Search for the Slop 2021

Another season of Search for the Slop is out. Once again, James and Liam, from the DoH (Dudes of Hazard), show us how to have a good time with friends, even through this muddy time of year. Or maybe because of it?

Who doesn't feel an itch to get out there when you see the DoH ploughing through the mud? wUnfortunately, that motivation is often quickly extinguished even while squirming your way into your waterproofs. But what might be if you made it past this point? The new series of Search for the Slop doesn't just provide the answers, it's the perfect instruction manual. You better get your mud tyres fitted! It's about to get sloppy.

Kann XC, ist aber kein XC

Filmed in October/November, the series is about meeting old friends in new places to see how the riding compares to back at home. Fort William is known for its wet weather and soft boggy ground which can therefore get really sloppy – especially in the winter. We think it’s a lot of fun riding steep technical trails and then trying to survive them in slippery conditions really adds to the spice levels! Enthusiastic for new challenges, we set off after a busy summer of racing to see what we could find...

Here are the four lessons we learnt for having fun on your bike in the winter, directly from James and Liam.

It’s all in your head

Lesson 1

The Dudes' first lesson is also the most important: once you're sitting on a bike, nothing else matters anymore. Any worries about wet clothes, a muddy bike or cold hands are quickly forgotten. Fun reigns supreme, without compromise or restraint. After the first few spins of the cranks, you’ll inevitably ask yourself what the big deal was anyway. And as they continue turning, the cold disappears too. The only things that's different from the summer is the readout of the thermometer. Your lungs fill with refreshing, crystal clear air and a grin spreads across your face.

Everything is better (and easier) with friends

Lesson 2

Friends don't just make getting out on your bike quicker and easier, they also multiply your fun. When your best friend knocks on the door or are turning onto your street, you won't be able to come with an excuse not to go out so easily. Of course, that works even better with scheduled, regular rides. Don’t forget, it doesn't always have to a be a road trip through the UK. A Wednesday evening blast is just as good. In the end, it's important to remember that suffering shared is suffering halved, while fun shared is at least four times what you started with.

Small goals, new tricks

Lesson 3

Time to teach an old dog new tricks! It's never too late to work on your car park skills. James, Liam and their friends show us a whole range of new tricks like crank flips, standing supermans, no-handed bunny hops, the classic stoppie heel clicker and plenty more. So, take the winter to prepare yourself for the summer to be able to show off your new skills while waiting for the (up)lift. And you'll get improved skills on your bike as an added bonus.

But there's more than just extravagant tricks to be learned during winter. As soon as it gets muddy and slippery, even the basics like getting around a corner become a new challenge. Having figured out how to ride corners in the winter, it becomes easier and faster when things dry up. Set yourself some goals that you want to achieve this winter and you have yet another reason to get on your bike, even if it's chucking it down.

Embrace your inner child

Lesson 4

The fourth and last lesson is likely the one that we should take most to heart. Don't be afraid to be a child every now and then. Forget about the consequences and live in the moment. Just play in the mud and be happy not to have to think about how to clean your bike or how you'll get to the bathroom without having to clean your whole apartment. Happiness and being carefree is often just a state of mind that you have to embrace. Your mountainbike will help you to get there.

With these four simple lessons, the inner struggle to get out will turn into a peaceful embrace of spending more time on your bike. Sometimes, all it needs is two Brits who make the obvious even more obvious. And so: ride more, worry less!