LOCALS - Cal Wootton: Yeti DJ

Our popular LOCALS feature is back, this week we catch up with the man behind Loam9 media Cal Wootton from Central London who rides a Black/Turquoise Yeti DJ!

Name: Cal Wootton
Location: Central London
Job: Freelance photographer at Loam9 Media
Bike: Yeti DJ Turquoise and Black

How long have you been riding?
I've been riding bicycles since I was the age of 10 but have only started to actually ride mountain bike for around 3 years; I started to ride 4x two years ago.

How often do you ride?
I'm a student, so the only time I have for riding in term is at the weekends, which isn't always good news.. I'd love to see how I could ride if I lived 5 minutes from a track like some of my mates.

What bike are you currently riding and talk us through your set up?
I currently ride a 2009 Yeti DJ, with Rockshox Rebas (even though I've got pikes on in the photos).

I don't see why people say they feel the difference in riding carbon parts. For me as long as it's strong and looks the part, I'm going to ride it! Of course having a light bike is desirable, but I don't base my parts around the weight, but more around the look and how they feel. I think it just clicked how my bike is black with no colour, most parts these days are covered in branding and don't offer plain black components.

What's your favourite part on your bike?
Can I not answer the whole bike?! I love everything about my bike, of course if I was being picky I'd want rockets on the chainstays... But that's illegal for racing!

What other bikes do you own?
I own two bikes (well two frames, and when I want to ride one I swap the wheels over.) One is a Yeti as listed above, and the other a one of two in the world LTD purple Banshee Amp. It sold at the auction 1st hand for $3,500 and I bought it 4th had for £300. Not bad!

I also own a Kuwahara racing bmx, but I never get the chance to use it because I always choose my big bikes over it when I go out riding! I bought it with the intention to try bmx racing, but its not very fun.. the wind pushes you around everywhere and the small wheels mixed with concrete jumps isn't pleasuring on the wrists. Whenever I go to a bmx track on my 4x bike, they bmxers are always giving me a hard time. Saying how it's not fair I've got a mountain bike on a bmx track (not regarding the gears situation). I usually reply back with, "how come there is such a thing as a bmx bike then; the bikes you're using are designed for this type of course and if a mountain bike can do it better (and it's not designed for it) then how come I'm the one winning the races? I almost always get a cold, deathly look from them and thats when I know to leave ahaha!

What types of riding do you normally do?
I only enjoy riding 4x and doing big whips.
I ride dirtjumps primarily to give me confidence for the big jumps on some 4x tracks. I've tried DH but I didn't like it, because the bike are too large and you can't throw them around easily!
If I lived outside London, I'd invest in a trail bike, for shredding down some trails and the odd massive downhill style dirtjumps.

What was the last new bit of gear on your bike?
I only buy my stuff second hand these days, unless it's drive chain related.

Unless it's had a brutal first life, parts can last a long time and a few scratches on the downtube really isn't too much of an issue!

What are your local trails?
I can't call them 'local trails' because it's a government owned park... But occasionally a few mates and I blast around the footpaths avoiding grumpy old people with their chiwawas haha.

Cheers Cal!

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