[Closed] Who's the "best" rider you've ever ridden with??

Mark Papworth @ Ciclo Montana, all day long.

Easy one for me. Back in 2012 I spent a week in Les Arcs and our guide's deputy was this young lad, Drew Carters:

http://mpora.com/videos/AAdaprt27cxc

Never, ever seen such total and utter pinned commitment exhibited, other than actually watching DH races.

Mark Papworth @ Ciclo Montana, all day long.

Thirded.

He just doesn't make mistakes on the nastiest of technical trails around there... effortless, flawless, tough as nails. Top bloke too.

stevomcd

I really on local knowledge and sneakiness to stay in front and sometimes not even that works!

I did consider nominating you actually Stevo, but what swung it, is that i have actually seen you fall off, unlike Alex!! Although to be fair, it was caused by you using that "local" knowledge of yours to ride pretty much straight off a 6foot drop into an immediate 90 right, on a narrow ledge, with a 50foot 50deg slope running down away from it. The power of Peer Pressure eh! Good times 😉

a few for megeoff gullivich wade simmons. , jcl, gw from here paul lasenby and skip but the best all round rider i have ever ridden with is stuart rider from riderscyclecenter

Apart from my mate John and his Bro in law.

Probably Guy Martin. Perhaps "rode with ", is a bridge to far, we chatted on course at mountain mayhem a few years ago. I say chatted. He spoke clearly, whilst I wheezed a lot and he pedalled away from me .

So the best voted riders seems to be between Steve Peat or Binners.

Does Steve Peat have 'Greggs' logo's on his frame?

'Nuff said. 😀

Ben Morgan.

He rode down, back up, down again. This was by the time I was still mincing down the first run. Mad skills and balls of steel.

Errr. Too hard to choose to be honest.
I'm lucky enough to be friends with a few excellent (pro) riders.
If we're naming names then pick whoever you think is best
Glen coe
Tom dowie
Matt Jones
Jon Jones
8)

Tandem Crit raced against the late Zac Carr with Anthony Kappes on the back of the tandem I was piloting with other Paralympic gold medalists in the bunch

TTed against Alex Dowsett (well the same TT) and Dr Hutch 😉

Steve Peat [b]and his son[/b] Josh Bryceland

Was on the uplift with Rowan Sorrell once, does that count? 😉

Likewise I was sitting on my bike in Peaslake when Brendan Fairclough comes by. Counts as riding with him? 😛

But really, anyone riding with me is better than me, so hard to pick out a best.

Back in 199-something, the old Moore-Large race series at Kielder.
The Enduro (not what we know and love today, but a checkpointed, map reading, multi-disciplined thing aroung the reservoir) in a group of four.

No idea who the other two chaps were, but the lady was the Raleigh team rider Caroline Alexander. The teenage me remembers that very well.

So, no one ridden with surfmat then? or Elbry? or even richmtbguru? Or the greatest rider ever to grace STW with his rad skillz...

...pussywillow?

(for the unfamiliar... http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/are-you-a-serp-rider-morzine-content )

Hans Rey at a GT launch, we all went out for a ride with him, chilled bloke, happy to just be out on a bike.

Definitely either my mate Gulson or Ali Clarkson!

Ridden with Brendog a couple of times along with his brother christian and the guys from the LBS. Really nice sociable lot and the LBS guys are just as handy as Brendan on the local trails.

the best all round rider i have ever ridden with is stuart rider

Can't quite put my finger on it but it's almost as if he has some sort of advantage...

I was working at an event with Danny Mac once, he was doing his thing and I probably rode my bike on the pump track at some point, that counts in my book. I've ridden with a couple of the others mentioned here, one didn't live up to his myth, he could have done with knocking a few thousand miles off what he claimed to have ridden that year and practised his basic skills. The other one is pretty good especially considering the state of his bike, too small is just the start of it.

I've ridden with Elbry a number of times, actually a nice chap despite his rep on the forums; I can say the same about Doddy from MBUK magazine too.

I always enjoy it when we get someone keen join our club, and they find out that Paolo used to race at national level. He's a lovely bloke, but he also knows exactly how far to string the try-hards along before nonchalantly dropping them and making it look easy

Probably, and in all seriousness, GW...

In fairness it's probably a close call between binners and Ian Pendry from Altitude Adventure (8th in veterans class at this years Mega)

Is that the Ian Pendry who used to work for Scott UK...? If so - a really nice guy too.

Honourable mentions from me must be my old friend Little Ian. Riding with him was always an education and he always wanted to get the best out of you - for you. Other than that watching my kid bro start to session drops and quickly getting to reliably and quietly land 12 feet drops on a mid '90's XC hardtail was a bit of an education.

I have Ridden with MotoGP's Scott Redding too. I beat him downhill, but only because I knew the way and he didn't! He is immensely talented on anything with two wheels, can manual soooo naturally and smoothly, very fast, fit and fearless. Looking forward to seeing if he can get nearer to Marquez next year, he might need a shrink-Ray though coz he's a lanky git!

My kids have ridden motorbikes with Scott Redding 😀

Ffion Griffiths, Emmeline Ragot (when she was wearing the rainbow jersey)

although to be fair, and accurately truthful, we dumped the bikes in the KTM pits and walked the track, whilst Emmeline rode it.

Rob Warner, got a lift in his van as well. Mad/funny bastard.

Probably Joe Barnes for an example of impeccable bike handling talent , I was asked to take Jonsey (Dirt mag) and a few folk out round Kirroughtree and show them the best bits for a Dirt Magazine Photoshoot back in 2007, (august 2007 mag edition).

The riders were Stu Thomson ([url= http://www.cutmedia.com ]Cut Media[/url]), Liam Moyniham and Joe Barnes, watching Joe, Stuart and Liam hop and bounce all over McMoab at warp speed was an eye opener to real bike handling skills and the couple of hours we spent sessioning other parts of the black trail just left me feeling so inadequate riding my bike (albeit it was a rigid ss), i previously thought i was a decent enough rider as i was able to hold down a sub 2 hr lap of the entire trail without putting a foot down but the way they all attacked and just made their own lines (or cleared entire sections without a thought) down some of the rockier sections made a complete and utter mockery of my riding skills and it left me in awe.

Stu was just starting his MTB Cut TV filming company at the time, Liam was feeling pretty ill on the day but if that's how he rides when feeling ill i'd hate to have him chase me down on the trails when he's feeling fit and Joe was something else, so unassuming looking but put him on a bike and WOW!.

Helluva nice folk to ride and a cracking day out, despite having rode round Kirroughtree hundreds of times beforehand (being a local), that day i had my arse firmly handed to me on a plate. 😀

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Sam hill.

If you can call getting passed "riding with", then John Tomac. I was riding with a couple of guys in Sand Canyon near Cortez, Colorado a few years ago and he overtook us about a third of the way up the canyon, then met us on his way back not long after we got past the halfway point. Sort of put our "epic" riding skills in perspective.

Used to race CX a bit, so have crossed paths with a few names. Biggest and best was prob Roger Hammond (former Junior World Champ, multiple British Nat Champ, 3rd in the Paris Roubaix etc) who showed up at a local race in the arse-end of Gloucester. Think he was in Cervelo Test Team colours at the time. I held him off for the first lap, too 🙂 Also Liam Killeen, Oli Beckingsale and Will Bjergfeldt at various local CX races. Tracey Moseley showed up at a race in Cheltenham and I think I lapped her two or three times. Paul Oldham, Rob Jebb, Nick Craig etc at Inter Areas.

Raced on the road (well, circuit race at Thruxton) against Marcin Bialoblocki in his first race on these shores. He lapped the entire field.

Best MTB rider I've ridden with socially is prob Chris Smith.

Graeme Obree. Lance Armstrong was also there, but he's not really all that good.

Chris Kovarik overtook me in the queue for the Pleney chairlift quite a few years ago, that was an impressive display of bike handling.

THere was a young lad who went by the name of Melon who rode BMX. I remember going to an all night sesh at Burnley skatepark and he was there doing the best table tops I'd ever seen (which stuck in my mind). Think that's all he really did in terms of tricks, but they were certainly impressive. He used to ride from Blackpool to Barrow (80 miles?) on his moped with his BMX in bits between his legs. Get there, put his bike together, do one run, sit around for a bit and then go home.

I once had breakfast with Chris Boardman, but never rode a bike with him.

On my own, obviously!

Italspark and I shared a mid ride skinny dipping session with Jacquie Phelan, that was memorable hiding from the park rangers.

I rode some trails above Fairfax and met Charlie Kelly. What was remarkable was he and his buddies got stoned midway around and rode home without crashing.

If this was a contest, it'd be no contest. Esher Shore wins.

The greatest cyclist the earth has, and will ever, see.

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Bit late to the party, but I've been on a few club rides with Malcolm Elliott. Oh, and come to think of it, Katie Culclough (former ODS and Specialized-Lululemon rider) and Catherine Faux (age group world champion triathlete). Catherine was hands-down the fastest of that lot, though that might not have been true were Malc twenty years younger 😉

mcmoonter : Jaquie is in a class all of her own,

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PS : forgot i rode wi Jeff Jones (and biff) at Kirroughtree, Jeff has some helluva good riding skills, and his balance on a bike is outstanding - biff was hungover/ill and complained at the length of the trail…... 😀

I've raced on the same course at the same time as most of the top XC guys in the country, albeit in a different category (junior vs elite).

Outside a race, last week I was down in Bris getting a fitness assessment at BW cycling. Popped out for a blast around the natural stuff in Leigh with Oli Beck afterwards. It was great fun following him around his local stuff, and he's a properly nice guy too.

I've been on the track with the British track team. Well, I say on the track, I was in the middle drinking beer as they practiced.

Shared the trail with various pro's over the years, but always remember a ride in the FOD organised by Woods Cycles (Hanham Bristol) in about 92.

I was 15 at the time and a mate and I blagged a lift in a Capri off this guys we recognised from previous rides. He had a workmate with him.

The workmate had a red aluminium bike with Roland stickers (as in the keyboards) it had florescent yellow Answer Hyperlites, to a kid on a Falcon it looked the business.

God could this guy could ride a bike. Always first to the bottom of every hill, even if he started last, jumps, whips, bunny hops, rear wheel hops,one handed and no handed wheelies (not seen anyone do one of those for years).

No idea who the guy was and never rode with him again, was told he went back to motocross.

I recently went to a night ride in Epping Forest with some guys from MBRO35. One guy turned up on a cross bike and slicks tyres. I was amazed at how fast he was riding over the roots and his skills overall. I salute you, Steve Mahon!

Somafunk, she came to stay with us after the SSWCs in Aviemore. Total legend

Joe Barnes & Ben Cathro made me poop myself one New Years Day up Nevis Range. TBH, I saw the MTBCut van and went on a bit of a fanboi mission only to bimble, jaw agape as they nearly set fire to the Red Run boardwalk.

I still think about it and still can't comprehend how Joe Barnes does that on a bike.

Relevant 'cause one time I rode his bike up the high street as he was in the year above me inda skool.

Yeah she is that for sure, i remember seeing the original muddy fox adverts back in the day - did you buy her reissued series of remade prints made into a calendar a few years ago?.

Jaquie rode with us at SSWC on one of sam's singulars (with her banjo slung over her shoulder) and came out for quite a few rides and meals wi the crowd - very entertaining legend indeed, still in touch wi her every now and then so i'll have to try and get out to fairfax at some point, i hosted someone from California through warmshowers last month and i have a place to stay out there as long as i like foc so i just may head out for a bike trip next year- a while ago jaquie sent me a pic of a humoungus evil purple hematoma all down the back of her leg, i would post the pic but i doubt that would be appropriate. I hope i'm still riding like Jaquie manages to do in a few years time.

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I think i'm one of the few male [i]"honorary"[/i] members of the wombats, I admit i do like a decent cup of tea….must be brodies breakfast blend and loose tea leaves though - none of this teabag supermarket weak pish…..

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Is that the Ian Pendry who used to work for Scott UK...? If so - a really nice guy too.

That's the fella.

Wade Simmons and Brett Tippie.

.....And Gary Fisher. Fisher gets credit for being one of the first, but maybe not one of the best 😀

Probably Joe Barnes for an example of impeccable bike handling talent , I was asked to take Jonsey (Dirt mag) and a few folk out round Kirroughtree and show them the best bits for a Dirt Magazine Photoshoot back in 2007, (august 2007 mag edition).

The more I see of that kid the more I think he's the cleanest most stylish guy on a AM bike. He might even have Gravesy beat.

Plus the Dudes of Hazzard stuff are easily the best bike vids.

Same as a few others above- lapped by Nick Craig at HTN, and also lapped by Guy Martin at HtN.
At the Sam Houghton Challenge this year I made way for Rob Jebb, thus enabling him to win the event 😉

Just out of interest what makes you want to ride with bike celebs??? I've always found it cringeworthy. I have friends that get all giddy when any pros are present and always say they'd love to go for a ride with X, Y or Z.... I just don't get it.

It's an opportunity to learn isn't it?

curiousyellow - Member

It's an opportunity to learn isn't it?

3 seconds isn't an opportunity 🙂

Learn what?? A coaching session would be far more useful surely?

Anyway to answer the question.... My mate si is the best rider I've ever ridden with.

I'm not going to read the whole thing but I get the gist that most people have put some ride guiding person or other.

The fastest person I have ridden with was a bloke I met via another forum. He generally rode a Mk1 Nomad and anytime I have ridden with him in the Peaks he seemed to be able to pedal it up absolutely anything in sight then disappear down the other side at a pace that would be suicidal (for me anyway) to keep up with. The annoying thing was he once brought his early 90's Kona Explosif to a Peaks ride and did the same thing.

Few world and european champs from various disiplines, most stylish was Julian Camellini on the Abercarn DH track in the wet.
Always brings home how average a rider I am 😉

I've ridden with loads of fast riders. The ones that were the fastest were the smoothest and the ones that thought they were fast and mouthy with it banged it down to the lane first tended not to be as fast as they'd think they are.

Not seen one for ages- Saw a quick lad recently- on shit forks and on a section he'd never done before.

3 seconds isn't an opportunity

Is in my book. 8)

I raced against Joe Murray & Paul Hinton.

I beat Paul because he fell off and broke something (collarbone?).

I was in the wrong category.

JCL - thanks for that. I'm liking their vids.

Did the Prutour Red Ride in 1999 with Stephen Roche (won the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia & World Championships)- top bloke, he found a bunch of keys that I thought I'd lost and took the effort to return them to me 8)

Been lapped numerous times by likes of Terrahawk Twinkly Dave Matt Page Ant White Craig Bowles RIch Rothwell etc etc etc the list goes on 🙂 but have to say Brett Bellchambers was just so impressive at wembo

@ti-pin-man

I have fond memories of JMC and Plunkett coming riding with the Uni MTB clubs in Newcastle. Team Hardisty Cycles were warned about those rides...

@esher

Yep, thems rides sure were freakin long hard rides, fab times. Plunkett rode with us out in the North Pennines a bit, also stupidly good a rider, wonder if he still does or if he's tiling bathrooms these days?

We should have a thread ' whose the worse rider you've ridden with 😛

Binners?

Some years back I took a road ride, just myself and a man named John Allis. He was in town and looking for a local riding guide. He was at the time the defending US road champion. Just me and the national champ, out for a ride. I took it easy on him.

Ridden with Ned Overend who has held numerous championships.

I briefly shared the trail with Gary Fisher once. The old git kicked my ass a and left me for dead!

Glynn. He rides with a prosthetic limb because he is an above knee amputee, which means he is only pedalling with one leg. The limb helps him balance and stand on the pedals.
I joined him on the Surrey Hills Ups and downs off road sportive. He pedalled up everything!

Duane Stander (Burry Stander's big brother) is a class bike handler and strong as an ox!

Matty D! Ultra smooth and hit anything on his £200 Saracen.

All are super cool guys who will ride in any conditions.

There's a female ex-WC DH rider in my group of riding buddies and some very fast amateurs. See Cam Cole, Blenki, Leov and a few other big names out on the trails from time to time.

Danny Mcaskill