Bike: 2008 Kona Coilair

Andy "Sinbad" Simpson is the unofficial head of the Loaghtan Loaded riders, he is pretty knowledgeable on the local trails and is quite handy when it comes to maps, although he also has a reputation for "Sinbad's Mystery Tours" which usually end up a bit off the beaten trail.  He also has provided some of the more interesting injuries including breaking his wrist whilst causing £2,800 worth of damage to a parked car!  He is on the MMBC Trail Committee and has competed in the End to End Challenge since 2004.  Sinbad has also attended all the Loaghtan Loaded UK tours including his solo tour to the Lakes in 2006.

Bikes: 2009 Cube Ltd Team: 2005 Kona Coiler Dee-lux: 2000 K2 Flyinmonkey

Gary "Gadge aka 'Flying Monkey'" Cooper is probably best known as the Loaghtan Loaded camera man, he has been filming and photographing our outings since 2006 and has actually managed to catch some good footage and is also responsible for our website.  Gary is also on the MMBC Trail Committee and has competed in the End to End Challenge since 2005 and has been to Coed Y Brenin (2005), the Lakes (2007), Snowdon (2008) and Scotland (2009) Loaghtan Loaded tours, a bit off a head case off road, Gary tends to have a go at anything but after several offs he has decided to abide by the "one more try" rule.

Bikes: 2009 Cove Hustler: 2008 Kona Stab Supreme: 1998 Proflex Beast

Simon "Coops" Cooper the van man; Simon provides the transport and logistics for Loaghtan Loaded from taking all the bikes to the start of the End 2 End to transporting 6 bikes and riders to the Lakes for the Loaghtan Loaded tour 2007 and more recently 8 bikes and riders to Scotland for the 2009 tour. Simon fits riding in between his busy home and, work schedules as well as his patrols for the Peel Coastguard; he'll be first to admit he would like to ride more. Simon has completed the End 2 End twice (2005 & 2007). Also known as a bit of a speed demon Simon is usually first to the bottom of the hill even though he isn't usually first up!

Bikes: 2008 Trek Fuel EX 9 and Trek 8000 with rebuilt front end.

Barry "Bazzar" Martin, only started riding with Loaghtan Loaded in 2006 but he is definitely a hardcore rider now, not one to shy away from anything uphill or down. Barry has completed the End 2 End three times and still managed to finish with a smile. That is definitely one thing you can say about Barry, he is always smiling, which can get quite off putting especially whist slogging up a killer hill. Barry joined Loaghtan Loaded on the tour of the Lakes in 2007 and immediately vowed to make the trip in 2008 back to Coed y Brenin and also attended the 2009 tour of Scotland.

Bikes: 2007 Specialized Stumpjumper: Resurrected Orange P7

Darren "Skippy" Quirk, well what can you say about Skippy, not always up for a ride especially on a nice summers day when there's a chance of fishing. Skippy tends to bob along in the middle of the pack, a consistent rider, the only time Skippy speeds up is if there is food involved or if he has missed the opening time at the Chinese. He tends to get out more lately as his new shiny Spesh doesn't look good just sat in the shed!.. Skippy has provided support on 3 of the End 2 End challenges but has never entered; maybe now with the new bike?

Bike: Depends on what's lying about

Chris "Baggins" Waller the baby of the group. Chris is a serious outdoor junkie, Kayaking, Climbing, Biking you name it; he teaches at the "Venture Centre" in Maughold throughout the summer, then bums around for the winter. Although the youngest rider, Chris is a qualified Trail Cycle Leader and Mountain Bike Leader. He has also completed 3 End 2 End Challenges only missing out in 2006 due to working in Canada. Chris has a reputation as a bit of a bike wrecker so he tends to ride old clunkers that have easily replaceable parts. Chris has been heard to state "My legs are like pistons" as he fly’s past people going up hill.

Bike:2009 Trek Remedy 8: 2007 Trek 4300

Seamus "Mountain Goat Spokey" Shea, if Chris is the baby then Seamus is the daddy. Seamus is the technical manager at the local theatre and has now been riding with us for a few years now and has a pretty high level of fitness and tends to build up a head of steam and just keeps going. Although not all that happy on the fast downhill sections, Seamus rides uphill for fun. He completed the End 2 End in 2008 and during the 2008 Tour of Coed y Brenin and the climb up Snowdon on bike Seamus reached the summit first and could be seen resembling an oven ready turkey in his bacofoil blanket.

Bikes: 2009 Trek Fuel EX8: 2008 Scott Scale 40

Jason "Bolty" Bolt has been riding with the Loaghtan Loaded riders for a little over a year; completing his initiation on a Thursday night ride down Barnnel which is a mean feat even in the light, let alone at night and riding it for the first time. Jason works for the DAFF as a forrester and is responsible for building most of the singletrack 'Red Viking' and 'Blue Kipper' trails at South Barrule. When Jason's not on his bike enjoying the sweet trails he can be found in one of the local plantations weilding a chainsaw.

Bike: 2008 Specialized

Tim "Shadow" Shearman is one of the newest riders with the Loaghtan Loaded riders and joined us for the 2009 tour of Scotland where he soon got to grips with the frying pan in the kitchen by cooking up a fine breakfast for the boys before a days riding the trails. Tim hasn't been riding all that long and has been on a rather severe diet to shed something like 6 stone in weight, hence his nic name 'Shadow'.

Tim is tenacious, yet modest and shy, this quite individual can rarely be heard on a night out… normally preferring the introverted approach to life.
Back in the real world  - Tim was formerly a member of an elite commando force and is now posing as an IT Manager for a very large international insurance company.
Tim’s hobbies include mountain biking, shooting and generally doing sod all else..….

Bikes: OnOne 853 SingleSpeed: Rock Lobster Team Ti: Yeti DH8 downhill bike: Azonics DS-1 Dual Slalom: Kona Jake the Snake Cyclo Cross: Trek Road Bike

Johnny "Mr G " Galbraith is also one of the newer riders with the Loaghtan Loaded riders and although he never got to join us for the 2009 tour of Scotland due to prior commitments playing in his band 'Stone Chase' he vowes to join us for the 2010 tour. Johnny can best be described as a 'God on two wheels'. Johnny started riding BMX followed by a few years getting fat. Took up mountain biking in 1990 and has raced on and off since then. Competed in the NEMBA downhill series, raced quad eliminator at the Malverns, former Manx National Downhill Champion, XC sport Champion, Manx Dual Eliminator Champion, best time/finish of 3hr 17min on the End 2 End on a singlespeed taking 9th place overall. Took up mountain bike coaching and is a qualified MTB coach/guide.
Currently training towards the UK singlespeed championships but is having difficulty with the concept of drinking. Among the many sporting activities Johnny partakes in his latest passion is for throwing himself out of aeroplanes for fun.

Bikes: Gary Fisher Grateful Dead hoo koo e koo & Genesis Altitude 1.0
Jason "Milky Bar Kid/Birchy" Birch is the newest Loaghtan Loaded rider.

Bikes: 1994 Kona Kilauea (“old faithful”): 2005 Kona Kula: 2005 Specialised FSR S-Works Stumpjumper: 1995? vintage Specialised Allez roadbike “Bitsa” (bitsa this, bitsa that).

Steve 'Stevio' Ormerod started falling off bikes at an early age, jumping walls on his Raleigh Chopper, breaking bits off bikes in Groudle Glen etc. After a lay off from 14 to 25 years of age Steve bought a pearlescent purple (“pink!” according to Johhny G) Claude Butler Spectre made of gas pipe in 1992 and recommenced falling off bikes at every opportunity. Steve has a well known love of food that slows him somewhat and grazes constantly. Riding highlights include a sub 5hr E2E result (4.58.59 2008), 2 years “10 at Kirroughtree” entries and breaking a rib on Herman at Coed-Y-Brennin in October 2007. He is the Manx Mountain Bike Clubs Trail Rep for his sins. Also chatters incessantly to distraction, but only when not eating, and only to cover his innate shyness (so it says here).

Bikes: 2009 Trek Fuel EX8: Specialised Rockhopper.

Dave 'Newshy' Newsham has completed the E2E since 2007 and says the more training he does the slower his times are. Dave describes himself as having twi interests in life; Mountain Biking and Music. Dave has never bothered to learn to drive so has always cycled round and his musical tastes vary from particularly 'The Cult, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the origional Ultravox (before the little scottish shit Midge Ure ruined them).

Bikes: 2009 Specialised Stumpjumper Elite.

Ray "Pittsy" Pitts (The Grandad of the Loaghtan Loaded riders), took up mountain bike riding at the beginning of 2009, to keep up fitness during the winter in preparation for the Parish Walk, Ray's best result in the event to date has been finishing 2nd in 2007 in 15 hours 51 minutes. Other results have been finishing 1st in the 'Blackpool 50 miles" in 2008, also becoming a Centurion by walking 100 miles in under 24 hours.

Ray was a first timer in the 2009 End2End Challenge finishing in under 5 hours and hopes to continue to reduce this time next year. He has maintained a decent level of fitness over the years and thrives on endurance events. Ray, steady on the downhills, always last but in one piece!

Other riders with the Loaghtan Loaded crew are Charlie 'SPD' Flynn and Steve Smith. The Loaghtan Loaded riders are always happy to have new faces join them on their rides where the emphasis is definately on having fun!

So if you fancy joining us for a fun ride out why not get in touch?