It’s the time of year once again where we like to pause for a moment to remember the late, great Jason McRoy. He was the first UK racer to make a big impact on the international DH circuit, the first to land a proper big contract (with Specialized) and largely responsible for popularising riser bars.

He died at just 24 in a motorbike accident on the Woodhead Pass in Derbyshire. It’s impossible to know what he would have achieved if he were alive today, but he achieved a hell of a lot even so. He was a huge influence on a whole generation of mountain bikers. More to the point, he simply loved riding, and that’s something we can all relate to.

As is traditional, we’re going to point you to www.jasonmcroy.com for Jason’s inspirational life story, as told by his dad Jim. It’s well worth your time…