TOM HEADS TO BIKEPARK WALES TO SEE IF THE RIGHT BIKE REALLY CAN MAKE UP THE SKILLS GAP BETWEEN HIM AND MULTI-DISCIPLINE PRO RIDER HATTIE HARNDEN
Words Tom Marvin Pics Andy Lloyd
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ow many times have you been watching racing with your mates, commented on how fast or slow a pro is looking, and they’ve come back to you with a jokey, “they could beat you on any bike!”? I’ve had plenty of those exchanges, so I’ve decided to put it to the test. Can I, a bona-fide punter, go faster than a pro?
To test this out, I need a pro, of course. Fortunately, Trek Factory Racing’s Hattie Harnden is well up for the challenge. With numerous national titles, from cyclo-cross to cross-country, as well as Enduro World Series and Enduro World Cup (EDR) wins, plus three DH World Cups under her belt, Hattie’s definitely qualified.
The challenge is simple – Hattie and I will pick a track at BikePark Wales and race down it, recording our times at the bottom. Now, there’s no way I’m going to set anywhere close to a comparable time, even if we’re on equivalent bikes. But what if Hattie works down through the Trek range, riding machines of decreasing travel, capability and price? Will she still destroy my time on any bike, or is there a balancing point where a punter can beat a pro?
An inauspicious start
Being February, and Wales, the day starts off grey. I rock up in my van and pull out the near top-end Trek Slash I’ll be riding for the challenge. This 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type model, dripping in bling kit and with 170mm of travel front and rear, is a pretty good match for Hattie’s EDR-winning team Slash, so I’m definitely not going to be held back by my bike today.
Eventually, I find my shock pump under a pile of discarded Greggs wrappers and pump a few squishes of air into the shock. A car park bounce confirms my bike is race-ready. I fuel up on Wotsits, a sausage roll, ring doughnut and Diet Coke, and I’m ready to attack the track. Looking over to where Hattie’s parked up, I see her bikes are being fettled by her mechanic Andy, while Hattie seems to be consuming some sort of ‘sports nutrition’, whatever that might be.
With bikes sorted, it’s time to don our waterproofs and get ready to go up the hill. The weather is grim, so it’ll be a race to keep the moisture out, as much as one against the clock. We jump onto Norkle, the blue run that takes us to the uplift. With just a few strokes of the pedals, I know I’ve got my work cut out today. Hattie pops off the firs
