“JUST GIVE ME A COUPLE OF RUNS TO WARM UP,” shouts Sam Hodgson from the start ramp at the top of his jump spot. Clipping up his helmet and kicking his cranks into position, he drops in a few seconds later, and there’s a whoosh as he flies past, pumps into the overhead-height wooden kicker, and lofts an enormous corked backflip. Soaring way above the skyline of the hills beyond, if Sam wasn’t upside-down he’d be treated to a perfect bird’s-eye view across Cheverton Farm – the 730 acres of cattle, sheep, and arable land where he grew up and honed the skills we’re witnessing today. Farming runs in the Hodgson blood, with Sam’s parents and brother still actively working the land. For this dirt jump protégé, though, as his love of bikes developed and his aptitude for riding became apparent, an alternative future grew in his mind – to turn the uncultivatable woods and steep valleys of the farm into what’s now the Isle of Wight Mountain Bike Centre. It’s why we find ourselves being taken on a guided tour of this enviable backyard while beholding some of the most impressive trick bag-emptying we’ve ever seen.
Trick time
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 2021 من Mountain Biking UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 2021 من Mountain Biking UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
BIKETEST BACKCOUNTRY HARDTAILS
We see whether carbon fibre or steel, big-name value or boutique attention to detail comes out on top on the trails
NUKEPROOF MEGAWATT CARBON 297 RS
The original Megawatt proved itself almost instantly, winning our inaugural E-Bike of the Year award in 2022.
CALIBRE LINE T3 29
£1,100 (with £5 GO Outdoors card) Cost-effective proper' mountain bike
FIRST RIDES
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX & ONTO THE TRAILS
ROUTES QUICK BLASTS
Facing shorter days and inclement weather, Max finds three satisfying routes that show it doesn't have to be an all-day ride or nothing
GRIME TIME
EXPERT WORKSHOP ADVICE
TRAILCREW HAVOK BIKEPARK
A hand-cut, rider-built bike park, Havok reopened earlier this year at a new site in West Yorkshire and is still expanding
From dust it did rise
Steve Thomas traces the birth of British mountain biking, from 'tracker bikes' to Muddy Fox
THROW DOWN THE CAUNTLET
In our final challenge of the series, we see if e-bikes really are as good at climbing as they're cracked up to be, as we tackle Antur Stiniog back to front
THE RIDER OFF YEAR' 23
THE BIG REVEAL! You voted in your thousands - now meet our winners...