costs for a dad and lad pairing in a small van from Anaheim to St. Louis and back again), then you’d more than likely get a better rider turn out, equally more entry fee money for the promoters. Hell, the promoters could even push that the sport is turning ‘green’.
Summary: It could well be tougher than a Frankie and Benny’s rump steak in 2021 for our industry. We can all do our best to bend though to get things going again so reducing cities attended, perhaps just short term for a couple of years, will get us through this and bounce out the other side in decent shape. Having just two mid-week races will give the American elite a month before the AMA Nationals start, which is what they want anyway…
]]>Gloves are something we should all be wearing when riding a bike of any kind and O’Neal knock it out the park with a range of no less than 10 designs to choose from! We’ve opted to sell three to keep what we offer simple. But, gloves are just gloves, right? Well, no, they’re very different for multiple reasons and as I’ve been fortunate enough to use all three for a number of years, I’d like to think I’m pretty well qualified to advise on the O’Neal glove range…
O’Neal Matrix glove – Price: £18
The entry level glove. At just £18, the Matrix glove ticks just as many boxes as its more expensive brothers do. Unique to these gloves is the vented mesh top and with your hands always cutting through the wind, the air flow will be forced in which will help prevent sweaty palms and possible blisters. Four solid colour designs will ensure a design to suit all tastes and a classic Velcro fastening ensures a secure fit.
O’Neal AMX Glove – Price: £30
The most expensive O’Neal glove on the Summit Moto site. Designed with heavy input from DH legend Greg Minnaar, it’s naturally loaded with the most ‘tech’ that meets the standard of a three-time world champion. Featuring a fully vented palm, the sides of the glove are fully vented, and the slip-on design makes them faff-free. The back of the thumb uses absorbent fabric for wiping away sweat from your brow in a somewhat clean and comfortable manner. Minimalistic, super lightweight and very high quality, it’s a glove you won’t even realise you’re wearing.
These AMX gloves have well over 50 hours of use over multiple disciplines |
O’Neal Mayhem glove – Price: £27
With the most designs in the O’Neal glove range, we’ve selected a few of our favourites. A solid all-rounder, a double-layered thumb makes these more suited to moto out of all three of these gloves, given the demanding conditions faced in that discipline. Comfortable and hard-wearing, the O'Neal Mayhem glove is loaded with features such as utilising a four way stretch material on the back, a silicone print on the palm for superior grip and a reliable Velcro fastening on the wrist ensures a secure fit.
These Mayhem gloves have around 20 hours of use |
THE VERDICT: There's not a bad glove here but if pushed to make a decision, I'd recommend the AMX glove. Superior ventilation promotes a feeling that you're not really wearing gloves, they're that minimalist. The absorbent thumb really helps if you're a 'sweater' like I am when out on the MTB or BMX. Plus with countless hours put on a single pair these are a worthy investment for any riding discipline.
]]>The easing of lockdown restrictions and allowance of non-essential travel again is going to see things slowly start to open up, which will apply directly to bike related sports as well. Motocross is my passion so I’m not going to touch on BMX and MTB, but I’m pretty sure that changes are coming for motocross practice tracks in the very near future. There’s no way they’ll see 200 riders on a Saturday any time soon, but 200 over a week may very well be a possibility with the correct social distancing measures applied with the venues open seven days a week. I know of one track who I won’t name in case they get slammed with enquiries, that’s fully prepared and ready to open seven days a week with limited numbers should we get the gate drop on say, no gatherings over 25 people. It would have to be financially viable for them so we’ll see what happens when the next phase of lockdown measures are introduced.
It’s quite reassuring to see that a number of track owners have used the lockdown time wisely to re-invest in their venues and given their circuits a freshen up in readiness of bikes hitting their tracks again. The next time we ride is going to feel like the best day of riding ever!
I have a pretty lengthy background in e-commerce and I have some ideas that track owners may want to consider prior to opening back up, that will benefit them short and also long term. Go Race MX is already in place and handles online entries for race meetings and practice days with the ability to restrict the number of entrants per event. Whether practice tracks use this solution or create their own websites to allow online booking remains to be seen but what we absolutely have to avoid is a queue to sign on and any face-to-face interactions. For the future, online booking in for practice tracks has to be the way forward so now’s the time to get set up. Short term, having the ability to enter your last three letters/numbers of your registration plate when booking in would help track owners identify who should and shouldn’t be there so that no arrives expecting to just turn up and ride.
I’ll be blunt and say that if this happens and you pay to attend, there should be no refunds. You should only pay to ride if you fully intend on riding and can make it there without anything besides your van breaking down on the way as a reason to not make it. Sounds a little harsh but I think we can all agree on this. If the weather turns and 10 people decide to not show up and people are refunded, it probably wouldn’t be financially viable for the track to run on that particular day. Having said that, I don’t think that rain would put anyone off riding at the moment!
Parking a decent distance from other vans should be simple enough with limited riders present so that shouldn’t be an issue and with limited riders two groups would mean ample riding for everyone. Tracks could even run two groups a day and open 10-1 and then 3-6 so that the morning group can leave the venue by the time the afternoon riders arrive. Just an idea…
Demand to ride will be huge and if you’re lucky enough to begin riding, now isn’t really the time to try sending a jump that’s always bugged you in the past. Especially if it’s your first day on the bike in two months. Just embrace the freedom that only riding a motocross bike can give and keep yourself safe out there...
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"I got my first bike at four years old and had my first race when I was five. I didn’t know it then, but I was riding with Luke Dean and some others that would go far in the motocross world.
"I naturally progressed up through the bikes. My first bike was a Husky 50, my second bike was a Lem 50 after my Husky had been stolen from my garage. I then moved onto a Kawasaki KX 65, which I matched with a Shark helmet for a season thinking it looked mint and then moved onto a matching No Fear kit combo! - Fast!
"After this I rode a Yamaha. I stayed on Yamaha through the SW85, BW85, and the bike I ride today the trusty 08 YZF 250. Throughout my youth I rode schoolboy with the Corsham and Mid Wilts clubs, capturing club championships in 65cc, SW85, and BW85 classes with Corsham. I narrowly missed out on the rookie championship to Andrew Fitzgerald who had a solid season with no injuries.
"I look fondly back at these days, as these were ‘the days’ as they say, racing your mates and having some good battles with the likes of Luke Sturgeon and Kieran Banks. I remember battling with Kieran for the win in every race at Cheddar and another time at Enmore where we were battling to see who could hit the most dust berms it seemed. I definitely enjoyed the competition as well as seeing how far you could push yourself on a bike.
"I then headed off to Swansea University to study Sport and Exercise Science. This was definitely some of the best years of my life making memories that I will never forget. This unfortunately meant motocross had to take a back seat. I maybe rode once or twice a year, but as one door closes another door opens.
Adam taking the Corsham sw85cc championship honours
"University opened many doors including those at the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU). I worked in association with the WRU receiving training from strength and conditioning coaches. They educated a small group of us on strength training & Olympic lifting.
"Once I had left University with my degree, I went into Primary School PE coaching alongside personal training and running group exercise sessions. I have gained so much knowledge about the body, nutrition and the science of sport from my time at University. However, I wanted to take strength and conditioning further, so I up-skilled and educated myself by attending multiple courses and becoming a level 4 Strength and Conditioning Coach and a youth specialist coach. This is an on-going journey for me, and I will keep continuing to develop in this area.
"Whilst doing this I was working with multiple clients. One who was training to run a marathon, another client who had weight loss as a goal and finally a client whose main goal was to build muscle. All of which gave me a wide range of experience. In my personal life myself and Ben Cryer motivate each other daily allowing us to both move forward in our training.
"I have always trained myself to be fit for motocross, it took me a while to realise that my passion was to specifically want to help and train motocross athletes! I recognise key areas that need improvement from specific testing that all of my clients receive. I then create and build programmes for in and out of the racing season. This programme has allowed these athletes to peak at the right time for races and maintain fitness throughout the season!
"Some of these athletes include Billy Collins, a youth motocross athlete who came to me post ACL op. He had worked really hard on his post operation physio and we continued to work on strengthening the knee. This was to ensure it would be 100% before the season started. I built on that with a foundation of good movement with strength and plyometric exercises. This massively increased his lower body strength and endurance, which was tried and tested through monthly performance testing.
"I have also been training Corey Hockey who became Pirelli British Masters 125cc Championship in 2016, took 3rd place at Weymouth Beach race and most recently this year he will be competing in the AMCA British MX1 championship for team APEX KTM UK. We have been working together on dialling in movement and conditioning, as well as overall athleticism through this difficult time. We have continued to develop by using Facetime to complete training sessions and effective workout programming for this out of season period.
"Having ridden all my life and continuing to ride, I understand the hard work it takes to perform at a high level especially in a demanding sport like motocross. When you line up on that start line you want to be the best and most confident in the preparation you have made.
"I know I can help I can make a difference and help riders achieve that. My goal is to increase the rider’s knowledge on how, and what to train in a safe, appropriate and engaging way. I am creating a community built on real dreams and real results by giving as many riders the opportunity to develop, be and feel the best they ever have on their bike and in their mind!"
I don’t think I’ll be the only one impressed by what I have just read, I know I for one will be keeping up with Adam and getting a program written up for me so I’m ready when the floodgates open! Thanks Adam for your time and I hope everyone’s healthy and happy still in these confusing times.
Keep up with Adam & his riders on Instagram! @always_developing41
Peace & love
Mitch
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2020 started pretty well at least!
This was the first day of a 10-day ride trip! After a year and a half off of a motocross bike it was a pretty daunting place to get back into things! I could have warmed up on the vets track but life is short!
Hope you enjoy watching the learning process!
Mitch
]]>This winter me and the boys headed to Windhill Bike Park a few times and being used to watching my friends and knowing what they are capable of, I was amazed to see a young lad absolutely sending all of the big jumps that I was getting twitchy about! Now, I blamed my California trip on not sending the final three on the Pro-line and we are all currently grounded so I still haven't had to make up any more excuses!
It was Ben Moore Racing, Orange Bikes' new rider Harry Parker who was the 14-year-old shredder that caught my eye. Bikes have been my whole life and if there is one thing I do know, it's talent when I see it!
While we are all twiddling our thumbs waiting to be allowed back to our favourite tracks, bike parks, mountains and riding spots, we caught up via Facetime with the new-school shredder who's currently paving the way!
So first things first, Harry, what's the deal? You have just sprung onto the scene almost out of nowhere, how did this all start?
I was 13 when my dad took me to Windhill and remember being scared but also really excited. Week after week I'd be asking dad if we could go there again! Watching all the talented riders hitting the big jumps is what inspired me, I just really wanted to do the same as them. I had made some great friends who are slightly older and some of them were already doing bits of the pro line so I was keen to learn from them and soon we were pushing each other to hit some of the bigger features.
Pete, as a handy rider yourself, what’s your take on all of this? How does it make you feel seeing your boy flying through the pro lines at such a young age?
Thanks for the handy rider comment! I remember the first time I took Harry to Windhill on his older brother's cheap hard-tail mountain bike, we had gone down the blue run, Harry's words at the bottom were "that's the scariest thing I've ever done!" This was November 2018 and prior to that Harry had rarely ridden any pushbikes let alone a mountain bike. We had looked at the pro line and he was amazed by seeing guys hitting the log drop. I had said "maybe in a couple of years you'll be doing that", he was laughing saying "that's not going to happen!"
Harry's mum and I ended up buying a full suspension Calibre Bossnut Evo with 130mm of travel, Harry was hitting the blue, red and then finally black runs within about a month! It was then I realised that Harry was outperforming the bike so we ended up selling and buying a second hand Kona Process 167! I knew this bike was much more suited to Harry's potential.
This led on to hitting the log drop on the pro line just four months after first getting on a bike! Less than a year on and Harry still blows my mind by being able to hit all of the pro line and now helps other riders by training them into sending the jumps safely! I do get nervous when he's attempting something new... but he has a natural ability to gauge jumps and drops and hits everything so smoothly!
I would say everyones mind will be blown, mine sure was! And now Orange Bikes!? Pete, tell us a bit about how that came about!
We were at Windhill & Orange Bikes factory rider Ben Moore was there shredding the pro line. Harry, of course, was doing his thing as usual. Ben then introduced himself and was telling me that Harry had a natural ability he rarely sees. He was even more impressed once he found out that Harry had only been riding about five or six months! One thing led to another, Ben had said he was looking for an apprentice, someone who he could mentor and help where he could. A month or so later we had arranged to compete alongside Ben at the Falmouth Urban Downhill where Harry secured first place in his class and Ben won the overall, a dream start! Ben obviously had mentioned to Orange Bikes about Harry'd potential and this resulted in being signed up by both Orange and also to be one of two apprentices with Ben Moore Racing!
Wow, that's amazing! It's nice to know people are still looking to help talent progress in the industry! Harry, the new bike, how’s it going? What set up are you running and how are you finding it?
The Orange Alpine 6 was the perfect choice for my riding style with Fox 36 170mm & Fox Float DPX2 giving me 165mm on the rear. I've always set the suspension up fairly hard for the pro line at Windhill but I am learning to soften it up more for when I am competing in downhill racing. I am also tubeless now and so far, no punctures! I ride clipless Crank Brother Mallet Pedals, I find it gives me more confidence when hitting the jumps and I'm able to move the bike around more when racing downhill!
What a dream, I think for all of us that brings some hope that with the right attitude and dedication, doors will open! What are the plans moving forward, what are you both aiming to achieve once we are allowed back out to play?
Harry: The first year with Orange and Ben Moore Racing is a huge opportunity but also they have been excellent as there's no pressure to reach the podium, it's about having fun and learning about how to get the best out of the bike!
Prior to the lockdown, we were planning to do more DH racing to try and secure invites to some of the Urban Downhill races in Europe! Once we're allowed to ride again it's about getting out on the bike as much as I can. I have also moved up to the youth category so that gives a bigger challenge as I will be competing against 15 and 16-year-old riders!
Pete: At the start of September 2019 I broke my wrist and ruptured a disc in my neck while competing in the Falmouth Urban Downhill race. I needed surgery to replace the disc with a titanium ball joint so it was quite a set back! I had started riding again in January after nearly five months off the bike. Once we can get back out to hit the bike parks I need to get my confidence back and ease into sending some jumps and drops. We will be entering some more downhill races such as Tidworth, Windhill & Rogate when things return to normal. Because I will be the big five-zero in June I'll be in the Grand Veteran class! What you notice is even in with the older competitors there's still some hugely talented riders and even some ex-UCI World Cup riders! I'll be happy to get down in one piece and have a laugh.
Ouch! that sounds like a rough time of it! Urban downhill too, this is getting exciting! On the subject of lockdown problems, how have you both been keeping busy? Any tips for some other young riders to keep their skills up and stay safe and sharp at the same time?
Harry: In my lockdown time I have been going out every day on my bike to keep my fitness up and doing push-ups and sit-ups so I can come back to riding stronger! My advice is to use the one opportunity each day for some riding but also one of the requests from Orange is to not put yourself at risk so as not to put any pressure on the NHS if things go wrong!
Pete: I have tried to get out once a day but generally some picturesque rides along the Kennet and Avon canal going past Bradford-on-Avon, just to try and maintain some fitness. I usually end up doing about 15 to 20 miles!
Nice! So simple rides, no big jumps and plenty of discipline off of the bike! I like it, I think we can all cope with that! So, Harry, when I was in school, I struggled to think about anything other than bikes. How are you finding it being a highly capable rider and knowing you still have to focus on the normal life stuff?
Yeah it is difficult not to be too distracted but I realise that very few people can make a living from riding bikes, so I still want to work hard and get some good exam results next year!
Music to my ears, we have to remember to be the best we can in all aspects of life! Before I let you both get back to our new normality, is there anyone you would like to shout out?
Harry: Obviously a big shout out to Orange Bikes and Ben Moore Racing for the opportunity that they have given me. Also a big shout out to all the MTB riders who have been friendly, supportive and offered advice.
Pete: A big shout out to Harry, who amazes me every time we get out on the bikes! To say that I'm a proud Dad would be a huge understatement! I can't wait to see what he does with his huge talent in the future. Rampage and Hardline don't seem that far fetched now that I've seen his progress so far!
Thank you guys for taking the time out to let us in on what's been going on and where to keep an eye out for you next!
You can keep up with Harry on Instagram, here.
Big props to Darren Cordingley Photography for the use of his photos and his dedication to action sports media!
Also to Ben Moore Racing for being a real one and passing on knowledge to help younger riders & open doors for the up & coming talent!
Stay safe everyone and I look forward to catching up with all you guys soon!
Interview: Mitch Brooks Photography: Darren Cordingley
I have been wide open lately trying to create a brand that treats people how we like to be treated. This comes from being fed up with giving our hard-earned cash to people who don't do their jobs properly and ruin your weekend, week, month, sometimes even your race season just for a little financial gain. I have been excited in the past to have work done by people & paid over the odds only to be disappointed by absolutely shocking work. I won't shout about it, but if you tell me you're going there I'll tell you what happened :)
Anyhow, I shout people out when they are good to me, simply because its free and the least I could do to repay them. Read that a few times, let it sink in...
I headed up to MotoXtreme to pick up some goggles a while back before my trip to California, I have been running the same goggles since 2012, I'm a little superstitious so if my kit ain't broke I don't fix it! I bumped into my boy Jordan who was there picking up a KTM 250 2 stroke, if you have been keeping up you'll know I was best man at his wedding recently, I managed to not dribble down myself doing my speech, so regardless of whatever came out of my mouth, that's a win for me!
What I didn't know at the time was Jordan had some plans for that bike, he is currently injured & out for the majority of the season, although now he's probably not going to miss much! I went out riding in California to keep myself in the loop while not having a bike, you have to do what you can when you love it & honestly, I got about as much ride time out there in 10 days as I do in 6 months here so by the end of the trip I felt ready to go!
The plan with the bike was the thing that choked me up, Jordan decided he would rather see me race it than just let it sit in the garage! He called me up & asked if I was interested & as long as I covered the maintenance costs, its mine to ride for the year! So California became a bit of a boot camp for me, I had to be steady not to get too excited as I had something to work towards now! To be fair, I think he was trying to butter me up so I was nice to him in the speech but I'm gonna let him have this one. Jord, you're a real one. I don't even know what to say but thank you from the bottom of my heart. You're still a bellend though!
So, MotoXtreme...
Tom has been watching me pop in and out of his shop every other year scratching my head & looking after me & the boys whenever he can, he never tells you he has something if he can't get it. straight shooter, all you can ask for in a shop. I never forget people who look after me even if it's in the smallest ways, MotoXtreme has always been somewhere I've felt welcome, even back when I was 15 & I spoke with gun fingers pointing out like a badman rummaging through his stock he had my back & didn't take the piss pulling my family's pants down when they went to pay for work on my bike. You see where I'm going with this!
I have never owned a brand new bike, I'm the hand me down king, give me an old bike & it motivates me to smoke the new bikes, one thing that sucks is when you buy a second-hand bike you can never be too sure of the life it has had. Now I have finally learned through seeing my friend very hurt after a bike let go right away, that you should strip it down for peace of mind & get the motor some new bits to be sure. Not only will this help you, but it will also take the strain off of the guys you bought the bike from. Big shout out to the man on the spanners, Jordans dad David & Jordan himself as I'm pretty useless on the tools, they stripped this thing down and built it back up for me! Some people go the extra mile, some people have no limits...
Back to the shop subject, you don't want a bike breaking on you, neither do they, so get it rebuilt as well as you can so the responsibility is no longer on them, after all, most of the time they have bikes in the store that are customers they are simply helping to move their old bikes on. Peace of mind for all & no bad vibes! success!
Thanks to everyone who is helping me do what I love right now, even if it's just a pat on the back or a share of my page, I have been trying to get more people riding bikes since I got the opportunity myself & being able to share what I'm doing with others is the icing on the cake to an amazing little story of my own. I appreciate you all!
Anyway, here's a little story in a video, I hope you like it! I'm going to buy a new song to edit to now, I think its time you heard something new!
Please keep sharing my posts, it helps me reach out to more people, myself & my wee team are only trying to do good things! & don't forget to check out the store!
Catch you soon
Mitch
Summit Moto
www.motoxtreme.co.uk
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I've been working on ideas for a while to support some riders, as I said in my last post I've been working on some things with Christian Dresser out in the USA who's a talented 18-year-old who's pushing himself to get the most out his talent...
Now, I play a lot of sports outside of bikes, Football & Basketball are my favorites! Being involved in those sports gave me an understanding of how players & teams benefit from letting people wear replica jerseys. so here is my plan!
A fair few years ago I was racing at a track in Wiltshire called Bushton, a track that had claimed 2 of my biggest off's but that's another story! I was messing about in the pits with a friend of mine Matt who helps a young lad called Tremaine who reminds me of me! He can't sit still for 5 minutes, talks more than your mother on the phone to her mates & loves riding his bike more than anyone on the track! He runs the number 117 like his favourite 2 riders Matt & Jordan Ridgeway & I have got him a set of jerseys to race in this year! This is where you guys come into it...
Basically, nobody wants to wear a motocross jersey on a hot summer day at the pub to show off their favourite rider like you would say, Christiano Ronaldo with a football tee, but who doesn't love a basketball jersey! I'm hoping to attract more people into the bike world, even if it's just to watch some crazy kids on a weekend & this is my plan to bring us all together from all sports and learn to appreciate the difference rather than slate it.
Next Monday I'll be taking orders for a select few people's numbers on jerseys who I feel deserve some fans & support! £5 from each jersey sold will go to the rider in question & I'll be documenting their progress on social media so you can keep up with your favorites like you would those guys who run around kicking a bag of air!
Hopefully, young riders like Tre will see people in the street & in the pits running their jersey & boost their confidence as well as having some backing! he's a bit of a terror in school due to his, shall we say "overactive" mind. The guys at Unity Road Motorcycles in Keynsham, bristol already have a problem on their hands with rebuilding a motor that let go on him yesterday & this could really change things for the better!
So, If you're down with the movement and are keen to help me make a positive impact on some riders' lives while keeping up with them like we do the footballers, keep an eye on the socials for the first gang we are ready to support!
I wanna see some festival shots too!
Much Love
Mitch
Summit Moto
#WeChooseLife
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So, I have been so busy lately I can't keep track of what I was going to do last but I do have some cool updates to talk about! This is a bit of a read but it will hopefully help you understand who we are! So it's worth a few minutes if I do say so myself, don't forget to check the video links afterward!
First of all, THE MISSION...
What I am trying to do is set an example. Now, that may seem to you like I think I know it all & that's where I come into my own, I really don't know it all, what I do know, however, is that if a brand supports a group of riders in the right way, the ripple effect is incredible. I also know that if you team up with passionate leading experts in their fields, you can turn hobbies into careers. Simply adding friendly professionalism and taking away some of the rigidity that comes with having to push yourself is where we stand in this market.
We have @gainz_gymaine who is the most incredible personal trainer working out of Baker street London fitness first. He's an all-natural PT that has been changing lives and training a few Saudi Princes! He has just started his online page where we can get workout ideas simply by watching his Instagram tutorials FOR FREE! yes I said FREE! Not to mention his normal page, that will coach your mind. your mind is the most powerful thing to get right!
We have also teamed up with Adam Dyer of @Always_Developing41 who is a Sports Scientist dedicated to bringing the best out of your body and mind while racing bikes, a talented Motocross and BMX Rider who I personally feel was the missing link to my success, luckily I have him with me now! He currently coaches a few MX riders and regularly spends time at the track helping them understand the whole package, not just sit ups!
Whilst out in California I met a young rider, Christian Dresser. I had been trying to get all the jumps dialled in a Fox raceway (Pala) when he passed me, did an oppo whip and took off like I was stood still. Not knowing who he was while very much understanding the skill I just witnessed, I took a sharp left to the pits, took my helmet off and grabbed my camera. he is in this video on the Kawasaki, (green bike for you non moto heads) ;)
I started filming him on this one jump, if you scroll through the Instagram you'll find the vid, if you read this right away, ill share it to the story. Me and his father who had an iPhone and was trying desperately to get some sick shots of the Florida boy out on their trip to gain some exposure started talking. I say talking, he wouldn't stop thanking me. I couldn't quite understand why he was thanking me at the time, but it was nice to have some polite people around that was for sure!
His dad, who is admittedly his #1 fan, had driven him to California from Florida, to ride and hopefully catch a few peoples eye in hope that it would help his sons career. the racing game in the US is so so so tough to be the top, just in the amateur ranks, it had cost him thousands and thousands of dollars over the years, all to end up with just the skill that he has. to me, this is criminal & if you had seen him ride in the UK he is all you would be talking about!
When he pulled into the pits I headed over for a chat, he told me his story, I told him mine and my ambitions, added him on the gram, gave him a Tee to rep & took off back to the CMH house to make a short vid for him for his Instagram. It wasn't too great, I'm still very new to it. I promised I would keep sharing his stuff so that hopefully, all the UK 2 wheeled enthusiasts would get to know who he was! I couldn't get over how humble this 18-year-old lad was after throwing a 450 around like that. A LOT of people in the UK need his attitude. Anyway, I won't get into negatives ;) @christiandresser on Instagram, go follow him, flick through his vids & you'll understand!
Wow, I should do this more so I don't get hit with so much to type at once, so BMX!
Crucial BMX Shop let me show off my merch this weekend at Round one of the UK National series, they are family to me. Now, the UK scene is having a bit of a crisis, the ELITE riders are getting a grand total of £150 for risking their lives racing their bikes to beat absolutely everyone in the country. Not to mention, they ride and train in manchester full time, I'm not exactly sure about the wages, but where do they go afterward? They don't earn enough to set them up for life and they might not even make it through next weekend. This is a government-funded sport that leaves its riders with a broken body and a ticket back to Peckham to figure it out themselves. I say Peckham, I mean wigan and a few other places too, I just relate to Peckham so its easier for me to talk about. Paddy Sharrocks skill and style on a bike is a uncomparable in my opinion but he's a Wigan lad, ain't been so I can't tell you what's up! I do know that if he has to find a job when he's finished racing that isn't passing on his knowledge, the worlds gonna get slower and stiffer!
Our sports actually breed winners of working-class people, there is a grit and determination needed to risk your life to go so fast just to win a race. For me, It comes from having nothing and wanting to better my life. I genuinely feel lucky to have not "made it" in motocross, or BMX right now, I'm disgusted I am even saying that. I was convinced as a kid that if I rode fast enough, showed a good attitude and was polite to everyone, someone would see my potential & help me out.
What I got instead was my friend's parents doing just that. If you know me, everything you have seen came from my friend's parents taking over from my grandad who was taking me racing in a Vauxhall Agila with a trailer & a BMX rack on top. I can guarantee now I have the greatest extended family through bikes that you could ever ask for. My friends & their families are hands down the best people on this Earth. Period.
People where me, the Whyte Brothers & I'm sure a lot of other people especially that are excelling in the BMX world in the UK battle crime, gangs, all sorts of nonsense. My High school girlfriend's ex-boyfriend was stabbed and killed by the time we had hit college. A very good childhood friend of mine from football was beaten up and killed at the age of 17. My high school police officer had his leg broken by the students in the year above me. Some of us come from a world you would call Hell. I personally got lucky, I was at the skatepark. I met some cool people from different areas that I could meet and we rode out bikes until we couldn't see the jumps anymore. It sounds far fetched but I have witnessed Michael Pusey MBE change an inner city 90s pump track into an Olympic facility and turn some "hoodrats" into the people your kids are aspiring to be today. So it is possible! anything is possible.
I currently can't afford a motocross bike, I could have but this is more important. Luckily for me again, my boy Jordan has 2 bikes, he's injured & bored so I'm racing his, we fixed the motor that broke on him in the air and sent him over the bars absolute smashing his shoulder to sand! What I have done is helped Christian out in the US fund an Advert video to help blow him up and gain some exposure for the brand. I can't begin to explain how excited i am to see it later this year!
I have also decided that I am going to sponsor the UK BMX series with £75 every weekend they have a national as a start, I'm guessing unofficially, towards the elite riders payout purse. I'm hoping the loyal fans of the sport will put their hands in their pockets as it will be inside a donation tin, even if you chuck a quid in, at the end of each day it can be shared out evenly to the winners. they deserve it, we love to watch them and they risk everything, don't leave them with nothing!
I see everyone moaning about our servicemen & women being ill-treated and I can't see this any differently, I work very hard as a safety net rigger but I can't do this on my own, your kids may be the beneficiaries of this movement. I am trying to change the culture, the stars deserve the fruits of their labor and we deserve to see them earn what they deserve for sometimes conquering the whole world, starting from Peckham! honestly, Quillan Isadore 16-year-old boys champion I think 2 years after he started racing? Tre Whyte ELITE WORLD #3, his brother Kye Whyte the current ELITE WORLD #5. When you have a minute, watch the Netflix Documentary "1 WayUp"
All you will see for the foreseeable future is me giving up my time to push riders who need it the most & document the sports we love to hopefully gain outside sponsors & support to change the lives of our talent, hopefully bringing opportunity to peoples lives in the industry. My wish from you is to enjoy the products that I have spent a lot of time and money creating to help me.
My extended family are awesome, they are spread all over the world and they always work together to achieve great things. That's how we got out of the gutter in the first place, let's make change, build some tracks & get some bikes for kids who need help! hopefully, more kids can ride away from trouble and explore the world too!
Travel & Ride!
Join the family, We Need You!
We Choose Life
Mitch
Summit Moto
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Day 2 of the BMX National Series.
Big shout out to our hosts www.CrucialBMXshop.com for all they continue to do for us and the sport, a BMX convienience store, highlight on the convenience to you, never forget the hard work they put in for you to have everything you need every time you head to the track. that dedication comes at a cost, their time!
Don't forget to subscribe to see where we are heading next!
Vitals on the music
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This time next week we will be doing the final prep for when this badass mofo turns into a wet wipe and gets married to the love of his life... I thought I knew him well, maybe he's still dizzy from this spin haha!
legally we can't marry our bikes so he's found himself a nice female to shack up with & he has asked me to be his best man! While I sit wondering what the hell I'm going to say for a speech that won't get us in trouble or bore the new half of his family with bike stories, here's a vid showing how much fun we have when we race.
I'm actually still bitter about this one, after seeing him on the deck I thought I had him covered... I'm never safe!
Next you see of us 2 together we'll be in some flash clobber dancing behind someone's nan with booze in one hand and food in the other!
Taadaa!
Mitch
]]>CMH taking me to the most fun track to ride so far! LACR is so sick, would be awesome to bang bars with your boys around here!
You wanna come & ride with me next year at CMH? Comment below!
Stick around to see the Creme da la cases...
Taadaa
Mitch
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