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Can one man count as an institution? If you ride DH or 4X and haven’t been living under a rock, the chances are you know who Si Paton is, even if you haven’t been lucky enough to experience his Smethwick charm. Institution is a big claim, but his CV is nothing short of impressive – he’s heading into his fourth year running the DH Nationals, he runs the online and trackside store Descent Gear (www.descent-gear.com), is the UK editor for Pinkbike, sits on the British Cycling (BC) Board, is an A-ranked BC commissaire and commentates at Nationals, regional’s and the Megavalanche.
On top of all this, he finds time to race more than 35 times a year and is pretty handy on a bike to boot – he has won national championship medals in both DH and 4X. He isn’t what you’d call shy either... What you might not know about him is that he’s been part of the UK scene for nearly twenty years now. We caught up with him to find out what it’s like going from the early days of DH in this country through to shaping where our sport is heading. Even fewer people know that Si holds the Smethwick spear-chucking record too...
How did you first get into riding?
My first real mountain bike was a Carrera which I brought in 1990 and used to ride to Birmingham Wheels to go skating - then on to visit some slag in Harborne who I was knocking the back out of. I never did ride it off road though. My first "real" mountain bike was a Zinn with Reynolds tubing, a full Campagnola MTB groupset and the first ever Hope disc brakes. It cost a fortune even back then. I raced cross country on it until I got all Kleined up a few years later. I used to hit up the XC races like the Cannock Chase Classics, Bobs Bash and Year 2000 races. Although I had to stop racing Bobs Bash as I got a life time ban... After taking the win at Tracybourne Farm by sending a jayboy over the rails and into the crowd at the finish straight Bob (Meredith, the race organiser) came over to me and said “I've never, ever seen anyone ride like that.” I said “well thank you,” his swift reply was “you’re banned, for life!” If you’re ever around Johnny or Gary Brain’s for tea then they have the video...
Eastridge, check out the Schwinn, D2, Rector knee pads and the custom brake cable holder!
Was there a moment when you realised when riding was for you?
1996 was the year, I went to the States for a little while to chill out and I brought a Foes LTS Mono which I still have in the loft today. That was the year I entered my first National DH race at Margham Park and I haven't missed one since.
I love this sport, love the community. The exclusivity is good; I wouldn’t want it to go mainstream although it would make everything cheaper. Imagine the trail centres full of every Tom, Dick and Harry – disaster. Back in the day when we were skating we’d move on if people started watching. It’s never been about the glory or the fame, I’ve always done it for the feeling, we ain't no circus!
At the Masters World Champs a couple of years ago we were driving off and my mate asked me how I did. I didn’t know, well I knew my time, just not my placing. I hadn’t bothered to look – it was all about riding that hill. In fact, I never usually bother to look where I finish (although it is usually in the top ten), all I want to do is ride my bike.
Fishboard: check. Bum bag: check. Chilling at the skatepark, back in the day...
With everything you’ve got on these days, do you still get time to ride much?
I work early morning through to late at night and manage my time around an eight day week that I have now invented. I religiously do an hour around town (clipped in) every morning at rush hour come rain or shine. I nearly get killed every day but that just adds to the excitement. Usually I dent or claim at least one wing mirror on my travels. My older brother saw me in “action” one day and told me “you’re writing cheques you can't cash...” To be fair he's right – I’ve had a few toe-to-toe moments, a bike driven over, a few black eyes and a broken nose, but I’m still game.
During the week I try and ride the trails a couple of times down Wolverley or Halesowen onboard the BMX. If it's damp or wet then it's XC with Hensley and Buzz my two dogs over at Clent Hills, which is about ten minutes from my house. Then there’s the racing at the weekends – I’m at the Midlands, SDAs, Caersws Cup, 661 Mini DH, NPS 4X, Megavalanche, Mountain Mayhem... The only ones I don’t get to race these days are the Nationals, or should we say the British Downhill Series. To be fair that’s a killer, seeing everyone ripping down the hill enjoying the courses, and of course the organisation! Last time I raced the Nationals in 2006 I was podiuming and made the top three in the series. For example, every time I've raced at Inners I've had to ride over 12 miles in total along that road. When we have organised races there we've picked you up from within sight of the car park!
Si asked us to include this photo from Gethin as a tribute to Jason Carpenter who put on races at the best tracks.
You’ve been around the race scene for near enough twenty years now, how much would you say it’s changed?
It’s changed so much – the organisation is so much better (I would say that wouldn't I). Reality is back then the courses were badly taped, there was no uplift and generally no rules. What was really evident was the divide between them and us. The pros walked with their heads high and shoulders back, us nobodies got trampled on with our entries, time slots and practise. Things really were not fair.
We had to walk up Innerleithen, Fort William, in fact every course. My Foes like most bikes out there at the time ran with a water bottle and fitted cage. By today’s standards the courses were of course shit, or were they? We rallied down Inners on 4" travel Marzocchi Z1 Bombers and a Fox air shock that sounded like a can of beans with a few marbles in it. We were holding on for our lives. Some courses were terrible. Builth Wells had a section where everybody got off and ran with their bikes, as did the first ever National I did at Margham Park. Funny thing is, at the 661 Mini DH last year I got off and ran with my bike at the start!
Dragon Myndd Du - check the bike and the vans!
Do you think that change is for better or worse?
Better! Everything has improved. Those that have only been in the game a few years don't realise this, remember that old saying, “you can't miss what you never had.” I'd never complain about an uplift queue, why? Because I remember the times without an uplift! I don’t miss one hour walks to the top.
One thing that is a negative is all the keyboard World Champions out there now. I don’t understand the forums, why are people slagging the series off on them? Things are better than they’ve ever been and I’m always working to keep making the series better. I’m talking to the likes of Steve Smith, Fabien Barel, Jill Kintner, Bryn Atkinson, etc about coming over to race the BDS this year... But they see stuff like that, sponsors see stuff like that and it damages the series. Because of this, I no longer post on the race boards. If you have something valid to say and you’re that keen then I welcome your thoughts and always will, come and speak to me trackside, over the blower or by e-mail please.
Making the front cover of the French DH mag, Down. It’s still all about the detail – right down to the colour co-ordinated Vans socks.
At what point did you decide to make the move into organising races, as well as competing in them?
Anyone remember how the Nationals were before Steve Parr and myself took over? Rob Warner is the one to thank for me at the helm, he grabbed hold of me while we all stood in the rain at Cwmcarn at the first National of 2006. It was a shambles and Rob planted the seed and said he'd back my bid and the rest, as they say, is history. I was getting Nationals podiums then, but I gave it up for a better series.
NPS4X at Aston Hill, 2003.
Looking at everything on your CV, most people wouldn’t be able to fit that all in, why do you do it all?
No-one else does what I do. I don’t know anyone that does the organising, commentating, commissairing, writing, racing, retailing... Why have I bitten off so much? I remember listening to the commentator at the Nationals and it was shit. Ask most people to commentate, put a microphone in front of them and they shit themselves! I wasn’t a commentator, but now I’m the best – simply because I know everyone: here’s so and so who came off last week, or has a new bike, or a new lid. I got off my arse and did something. I never asked for a penny for it either. People get paid £350 a day for commentating, but I’d never ask for money for it – you can ask Lindsay Pearce, I’d never take money from them for it. I have to step back from some of this now though, I don’t have enough time – I can’t do everything. Who else does this? People need to step up to the mark.
Last year I spent two days digging the track at Caersws, improving it ready for the NPS, knowing that it was going to be logged two weeks after and I’d never get to ride it. At Llangollen I was getting pissed off with all the riders coming down the course and saying it was amazing. It was like being at the best party in the world, but you’re not allowed to play. Running the BDS means I don’t get to ride my bike and that’s a massive sacrifice, but I do it for the good of the sport.
Boosting it over the last jump at Bringwood.
You’ve been running the Nationals for three years now, how would you say it’s gone in that time?
We brought in standards. There’s a lot that people don’t see or think about. Some of it’s the detail - now at every race, every stump is painted yellow. We always have the proper number of marshals and commissaires, there’s now a UCI commissaire there so people can earn UCI points.
The Honda Teams attendance was the highlight for Steve and myself. That created so much hype and traffic to the series. It was sorry that team stopped.
Prize money is good but of course should be better. We gave away over £10k in 2009 and over £7k in prizes. That’s around ten times more than all the races series in the country put together!
I've been co-running the series with Steve Parr and he certainly contributed a great deal. Though as everybody that is or has been in a partnership knows, you never have full direction. Let’s just say I'll be steering the ship in 2010 – a new decade and a new direction.
Hopton, probably.
What’s new for 2010?
A new name and website for starters! Dave Franciosy and I were arch rivals back in the day, but we have teamed up to bring you www.britishdownhill.com I'm still working on several new features and incentives to make the BDS a huge success things like:
• online entries
• trackside mechanic
• helmet cam
• more retail stores
• manufacturers displaying
• pro rider invites
• media promotions.
Where would you like to see the British Downhill Series go in the next five/ten years?
It certainly needs to make a profit. Without cash in the tin we can't invest in improving the series. Then the big one, sponsorship! With a large cash injection we can then really attract the big players. They want race fees, race pits and accommodation covered... Sometimes captions can’t add anything to a photo...
What do you think is standing in the way of that?
Location, location, location. To be fair that is something we will never change. 99% of our tracks are in a farmer’s field in the middle of Timbuktu, down a country lane some seven miles. Look at the National Downhill Champs this year at Innerleithen. Less than one mile from town, the XC Champs ran with us and a huge town festival all in the same weekend. This saw a swelled crowd of around 2,000 and the course was lined several deep - it was a great success.
Hensley.
Who would you like to thank?
Everyone who races, the marshals, BC Commissaires, spectators and everyone that adds value to this great sport. Also my Mom, Caroline, Dave Franciosy and Roger Wilbraham from British Cycling.
Running tings, blud. Or something like that.
You can check out the latest information on the British Downhill Series at www.britishdownhillseries.com
Southerndownhill is also the home of the official forum for the event, so log on and get talking! 
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