I have been riding and racing bikes for as long as I can remember. It doesn’t matter if it has skinny tyres or fat ones, bouncy ends or rigid, whether I’m wearing a lycra skin suit or body-armour, if it’s a bike – I’m in.
I’ve travelled with my mountain bike over the last six months, finding new trails around the UK, from the North Coast of Scotland to Plymouth, and further afield, I’ve honed in on famous regions from ‘The Slickrock Trail’ in Moab, Utah to ‘Comfortably Numb’ in Whistler, BC.  Once I find a great terrain I don’t let the weather hold me back; riding in thunderstorms in Jackson Hole, or in 12 inches of snow in Northern Scotland make a nice contrast to the hot sun in Wanaka, New Zealand.
Riding bikes invigorates and refreshes and provides the ultimate escape from city life. Cycling provides a great way to experience new and interesting places and has introduced me to some of my very best friends.
Despite all my travels with a bike I still think Scotland offers some of the best trails in the world. There are no access constraints, no long drives and no bears; it’s all there and waiting to be ridden. From stunning highland epics, to blasts down the man-made trails at Glentress, mountain biking is so accessible in Scotland. It genuinely rates as some of the best riding in the world. And don’t be put off by the Scottish winter, get the right kit and get out there.
I spend most of my time in dark, windy Edinburgh where a long winter means one thing – a powerful front light and a warm pair of gloves.
