A MOTORBIKE rider, currently striving for his first Isle of Man TT win, is unwinding after races on a ‘one-of-a-kind’ mountain bike created in Barnoldswick.

Motorsport hotshot, Guy Martin, 29, who is also known as the presenter of BBC1’s The Boat That Guy Built, popped in to collect his new Alpine 160 last week from Hope Technology, which manufactures parts for bikes and associated clothing.

Ian Weatherill is co-owner of Hope, which has been established for 22 years and employ 95 people at its Calf Hall Road base.

He said: “We've done Guy a one-off factory-fettled job, all custom-made and very shiny. Although chances are it won't stay looking like that for very long!

“He’s competing in a few TT races this week and said he was taking it to the Isle of Man so he could relax by having a spin on the mountain bike.

“We’ve had a long association with Guy. He competed in one of our teams in the Fort William endurance downhill race.”

One thing Guy is synonymous with is his grubby pair of DH shorts, made by Hope, which he has been seen wearing on the BBC1 TV series and the film TT-3D, which had a cinema release and gives an insight into the skills of an elite rider.

Ian said: “We got him to sign 10 sets of the now famous shorts. They are clean and new, not the grotty ones Guy actually wears. The 10 highest bids take them, and all proceeds go to the North West Air Ambulance Service.”

To bid for the signed shorts email info@hopetech.com.