Testing times, so it seems. The industry for the most part is on its arse. I've been sunken into this scene for a good 12 years now and I don't think I've ever seen it this bad. More volatile than bad I suppose. Luckily I've had enough work to keep me ticking over and some exciting contracts for 2024 going forward, although I have felt the squeeze too. Marketing budgets are slimmer than they usually are and brands are tight and understandably so. I really feel for the people who've lost their jobs, I write this the day after Wiggle and CRC have been taken over by Mike Ashley and the whole umbrella (Nukeproof, Vitus, Ragley etc..) is effectively no more with mass redundancies from what was for the last 10 years or so the UK's premier online bike shop. A huge fall from grace stemming from big corporate greed, merges, god awful UI web design and maybe a big lack of foresight to not realise that the covid bike boom would actually come back down to normal levels of consumer demand. It seems they've also ruined the second hand bike market as since October 2023 you've been able to buy ludicrously cheap bikes and bits from CRC as they tried desperately to clear their stock. But then again, it's 2024 and everything is either super cheap, or not selling at all. Interest rates are high, it's a recession and a shit show.

Anyway - Nukeproof really meant a lot to me, as did the people that worked there. They were one of my first main clients from around 2017. They noticed my style and that it aligned well with their brand image, and we got on like a house on fire. I'd like to think I helped shape their brand just a little bit with a solid bag full of impactful and inspirational videos that must've helped shift a good few of those bikes. It's an enormous shame that it fell victim to big corporations, as it deserved to stand on its own after winning the 'most desirable brand' award last year. All those athletes gone, it's integrity and the respect it grew to demand, gone. It'll leave a big old whole in the UK scene as it got to a point where every other rider seemingly was on a Nukeproof, at least round these ends and I know they had a huge hold in Scotland. Vitus too, they became THE entry level brand to have and went onto being a very desirable brand too.

God forbid what Mike Ashley will do once he gets his greasy fingers into it all. Evans Cycles house brands perhaps? Who knows. All I know that is whatever they gets regurgitated as, they'll be merely shadows of their former selves. End of an era.

This was a great project to be involved with for the brand new Cube AMS ebike. Jacob Gibbins of Aspect Media got me involved on the camera and working alongside Jamie from Openwide Agency, there was a solid crew of creatives who did a stellar job of this.

My mantra is always keep doing stuff, regardless. If that stuff is paid then brilliant. But if it's not, I don't care. I just keep on going doing what I love. I love making personal projects as a whole load of fun as well as free marketing, showing what I can do, and keeping the skills sharp. This is Daryl Brown and this was a project we shot early Jan - when everything is quiet. I took advantage of the downtime and made something we can be proud of.

BTS in 50to01 HQ whilst shooting some industry insight bits for Vital MTB.

Possibly one of the most insane clips I've ever recorded, coming soon. The Firm The Movie, coming this year.. at some point.. whenever we decide we're done with it. Ha.

The most British Pie thing since British Pie. The Firm The Movie. Coming soon.

Seeing as it’s all a bit doom and gloom at the moment, I decided to get something fun done as 2024 rolled around. Daryl was the perfect subject after we filmed during 2023 and I realised sliding the ebike round was his speciality. South coast steep chalk was the terrain and raining for weeks before the shoot was the game. Storms and floods galore but the weather thankfully held off for a few days whilst we filmed. Briggy Smalls came along for the snaps and here’s the few minutes of slimy sideways action that we produced. Enjoy.

‘This edit was actually scheduled in March 23... however I impaled myself on a steel rod sticking out a leafy turn after a very small crash, after recovering from that and heading off to Darkfest, I hoped to get it done. Unfortunately I then snapped my femur in another crash. 8 months later we are back! I’m always stoked to with Tommy C as love his enthusiasm and skilled work behind the lens.

I love the idea of anything that slides and I think the Mx5 Turbo perfectly sums that up with the South Downs being mainly made up of chalk the conditions are always loose, slippery and highly entertaining. I always say if you can ride Southern Chalk well you can ride anything! Hope you enjoy.’ Daryl Brown.