LOCALS - Joash Clarkson, Banshee Amp

In this week's LOCALS feature we catch up with Joash Clarkson, an student from Exeter, who rides everything from dirt jumps to downhill on his Banshee Amp.

Name: Joash Clarkson
Location: Exeter
Job: Engineering Student, Exeter University
Bike: Banshee Amp

How long have you been riding?
I have been riding for 10 years now. I started riding when I was eleven, like all kids our age me and my friends used to prop planks of wood on bricks and huck our half rusted full-suspension bikes off these bodged jumps. We soon progressed on to building our own dirt jumps in local woods spending every free moment we had ether digging or jumping. Next we started exploring and traveling further afield finding new spots and the friends that came with them.

How often do you ride?
As often as I can which is not nearly as much as I would like. I try and get out at least once a week, and am not too fussed what it is I ride, from a quick session down at the local BMX track or skate park to a day’s trips to one of the local DH trails. As long as I am on a bike I am happy.

What bike are you currently riding and talk us through your set up?
My current bike is a Banshee Amp, a hard tail jump bike. I have always believed that the jump bike is the ultimate all-round bike, I will use this bike for any discipline from skate parks and dirt jumps to 4X and DH. I run the bike single speed for simplicity and swap on or off my front brake and wheel for when I want to ride Downhill. As Dirt jumping is my preferred discipline I only have 100mm DJ1 forks that are normally pumped up rock solid, and run my back brake with a huge excess in cable for bar spins and tail whips.

What types of riding do you normally do?
I have come from a dirt jumping background but since moving to university I have taken up downhill. It has been nice to get into a new discipline, and while dubious at first I am really getting into it

What was the last new bit of gear on your bike?
I recently brought a new SLX rear break and absolutely love it; it is so nice to be able to stop with just one finger!

What are your local trails?
At university my local trails would probably be Haldon DH trails which are great fun and perfectly suited to a hard tail. If I have more time I like to head up to Triscombe for some more technical riding. Back home near Southampton I am lucky enough to know a couple of guys who own a farm, where they have free reign to build jumps and JCB to help. They are undoubted some of the best jumps in the UK and one of the most chilled places around.

What other bikes do you own?
I just have my one mountain bike which I use for everything. I have always enjoyed the simplicity of this and never have the issue of regretting the bike I take out. If I had the money I would love to get myself a Treck Ticket s slopestyle frame, I recon this would make the ultimate all-round mountain bike as well as being the best looking frame on the market.

All photos - Credit-Joash's Facebook