26/01/2009 : Isle of Man TT ace chooses Cotic

Guy Martin and his Soul - photo by Nick at www.nmdesign.co.uk

Team Hydrex Honda rider Guy Martin has recently added a Cotic Soul to his fleet of push bikes to use in preparation for his 2009 season. The Lincolnshire based rider who currently holds the record for the fastest lap of the TT course from a standing start, regularly turns out for night rides around his local woods. "The Soul is a proper bike for the type of riding which our trails offer. Lincolnshire probably isn't the first place you'd think of for mountain biking, but we've got a good group of regulars and we can string a good variety of tracks together for a 1 1/2 to 2 hour ride a couple of times a week. The combination of riding at night with some twisty and undulating singletrack thrown in, makes ideal preparation for racing and keeps me sharp in the off season"

He added,"I'd borrowed a Soul from another lad (Ed) who rides with us, coz I'd been riding a 6" full susser, which I was pretty quick on, but the difference now I'm on the Soul is like night and day. It's just mega!"

Guy also rides and races downhill at weekends to keep fit and focussed, and has had additional help from another great British company, Hope Technology. Hope had spotted him on last years TT coverage being interviewed off the bike in a pair of Hope downhill shorts, whilst many of the other teams were in full corporate gear for TV appearances!

Guy Martin is a true one off and it is his honest and laid back attitude to his sport and preparation make him one of the real characters of the sport as well as a real talent. If it was ever in doubt, check out his self comentated lap of the island in the YouTube vid below:

Guy and his Hydrex Honda team will be gunning for TT victory later in the year, after a string of unfortunate mechanicals left him dissapointed last year. You can follow his progress on guymartinracing.co.uk

Ed Smith