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Riders with unique styles/characteristics.


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Paco Castagna, very 'exagerated' style on the bike, loves a bit of showboating.

 

another one was a Polish lad at Peterborough, can't remember his name, wasn't there very long but definitely had a scary style

Edited by stevehone
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2 hours ago, stevehone said:

Paco Castagna, very 'exagerated' style on the bike, loves a bit of showboating.

 

another one was a Polish lad at Peterborough, can't remember his name, wasn't there very long but definitely had a scary style

Karol Zabik?

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4 hours ago, *JJ said:

Malcolm Simmonds. He used to sit upright and relaxed.

Funnily enough I thought of him when i saw this thread - when he spent half a season riding for Arena he always did look smooth and classy on the bike even at the ripe of age of 43.

My other choice is Andrew Silver leg trailer extrordinaire. To a lesser extent Troy Pratt - his style also reminded me of Andrew, particularly wen riding Arena's tight bends.

Edited by GeneralMelchett
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18 hours ago, bloom89 said:

Rob Grant junior had a peculiar leg very far out going in to the bends sure his dad was the same? Although to young to have seen him ride but sure someone will know better…

He was the very first rider I thought of as soon as I saw this topic.

There are leg trailers like Joe Screen, exaggerated positioning like Armando Castagna and smooth sailors like Bjarne Pedersen, but nothing on this earth comes close to Rob Grant’s style.

It was so bizarre, I wouldn’t even know how to describe it.

Can anyone find a picture? I can’t.

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2 hours ago, TheWellBehavedWorrall said:

He was the very first rider I thought of as soon as I saw this topic.

There are leg trailers like Joe Screen, exaggerated positioning like Armando Castagna and smooth sailors like Bjarne Pedersen, but nothing on this earth comes close to Rob Grant’s style.

It was so bizarre, I wouldn’t even know how to describe it.

Can anyone find a picture? I can’t.

8MY6MDO.jpeg

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On 12/9/2024 at 1:57 PM, GeneralMelchett said:

Funnily enough I thought of him when i saw this thread - when he spent half a season riding for Arena he always did look smooth and classy on the bike even at the ripe of age of 43.

My other choice is Andrew Silver leg trailer extrordinaire. To a lesser extent Troy Pratt - his style also reminded me of Andrew, particularly wen riding Arena's tight bends.

I enjoyed watching Andrew Silver, he had a God given ability on the bike & was able to change direction like no other rider. he didn't need to be on the fastest machine he just had a faster mind

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14 hours ago, Technik said:

I enjoyed watching Andrew Silver, he had a God given ability on the bike & was able to change direction like no other rider. he didn't need to be on the fastest machine he just had a faster mind

He certainly seemed to me to be one of the most naturally talented riders for sure. I felt he could and should have gone higher than he did. He gave me many speedway happy memories however!

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Joe Owen, early in his career had the nickname 'Tazmanian Devil' the way he twisted all over his bike with plenty of elbows out.  His style calmed down quite a bit & he became a well capable rider in 1978 raising his match ave. to above 9pts before his first terrible action at Hull riding in a meaningless 2nd half race....

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13 hours ago, martinmauger said:

Joe Owen, early in his career had the nickname 'Tazmanian Devil' the way he twisted all over his bike with plenty of elbows out.  His style calmed down quite a bit & he became a well capable rider in 1978 raising his match ave. to above 9pts before his first terrible action at Hull riding in a meaningless 2nd half race....

Joe was a  great rider, IMO he and John Jackson ( he had quite a unique style himself ) were the two greatest riders to have ridden in the old NL of the 70's .

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On 12/9/2024 at 1:57 PM, GeneralMelchett said:

Funnily enough I thought of him when i saw this thread - when he spent half a season riding for Arena he always did look smooth and classy on the bike even at the ripe of age of 43.

My other choice is Andrew Silver leg trailer extrordinaire. To a lesser extent Troy Pratt - his style also reminded me of Andrew, particularly wen riding Arena's tight bends.

Have to agree on Andrew Silver. Probably my favourite ever rider, although I sometimes think he could have been even better if he'd changed his style. I sometimes wonder if he rode in that manner deliberately because it looked so damn cool!

He was a sensation for a few years at Swindon. To see him deliberately miss the gate on lane 4 and then cut under everyone on the first turn was one of the best things I've ever seen.

Another one at Swindon was Shawn McConnell. Possibly a degree of style over substance but well worth it! He tended to finish second or third in races. I once saw him about to win a race and pull a massive celebration wheelie that was so big he got passed. He came second.

 

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On 12/9/2024 at 1:57 PM, GeneralMelchett said:

Funnily enough I thought of him when i saw this thread - when he spent half a season riding for Arena he always did look smooth and classy on the bike even at the ripe of age of 43.

My other choice is Andrew Silver leg trailer extrordinaire. To a lesser extent Troy Pratt - his style also reminded me of Andrew, particularly wen riding Arena's tight bends.

I rode with him at Iwade when he must have been about 70 and he was still the same then, a master of the throttle. 

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6 hours ago, Grachan said:

Have to agree on Andrew Silver. Probably my favourite ever rider, although I sometimes think he could have been even better if he'd changed his style. I sometimes wonder if he rode in that manner deliberately because it looked so damn cool!

He was a sensation for a few years at Swindon. To see him deliberately miss the gate on lane 4 and then cut under everyone on the first turn was one of the best things I've ever seen.

Another one at Swindon was Shawn McConnell. Possibly a degree of style over substance but well worth it! He tended to finish second or third in races. I once saw him about to win a race and pull a massive celebration wheelie that was so big he got passed. He came second.

 

I was that much of a fan I badgered my dad to take me all the way to Swindon a couple of times, one time I was actually staying with family friends in Nailsworth and they took me to Blunsdon 1988 V Ipswich - Andrew scored an almost perfect 14 from 5 that day! Gary Chessell another ex Arena rider was riding for Swindon also and he scored 8 or so as well - i went home very happy!!

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I think Andrew always wanted his life to be fun & not just a job. I heard a story that as we all know The Silver's are skiers but Andrew was a step up & he was around the British Olympic squad when they were training. at the time the top Brit was Conrad Bartelski & he was decked out in full skin tight ski suit & Andrew in just regular ski pants, jacket & a wooly hat. Andrew recorded a time a lot quicker than the ski pro but he never made a fuss it was all just fun

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