WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY HANNAH
I’d seen a few articles about Grayson Perry in which his love of mountain biking had been mentioned. One notable example appeared with the click-bait headline ‘Cycling is the perfect sport for transvestites’. I wasn’t especially interested in his choice of attire (or even tyre…), but I did think it would be interesting to see what this Turner Prize-winning artist might have to say about mountain biking. After all, he’s perhaps as well known for his TV shows examining themes of community, personality, self and masculinity as he is for his pots, tapestries and other artworks. Such themes are surely relevant to mountain biking?
Do come in.
He answers the door to his London studio and I’m ushered past a green Dutch bike and collection of cycling apparel. A couple of helmets, gloves on a radiator. Clipless shoes and overshoes suggest these are the belongings of more than just a casual urban cyclist. A water bottle, wet lube, talcum powder (I’m not sure what that’s for), all sit on a plan chest, next to a huge gourd-shaped pot half shrouded in plastic. I can’t help but suspect that the plastic is covering a huge phallus. Beyond the pot is a giant pink bike with a dropper post – an art project, built to his design by Dear Susan bicycles.
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About Singletrack
Editorial: The wider we travel, the more narrow our focus…
Travel isn’t going to broaden your mind if you keep travelling to the same damn place.
Interview: Dan’s Secret Forest
Dan Atherton has made his home in a far flung corner of Wales. He’s teaming up with the locals to give you a lot of reasons to make the trip there.
Behind The Scenes: Filth Camp
Chipps gives a West Coast American a lesson in UK weather. It’s not (just) about the rain.
Classic Ride: I Love Wight
Dean Hersey escapes the grips of winter by going south to the Isle of Wight.
Still Going: Keep Pedalling
It’s not a review, it’s a relationship. Hannah’s DMR Vaults have been given some TLC.
Interview: Grayson Perry: Bloke On A Bike
Hannah finds that fun is in the eye of the beholder – and artist Grayson Perry sees things differently to her.
International Adventure: Getting High in Colorado
Rich Rothwell is seeing more than stars as he battles altitude sickness and injury through the wilds of Colorado.
Bike Test: Rackpacking
Antony de Hevenigham checks out three mountain bikes that come ready for the long haul. Bikes with racks, from Mason, Salsa and Trek.
Behind The Scenes: Bounce Cycles
Barney admits to being a little bit boggled by those who aren’t afraid to look at something and say ‘Give me a minute with this lathe and I’ll make that better for you’.
International Adventure: #vanlife, Canada
Anna Cipullo finds that the camera might lie, but the smell of mould does not.
Pete’s Pros: Joe Barnes
Pete Scullion catches up with the enduro racer and van dweller as he moves back to Orange Bikes and starts his own team.
Last Word
Hannah pushes up a hill just to ride down it again. Sound familiar?