Pro Bike Chris Akrigg – Mongoose Trials bike
Pro Bike Chris Akrigg - Mongoose Trials bike
I’ve known Chris for knocking on 15 years now and after all that time going riding with him still blows my mind. There aren’t many people that just ride their bikes, completely outside the glare of racing and events to make their living. After 10 years riding trials and clocking up 6 National titles he knocked that part of his career on the head a few years back now to concentrate on riding different bikes.
The thing with Chris Akrigg is that he can adapt, and do it in the blink of an eye when compared to the time it takes most other riders to master similar skills. He nailed the fixed gear freestyle thing in pretty much a day, blew us all away with films like A Hill in Spain and Trail Trials and then went on to take part in Road Bike Party 2 alongside Martyn Ashton and Danny MacAskill after Martyn’s accident back in 2013.
Where it all started
All this came from some humble beginnings. Chris Akriggs’s roots are in Yorkshire and more deeply in the grit of riding motorbike trials, streams, gully’s and shitty muddy banks were all navigated by Chris’ dad Bob Akrigg in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Going along with his old man to trials meant riding his pushbike around copying what Bob was doing. From then it just snowballed and Chris was riding all over the world competing, that has taken him to where he is now with Mongoose. It’s worth remembering that Chris Akrigg only turned full time pro 5 years ago at 32 when a lot of riders are thinking of winding down he was a coiled spring. All his riding before that was done whilst working at a bike shop six days a week.
Riding a whole range of bikes and making some of the most inventive bike videos we see online there’s a lot more to Chris Akrigg than you might think but we have a feature coming up soon on that. For now lets take a look at his latest trials bike, the thing that he’s enjoying riding the most at the moment and from a quick chat this morning it seems like there is a video coming soon on this very bike.
About the bike
How would you describe your riding style?
Calculated and smooth with a potential to be wild and aggressive
Is it a ‘straight out of the box’ frame or are we talking a ‘custom build’ here?
It’s a total one off custom
How did the frame come about?
Basically the trials bike I had I’d had for a million years and then I jumped off a cliff on her, although she was mostly intact I though it was time for her to retire. The frame I had made was pretty much a identical copy, if its not broke n all that.
Tell us about the special stuff you’ve got going on here? Any top–secret stuff?
Nothing to fancy really, its as basic as possible, that’s whats great about it!
Setup
How would you describe this bike’s set–up?
Old school trials
What about tyres?
Yep, two of them (Maxxis)
What do you feel is the most important part on your bike and why?
The frame, it’s the heart of the bike and its got such a good feel to it. Can’t beat a good bit of steel between ya legs!
You got any idea of the weight of this bike?
No. Its not crazy light or anything its just right.
Do you go in for Titanium bolts or any lightweight bits and bobs?
Not really, but I do have a Ti seat bolt, dead posh me!
Do you go through many parts? You must have bust some stuff up?
To be honest I’m pretty light on parts, I guess I’ve been doing it for a while and that gives you an idea what’s going to fuck ya bike. I normally when I’m doing something if there’s potential for bike destruction, I call it a bike thirsty line! That’s not to say I avoid it!
If you could change one thing about the bike what would it be?
To be honest I wouldn’t change it.
RIDING
What does riding a trials bike mean to you?
I just fucking loves it! When people talk about “ it’s the way I express myself” and“ it’s a extetion of my body” and all that shit! Well trials is sort of that to me I guess.
Why did you stop riding in trials competitions?
Was just over it, I rode comps for ten years! You’ve changed, you used to be so much fun
What do you think of trials as a discipline now?
I don’t really, I do my thing and that’s it.
Do you miss competing?
Thinking about yes, because I have so many good memories then comps and bikes changed and fucked the job for me!
Is this a bike you ride a lot with most of your videos being on different bikes?
I don’t ride it as much as I’d like that’s for sure, and everytime I jump back on her its like going home and then I realise how hard trials is and how harsh my bike is to ride, but I love it.
You went brakeless on your trials bike a few years back, what was the thinking behind that?
I was coming back from injury and was struggling for motivation so when I built my bike up I just left the brakes off to just spice things up. I learnt a lot from that experiment!
How much of your style was influenced by motorbike trials?
Shit loads, when I’m riding I’m just thinking motorcycle trials, I still make moto noises when I ride.
What or who is your biggest inspiration at the moment?
No single thing really, I get motivated by people getting motivated.
Do you think you will ever stop riding?
The only real plan is when my body or mind is over riding push bikes then I’ll probably just go back to riding motorcycles.
SPEC
Frame (and size) small and fast
Fork Alloy trials
Stem PRO FRS 70mm
Headset Hope
Grips Renthal
Bars PRO FRS 800mm (cut?) 40mm rise
Brakes XTR
Saddle some BMX thing
Crank XT 175mm
Bash ring Custom made
BB XT
Ring XT 22Teeth
Chain some bmx thing
Pedals Hope
Wheelset Shimano hubs on some rims
Tyres Maxxis
Tubes Rubber ones
SEE ALSO
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Greg Minnaar wins men’s Fort William World Cup
Loic Bruni to miss Fort William and Leogang after training crash
