Name: Mick H

Occupation: Electronics Technician

Current bikes: Gary Fisher Sugar 4+ and a slightly blinged up Intense Spider XVP.

Dream bike: Scott Spark 10 for going up and an Iron Horse Sunday for coming down. But I would settle for a Santa Cruz Heckler.

Favourite bike clothes: Cheap is good. Lets all go to Aldi. When I become rich, some nice Gore gear.

Favourite colour: Blue

Favourite food: Indian. Although don’t eat one on Saturday night and then expect to feel full of the joys of spring at the top of a long climb on Sunday!!

Other enjoyments: Golf (until I injured my hamstring. It’s a dangerous sport!!) Any pub game, surfing (the internet. You won’t see me running around in a wetsuit or anything that is skin tight. It’s just wrong), virtually any sport and watching the North Easts red and white footy team.

History: After a youth spent playing all sorts of sports I progressed from riding a BMX, badly, to riding one of those bikes with skinny tires. But with my first job came money which needed spending. So I drank and smoked it all!! After many years of this and whacking a white rubber ball around a big green field I injured my hamstring. So needing to repair my knackered legs I almost bought 2 bikes for £99 on the shopping channel. But I only needed one, so I bought the Gary Fisher.

Riding the same routes became a bit boring, so Dec 07 I Googled for a local club and discovered there were some slightly barmy people North of the water who would ride regardless of the weather.

Since then I have had some brilliant laughs, usually at other peoples expense although my good old V brakes do bring a smile to the sadistic amongst the group before snowy/wet downhill sections.

Favourite Trails: Grizedale MTB challenge route ( the official one!! Not the one Terry K and Chris K took) and Whinlatter.

Bike hates: Punctures, thieves, top to toe lycra, cleaning anything, Camelbak reservoir mould.