Industry Insights - Joe Taylor

In our latest series MoreDirt is giving you an insight into the MTB industry and asking the all important questions to some of the faces that make it tick! Meet Joe Taylor, A senior technician at Mojo Suspenesion.

Who is Joe Taylor?

I am a technician at Mojo suspension and this year I’m racing enduro and going out to the Megavalanche for Mojo.

Give us an interesting fact about yourself?

I absolutely love to test stuff. Take new products and push it to the edge.

What is your roll within mojo?

Senior technician but I also deal with seatposts aswell. I’m the only guy who plays about with them! If any come in they get sent to me and we try and get them back out the door as quick as possible in working order!

How long have you been doing your job and how has it changed over the years?

I came here as soon as I left school aged 16. Ever since then its changed massively! When I first started there was about 13 people on the team and now there’s about 26! The workforce has doubled and Mojo has just really grown I guess!

You are stuck in a lift for the next 3 hours, you can pick 3 people to be stuck with you, who would it be and why?

My work colleague James Bushell. As to be honest If I didn’t work with him I probably wouldn’t work here! He’s a funny guy. I’d take Sam Hill. He was the guy who I looked up to when I was racing downhill! Finally it would probably have to be some Porn Star! You have to make the most of these opportunities to have anyone in a lift for 3 hours!

What bike do you ride?

At the moment I am riding an Orange Alpine 160 which you can read a little more about here… It’s got the wrong size wheels on it for the frame as we like to play about with that kind of thing a bit!

26, 650b or 29?

27.5 all the way for me.

Tubes or Tubeless?

Tubeless.

Clips or Flats?

Clips

Whats the best thing about working in the cycle industry?

Probably all the new products that come through here. As soon as anything gets released it comes through here and we love to do some testing!

And the worst?

Sometimes it’s gotta be the public you know… Leave it to the professionals I say!

What’s the Best mountain bike product of all time?

It’s gotta be the dropper seatpost I think. I love it and its changed the way I ride!

And the worst?

That’s a tough one you know. I want to say something like the triple chainset up front. I know it has a place and people use it in XC but for me I wuld much rather just run 1x10 and get rid of all the chain slapping about!

Whats the best piece of advice anyone’s ever given you?

Probably Fabien when he came to see us at Mojo. He said that “when your climbing always imagine your digging your heels into the ground with each pedal stroke.” I’ve been doing it ever since and it’s still working today. You get a lot more power from each stroke!

And the Worst?

The team mate who we are going out to the megavalanche this year Anthony O’Boyle always tells me how to ride downhill. I’ve raced downhill and he doesn’t have a clue what he’s on about! He’s given some pretty rubbish advice!

Who’s the most famous/influential person you’ve ever had dealings during your time in the Mountain Bike Industry?

Ricky Carmichael! Chris Porter and I went on a trip up to fatcats moto park up to see him and I think it was probably one of the best days of my life.

What will be the next big innovation to take off in the mountain bike industry?

The wheels. It’s gotta be the bigger wheelsizes!

Any sneak previews of anything coming from Mojo/Fox?

Well I know its new to the market and you can get it already but the Float X shock from Fox is going to be massive for the enduro race market. I’m using it at the moment and I can’t really say it’s the best ever as I’m still getting used to it but I’m impressed from what I’ve seen so far!

And finally…

In 10 years time what will the average trail centre warriors bike look like?

Ahh man its tough to say! I reckon we could see some sort of electric motor on bikes or some kind of crazy electric gripshift thing going on but then again we are getting pretty close to having bikes that run sweetly anyway! We’ll have to wait and see I guess! Who knows what the future will bring!