Mythic grassroots programme launches

MYTHIC BIKES in conjunction with ESHER X is very proud to launch their 2011 grassroots programme open to all UK riders

This exciting opportunity is not aimed at "the best", but regular guys and girls with a good attitude who love riding bikes and want to develop their riding by entering dual-slalom, 4X, downhill and dirt jump competitions during 2011

We are offering a killer deal including: a complete Mythic AMP bike, Mythic clothing, technical support at events and 1 year's membership of the Esher X bike park which gives unlimited riding in the park, exclusive Team riding sessions and free entry to the 2011 Dual-Slalom Esher X race series!

Click on the image below to see this awesome deal in more detail....any enquries or questions send them to me - esherx@hotmail.com

cheers!

Rob Cole
Mythic Bikes / Esher X



photo: Rob Dunnett

ESHER X is go

this may look...like nothing...some tape and pegs on the ground

However, this is the start of arguably the most exciting bike park project currently underway in England, UK

This is the start of the ESHER X project, bringing the new school riding to the old Esher Shore bike park site in Surrey, South-East England

We are all about the RACING - specifically Dual Slalom racing on a hybrid "new school" track featuring all the knowledge we have gained in 7+ years of North Shore, Dirt Jump and Pump Track construction



the photos show the "mark out" for the cargo container which will form the base for a massive roll-in tower complex, and also the initial dual slalom line coming off the roll-in tower start ramp (which will have a start gate and freelap timing system)



Today, Jesus John and I marked out a test trail for Freeborn customers who want to demo our bikes (including the Mythic Spitfire and Rune) on proper off-road terrain with a technical trail featuring fast singletrack, small drops, tree roots, a rock garden, short climbs and bits of north shore style timber

In addition to the dual-slalom track and test trail, we are building a "play trail" which will be similar to Winterberg's "Continental" area with big tabletops, step-ups, step-downs and big berms - all fully rollable but also jump-able for quicker riders, and we are looking at building more advanced "pro sections" off the main trail with dirt jumps, wall rides and stunts to ride

We are also hard at work rebuilding the Esher Pump Track and doubling its already impressive size with a brand new area as large as the existing pump track! John and I both just took delivery of brand new 2011 Mythic Rampant Raw frames with Fox RP2 BV shocks and are using our bikes to carefully hone the Pump Track to the perfect shape

for more info check out www.esherx.com where there is a link to the Esher X blog and Twitter feed

we are also running a Mythic GRASS ROOTS programme through the Esher X bike park which will be a Mythic AMP bike featuring the awesome AMP hardtail frame with a Manitou Circus DJ fork, Avid Juicy 3 disc brakes and single speed gearing with tough wheelset

We are looking at putting this out to keen riders who want to race dual slalom / 4X and enter dirt jump competitions , including a 2011 Mythic DH jersey and technical backup, for under GBP£800 - all enquries to esherx@hotmail.com

cheers

rob cole @ esher x / freeborn bikes esher

Steve's Spitfire

this lovely black Mythic Spitfire is brand new today - its 'birthday'

it belongs to a regular Freeborn customer - Steve G, who has been blasting around the muddy hills in South-East England on a Mythic Scirocco for several years

thanks to a generous allowance on his employers "Cycle 2 work" scheme, Steve now has a fully-suspended trail bike to take him to work, and back, over those muddy hills

his Spitfire is anodised black with Fox RP23 BV shock, 2011 Fox 32 Float RLC 150mm QR15 forks, Thomson and Sunline finishing kit, Sram X-9 9 speed shifting, Avid Elixir R disc brakes, Shimano SLX cranks and of course the sublime "Hope Hoops" wheels (Stans ZTR Flow rims on Hope Pro II hubs with Sapim D/B spokes) and a tubeless Stan's setup with Specialized Control tires

wicked build, have fun Steve!

Rob's new Rampant

huge thanks to Keith and Jay at Banshee Bikes for hooking me up with a killer deal on a shiny new RAW Rampant frame

my red/white Rampant was 2 years+ old and the paint was a little beat-up

I was going to 'raw' my old frame but Keith suggested checking out the latest 'raw' rampant so I did a rider in Germany a great deal on my old frame and promptly got the Freeborn guys to add another short raw frame to the 2010 fall order

I've added an E13 LG1 chain device to replace my mangled E13 SRS, and have a clear black Fit pivotal saddle coming next week as the red saddle looks a little out of sorts on this raw / black setup

will get a better quality picture next week(the light was horrible today here in the UK), with the new saddle

happy trails!

Rob C
Mythic Bikes, England

Frame Shot

Great shot from Freeborn Horsham of some frames in stock, being "stock checked" by one of our very able assistants

Mythic Spitfire frames, ready to go!!

Doesn't it give you a warm feeling, to receive a Mythic frame that has been personally checked, by this "competent mechanic" ;)

MBUK at Esher Shore Bike Park, England

MBUK magazine recently visited Esher Shore bike park here in England, UK - to cover the story that the legendary bike park is facing closure as trends have changed and riders are no longer sessioning the "shore"

It's always a privilege to work with Pro Photographer Steve Behr of Stockfile, he's great company and one of the most experienced lensmen in the bike biz!

Of course, as with any photoshoot involving bicycles, the photo's call "can you do it again?" is somewhat galling to a rider who is risking life and limb to huck his bucking bronco off a stunt; of course my Mythic Rampant is far from a bucking bronco, being a very controlled beast of a bike, but you get the idea...dirt = random experiences!

But, with Steve behind the lens, I had the confidence that tweaking the stunt even more, was worth the risk, shown below is the end result



I guess the mag is out in a few weeks, so pick up MBUK and show your support for "rider built, rider run" bike park Esher Shore

thanks for reading, and huge thanks to Steve for the wicked image!

cheers!!

rob cole
Mythic Bikes
England

Esher Pump Track videos

2 short video clips from the Esher Pump Track here in England, UK - Mythic AMP and RAMPANT in use


http://video.mpora.com/watch/dC7UFSXky/

http://video.mpora.com/watch/qGvig7HsL/

Phil's Scythe

Phil S, has bought many different frames / bikes from Freeborn here in the UK

He finally settled (for now!) on a Mythic Scythe Freeride frame, after purchasing a "DH bike" from us, and finding it 'overkill' for the UK

He owned a Wildcard in the past, and we recommended the Scythe as a "slacker / squishier WC"

Already, the cool kids on Pinkbike are saying it looks like a "Batman build!"

Have fun with your Scythe Phil...

cheers

rob c
mythic bikes, england, UK

Transfer Gap

The eternal question for any riders who like to get airbourne - Can I make that gap?

Its something I have enjoyed answering over many years of BMX and Extreme Freeriding, and with our new Pump Track at Esher, many new “questions” have arisen over the different transfers that are possible in the park!

Most of the obvious transfers have already been conquered, but I recently noticed a possible gap from the 1/4 pipe to the wallride

For more from Rob CLICK HERE ...

I SPY

I spy with my London Eye...something beginning with "R"



2 engineering marvels in one photo?

you can't say we don't give you great value on this blog!


the sun is shining in London, after a very wet start to the Summer, and the city is full of bike riders....the Pump Track is drying out and its time to ride

cheers

Rob C
Mythic Bikes
London, England

Photos from Esher Pump Track

Big thanks to Steve Behr of Stockfile photography for these wicked images he shot of me riding my Rampant on the Esher Pump Track for MBUK magazine

Esher Pump Track update

We keep getting calls, emails and tweets from riders wondering when the hell the Esher Pump Track is going to open?

we are nearly there...we are fixing all the "niggles" like blow-outs (where the clay cap is too thin and has delaminated through to the sand underlayer) and reinforcements of the tops of berms, and general cleaning up!

As they say "a picture is worth a thousand words" so less of my inane babble, here are the pictures...but the pictures are so quickly "out of date" we have already done loads of work since these pictures were taken 5 days ago!



FOR MORE CLICK HERE ...

Woburn Pump Track session

Great fun session last weekend at Woburn Sands' Pump Track

Rob C (Rampant), John (AMP), Dan (SXT), Mike (Chaparral/AMP) and friends...

Video made by John "Jesus" Holme

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/135144/

MBUK - "Pump Your Rump" article

“Pump your rump” - not the best title for an article on our new Pump Track, but once you’ve ridden the Pump Track, you would completely understand just why MBUK magazine’s lead journalist Doddy named his article this way - the Pump Track will literally kill you, from a fitness perspective!



The article is very complimentary of the Esher Pump Track, and I am really glad Doddy picked up on the big difference between our Pump Track and many of those that have come before - the so called “bmx pump tracks”

The Esher Pump Track is more like a 4X track in its 3-Dimensionality, and sheer aerobic workout, and the high level of skill required to really ride the track at full speed, and make the most of its many features and lines…

We are hoping to open the Pump Track in the near future, and with the BBC forecasting rain this weekend, it presents a prime opportunity for the trail crew to get all the “niggling” outstanding issues fixed, including the new backline which currently looks more like a piece of the Sahara desert, than something that belongs on a working Pump Track!

more news soon..keep in touch using our website www.eshershore.com

MBUK’s latest issue will reach subscribers mailboxes tomorrow morning, and will be on the news stands on Wednesday morning next week

cheers!

Rob C

Esher Shore

Keith + Esher Pump Track = carnage

Mythic / Banshee design engineer and co-owner Keith Scott paid a visit to Esher Shore's new "pump track" yesterday - its not open to the public but Keith came down to help myself (Rob C) and John (Jesus) Holme out with some digging...riding...and more digging..and riding!!



another pre-release "blurry" image courtesy of Photoshop...and Mr Steve Behr of "Stockfile" / MBUK magazine


Keith had the pleasure of using my Rampant (short) and John's AMP (long), and we had a wicked session, whilst being chased around the Pump Track by archie the dog!

whilst I was in the Freeborn Esher shop hooking a customer up with some tires, Keith decided to get very airbourne on my Rampant (it's that kind of bike...leads a rider to trouble) and took a harsh slam on a new section of the pump track we were cutting that day

I missed all the excitement, but came out the shop to find Keith a bit dazed and confused after landing head first on a new berm, my Rampant full of sand (stem bolts, maxle, pedals etc.) and John saying "wicked crash..."

as is normal, we missed getting the slam on video, or we would be sharing it with you right now, but John and I send healing vibes to Keith, and hope you are not too sore..

cheers and happy trails!

Rob C
Mythic Bikes, UK

EDIT BY KEITH: I took a photo of the crater my head made in the berm... check it out ouuucchhhyyy my neck still hurts!

some new AMP goodness...

Anyone that has been following the Banshee / Mythic blog for a while will be familiar with John "Jesus" Holme, who is a big part of the Esher Shore bike park here in Surrey, England, UK

John works for a big chain bike store, but has an eye for quality and has a long relationship with Freeborn Bikes who import Mythic into the UK

John has owned 2 Chaparrals, a Wildcard, currently has a Viento and now has replaced his K*na with a brand spanking new AMP frame in the "long" size



It's a sick build, working in the bike trade has its advantages which includes killer dealer on pimp parts at good prices- witness the Fox 831 fork on the front of his bike!



It's a simple build, running 1 x 9 with E13 / Gamut hybrid chain device, the Fox 831 forks, Stan's ZTR Flow / Pro II wheelset and Stan's no-tubes on a SBC Control Fast Trak and Maxxis Larsen tire set

There is some Shimano SLX, a Saint shifter, XT derailleur and RF Atlas bars with Thomson X4 50mm stem, FSA 45/45 headset and Pivotal saddle / post

John seemed very stoked on the new, long AMP as his previous frame was simply too short - the long AMP fits his lanky size and lets him ride the bike from the middle to get a proper weight balance

We literally built his AMP in about an hour, and he took it straight out onto the new Esher Shore Pump Track - then we had the brainwave of building this wallride so you can gap over 2 pump bumps



MBUK magazine are coming to Esher next week to try out the Pump Track and have a good look at John's AMP and my RAMPANT and see them in their true element!

cheers

rob c
Mythic Bikes

Esher Shore Pump Track update

Been a while since I posted on the Banshee Blog - been really busy working hard on the Pump Track at Esher Shore, which is due to open in April 2010

The Pump Track has been generating alot of interest, as its really taken shape since the Christmas vacation, with Dirt Magazine interested in doing a feature on it as soon as it opens!



After a really cold, wet and snowy Winter, its been great to finally enjoy some dry, sunny and relatively warm weather the past week, which has allowed the Pump Track to dry out and proper riding sessions to start



I'd also not ridden my Mythic Rampant properly in months, and after fitting a new Pivotal saddle / post, new bars, bashguard and alloy / titanium bolts and fresh set of Fast Trak tires, it feels really sweet to ride - damn had I missed riding that bike!!



Yesterday we installed the lower section of what will become a quarter-pipe (it will be extended to reach vert at about 8 foot), we are integrating lots of cool timber stunts into the Pump Track including north shore sections, kickers, wallrides and other stunts

Of course, as soon as we had installed the 1/4, it was time to session it, which felt weird being on 26" wheels with a longer wheelbase after riding my BMX on this kind of terrain in the past



It was great fun, and we should be extending the timber upwards next week, when we'll be able to start getting some proper height and doing tiretaps / nosebonks

Here is a link to a short video I shot of me riding the Pump Track on my Rampant, prior to putting in the 1/4 pipe: http://www.pinkbike.com/video/125296/


more news coming soon!

cheers

Rob C
Mythic Bikes

Digging out the Rune

Sometimes you just gotta do whatever you can, to get your bike ready for a ride!

Autumn is here

About a week and a half ago, I was stoked on the hot, dry days which were just starting to be clipped by the nights drawing in, as England goes from the end of Summer into Autumn (Fall to our Canadian and American friends)

For riding BMX at the local skatepark (which is floodlit) it was awesome riding weather and I enjoyed a run of mountain bike night rides, and BMX park sessions back to back over that week

Since that week (which now seems a lifetime ago), the weather has suddenly turned, with cold, wet and very windy weather showing up to let us know that Autumn has arrived - which I suppose should not be surprising considering its now October!

I was hoping for an "Indian Summer" (a late summer running through Autumn) but who knows...it might go dry next week (global warming??)!

Its still great Mountain Biking weather, I went out night riding tonight and did not have to wear a jacket, as despite the rain and wind, its actually still warm enough to ride in shorts and jersey

Some night lights, a crud catcher and watching out for fallen branches / trees on the trails = still a great ride, I powered my Mythic up some brutual climbs and technical descents in the woodland above my house in NW London ;)

Happy Autumn / Fall trails to everyone!

cheers

Rob C
London, England

Mythic Spitfire in MBR magazine

Along with the Mythic Rune bike test in the latest MBR magazine here in the UK, was this great snippet in the 'Hot Gossip' section

The bike shown is Keith's prototype Spitfire 5" trail bike, that is due for release in 2010

MBR are going to be involved with testing a second prototype, and giving experienced feedback to Keith to help him fine tune the design

Considering the stonking test the Rune had in MBR, and the fact that trail bikes outsell all other suspension bike cateogories in the UK about 10:1 - the Spitfire could be just what Mythic needs to truly explode big into the UK market

personally I cannot wait to get my hands on a spitfire ;)

cheers

rob c