Wise Words is our new interview series talking to some of mountain biking’s most switched on people.
We’ll ask our short list of questions to a heap of influential, inspiring and outspoken people that we feel are driving the direction of mountain biking today. Some will make you think, some will make you laugh, some will be plain dumb, some will inspire you to better yourself and your riding. We hope!
Wise Words this week comes to you from one Kelvin Lawton.
Former sales rep turned Orange Bikes product manager, Kelvin is a jack of all trades, and annoyingly, excels at most of them too. Handy on a bike whether it’s up or down, or even at the back of a scrum. Definitely one you want in your corner.
© Andy Lloyd
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
I thought about asking some of them, but I didn’t fancy hearing the answers, so I’ll improvise… Let’s say enthusiastic, sarcastic but always keen for a laugh and a bit of a challenge.
What thing or things have you bought in the last year that had the biggest effect on your life as a mountain biker / cyclist / person that works in the bike industry?
Normally every year I just run shorts all the way through winter and get pretty miserable pretty quick, this year I decided to give some water-resistant trail trousers a go and they’ve kept me on the bike more than usual so that’s a win.
Exposure Lights for kind of the same reason, I’m a dad with two young kids so getting out once they’re asleep happens quite a bit and those lights have made it possible and meant I’ve ridden more.
I almost hate to admit it, but I’ve been loving an eBike ride, our Surge has been putting in some laps recently and you can get so much riding done in such a short time. Those days where you’ve only got a small window to get out in now means you can get a proper ride done.
Actually, the three things above all at the same time make for a pretty good ride.
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
I don’t know how unusual they are, but I generally always ride without gloves, I’m really picky about grips and pedals, I like running my brake levers really close to the bars and that’s probably about it really.
© Andy Lloyd
What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
I always get asked what bike should I buy? There’s no easy answer, well, other than “an Orange”. Even then choosing the exact model could be tricky. Speak to your local shop, go to a demo day, try a bunch of different bikes and make your own opinion, the proof is in the pudding.
Ignore everything written in the comments sections on the internet…
If you could go back and re-ride one day from your life so far, where/what/when/who would it be? Would you change anything?
I raced at Ard Moors a couple of years ago, you know the year where a canoe would have been better than a bike. I don’t think I’ve ever seen conditions like it, it was so wet, nothing but rain all day. Practice was grim, we were axle deep in slop and they had to shut a couple of the stages, loads of people we’re leaving and giving the organisers a hard time about the weather and the track conditions.
After a bit of deliberating that evening, sheltering under whatever we could find, I’m pretty sure it came down to a vote, we eventually decided to stick around and race on the Sunday, conditions were a little better, it was almost as if all the heavy rain had washed the sticky mud away. Don’t get me wrong it was still wetter than an otter’s pocket but I probably had one of the best days out on the bike ever.
I think the crashing, overtaking, banter, heckling, competition and feeling that we were all in it together made it what it was, and the atmosphere was amazing. Plus what’s better than racing bikes with your mates?
What have you wasted the most time on in your life as a rider or bike industry career that you wished you’d given up years ago?
Trying to get a group ride to leave on time… There is always a tonne of faff beforehand, someone always needs to change a tyre, bleed their brakes, adjust their gears etc etc. These days I just try and embrace it and provide as much abuse as possible.
© Andy Lloyd
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
I count myself lucky that my job is also my hobby and I work for a brand that I’ve really liked since I was a kid. If I am struggling, then generally a ride is always the best remedy. Nothing better than a quick blast on the bike.
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
Turns, I absolutely flippin’ love turns. Whether it’s surfing kitty litter at a trail centre or being axle deep in ruts in amongst the ferns, I don’t think there’s anything like hitting turns on a mountain bike.
© Andy Lloyd
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
Coronavirus has been an absolute nightmare for everyone, not just the bike industry, I’d love to see the back of it. Stay safe everyone.
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
I’d love to see a round of World Cup downhill or the EWS come to South Wales, I’d probably need more than a year to pull it off, and someone who knew how to sort it, but it would be amazing.
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Dan Critchlow, Andy Lloyd and Rob Cooksley.
