2018 UK Gravity Bike season finally starts!

After event cancellations due to the weather on two occasions and low entry numbers Rat Racing rider Justin Greaves finally got his gravity bike season underway and the Coleby Downhill Challenge in Lincolnshire.

Here are a few shots from the event courtesy of Songasport... 

Worlaby Downhill Challenge 2017 action

Down down Gurston Down - mid-season update!

The 2017 British Gravity Bike Championship is well underway with three events having been held so far this season, all taking place at Gurston Down near Salisbury.

IR Rat Racing's Justin Greaves has had a very successful season so far with a podium position on each of the events.

Round 1 took place in March and Greaves finished second behind teammate Ian Round. Both riders broke the 14 year old course record despite conditions being wet and slippery early on.

There was some very close racing at round two and the lead changed hands several times. Greaves struggled a little early on but changing to a harder compound rear tyre saw his times improve and he finished in third place, the top three separated by just 0.35 seconds.

The sun shone for round three and there was a nice tailwind which helped produce some quick times initially and Greaves was in third place. Unfortunately he was denied the chance to push for a higher place as the wind changed direction meaning that the times of all the riders got slower.

Greaves presently lies in third place in the championship on 52 points and with Round leading on 70 points IR Rat Racing lead the team championship on 122, twice as many as the second place team.

"It's been a great season so far," said Greaves. "The racing has been very close and the times extremely quick - I was very happy to beat the course record at Gurston at round one."

"Ian and myself are in a good position in the team championship, hopefully we can continue our success in the second half of the season and, personally, I'd like to try and beat my best result and get a win in one of the remaining rounds."

The next round takes place at Penn House in Buckinghamshire on 24th June.

Round and Greaves join forces

2016 Champion, Ian Round, and Rat Racing's Justin Greaves have joined forces for the 2017 British Gravity Bike Championships in a bid to take the newly formed 'Team Trophy'. The duo will race under the IR Rat Racing banner.

Round took three wins and one third place in the 2016 series and Greaves had three podium positions so they will be force to be reckoned with in 2017.

"I'm pleased to announce the team-up of myself and Ian," said Greaves. "We have pushed each other to go faster over the past two seasons, so being a team for the new season will add an element of fun competition in a different way. It'll be interesting to see the results come the end of the season!"

The IR Rat Racing duo will be in action with the other 2017 riders at Round 1 of the British Gravity Bike Championships at Gurston Down on Sunday 12th March 2017.

Rat Racing to return to British Gravity Bike Championship

After a successful first full season in 2016, Justin Greaves and his Medscope Consulting-backed Rat Racing team will again compete in the British Gravity Bike championship this year.

Greaves finished third overall in the 2016 championship and, with a modified bike for this season, he's aiming for an even better finish in 2017.

"I was pleased with the podium finish last year," said Greaves. "I've been busy working on the bike over the winter with the modification including changing the head tube angle for better handling and a more comfortable seat."

"Hopefully the changes will make the bike quicker and allow me to challenge for race wins."

The championship kicks off with a round at Gurston Down in Wiltshire on 12th March. There will be four further rounds between April and July, finishing off with Greaves' home event at Worlaby in Lincolnshire.

Championship podium for Greaves at season finale

Rat Racing gravity bike rider Justin Greaves completed his debut British Gravity Bike Championship season last weekend with a fourth place finish at the Worlaby Downhill Challenge. The result was enough to secure him third place overall in the championship.

After an initial practice run a torrential downpour made the course treacherous in places. Greaves was the first of the leading gravity bike crews to tackle the hill competitively and he had built up good speed ahead of the first tricky corner on the course. Entering the corner the bike went over an area that hadn't dried up and immediately skidded to the outside of the bend. Greaves just about regained control but he then hit a muddy section on the verge and was thrown from his bike, resulting in a severe bang to his head.

Undeterred, Greaves continued in the event and managed to set some quick times as the course dried out in the afternoon. His best run of the day resulted in him being classified fourth. As ever, the competition was very close, with the top four crews separated by just over two seconds.

"I'm pretty pleased to finish third in my first full season," said Greaves. "I've had three podium positions, including second at the previous event, so it's been a good year. It's a very competitive championship, on some events the top places were decided by hundredths of seconds. Hopefully I'll be able to compete again next season."

Pics from the Worlaby Downhill Challenge