19 Race Bikes from Peaty's Steel City Downhill 2022

May 15, 2022 at 12:03
by Nick Bentley  

photo
19 BIKES OF
Steel City DH
Photography and words by Emma Bentley

Peaty's Steel City returned for its tenth edition and boy did they deliver. We managed to catch some of your lesser-seen bikes before they started carving their way down the trail.

Stuart Allan s Cotic Rocket
Stuart Allan's Cotic Rocket

Joe Mallison s Polygon Siskiu T8
Joe Mallison's Polygon Siskiu T8

Dave Lavy s Cotic Rocket 275
Dave Lavy's Cotic Rocket 275

Lee Hawden s Kingdom Void 29er
Lee Hawden's Kingdom Void 29er

Will Cleland s Sick Bicycles Gnarcissist
Will Cleland's Sick Bicycles Gnarcissist

Kai Britton s Ibis Mojo
Kai Britton's Ibis Mojo

photo
Tom Price's Flow Myth

Mike Taylor s Identiti
Mike Taylor's Identiti Mettle

Kris Haywood s Bird Aeris MK1
Kris Haywood's Bird Aeris MK1

Si Paton s Cannondale
Si Paton's Cannondale Habit

Pete Osborne s Cotic
Pete Osborne's Cotic Rocket

Vaughan Evans Orange
Vaughan Evans' Orange

Rich Bruin s Atherton
Rich Bruin's Atherton

Scott Cordy s Nukeproof Reactor
Scott Cordy's Nukeproof Reactor

Bradley Holland s Forbidden Dreadnought
Bradley Holland's Forbidden Dreadnought

Oliver Warren s BTR Belter
Oliver Warren's BTR Belter

Matt Kebbell s Ragley Mmmbop
Matt Kebbell's Ragley Mmmbop

Jess Dart s Trek Remedy 8
Jess Dart's Trek Remedy 8

Stuart Wright s Coat Bike 84
Stuart Wright's Coal Bike 84


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130 Comments
  • 245 1
 Some of these are the most British Bikes I've ever seen.
  • 16 0
 Sans mud ?
  • 9 0
 @Waldon83: They came ready with the fenders though!
  • 7 0
 Need more scratches, mud and stickers
  • 30 0
 @matmattmatthew: this is Yorkshire. We're not going to take them off for the one week a year it might be dry!
  • 5 1
 did the hardtails win? it was pretty smooth
  • 9 1
 Steel falling rate single pivots? Only fish & chips can beat them in Britishness!
  • 1 8
flag gooral (May 17, 2022 at 0:17) (Below Threshold)
 @southoftheborder: I would say fail, as fish and chips are just adopted from Portugal, maybe a steak pie would be a better example
  • 8 0
 @southoftheborder: the russians claim we stole that from them
  • 1 1
 @southoftheborder: come and compete against them next year then!!
  • 2 0
 @dienamic: One week... you're optimistic!
  • 2 0
 @Murfdog: i suppose they could ride as an independant
  • 4 0
 @gooral: I've read that too and fish and chips as we know it originates from England. They didn't have deep fat fryers in 15th century Portugal. Throwing potatoes together with fish doesn't count. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8419026.stm
  • 68 1
 As the cost of living spirals the UK bike scene is going to turn into mad max
  • 16 4
 I see steel/ti bikes having more longterm appeal worldwide with inflation. The kind of bike that worth keeping several years vs replacing every year. Definitely seeing that trend in several places, including UK.
  • 6 1
 Two bikes enter, one bike leaves!
  • 2 0
 @JDFF: I like the way you think!
  • 1 0
 Welcome to South Africa, you guys :-)
  • 5 3
 Plenty of carbon and aluminum bikes can last a few years. The problem is geometry standards changing and people wanting to keep up with the newest geo. Also if you want to blame anyone for selling bikes every season, point the finger at your local shop bros.
  • 4 1
 @PHeller: it's not just geometry. Rapid changing industry standards/programmed obsolescence is a thing. Just look at the "old" 12x142 rear hub standard, or the current tendency to phase out 27.5...
  • 2 1
 @JDFF: Yeah definitely with you here. All my alu and carbon bikes disintegrate after 1,8 years. Always bums me outFrown
  • 49 4
 Not many mainstream bikes there. Seems like post-Brexit Brits are buying local.
  • 39 0
 It’s selection bias - pinkbike have selected the British bikes because it’s a British race…
  • 34 0
 @enduroNZ: yup, muh better than heres 10 more stock trek/spec/santa cruz
  • 15 1
 Not true, Santa Cruz bikes are everywhere, but who wants to see a 100th SC? It is a selection of bikes of people who are not sheeeeeeeep
  • 4 0
 @gooral: does one get classified as sheeeeep if one has owned Santa Cruz bikes for 22+ years?
  • 6 1
 @tiffe: maybe not a sheep, but looks like you are stuck in a rut mate. Try something new, you might like it:-) I was referring to situation here in UK, cannot comment on Canada, so you might be barking up the wrong tree
  • 4 0
 @gooral: all good. Have been riding a Blur, then a HighTower, then a Chameleon and now a 5010. My Fatbike is a Norco Ithaqua. All have treated me well. My Dekerf Team needs some present day love should revisit that.
  • 5 0
 The very british polygon…
  • 2 0
 @gooral: Nothing more sheeeeepish than following a niche for the sake of it too - not that I'm saying these people are, but that's the other side of the coin you just flipped. Better to let people ride whatever they like without judging or gatekeeping Wink Every brand starts off small.
  • 4 0
 @tiffe: Nothing wrong with sticking to what you like, and nothing wrong with SC, lovely bikes. Pricey sure, but that's irrelevant to whether the bike is nice or not.
  • 40 1
 Last bike and the Kingdom Void are dope
  • 48 1
 The void is mine. Stoked out my box
  • 5 0
 @m9lee: Looks great!
  • 3 0
 The Kingdom wins this for me - looks awesome!
  • 1 0
 @m9lee: it's a looker for sure. Rough and tough, with just the right amount of matchy matchy
  • 2 0
 @sonuvagun: the build is for strength and performance, or at least as good as you are going to get.
  • 1 0
 Cheers dude we’re super proud of it. It’s absolute weapon so fast @Paco77:
  • 28 1
 Gives a warm feeling to see all those cotic's
  • 25 1
 GMBN wouldn't cover this event. Not enough high pivots, carbon bikes or wireless shifting. And if they did, they'd tell each owner what to upgrade first.
  • 19 0
 Love the bike checks on what regular racers are running, would be sweet to see more of this style at World cups/enduros too. ie, grab one of the many privateers or EWS 100/80 riders and do an in depth bike check to see how their setups compare to the factory racers
  • 3 0
 This is a great idea - make it happen pls PB!
  • 3 0
 Second this! Let's see what the speedy privateers, who have the freedom of choice (albeit on a budget) are running at some big race events (EWS-100??)
  • 21 1
 Loving the look of that Sick Bicycles Gnarcissist!
Also...incorrectly assumed these would all be steel frame bikes Razz
  • 4 0
 Cheers mate. I love it.
  • 12 1
 A Sick bike in the wild. My goodness. I do occasionally wonder how much customer money those guys splurged on bongs and bejeweled stems.
  • 4 0
 I bought one through the welder who was flogging them cheap. Sold it because it was too small, pictures in profile
  • 6 0
 Don't own any of those, but also didn't get another frame I ordered... So you know, swings and d1ck heads.
  • 8 0
 Great bike check. Unique bikes looking properly dusty and used. My hot take: That Kingdom frame is a looker. The Chrome Orange is the best an Orange has ever looked. "Mmmbop" must be the worst name for a bike I've ever heard, and although the Coal is overall very cool, I really struggle with the look of skinny, round steal chainstays on FS bikes.

What's the track like at this event? I assume it's pretty mellow for a downhill what with style of bikes here?
  • 7 0
 Mmmbop is named after an old flight of steps segment near Hebden Bridge. The track at Steel City dh is really fast and flowy, def not a regular downhill, more of a fun get together!
  • 1 0
 I have two Ragleys in the stable. a "Big Al" and my girlfriends "Mmmbop". they are fun bikes with questionable names.
  • 1 0
 @a-cycle-addict: They are (or were) designed by Brant Richards who lives in Hebden. The mmmbop, and Blue Pig are named after local trails, the Stubbing stem after a local pub
  • 1 0
 @dienamic: Is the Big Wig named after something in that area?
  • 10 0
 How many spacers under the stem of the Forbidden?
  • 19 0
 Bradley Holland: "Yes"
  • 12 0
 all of them
  • 2 0
 @samfr1000: haha
  • 12 0
 6ft 6” can’t go cutting the steerer to short too soon haha
  • 2 1
 When you haven't got a hacksaw so leave it full length.
  • 2 1
 Bought the wrong size?!!
  • 4 0
 @Murfdog: don’t go any bigger haha
  • 2 0
 @BradHolland: that's what she said?
  • 2 0
 @BradHolland: Should have bought a Geometron, they come in proper sized men sizes
  • 2 0
 @gooral: not a fan personally. The Dreadnought has been my most comfortable bike yet. I had a XXL bike before hand and it was too big.
  • 7 0
 Want to demo a kingdom void 130 or 160 contact me
We’re based in the Hamsterley forest
  • 7 0
 Rich is clearly living up to his name.
  • 4 0
 The Kingdom looks awesome as does the Coal 84. And that’s the best looking BTR I’ve seen.
  • 5 1
 Core that yellow thing is a bit tasty
  • 5 1
 Yeah banana's are awesome.
  • 5 1
 The irony of Vaughan's bike not being painted.
  • 4 0
 The last one is a COAL 84, not coat.
  • 3 0
 Wicked selection of bikes. Definitely don’t see that kind of selection in the BC race scene.
  • 4 0
 Only one pair of bright anodised Hope brakes, genuinely surprised.
  • 2 0
 Spoke to the guy who was riding the coal, i’d never seen or heard of them before. Was a bloody lovely bike!
  • 6 4
 Agree the Gnarcissist is so so Sick as is the BTR Belter. Love seeing the handrails making a appearance at Peatys shin dig!
  • 2 0
 Would have had a belter or a Curtis if not for the gnarcissist.
  • 3 0
 When they say steal they mean anything.
  • 3 0
 That Kindom left a Void in me. I need one of those.
  • 2 0
 Did well to find them....Its usually a sea of Santa Cruz and Cotic in the waiting line.
  • 1 0
 Had an MK1 bird with an ext coil, its on my profile. The MK1 one was so bad that bird did a thing where you could trade it in the MK1 and get the newer updated one...
  • 1 0
 Stupid question incoming!!!!
Was this for steel and titanium frames only?
I ask because I would be pleasantly surprised to learn all those frames were steel.
  • 1 0
 Pretty sure the Polygon is alloy.
  • 1 0
 Stuart Wrights bike brings a whole new meaning to getting Coal for Christmas…

Digging the matchy-matchy Ohlins and frame colors.
  • 2 0
 We can always count on the brits to bring out some lovely hardtails. Cheers to my brothers across the pond.
  • 2 0
 always wanted a Cotic Rocket in 27.5..... now they've unfortunately gone to all 29ers. Booo. Frown
  • 3 0
 They're wicked and run forever! That's my battle hardened Rocket in the pics
  • 2 0
 @elmo20: awesome ride!
  • 3 1
 that Forbidden is wild looking....and I dig it.
  • 4 2
 b-b-but i thought flat pedals were dead
  • 4 0
 Among my MTBing friends I know maybe 2 or 3 guys who ride clipless. That's south of England (so pretty flat relatively speaking) though. You do get a general impression from PB that the majority of riders elsewhere ride clipless, I wonder how true that is of the rank and file elsewhere.
  • 2 1
 @alexhyland: Interesting, here in Western Canada it is definitely the other way around, out of a group of 18 only two of us ride flats.
  • 2 1
 @alexhyland: Central Alps here, in my group everybody expect for my brother and me rides clipless
  • 4 0
 @alexhyland: flats for play, clipless for speed.
  • 1 0
 I've seen maybe one person on (serious) flats in the last 5 years.
  • 1 1
 @alexhyland: here in Washington state I'm usually the only rider on clips for trail riding. Doing an enduro last summer or was still over 50% flats.

At Sea Otter last month, at least on the downhill (beginner men's, 40 to 50) in race and practice lineup is was mostly flats.
  • 4 2
 Why have they got bottles on them? The race run is well under two min.
  • 14 0
 Carrying emergency supplies of real ale is a common but little known habit of Yorkshiremen.
  • 4 0
 It reached almost a bazillion degrees* perspective based on standard conditions*
  • 2 0
 Love the Mmmbop, sweet build.
  • 6 5
 Some proper Mountain Bikes in there, nice to see. Apart from the one held together with glue you can keep that one.
  • 1 0
 Love the contrast between the skinny tubed Cotics and the muscular carbon framed Ibis. Appreciate both styles.
  • 2 0
 Tom Price's Flow Myth looks rad! Cant go wrong with a 4X steed
  • 1 0
 Thanks! The track was smooth at the start of the day but rough in some places by the end. I should have took my full-sus but it was fun and I got a lot of cheers on a hardtail.
  • 2 0
 @Addict88: Glad to hear you got the mandatory hardtail cheers!
  • 1 0
 If you had to guess the location of the race by looking only at the bikes...
  • 2 1
 not all sram and not all maxxis, thats refreshing
  • 3 2
 and not one Santa Cruz. I thought Ford Escorts were a thing in Sheffield
  • 1 0
 Love the Kingdom and those properly worn cranks
  • 1 0
 Bird Aeris MK1 giving off 2013era Enduro X-wing vibes. Love it!
  • 1 0
 the seat tube angle on the BTR looks to be about 85 hehe
  • 1 0
 How long is that BTR's reach?
- Hum....: long
  • 1 0
 I like the invisible stem on the cannondale
  • 1 0
 Hope PB can do live coverage this year!
  • 3 2
 SICK bike dude...
  • 2 2
 They're back?
  • 11 0
 @dfbland: very definitely not.
  • 2 1
 No Spec tires...cmon...
  • 1 0
 The Orange wins
  • 1 4
 I see a relationship between British teeth and British bikes.
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