To some in our sport, Roger is simply “The Fed” - the man from British Cycling who calls the shots. To a few though, who know him well, he’s just like the rest of us; a racer to the core.

With a lot of racing experience, Roger is very competitive and gates sessions at Platt Fields get a little harder when he’s lined up with the other big rig riders like Sutty, Dreli and Hitman, as with pride on the line, each wants to be first out of the gate….

This is Roger at the 2005 Worlds….

Roger Wilbraham
Age; 41
Race category; Cruisers

How long have you been racing? 83 - 88 and 92 to present

How did you get started? Everyone had a BMX except me.  I was the fastest local kid on my Grifter, so I eventually bought an Iron Horse with cotter pin cranks and got myself to my nearest track in Nottingham.

What has been your best memory from racing? Brighton Worlds.  The atmosphere when Dale Holmes sneaked by in the last corner to win was just unreal.  Modern BMX is way better than 80’s BMX in my opinion, although I do have fond memories of racing at Senneleys Park in Birmingham around 87.   Leading a final in Tours in 2000 stands out as a fond memory, unfortunately it turns in to a nightmare after the 2nd corner.

Which racers do you admire? My all time favourite is Winnie Wright.  The coolest dude around and I never ever beat him in a final.  Seeing Christophe Leveque and Mario Soto at the World Champs in France in 1999 blew me away.  Both awesome, but in different ways.

What are your racing aims? Have fun and help others

What has been the best advice you’ve been given in racing? It’s 90% mental, and 10% physical.  Back in 84, so I didn’t really understand at the time, but it eventually made sense.  The ratios might be wrong, but when my head is good, the legs do tend to follow.

What advice would you give to riders new to racing? Learn to ride your bike first, pay attention, watch others ride the track, have fun, talk to other people and don’t clip in.

The Rig:
Frame; S&M .38 Special in white
Forks; S&M
Wheels; Bombshell
Bars; S&M
Other trick parts: Thomson seat post, Crupi Rhythm cranks, Tioga Spyder seat, Hope seat clamp.

Time to focus on another of our club riders: it’s the turn of Sutty, Cruiser racer, expert wheel builder and BMX to the very core!

Age;33

Race category;30-34 Cruiser

How long have you been racing? Raced BMX from 87-91, MTB’s 91-99 then back to BMX 00-present.

How did you get started? 3 sisters race track on a borrowed Cruiser, hence the reason I’ve always ridden a Cruiser.

What has been your best memory from racing? Racing abroad is always a highlight, all of the Brits hang together and egg each other on. Just a feeling of togetherness.

Which racers do you admire? Any racer that makes moves and never gives up. Always looked up to the Strickland brothers. Dave Ives is a berm hero and Dylan Clayton for utter smoothness. Modern racers have to be Jacob Roberts and Kyle Evans, they never give up!

What are your racing aims? To try and have fun, there is no better feeling than being on the edge at full speed.

What has been the best advice you’ve been given in racing? Never really been given any words of wisdom, I always get told to lay off the brake. I’m a mid air braker!!!

What advice would you give to riders new to racing? Learn to do things slowly. If you can master stuff at a slower speed, you’ve got the best base to step it up. Always ride cleanly, nobody likes a take-out merchant!!

Bike; Cruiser
Frame; S&M custom 38.special (21.5″tt, 14″ rear end and AD brake mounts)
Forks; Odyssey 24″ Race forks
Wheels; Sun Rhino Light rims laced to a Profile rear hub and Ringle front hub (suttys hoops custom built)
Bars; S&M Race cruiser
Other trick parts: Union Jack print S&M stem with XLT front plate, Shimano cranks, Machined AD brake.

In the first of a series of profiles on Manchester BMX Club riders and their bikes, we meet Ross Gill;

Ross Gill

Age; 26

Race category; 25-29 20”

How long have you been racing? 6 Months.

How did you get started? I needed a break from park riding, being the son of a racing driver I’ve always had a competitive edge but didn’t realize it was so easy to get involved in racing.

I also have to say thanks to my Girlfriend Angela for giving me a kick-start and telling me that I need to stop worrying about my tail-whips and make a go of it.

What has been your best memory from racing? Best memory so far from racing? Seeing as I only have very limited experience so far it’s not a straight forward question to answer. I’ve had some ok results; winning a moto at Preston and taking 2nd in the B Final that day, but my aim is to make A Finals consistently.

Which racers do you admire? Shaun Palmer; probably the best all round action sportsman ever! He said no to lycra skin suits in the 90’s, turning up on a hammerited Intense with jeans and a t-shirt on and smokes everyone.  Valentino Rossi; greatest of all time Laguna seca 2008 the corkscrew Nuf said! Steve McQueen ”Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting.” David Gill (my dad) raced karts and rode observed trials in the 70’s and 80’s and showed me that bikes and racing were cool. Finally Manchester’s Rooster for his constant optimism it’s dangerously contagious

What are your racing aims? Compete at Regional level and National level and podium at a national within 4 years

What has been the best advice you’ve been given in racing? All of the advice I have been given has been good advice probably everything MatthewGlynn.co.uk has told me so far and the immortal words of Joe Davenport;  “GET YOUR KNEE DOWN AND BLEEDIN’ HAVE IT!!!”

What advice would you give to riders new to racing? Get a bike get on the track and ride you’ll have fun and who knows you might surprise yourself and be faster than you think

The Rig

Although the pic shows a slightly earlier incarnation of the bike, you can see Ross demonstrating his skills!

Frame: S&M .38 Special 21″ TT

Forks: Primo Kamikaze

Wheels: Rear - Profile Hub (Ti driver) Sun Envy Rim, Double Butted spokes. Front - Demolition Anorexia Hub, Demolition Zero Rim, Double Butted spokes.

Bars: S&M Race XLT

Pedals: Easton Flatboy

Cranks: Profile

Gearing: 37/14

Stem: Thomson