A Piece of History: Jason McRoys Specialized S-Works
For those of a certain age, Jason McRoy may be the entire reason you started our craze filled sport, it’s time to appreciate what monumental efforts this legend went to to build the sports foundations and what influences he put on the industry we all know and love.
Based at the Specialized UK Headquarters in Chessington, his legendary Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper resides in the hall of fame alongside other monumentally famous bikes such as Mark Cavendish’s S-Works Venge (road bike in the Tour De France) and the first ever Specialized Stumpjumper. If you’re ever around that way, just drop in and have a look. It’s pretty spectacular.
A brief history
Jason started out in BMX racing and moved across to downhill due to a potentially career ending crash whilst racing, which saw his exterior cruciate ligament so badly damaged he was advised walking, never-mind cycling, may be off the cards for good. With constant physiotherapy and training, Jason returned to running and against the Doctor’s recommendations, entered his first mountain bike race at the age of 17 on a bog-standard Halfords bike (yes, Halfords existed back then) and won the amateur category. Gaining more race wins and better times, he upgraded to a Halfords Carrera. His determination and manner off the bike won him many admirers, and with the help of brand Richards, secured his first sponsorship deal with NTI.
The first deal was for bike and parts only, a little different to the full professional factory teams of today. He was selected for the British Downhill squad to compete in the World’s at Il Ciocco. In the final Jason’s chain got jammed, causing him to run off the track and dislocate his kneecap. Despite the pain, he finished. According to Jason’s father, he always believed in finishing a race, no matter what.
“His first Pro year was with Specialized USA in ’94. It was an indifferent year fraught with mechanical problems of all kinds -cleats pulling out of shoes, shocks blowing, wheels failing, and its highlight was him retaining his National jersey. In his fourth year as britain’s downhill representative in the World’s at Vail, he once again crashed in the final. We began to think that there was some kind of jinx on Jason for the World’s.”
“1995 started disastrously. In an effort to support the sport in the UK, Jason agreed to ride some of the Karrimor series. On an abysmally wet Peckforton course, he slipped and dislocated his thumb. In the following race, the BMB, still suffering the effects of the dislocation, he crashed and broke his wrist, which effectively took him out of the first two Grundig Downhills. Ever the optimist, he realised that he could still ride his road bike without damaging his wrist and so took up track racing at the Manchester Velodrome to maintain his fitness. His results were astonishing, and the England coach Doug Daley began to take an interest.”
August 24th, 1995: Each year, the father and son duo would meet in McDonald’s, reminiscing and catching up over Big Mac meals, but unfortunately rituals can be interrupted with the news that can turn lives upside down. Jim received the call at 1.50am on the day they were supposed to meet, notifying of Jason’s death. “When he died, a part of me died with him; but a part of Jason lives on in me, and is his inspirational life that has given me the strength to carry on.”
The JMC Specialized S-Works: The last remaining testament to a truly inspirational figurehead in mountain bike history
For the full story on Jason McRoy, visit: jasonmcroy.com
Words: Andrew Richardson and Jim McRoy Photos: Christopher Lanaway & Andrew Richardson