Every. Day. Ride #27 with Casey

Hey, I'm Casey! I've always ridden mountain bikes since I was young. I had a bad OTB crash 3 years ago when I was riding downhill, and ended up breaking my back. It left me paralysed from the waist down, not being able to walk or use my core and a load of other complications. But it didn't stop me riding! I now ride my adapted mountain bike whenever I get the chance and it's just as much fun! I was kindly voted MBUK's rider of the year in 2023 which meant the world!

 How and when did you get into riding?

I was really young when I got my first mountain bike, and remember my little brother teaching me to wheelie and do jumps on the front garden, using those plastic ramps. My dad has always been big into mountain biking and we use to go as a family, my mum too, to trail centres and had a family holiday to Les Gets!

 What are the best and worst things about riding?

I enjoy riding steep, techy downhills as much as flowy trails, I'm not too confident on bigger jumps anymore as my body feels a bit fragile these days (metal and ceramic is holding me together haha)! The absolute best bit for me though is just being able to get out and ride trails and be in nature with my friends and family again. The worst bit is that I can't ride as much as I would like to, because I can't load/ unload my bikes independently... yet!

 

After my accident I was in hospital for about 4 months. When I came out, my friend Vedangi organised a 'Race for Casey' at Gawton Gravity hub to raise funds for me to get my own adapted bike. Over 100 people turned up and we raced at the place I had my accident. It was so emotional for me, I felt so grateful to have all that support and love and equally terrified because it was my first downhill ride after my accident. I loved every minute of it!

Don't stress or compare yourselves to others, just have fun on your bike!

We use a Litelok Core Flex and a Litelok X1 lock. The Core Flex works really well on my Bowhead Reach, the flexibility makes it so much easier to use because of the shape of my bike. I use the D lock on my Batec a lot (this is a bike that attaches to my wheelchair), I find them both so easy to take out on the go because they are mountable.

 

Get yourself a decent lock! Make sure you lock it to a secure part of the bike that can't easily be removed.

When someone asks what kit you recommend, you say?

Always Melon goggles, Crankbrothers on the feet and Endura/ Can't Quit Cartel for riding clothes. Of course Litelok when it comes to securing the bikes.