Airdrop Riders
sessions not seconds
Our approach to rider support is a little bit different. We're not interested in who's the biggest on YouTube or who has the most clout on Instagram. We look for riders who are making a real difference in their local scene. That might be through digging, building, riding, shooting, inspiring or enabling other people to get out and ride. We try to use whatever resources we have to help them just be themselves. That approach tends to attract riders who aren't looking for sponsorship anyway. These riders aren't doing it for the clicks, they're doing it because they love the sport, just like we do.
Craig Evans
A Sheffield local, Craig cut his teeth digging and riding in Wharny with James. Even though we've known him for ages, it still amazes me that he's willing to ride for Airdrop. In my opinion, he's the best rider of bicycles around. And I have pure admiration for his determination to be himself, all the time. In a world where even 'keeping it real' is easy to fake, Craig is as authentic as they come. A grafter who's always worked to support his riding career, now he's one of the team at Airdrop.
Instagram: @cregskin
Ryan Middleton
Your favourite rider's favourite rider. Hailing from Dundee, Ryan's a humble dude with an almost unbelievable level of style on a bike. He holds down a full time job whilst being a core part of his local scene, and inspires us all to ride through his contributions to Shredder MTB Zine. It's a mystery to me why he hasn't had big-name sponsors, but maybe that's a conscious choice. It's a privilege for us to be able to support him.
Instagram: @ryanmid
Alf Raynor
Alf may not be a household name, but his work speaks for itself. A trail builder by trade, you'll have seen his work at Dyfi Bikepark, Hardline or Caersws. It's people like Alf that are the lifeblood of this sport; living in a van, spending weeks at a time digging in the rain may not be rock & roll but that's what it takes to have the trails we love to ride. The future for MTB is bright if we have young guns like Alf involved. His special move is flipping his Slacker off stuff that he shouldn't.
Instagram: @alfraynor
Jai Motherwell
An Aussie living in Queenstown, Jai was the first person ever to buy a Slacker. He's a veteran trail builder who's worked on Crankworx courses, but his real focus is going big on his bike. And he does go big... pushing for a spot at Proving Grounds and the ultimate goal is Rampage. But we support him mainly because he's a solid dude who can make his bike do insane things. Relentlessly positive, his passion (and skill) for riding is infectious.
Instagram: @themothership__