Tom heads to BikePark Wales to see if the right bike really can make up the skills gap between him and multi-discipline pro rider Hattie Harnden <\/p>
How many times have you been watching racing with your mates, commented on how fast or slow a pro is looking, and they\u2019ve come back to you with a jokey, \u201cthey could beat you on any bike!\u201d?<\/p>
I\u2019ve had plenty of those exchanges, so I\u2019ve decided to put it to the test.<\/p>
Can I, a bona-fide punter (and one of BikeRadar’s senior technical editors), go faster than a pro?<\/p>
To test this out, I need a pro, of course. Fortunately, Trek Factory Racing\u2019s Hattie Harnden is well up for the challenge.<\/p>
With numerous national titles, from cyclocross to cross-country, as well as Enduro World Series and Enduro World Cup (EDR) wins, plus three DH World Cups under her belt, Hattie\u2019s definitely qualified.<\/p>
The challenge is simple \u2013 Hattie and I will pick a track at BikePark Wales and race down it, recording our times at the bottom.<\/p> Now, there\u2019s no way I\u2019m going to set anywhere close to a comparable time, even if we\u2019re on equivalent bikes.<\/p> But what if Hattie works down through the Trek range, riding machines of decreasing suspension travel<\/a>, capability and price?<\/p> Will she still destroy my time on any bike, or is there a balancing point where a punter can beat a pro?<\/p>