- What have you built?
(upbeat music)
(excited laughter)
Mike, please slow down a bit.
Bro, look at this.
Jump, we jump, jump for your (mumbles)
Yes bro, living the dream here mate.
We're riding together after quite some time.
- My name is Martyn Ashton
and I'm a paralyzed mountain biker.
It's crazy, but despite that disability,
I still get to ride my bike,
mainly thanks to my crazy, amazing friends.
Now I'm on a mission to see
where my riding can take me,
and more importantly,
who I can ride with.
This
is my Random Tandem,
and it's time to welcome another
friend aboard.
(construction rumbling)
(metal screeching)
Let's find out who we've got this time.
(chains clanking)
Oh, no way.
This is Rob Warner,
a World Cup downhill race winner,
the voice of the sport,
and a lifelong friend of mine.
(laughter)
- When you said I was going riding with you,
I didn't mean - I meant, with me.
- Not on the side, not really, right?
- Yeah.
- Really? - What'd you think?
- And I noticed you're up front.
- I'm up front, I've got the bars,
I've got the brakes. You've got...
- What have you built?
- And it amaze you?
- Oh my God.
I know bikes get longer,
but you took the piss for that one.
- Why did you say yes to coming riding with a guy
who paralyzed himself riding?
- Because I thought to go on a sec
for a bicycle while away from you.
Is this the start of a comeback?
So you can get back instantly.
All right. - Let's go.
- Let's do it.
- Are we actually going to go off road
we're going to go off road on this contraption.
- No, no, no.
We won't go, we should go far.
- Alright. Go on then, go on.
I can't steer you mother (goat bleating)
- That's it, that's it. You've got it.
That's lovely, that's lovely. - The power
Is the power on?
- Yeah. - Are they engaged?
- It is. It's got to be.
That's lovely. - Alright brother,
could you stay up a bit?
- Oh there we go.
- Oh that's better.
- Oh, there we are.
- Bro, look at this.
- It's easy. - We're riding together again
after quite
some time.
(Mike laughs)
- How's it feel when I do this?
- Don't do that.
- Or you know, a bit of this.
- Don't do that! Oye!
- All right, I'll keep it straight.
- What idiot got me involved in this?
- I've got Rob Warner on the back.
The voice!
The very voice of mountain biking.
Definitely one of the most famous downhillers
in your hay day.
- Not from the results, mate, but yeah.
- What!? Some results.
- And you know how special these words are.
So what does that feel like?
- I'd like to think that I can definitely,
really respect what they're doing.
- Yeah.
- And I can walk on a track,
and I try to remember what it would've been like.
I can put myself back on a ATX Modern.
You know, remember,
it's just that how hard they're going.
- Yeah. Yeah.
- On every square foot of that track,
I can still feel myself
sort of back in their shoes a bit.
- Yeah.
- And that's probably why I can genuinely get as excited
I think, because I'm a fan, I like watching it.
And I'll be honest with you, mate,
(goat bleating) rather commentate on it than race it.
My wife would prefer being a commentator than a racer.
Right, we're off. - We're off.
(Rob mumbles) Right, here we go.
- Mike, I haven't felt this nervous since I dropped
into a World Cup.
Steady on them, bro.
I keep goin' for the brakes, mate.
What am I doing?
- This is crazy! - Dude!
- Oh my god!
- Just chill a bit.
Just chill a bit, dude!
There's a jump. There's a jump!
Woooh!
- Where are we going?
- Look at there corners.
- Mate, just take it easy, will ya'?
- Okay! I'm takin' it easy (goat bleating)
How long ago do you think it was (mumbles)
- I stood up behind you. I don't know why.
- Oh my god that was wicked!
- Yes! - Is it better stood up
or sat down? - It's best stood
up mate. - you're going way
too fast, mate?
- I don't think I... - You (goat bleating) idiot.
Dude, you're an idiot when you were doin' it for real.
And now you've probably got even worse.
(laughs)
You just don't give a (beep) anymore.
- Oh mate. Oh mate.
- Please slow down a bit.
(laughs)
Chill out.
Dude! (Rob mumbles)
now
just a bit. Just slow down a bit.
Mate! (goat bleating) now. What're you doin?
(Mike laughs)
Well, that was pretty good.
Have you gone that fast before?
Did you go extra fast to (goat bleating) with me?
- I can't stop laughing!
(both laughing)
- How did you get through those S-bends?
That was incredible.
- Um, why the mustache?
- Well, what you think?
You like it? - Well actually,
I think it looks pretty cool.
- Mike, do you want to know the little story about it?
- Yes, definitely.
- Uh, don't much go public with this,
but too late now.
So, I was doin' this series for Red Bull.
- Yeah?
- And I flew to Colombia.
And I'd met the film crew.
Any of 'em.
I met 'em the night before.
Beard, hair,
(Mike laughs)
you know,
it's an adventure show, so I thought I'd go a bit loose.
- Yeah. - Long beard
longish hair, what's left of it.
Anyway, that night we had a rest stay.
I have a quick dye-up.
You know. - Yeah.
- Get everything lookin' black and nice for the show.
But I must've changed brands or something.
(Mike laughs.)
I woke up at 4 o'clock in the morning.
My lips, they looked like this.
Like that.
My whole head was swollen up like a (goat bleating) berry.
- Oh no! - I looked like
I'd had an allergic reaction.
- Oh my god, shit.
- To the point where I didn't know what I'd do.
So I buzzed.
I just got a Bic and took the whole lot off.
- Oh my god.
- Yeah. And I had all blisters all over my boat race
and it was horrendous.
So the next morning, I went down to breakfast
and sat with 'em and they looked at me like I was a stranger
and they were like,
who's this?
A completely bald dude.
So I've recovered to a mustache anyway.
I'm into the 'tache now mate.
The 'tache is going to be around for a bit.
- All right.
- Yeah. I love it. I love the 'tache.
- Now are you sure you want to' do this?
- No, I don't want to' do it dude.
I've got no control over what - Too late.
- Mate, just back it off a bit all right?
- All right, backin' it off.
- I'm just going to shut me eyes.
Right, I'm shuttin' 'em. - Shut your eyes.
- I'm shutting me eyes. It's way bad, dude.
No! It's not.
It's way worse.
- [Mike] Whoa!
- What're you doing?
- I don't know. - Slow down a bit!
(Mike laughs)
- I think we've got it, Dude.
We're going to spin.
(Rob mumbles)
Oh, my God!
- I can't see a (goat bleating) thing back here.
(Mike laughs)
(goat bleating) idiot.
Dude. You enjoyin' this?
- Yeah, mate.
(Rob laughs)
- Chill out, bro!
I'm f****in off again.
I'm off again, man.
There's a double.
Dude!
Awe, dude.
Dude!
(Mike laughs)
(upbeat music)
- This is insane!
(both laughing)
(goat bleating)
- You bastard!
Dude!
- Keep peddlin'.
Keep pedaling
- Pedal on the right
- Pedal. Pedal. Pedal.
Pedal. (laughs)
- I cannot look.
- That's good, that bit. Just crank it. Yeah.
- No, no, no. I don't crank it.
I back it off so I have a rest
from the relentless torture of being
sat behind you on tandem!
- Oh yes!
- Mate
(Rob mumbles)
You're good. You are good.
I'm not doing anything,
except being terrified.
I'm not doin' this again you know!
(laughs)
- Uh, right. Here we go, right.
Rob Warner and... are you dabbing?!
- You dickhead! (laughs)
- I totally didn't know you got off.
- Woo!
It felt so good to watch you disappear
off into the distance.
It was one of the greatest moments of my life
waving goodbye to this set up.
- That was amazing!
Let's do a big skid Rob, ready?
Here we go.
(bicycle tires crunching gravel)
(Martyn laughs) - I'm still scared.
- But trouble does follow you a bit
and I'm not wrong about that.
A lot of stories that people will tell in mountain biking
start with
"well Rob was there."
You're an instigator.
- Yeah - So I figured,
I thought about this a lot.
You'd be a really great policeman.
- Well, I've always wanted to take the law in me own hands.
- Anything?
- Nothing yet.
But it's only a matter of time.
It's a busy stretch of a track
and it always deliver.
Hang on, we've got one!
(bicycle tires grinding)
47 kilometers an hour.
I think we'll leave that one a special branch.
He's murdering this trial.
(upbeat jazz music)
Okay, another one coming.
I think this one's for us, man.
- Oh, this looks pitiful.
(bicycle chain whirling)
- 28 kilometers an hour.
Let's go. Let's have him.
Alright, left harder!
- I'm trying!
- He's going to get away!
(bicycle chain whirling)
(siren)
Get this squab.
- Aye! Stop in the name of the law!
- We'll have him. He's resisting arrest!
(siren)
Mike. Careful, careful, careful.
There's been a lot of fatalities in police chases like this.
Dude! I'm serious.
(Mike laughs)
He's trying to get away. Come back here you dastardly fiend!
- Dastardly fiend?
- Yeah, what is that?
You're wanted for crimes against mountain bikin'!
(Mike laughs)
- I think he's a drink-driver.
Oh my god, now I think you are a drink-driver
the way you took that bloody corner.
(siren wailing)
Hey! Stevie wonder, are you deaf? Huh?
- Stevie Wonder's blind!
- Enough of your lip!
- What?
- What?!
You're under arrest for riding criminally slow.
- You're kidding. - Come on.
Get over here.
Hug it!
(foot steps rumbling)
You're in for a long night, son.
- Well done, constable.
- I haven't had a sting like this for five-oh in years.
It's a great day's work.
(Mike laughs) Shall we?
Remember! Use this time wisely!
Learn to ride faster!
Slack off this.
- Rob, tell me about Rob Warner at 10 years old.
- Mum says the other day actually,
she remembers that nursery refused to take me.
So there was a mountain bike center.
Dad, we used to knock up what we used to call tracker bikes.
- Yeah?
- And they were, in fact,
there weren't even any BMX's in mate.
They came in a little bit later.
Maybe that's BMX's were about.
Me uncle was a Raleigh dealer.
I had 14 Raleigh Burners in one year.
- What?! - Yeah.
I kept breaking 'em and smashing 'em
and just getting new ones. I was really..
Yeah, the mountain bike trials was probably becoming
a bit of an obsession by then.
We were going most weekends and
- Amazing.
- and school went really badly.
(Mike laughs) - And got worse when I went
to secondary school.
- Yeah. - I spent most
of secondary school on report.
(Mike laughs)
- But, and I'm pretty good at this,
I can forge quite well,
so I forged me mom's signature every night,
(Mike laughs)
and they never knew I was on report.
And I probably spent,
out of 5 years at secondary school,
18 months on report.
- God. - Yeah, I'm not proud of that.
I was a terrible kid. - That is bad. That is tote.
So when I was in hospital when I'd had my accident,
you were one of the first people I spoke to afterwards.
- I was scared to come and see ya'.
- Yeah, well you remember you rang me.
- Yeah. And I've been putting it off and putting it off,
- Yeah
- We go back all the way, don't we?
- Yeah, long time.
- It actually upset me quite a lot, you getting hurt,
so, I had to man up and I rung you, didn't I?
- Yeah, well... - Which is weird to say,
but, you know, it was gnarly, mate.
I didn't know.
- It was definitely a gnarly time
but I tell you what right,
in that conversation you said something
that stuck with me to this day,
and definitely while I was in hospital,
it was one of the most important things anyone said to me.
- Really? - I'm not making this up,
right? I know I wanted to be really positive,
and I think I was being really positive
with you on the phone.
- Well you've probably got to be to get through it.
- Yeah. But one of the things you said,
well, this was the one thing you said,
you said
"(goat bleating) mate you've got some dark days ahead."
(Rob laughs)
- You said it and I thought, that is brutal.
It's honest and then since then,
it's turned out to be vital information.
- Why?
- There is going to be dark days ahead, and I start...
- That's for all of us, mate,
but you at that time,
like that of course you in that time,
like, probably the darkest hole anyone went,
definitely anyone I'd ever known had been in.
You know what I mean?
- I got off the phone and I thought, "He's right."
I've got to put some armor on. You know?
- You've got to brace up, mate.
- Yeah, I got to like prepare myself for this.
- I don't know, it's my interview
but I'm going to ask you a question
just because I want to know about your wellbeing,
but life's good now ain't it?
- It's fantastic.
- It is. You're a happy man.
- I'd say I'm overly happy.
(both laughing)
Probably I'm quite a positive person.
- Yeah, you're an incredible person.
- I did think I'd be all right, but I think that in for me,
that sort of,
that brute honesty of like,
"Dude, it ain't going to be easy, so start getting ready"
was really important.
Oh, dude.
Talking about dark days ahead,
there's a big hill coming.
(Mike laughs)
(Rob mumbles)
- Right. The reason I mention it is like,
what is it that makes you be able to say that to someone?
- You've got to be honest, haven't ya?
Yeah, and you can have some dark days ahead of you mate.
It ain't going to be plain sailing is it,
but you are going to get through it.
And it's nice that you've said that
cause I've never have tried to offend you or scare you but,
I think you've always got to keep hold of reality,
haven't ya? As much as you can.
- Yeah - You know what I mean?
It will be all right but,
it ain't going to be plain sailing,
you've lost use of your legs. - Nah. Yeah.
- You ain't going to ride a bike again like,
in the form that you know it.
And you're going to have some twat behind you
(goat bleating) pedaling you up hills like this.
- This hill is so steep!
- Oh. I should watch what I'm doing.
- Right.
- Oh this is bad. - Let's get a bit of rhythm.
- Ah yes.
- Awe, yeah.
- Yes.
- That's nice ain't it?
- That's nice.
- It's so nice when you're not being an idiot.
- Yes.
- No thoughts. We jump!
- Did the wheel come off the ground?
- A little bit. A little bit.
- I don't think it did.
- A little bit.
- C'mon. Yes bro, yes.
- Yes. - Tight line.
- Oh, nice. - You have to take time
though when I land.
- Oh, yes. - Yes!
- Yes, bro, living the dream ain't we?
Woo!
Oh (goat bleating) nearly, nearly living in that tree!
(Martyn laughs)
- Aye?
- Bro, I'm getting you to the bottom safe, dude.
- It's quite a treat just cruising down here behind you.
- Let's keep it real. Let's keep it nice.
- Keep it low in them berms, dude.
- I'm keeping it as low as I can.
(both laughing)
- Stay low in those turns.
- Right. - Stay low in this one.
- Yes! - Oh yeah.
- Long straight.
Mate, push it.
What did you do then?
- I didn't, it was you.
- I stood up again, see?
The secret is to stay exactly in line with you.
- Is it?
- But now I'm sat down after getting lower.
That feels better, right? - Yeah.
- And now I can't see anything.
- Is that better?
- No, no, it's even more terrifying.
(Martyn laughs)
- Just let it go!
- No, don't!
- Oh, mate.
Oh, mate there's a fast bit coming up.
Don't go mad again.
Will you promise?
- Promise.
- Because that is a long straight in the middle.
- What's that? Is that my hemorrhoids just dropped?
- What the??? (laughs)
Look at that slow in front.
Idiot!
Oh my god.
(laughter)
- [Rob] You've bust a pedal have you?
(Martyn laughs)
You loved that, didn't you?
- I did.
- That's one of the worst things I've ever done.
- Well, we did it. We did it.
- Now I'm pedaling like a bastard.
- We lived!
(Upbeat modern music)
- That was nuts!
- That was nuts, mate.
(laughter)
- That was nuts, dude!
- You went way, way, way, way too fast!
I never thought I'd actually ride with you again.
To actually ride absolutely with you,
on the same bloody bike was a bit much
but it's been a special day for me.
- Do you think you understand
why I'm in a wheelchair better now?
(Rob laughs)
- You were a loose unit and you still are.
Nothing's changed. Nothing has changed.
- Well you get a special treat right?
At the end of surviving a day,
you get to pick my next victim.
- Oh. Do I really?
- You do, yeah.
- Can I make a phone call?
- Go for it.
(phone ringing)
- Hello?
- We're wondering if I can pass over the reins to you
for the next one, in Fort William.
Would you be up for that?
- Yes, of course, of course, I'm well into that.
- Yeah, dude, you'll love it.
(laughter)
- What an idiot. He's going to do it.
I can't believe it.
(loud percussion music)
He's murdering this trail.
Christ I'm blowin' up my ass back here.
Just enjoying yourself up front.
- It's really relaxing, dude, honestly.
I'm having a lot of beautiful day.
Mate, that actually went well.
(Rob screaming)
- (goat bleating) you're heavy.
- Oh Daniel, your underset looks good.
- Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!
(Mike laughing) - Oh no, no!
- God no.
- God, you're strong.
- No mate.
- What've you done?
- I think me handle bars are going to snap.
- Oh no.
- I've got this, let's go.
- No.
Where are you going bro?
- 'Round here, down there,
- Where now? Where now?
(Martyn screams)
- Never seen anyone ride a mountain bike that badly.
Get off. Get. Off.
Stop arguing, I'm sick of this.
I don't know why I'm even holding onto the handlebars.
I'm literally just the pedaler.
- Whoa, mate
- Whoa! Whoa!
Whoa!
(Martyn laughing)
- What are you doing?
Get off that bike now.
- What? What you doing?
What are you - Now you broke me handcuffs.
(laughter)