till next year...

Loads of things coming down the pike for 2010, most of the sponsorships done and dusted, few changes but not much and only for the better, Riding wise we have been getting in the xc rides and getting ready for a heavy year kicking off with both xc racing and dh stage races in Jan. Off to Wales in a weeks time and looking forward to Jan 2010 when we will have the next blog and can let you know about our plans.. Till then i have my feature in WideOpen to get done.

Have a good new year!

Elbry

classic shots

This is a cool drop off turn on one of my tracks, So much fun as you whip it so your almost going up the fire road, Great section and so much fun. Thanks to Paul9 for the shots.

few from 07 that have slipped the (inter) net before.

This was 2007, As 2009/10 rocking some Shift produts !

2010 blur goggles

fresh out this month.. the all new blur goggles and colourways, see the range at http://www.oneal.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=3

Super-d session

quick bit of chest cam for you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcOGUaA5Gi8

random Updates..

We are getting things ready for 2010, the trail rider schools been a few years in the making but its all sorted and kicks off next year and i can not wait.

big thanks to all my 09 sponsors and im happy to say that not a lots changing in that area for 2010.

I have been doing a lot of xc of late and having a good time. heading to wales to spend a few weeks in a weeks time.

I will post a few pics of my 2010 KBC goggles what match my Shift kit next time along with my new KBC pro-x lid in its sweet 2010 colourway.

Keep it pinned!

Ben Boyko off norco..

a bit of a shock to ben was that his not got signed by Norco for 2010, this late in the year the freeriders going to find it hard to lock down a good deal for next year.. best of luck ben.

KBC 2010 in print

2010 KBC helmet and goggle Catalogues now out worldwide!

GEAX 2010

Geax tyres 2010 websites now live.. www.geax.com

for UK sales contact upgrade.

Elbry Sandland skills training school coming Jan 2010.. put your name down now!

Thats right, over 10 years racing xc at national and european level followed by 10 years of being one of the most well known names in UK freeride. Now we are putting on the Elbry Sandland mtb skills school. geared to beginners and intermediate riders. Its not just a race school or a freeride school, Its a technique and skills course for cornering, braking, line choices etc.. to help people have more fun on the bike and ride further, faster and tailor each session to the rider giving them one on one help.

So trail riders, dh riders, freeriders or racers give us a mail..

Mail us on bsxworld@tiscali.co.uk or find me on facebook.

More xc

getting right back in to it, about 20 miles on sat in the rain, still it felt good and the trails were tech.

Taking it back to the old school

2 xc laps of haldon today after cutting work early, legs felt dead so just mellowed round,
peace out
Elbz
METAL MULISHA

xc and dh updates

So my first xc race in more than decades now over, turned out the track was not that muddy and also the masters class was packed, Unlike in 4x where the numbers are small, in xc the masters are where all the xc racers from the 90's (the era of xc) are now all at, with former world championship and world cup racers it was going to be hardcore, Sadly the start was a little odd and tight and starting at the back would mean the leaders were over the top of the first hill and a couple of mins ahead before we even got started..the pace was fast once over the top of the first hill and i used my freeride skills on the DH section to cut my way throught the pack, Sadly my lack of XC fitness started to kick in after the fast start and i soon found myself making up 4/5 spots on the tech areas and dropping 6/7 on the climbs.. With around 60 riders we rolled in 46th.. Not what we wanted, but fired up and building some confidence again ready for round 2 in Jan where we will have better fitness and gearing that will fit the track better on my 1by8 setup.

On other racing news.. The underground DH races in torquay have made a rule to cut the numbers.. Only the top 12 will make the cut to any further events.. my 7/6/6 for 7th puts me in to the next Downhill 3 race stage event in Jan, but a flat or one bad run and it could be all over..

Still today we feel strong other than a sore back and motivated to train for more events in 2010 to go along side my main Freeride action and make me a better rider.

XC RACING!

Ok so i have not raced xc since 98, But this sunday i will be back at it, sure im in no shape to race xc even in masters, the weathers set to be rain and more rain and the former world cup venue in plymouth im sure will be a tech mud fest, Just to add to it i have sold my soul, and will return to SPD pedals! Now thats also a first since 99... Best of all i will not get the shoes and pedals till the day of the race so its going to be intresting..lol
So why race? To do it all! thats mtbing! 4x, marathon, dh and now xc all done this year along side the freeride/ all mtn trail riding, love it, plus i hope to ride the xc bike all winter and come in to 2010 stronger and ready to hit a wide range of events again... wish me luck!

retro bike check flashback! MARIN PINE MTN

This is a bike just like i had back in the early 90's (93?), the big thing about this bike was its Browning suspension..
sadly Mr bowning run out of money trying to get this fork system accepted. Interestingly he was responsible for much of the undercarriage design of the Concorde and you can see the aircraft heritage in this design. Tragically he took his own life

three settings, lockout, hard and soft,

Mr browning was a English engineer and the company he ran was called Cycle Suspension Ltd England .

The action of the forks similar to a cannondale headshock but has an Amp style torsion bracket.. with a nitrogen filled pressure system.. real advanced at the time and had 50-75mm of stroke.

I sold mine after a short time to get a Rocky Mtn blizzard.. but thats for another flashback..

Haldon..xc?

Ridge lines now open, i got all the way to the berms at the bottom of the forest and got a bloody flat.. £13 for a fucking tube at haldons bike shop..wankers.. then i got in 3 full laps, really funny seeing people with pads and big lids, people with piss pots and goggles, some full lycra xced.. all riding the same trail and not much faster than each other i had a blast.. BUT! i run a lycra top and a xc lid! so funny, still, got some quick lines on that run now, may do another go pro, see if it looks any quicker. Pic of my bike before a few hours of wet xc riding, the 5.5 bloody rules.

BLACK FLAG rules!

killer punk band.. Killer vandal tee, get one now!

read all about it

http://vandalclothing.blogspot.com/2009/08/vandal-designs-limited-edition.html

extras!

couple of shots from last weekends dh races.
ABOVE: Landing the drop and in to the rock garden.
BELLOW: coming out of the rock section.

INTENSE

Had it a week now, first ride in the morning but it looks sweet.. Intense 5.5

plus in 2 weeks time we will be going to plymouth and racing XC in the masters class (yes im getting old) down @ plymouth, first proper xc race since 98? lol, no shape to race xc but we will see how we get on.

2010 team kit

DH racing

hi all,

i took part in my first dh race in about 11 years last weekend down in torbay, with no idea of the track we turned up on slicks to find a super wet track, with only one run down before my race run we had little time to pick lines, with all the locals riding the track twice a week and every weekend it was clear the few not so locals that had an invite were going to find it hard, First run and i think the nerves kicked in, a off line moment and i had to get off the bike and push to get going, After that it was on and we charged down and took the 6th fastest time!next up was a fresh new trail, Again no time to practice other than one roll down.. We got an ok run and came in 7th, No sooner as i got to the bottom we were told we would have another run on this track so we hit it up as one of the last riders the track was cut up and i was one of the only rider to go quicker on my second run, even with a crash!, taking another 6th, 7/6/6 giving me 7th overall. looking forward to ssome training this winter and more DH racing early next year to go along with the freeride and other events and jams we will be hitting up.

LATZ

Elbry Sandland

UPDATE

Its been an epic few weeks, i have been riding every day, xc,trails, freeride,dh, all mtn.. you name it i have been doing it and having a blast for the last 2 weeks.. im taking this week off and we start again on sat when were doing an underground dh race, its going to be cool. Last friday was epic dh session on exmoor, see the chesty cams in the blogs bellow, till next time.

lower section Video - Pinkbike.com

lower section Video - Pinkbike.com

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ewart crashing and burning Video - Pinkbike.com

ewart crashing and burning Video - Pinkbike.com

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mafia crew going down Video - Pinkbike.com

mafia crew going down Video - Pinkbike.com

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vandal crew Video - Pinkbike.com

ewart and i plus some of the mafia boys on exmoor
vandal crew Video - Pinkbike.com

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ex rock track Video - Pinkbike.com

ewart and i plus some of the mafia boys on exmoor
ex rock track Video - Pinkbike.com

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emoor tech run Video - Pinkbike.com

ewart and i plus some of the mafia boys on exmoor
emoor tech run Video - Pinkbike.com

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exmoor dh Video - Pinkbike.com

ewart and i plus some of the mafia boys on exmoor
exmoor dh Video - Pinkbike.com

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haldon dh/freeride og trail Video - Pinkbike.com

haldon dh/freeride og trail Video - Pinkbike.com

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haldon dh/freeride og trail Video - Pinkbike.com

haldon dh/freeride og trail Video - Pinkbike.com

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haldon og trail Video - Pinkbike.com

haldon og trail Video - Pinkbike.com

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road jump run Video - Pinkbike.com

road jump run Video - Pinkbike.com

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op trail rock area2 Video - Pinkbike.com

op trail rock area2 Video - Pinkbike.com

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op trail mainline Video - Pinkbike.com

op trail mainline Video - Pinkbike.com

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op rock trail Video - Pinkbike.com

op rock trail Video - Pinkbike.com

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part2, trail opens soon... Video - Pinkbike.com

part2, trail opens soon... Video - Pinkbike.com

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new trail part 1 Video - Pinkbike.com

new trail part 1 Video - Pinkbike.com

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new haldon single track Video - Pinkbike.com

sweet new trail thats been built at haldon, time to look in to getting a all mtn frame i think.. check it out!

new haldon single track Video - Pinkbike.com

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all mtn trail Video - Pinkbike.com

all mtn trail Video - Pinkbike.com

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cove Video - Pinkbike.com

cove Video - Pinkbike.com

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all mtn dh action Video - Pinkbike.com

quick edit in the woods just seconds from my front door..
bike: mde keeper 4x
cam: gopro hero wide

all mtn dh action Video - Pinkbike.com

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COVE OPEN!

Ye! went back to cove last night to get one run in on the way home, it was the first time taking the MDE keeper 4x in to the woods.. Man that things stiff! lol.
super pumped to find cove dry, and i mean dry! dust in the turns and loads of little rocks all over the trail from the mx boys, its the first time its been this dry in over a year, top trees been moved so the main lines 100% open and we ended up doing 3 sweet runs,
Gutted to get up this morning and load the van ready to hit OP with the gopro hero wide.. Not to be.. rain stops play..
still TF at long last sent my springs for the 4x forks so we will get that sorted this week and make that bike feel like i want it..
Other than that we have been working with freestylextreme on my kit for next year.. Designs for logos will be all sorted mid week and im pumped to see how it turns out.
Other than that? big thanks to KBC who sent me some goggles to match my 2010 kit! your the bomb guys!
till next time, i hope with a little edit or some photos.. also check http://riderrunco.blogspot.com/
and
http://vandalclothing.blogspot.com/

SHIFT 2010

over the years i have run a lot of shift designs.. cool stuff..

i have always been a fan of Shift mx gear, just love the styles and cut.

You can get your hands on some of the 2010 gear as of this week @ www.freestylextreme.com

good times

above: MDE keeper 4x with the forks out and post up, xc/all mtn mode.
bellow: MDE keeper 4x with the forks a little more slammed and the seat post for play riding

open face troy lee: great lid for freeride when the big kbc's not needed

bellow; my dirt lid for the trails

bellow: giro i ride for xc and all mtn type stuff..

above and bellow; the p60! tight, low slung and rides mint,

over the last few weeks we have been heading to north devon, no not for the surf.. Park trails at barny, not what you would call king of dirt size but a nice set to get back in to trails and i have been loving it on the p60, plus tonight we got a quick xc spin @ haldon what was real fun, can not wait for that new long trail to be open, dh and combe sid maybe on sat as i just got a wide hero! so look for some new edits :) , plus i hit up tivy bmx track for just a quick lap the other night.. way better than before. looking forward to trying it on the intense bmx soon.

till next time!

more than 20 years in the game..

I started out mtbing back in the late 80's and hit my first race in the winter of 89, i got third and was picked up to ride for local shop team No Sweat, for the next 4 years i stayed loyal and stayed on the team picking up help from powerbar and a few others along the way, in the 4 year stretch i would race 2/3 times a month and never finished outside the top 3 in 4 years of racing uphill,xc and dh.. by time i was in my my last year as a junior, i was slaying it, taking back to back wins @ the ride for life event in north devon on a sat and taking woodbury on the sunday, after that race i quit.. cars and partys took over for a while before i picked up a local news paper and read about a local guy taking a win.. I was pissed, i trained for the next few months and returned to racing xc in sport and then expert class xc and hitting the odd dh event. I soon found myself riding nationals and racing on the road and doing tt's. Soon the tech sections i loved were gone in xc and the singletrack had turned in to wideopen power sections, It was time to move on.. In the winter i had took up snowboarding and this was now where i got my buzz in the mid to late 90's, I spotted a USA mtb magazine on some guy free-riding and it looked like snowboarding on a bike.. still racing xc now in europe i would head to the quarry and hills and ride with the dh boys and started building freeride trails, By late 98 i did my last race and took the south west series in experts and 7th in the nps in sport, some top 40 results in europe and had started to do shoots with MBUK magazine.. I was now doing more freeride than xc and by 2000 had found trails, dirt jumping was such a cool feeling, all about being tech with your lines and having flow, just my style, for the next few years i would ride trails most days and by the mid 2000's i was in my prime, going big in the quarrys and the new fad of shore riding was just like tight tech singletrack that were in my roots, still doing magazine shoots and road trips i did the shore tour, first time out on the new transition bike and had a blast for 7 days, By the end of it i had showed i was one of the best shore style riders in the UK, add this to a 30 foot huck i had done on a hardtail i had shown my big line skills as well, talk of more shoots in the mags sounded cool but for me i wanted to get back to my riding, just killing it in the hills away from the posers and the glamour that had took over the freeride world in the uk.. soon after i went a little off the rails with news of my dad having cancer the night i got back from the shore tour and burnt some bridges and quit some sponsorship deals and did things my way.. few years later and now im back, still killing it in the hills and having fun, got some cool sponsors that want to be apart of what i am and help with R&D and other areas away from just magazine shoots, This year i have hit up a 4x and made the main along with doing the exmoor enduro event. For the rest of the year and for 2010 i only see things on the up and its not the last for the free-wheeling punk rocker. i still love the sport, love helping promo it and my sponsors and love riding what ever type of riding it is..

2010 BOULDER S

Mini mde crab. the new boulderS will have easton rad tubes for 2010.

2010 boulder..

if i get in to doing more marathon and xc style riding, this could be on my wish list.. the all new 2010 Boulder

my address to the bloggers

above: on the phone.. work, work, work!
bellow: its not a bad part of the world where we live!

Hi all and thanks for hitting up my blog! spread the word troops, things are going well this week, sure i got back from a quick xc spin @ haldon to find a nail in my tyre and no air in it, but still, two short xc spins so far this week and a nice night down at the beach with the dogs and its not even mid week, i should have my new jump bike rolling in the next few days and hope to get another session in at combe syd this sat, till next time bros, check me on http://www.freestylextreme.com/ blogger and get some vandal design decals from me! £3 a pair! bargins

Best solo session in years

Hi all, well after some play riding /freeride two weeks ago, some marathon riding last weekend this weekend we headed up to combe syd and its national dh track, we took both the MDE pusher and the MDE 69, Turned out i got the 69 out the van first and never put it back all day and just sessioned the big track on the big bike, It was so cool, not been to CS in about 11 years, tracks not changed that much but its only like an hour away from where i now live so its going to see me a lot more over the winter, this weekend it was bone dry and rolling so fast, the top bus stop sections are just so fun, loved it so much, Ewart! lets get some head cam of me and you on it!!, got back and headed to the beach with the wife and 4 of our dogs.. A good sat.. happy vibes

P.S top section of Cove has a tree down, rest of the tracks fine, rather than remove the tree, we are thinking of turning it in to a jump, so look for that over the winter.

oakleys going cheap

check the vandal designs blog for low cost goggles while stock lasts!
http://vandalclothing.blogspot.com/2009/09/oakley-mx-goggle-sale.html

exmoor marathon done and dusted

MDE not looking so box fresh after a long hard day in the hills.

well we did it! 75k in 7 hours made us one of the first home, its a savage event but i have to say, im already looking forwad to giving it another bash next year, with a little more notice so both me and the bike i dialed for it.