This weeks Dirty Dozen guest is Keswick’s finest and new Hope Factory race team member Mr Gas To Flat himself, Adam Brayton.
(Stay tuna’d for an exclusive Brayton edit dropping in to Dirt at the end of the week, it’s a classic!)
First up, are you musical? I know it’s got nothing to do with bikes…but can you sing or twang the guitar or the bassoon or something?
I can sing pretty well, might take that up or Enduro when I retire.
This new Hope Factory Specialized S-Works Demo 8 looks a bit posh. Tell me all about it? How did the deal come about?
It’s bling isn’t it!? Gwin rang me up and said it made his look stock…Sorry Bud! Only joking.
I got to choose the bike I wanted to ride, if I was to buy a bike, this is what I would buy; it’s the best on the market in my eyes.
The story behind the deal is a long one but basically I have Matt Rushton to thank.
Hope didn’t have me on board again for 2012 but I kept using their product I had from 2011, my brakes needed a service and Matt got them sorted, he asked if Hope we sorting me out and I said no, a week later Woody (from Hope) got in touch and helped me out with some product, then I did ok in two BDS rounds and we started talking about potentially doing something for 2013…
Who else is with you?
Sponsor wise we also have, Five Ten, Scott, Shimano, Go Pro, WTB, Fox Racing Shox, Renthal and Fox Head.. I think that’s it?
What’s your racing schedule this year then?
Pretty packed out! The World Cup, BDS, National Champs, Crankworx and maybe the Megavalanche.
Tell me about your day job? What do you do? Much work about?
Day job is 8 to 4.30, five days a week. I work as an electrician and have loads of work about at the moment, so shout out to Conrad my boss, think I would of struggled the last few seasons without him and were snowed under at the moment, no recession up North.
You’ve had some big ol crashes in your time, where are you at with injury at the moment? Everything working okay now or a few niggles?
Yeah, hell do we have to talk about them!? Some I haven’t even spoke about, they’re in the past, you have to learn what you can and bash on. Still don’t think I’ve learnt though, took one of my biggest slams three months back and I’ve been off the DH’er all that time, there will be a video clip of it kicking about soon! But that one took my collarbone out for the third time and some shoulder stuff, I won’t bore you. I feel great at the moment though, back into training and working hard.
How do you balance work and training/racing? As well as finding the time it must be difficult financially when you get injured, you know, not being able to work?
Honestly when I think about it, there isn’t really a balance in my eyes, if you need money then you have to work, there’s not many Elite guys who do work and I don’t know how they do it. One thing for me though, I like the regime it keeps me in, everything is set out every week I know exactly what I’m doing, where and when. I found that when I wasn’t working you end up dossing about and no one rides through the week at home, there’s only so much you can do in the gym, on the roadie, whatever. This year though I’m in a great position with the best support I’ve ever had, something like that with the people I have around me doesn’t hurt my confidence.
Are you “Gas To Flat” or “Eskiboy” these days? Where did both those nicknames come from?
Eskiboy came from Earthed, the wild days! Gas to Flat, got to give some credit to my mate Gas for this one, but this is how it came about. Now this might upset some people but I invented Huck to Flat, I never got any credit for that one so I had to come up with something new, anyway Gas one day kept landing this double to flat and that’s how it came about, I know he created it but I named it!
What braaap bike have you got and how often do you get to race her? And who do you think will win the US 450 Supercross this year then?
Got myself a fresh KTM 350 sxf when I was off, only managed to get out on it a couple of times, dangerous things anyway, like a flag in the wind on it but it rips!
Davi Millsaps for the SX! Very dark horse, he wasn’t on anyone’s radar this season but he put a stormer in last year! 2nd overall!? Great to see someone else up there anyway, he’s a hard worker that’s what I like about him.
Will we be seeing any web edits from you this year?
Yeah there’s one coming out soon, I kind of backed off them for a while so it’ll be nice to come out with something fresh. Bearing in mind Gasers, I’ve been off the bike three months. So, nothing too wild!
Describe your riding style in five words?
Fast, Aggressive, One of a kind. Is that 6?
Tell us a funny story or a joke?
Haha my girlfriend’s dad had a funny one about Tesco burgers… Sorry it’s all I know!
“A guy goes into Tesco for a burger, he gets asked what he wants on it… A fiver each way he said”
Any last words?
Just the big thanks to everyone that’s supported me, Keith and Jon at Banshee, I had three great years with those guys and then on to everyone at Hope, really appreciate this opportunity they have given me and finally my family and friends. There really is a much bigger picture away from racing that no one gets to see, so everyone that’s been there along the way, Cheers!
