Name: Chris K

Occupation: Web Designer/Developer

Current bike: '08 Trek Fuel EX8

Dream Bike: Love the Trek EX8, but wouldn't mind a go of a Trek Remedy or a nicely spec'd Pace 405

Favourite bike clothes: Endura.

Favourite colour: Black.

Favourite food: Injuns

Other enjoyments: Riding my motorbike tends to be my second love after mountain biking and I go over to Europe with a group every year to thrash around the Harz region of Germany. I also do the odd trackday and fancy doing "wheelie school" one day as I have trouble keeping it up (I was talking about the bike!). As well as riding the bike, I also built it from the crankcases up in my dining room (yep, I'm single). The bike looks reasonably standard but has a Stage 1 Moriwaki race tuned motor, Ohlins suspension, a Spondon frame and OZ wheels. Was a bit of a job getting insurance mind!

I used to love flying Microlights and Skiing, but crashing the Microlight and severley damaging my right leg and arm put paid to both of these. Luckily I managed to talk the surgeon out of amputation and the resultant bionic leg (affectionately known as "Mr Gimply") seems to put up with mountain biking - but I must try and avoid crash testing it!

I also love food, as much from the cooking angle as the scoffing it down my fat greedy gullet angle, and I can rustle up an authentic curry to rival any take away. This is another reason for mountain biking, as I would soon end up looking like Jabba the Hut if I stopped!

I love music and have a large and varied collection. My taste changes with time and I very rarely listen to the music from my youth as I prefer to hear stuff I haven't heard before. Current favourites include Mogwai, Mono, 65DOS, Daturah, Unkle, Sigur Ros, Hybrid, Underworld, Massive Attack, Jah Wobble and many more. I can happily listen to Blues, Folk, Rock, Reggae, Classical, Dance, Electronica, Ambient, Trance, Soul, Funk, Swing, Indie and Grunge but no Gangster Rap, hip hop or plastic-pop-stars thanks.

Last but not least I have had a great deal of pleasure watching my Kids grow into really nice adults. They are more friends than offspring now, which is just how I had always hoped it would turn out.

Favourite trails: Glentress, especially the Boundary Trail and Spooky Woods - but I reckon Whinlatter will be mint when finished.

Bike Hates: Thieves, Car Drivers on mobile phones - and although I like dogs, I hate it when an owner calls little Tyson to heel as you approach causing the dimwitted halfbreed to dive in front of you! FFS just let your Pit Bull get on with sniffing the other dog's arse will ya!

Personal Hates: Charvers (or Chavs for non-geordie types), Gangster Rap, the smell of a Fish Market, Spam (both kinds), Oysters (why the fcuk would anyone claim to enjoy the sensation of salty snots dribbling down your throat?), Reality TV (AKA "If only I could sing/dance/act like a tw@t then I'd become a celebrity") and trying to hold a conversation with a drunken mate when you are sober - although that's more of an annoyance than a "hate" ;-)

Personal Achievements: Flying to the South of France in a cloth-covered wicker basket tied up with string and powered by a lawnmower engine; Managing not to soil my pants while crossing the channel in the wicker basket; Crashing the wicker basket and then flying one six months later without crashing it; Doing the C2C ride with Mr Gimply; Manging to successfully bore everyone I meet with the story of the "basket incident".