I think so. I have always had a strong fitness and really enjoyed racing XC around Scotland. Combining this with my DH background and love of riding trail bikes, I have got good start on my enduro campaign.
Do you feel you have better physiology for enduro than DH?I am naturally a scrawny wee bam pot so this should suit enduro better. The difference is made in aerobic fitness rather than all–out strength and power, so it naturally suits me, however I think you can be good at both with specific training.
What are your weaknesses on a bike?Hardpack! Going round a turn and not drifting feels weird. I did an Urban DH once and did terribly.
Been doing World Cups since 2006, that’s a fair bit of travelling.Living in north Scotland does involve a lot of traveling. Lots of trips in the van with Ferg over to Europe. We started with a 1980’s fold out map of the whole of Europe, missing half the roads and having to resort to smelling our way about…50mph max, and off the toll roads to save money. It took a while but we made it. The traveling has created many a good story and I have seen loads of great car parks at the races. It’s between the races when you see the places and get a chance to explore.
What prompted the move from MTB Cut?Supply and demand baeys (boys in Scottish…in case you didn’t know).
Orange bikes, stood you well over the years, will a new bike make you faster?Orange have definitely shaped how I ride and I feel very comfortable on their bikes. A new bike for me is not a problem though. Quite simply keeping it fresh is fun. Just a new set of grips or a gear cable makes me feel good and ride well. Ridiculous I know. I have done some good testing on Canyon bikes and feel comfortable already so don’t fear the change at all and I can’t wait for that new feeling.
Did you consider a move to companies other than Canyon?From the day Stu (Thomson) from MTBcut phoned me five years ago and asked if I could ride for him, I have never looked elsewhere for a ride and just planned to keep things good with MTBcut. This year was different with all the enduro hype and so I put out a few feelers after the season. The response was incredible and many people just assumed I was contracted to Orange. I had my notebook on overdrive with pros and cons of different options. And, after a trip to Germany to meet the bosses, it all fell into place with Canyon.
What are your thoughts on wheel sizing? 650B or 29?For me it is pretty simple. 29″ for XC bikes, 650B for trail bikes/Enduro racing and 26″ for DH. This works well for chain stay length in relation to travel and also wheel flex.
Hmm, OK. There’s a considerable advantage in running bigger wheels. What will you be racing?I am still in testing at the moment, but I think the above will be something to aim for in the not too distant future.
What about the less brutal events. 29?For a wee ba’s like myself, running the big wheels would have to be on a pretty tame course, so I can’t see it happening just now.
Did you consider the 147mm Five 29 compared to a 160mm 650 Strive in terms of speed? Ha ha…sorry…Didn’t cross my mind. Anything is possible with a welding jig or a carbon mould.
Your strength has to be technical terrain surely? Those practice tracks in and around the Fort are pretty rough? You have a fair few?We pride ourselves on showing visitors trails that will scare them. They are definitely some of the most technical trails I have ridden. We have a good crew of people to build trails with and we always like to push things on. Each new trail built gets more and more awkward, with less and less flow. If you spend a week putting it together like a puzzle you can crack the code and smash it. I always look forward to very technical terrain at a race. Introduce to word awkward and I am away. This ties in with my fear of hardpack.
Your home of Fort William, many a night have Dirt readers spent on those streets. You’re not a boozer?No, it’s not for me. I am not the most social and would never go out in town. It’s the same for all my friends at home, none of us are drinkers and instead consume a vast quantity of Irn Bru. People reading this will probably know Fort William High Street better than I do.
You can win this World Enduro series right?It is looking very Euro at the moment with the majority of races being classics for the French, so it will be hard to topple them all. The stars have lined up for me so far, so it’s definitely time to step on it and make it happen. I am already pushing my training and can’t wait to get in and amongst it this summer.
