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From The Malverns Classic FB just now
"Sad News coming in today that we have lost the ‘Greatest Showman’ - Jumping Jez Avery (pictured on the right here next to Les Dalley).
Jez was at there at the beginning of MTB in the UK both racing and freestyling and was one of the very best.
I still can’t work out was he a better bike rider or comedian!!
Jez made it along to last years Malverns Classic and brought along his Bunny Hop kit so we could again run a bunny hop comp in typical Jez style with all his enthusiasm and banter!
Our thoughts and wishes are now with his daughter Olivia and all of his friends and family. May he rest in eternal peace.
A polite reminder, check in on your friends now, give them a call. This time of year can be tough."
I have just seen this, I’m in a bit of shock! My thoughts are with his friends and family. RIP Jez.
Just seen this as well. Really sad news.
Same here. Regular face in MBUK in the early 90s. Good memories of seeing him at the Malverns 96/97 ish.
Saw this earlier but I never want to be the one to post this type of thread.
He's from my part of the world and I used to see him cruising around on his polished Zaskar in the mbuk days. I tried to impress him with my wheelie skills at Seaburn beach.
Jez and JMC were the first 2 mountain bikers I knew.
oh shit that is sad news 🙁
i actually sent mr avery an email about 3-4 months ago hoping he was well and saying how much of a hero he was to us and he kindly replied back.
rip mr avery 🙁
I remember well his appearance in Dirt, one of the forerunners of the MTB films. He appeared like a time traveller from the future, head to toe armour and full sun Pro-Flex. The film hasn't aged well but, at the time, I watched it until the VHS tape wore out.
I missed it at the time but this is a tough read.
https://singletrackmag.com/2019/06/singletrack-magazine-issue-125-tears-of-a-clown-jez-avery/
Look after your mates everyone, lots of people need all the help they can get.
RIP...a great showman. Some great old pics on this part of his website
https://www.jezavery.co.uk/about-jez/
That’s terrible news. A proper legend of mountain biking. Thinking of his family.
That’s horrible horrible news. He, along with JMC and Dave Hemming, were the riders who really drove the UK scene in the early days. Inspired a whole generation.
Love to his close family and friends.
(photo from 93 or 94 Malverns)
Went to school with Jez. Fond memeries of a group of us building ramps with a sheet of ply and some bricks and Jez jumping over us other Evel Kneival style. RIP fella.
That 2019 article is tough. RIP Jez.
When I was 18/19 (1986/87) I worked at a short lived MTB shop in Morpeth run by Frank. As well as some seriously high end bikes that it sold (Funks, Klein’s, Pace RC100), Jez used to drop in regularly and we’d ask him to do bunny hops in the precinct outside the shop. Amazing rider and nice guy.
RIP Jez, thanks for the memories
It's all been said above really. What an impact he had on the scene back in the 90s! Such a sad loss.
Anyone else remember Jez vs JMC at Hamsterly NEMBA evening slalem?
Jez could ride a bike alright. Magic times.
Seen him a few times, remember him in the magazines and I have a vague recollection of meeting him.
That 2019 article really strikes some person notes too and good for him to speak so openly.
RIP.
Remember the Hamsterly dual race, but can’t remember who won! Jez was everything that was great about early 90s mountain biking. As juvenile racers at the time he was the guy we all wanted to be. Absolutely gutted to hear of his passing. RIP Jez.
Only saw his show last year, he was great with the crowds. RIP. 🙁
As others have said, he was a staple of my teenage MTB world, one of the superstars for a starstruck lad. Then he pops up performing at Pately Show a few years back and I was a starstruck teen all over again.
Ride free Jez.
Rip Jez. Sad, sad news. He was the 'Danny MacAskill' of my early mtb years and I looked on in awe at his skills
So sad ?
most of us who remember the 90’s and mbuk in its prime years will recall him fondly.
Si Paton has started a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses - https://gofund.me/28fbfa8e
The film hasn’t aged well
Dirt is still my top MTB film of all time. I might watch it later, RIP Jez 🙁
Donated .
RIP Big Man
I am very saddened to hear this news. Jez was one of the stars in that early Golden Era of British mountain biking.
I saw Jez at a few recent events and spoke to him at the Malverns - he was approachable, also self-deprecating and very funny.
He was a key figure I remember well from the early days of the UK MTB scene.
Thinking of his friends and family.
Edit. Apologies, I didn’t see the Gi Fund Me link posted earlier in the thread.
There is a Go Fund Me that has been set up to help pay for his funeral.
Very sad news, he was definitely a big part of British MTB back in the 90's. I remember sheltering with him, amongst others from the rain at Eastridge back in 1994 before the Dual Slalom. A real character, kept everyone entertained while we waited for the rain to pass. I seem to remember he rode pretty much the whole track backwards!
Also met JMC at that same race so it was definitely a weekend to remember (I have my signed program framed on my office wall).
RIP Jez
So it turns out that this news really bothered me a lot more than it should have. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I've bumped into Jez a few times but I couldn't call him a mate and I didn't 'know' him.
It did prompt me to make a doctors appointment to talk about my own mental health. I wasn't sure what would happen next but I've just been on the phone for half an hour with my GP answering a lot of really awkward questions and saying a lot of stuff out loud for the first time ever.
Now I've got a list of recommended actions and a follow up appointment for next month.
Every year I wish I'd done something or spoken to someone and I never have. I've always just tried to ride it out but it doesn't get any easier. Just like Jez I really struggle a lot in the winter when it's cold and dark and the past couple of months have been rough.
I'm only 20 years late making the first move but if I can do anything to level out my mood and stop the lows from being so bloody low it'll be a good start.
Well done on taking that first step sharkattack - hope it all works out for you 🙂
RIP Jez.
Feels apt to watch this tonight:
(Jez section from 15:35)
p.s. Hope you're doing OK sharkattack.