2022 was another great year for Stif’s Mr Consistent, Jack Harker. Although he might not have had great expectations for this season, as usual he remained super fast and more importantly super stoked to be riding and racing his bike across the UK and Europe.

Jack graduated from University last year and secured a dream job which inevitably meant a move from his native Nidderdale to Coventry, not an ideal training ground for someone who was born a Mountain Bike racer!
“This year my expectations when it comes to racing were slightly lowered compared to previous years as I have been busy with work commitments and just wanted to enjoy the races I was able to attend.”
However this gave Jack an appreciation of the time he could spend on his bike, meaning he made the most of it and enjoyed it even more when he could ride. It also gave his season more focus, concentrating on a just a few key events, making sure he was in top form for each one.
Being as resilient and adaptable as he is, he changed his approach and structure to his training to match his new lifestyle, a little less saddle time was replaced by hours in the gym and making more effective use of the time he had with his bike, maintaining an awesome level of strength and fitness in the process.

Jack thinks this switch in approach kept him super fit but meant his ability to manage himself over longer Enduro events might have suffered:
My weakness was my ability to find the edge in my racing as I would often have one or two really good stage times and then be miles off the pace on the others. I believe this is something which comes with bike time as you get more comfortable on the bike so hopefully is something I can improve going forward.
Jack’s main focus for his competitive year was the Enduro World Series in Crans Montana, Switzerland. Although he feels the lead up was lacking the training volume he would usually have undertaken prior to an event like this, we are very proud of his result of 73rd overall!!
For me, nothing beats being at the top of a Mountain about to drop into an awesome 9-minute stage. The snow for the Pro-Stage at Crans Montana on Saturday also helped to make it more memorable.

For 2023 Jack is looking forward to the possibility of returning to Europe to race, alongside other the other Enduro series races in the UK which he will be attending. A recent move back to Yorkshire gives Jack confidence that he’ll be able to commit to the level of race preparation he is accustomed to.
I’m hoping to be more competitive again next year (who isn’t) but most importantly I hope to get to the events I enjoy the most. I would love to be able to race in Europe again.
For the 2023 season Jack has been racing and riding on a Bronson CC, which was a departure from his trademark XL Megatowers, opting for increased agility on the tight stages of the UK’s Enduro scene. As Jack says:
“I absolutely loved the Bronson and it definitely has lived up to its reputation of the one bike to do it all. I would 100% recommend this as an option for anything from light Trail Riding to Enduro Racing.”

With our Gentle giant being 6ft 5in the bike was a stock setup, slightly modified to suit a tall rider with a high front end, 240mm Dropper and bike 220mm Rotors. A set up which will remain but probably feature on another Santa Cruz model for next season as Jack is looking to capitalise on his raw speed in technical terrain. Having a slightly more capable bike such as the Megatower or Nomad, will help him achieve this, with weight penalty of running a harder hitting, heavier bike not being so much of a sacrifice for some one of Jack’s stature and strength.
Jack is always aboard a bike and if not found travelling at speed down a local hillside, you’ll find him travelling just as fast going up one on his Moto Trials bike in the Dales. As is typical for Jack he’s very handy at it too, competing at a high level whenever his race schedule will allow. With a little more time at his disposal in 2023 it looks to be an exciting year!