Why? It’s a powerful question that often leads to some of the most insightful stories that have shaped our human history and it’s the question we asked local riders here in South Wales. Since autumn last year we’ve been meeting bikers on the trails and pump tracks and asking them the simple question of why. This first series of Rise With Us seeks to unpack why rising to ride brings joy to people’s lives; it’s a personal yet inspiring decision to simply put foot to pedal and get outside. So, join us for a whistle stop tour of some inspiring stories of risers from across the South Wales corridor.
Chris Northover
The cliche ‘eat, sleep, breathe bikes’ is so overused in the two-wheeled world, but if there was ever someone to epitomise this quip, it is Chris. Based just outside of Senebridge, South Wales, Chris has been riding bikes for as long as he can remember. From jumping off old kitchen cupboard doors stacked on bricks in his parents back garden to downhill racing in his mid teens and obsessing over legends such as Martin Ashton, Martin Hawes and Chris Akrigg, Chris now coaches, test rides and presents for a TV channel.
“If there are wheels involved, I’ll try and do it for a living that’s for sure!”
He truly is a fount of knowledge built on a deep foundation of experience. Chris is also one of the smiliest and most joyful riders you’ll ever meet on a wet, windy and muddy trail. We asked Chris what mountain biking brings to his life, his answer was simple:
“Cycling makes me feel, tired, wet, cold and ridiculously happy. That’s probably the most honest answer I can give you. I’ve always ridden bikes; it’s been a huge part of my life. I don’t know how to explain how it makes me feel as I can’t imagine my life without it. It’s just what I do!
Today I’ve been riding a Merida E140, trail e-bike. I use that as my go-to-ride-anywhere-bike. It tackles gnarly descents and it tackles uphills. It’s not the most aggressive bike but it’s a great do-anything bike and it’s the one that makes me smile for exploring.
When I’m not on that I’ll normally be on a little jump bike. I like riding skate parks and jump parks; that’s the other end of the spectrum. So I jump from the E140 Merida to a DMR sect little short travel hardtail jump bike and I’ve also randomly got an old 1999 GT Karakoram cross country bike that is actually still good enough to put a smile on my face! So it’s a bit old, bit of new, bit of jumps and a bit of e-bike.
If I’ve got a day off and I want to go riding it’s normally the mountain behind my house. Just big open moorland, tracks that no one else rides and sketchy, slippery and technical stuff that all my friends moan about but that’s my idea of fun! Getting stuck hiking, bike on my back and clambering up a rock face, that’s a great place to be!”
“It’s a simple one. Honestly, the fitness side is great, especially once you get to a certain age, in your 30s, and you start feeling guilty of every burger and every pint of beer… cycling eases that out. It gives you guilt free burgers! That’s probably one of the best things about mountain biking. But seriously, I just love being out and exploring the countryside. I keep looking and I haven’t yet found a better way to explore an area than particularly an e-mountain bike now.
I’ve done quite a lot of riding in the Algarve in the South of Portugal. It’s nice riding a totally different terrain that takes you a day to get your head around. Living in Wales, it’s great to ride somewhere where you don’t have to wash your bike every day: that’s a rare treat! But I’d have to be honest, the more I travel riding the more I realise how lucky we are here. The riding near home is so good that I like to see other places but I’m never disappointed when I come home.”
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