Article
Coming clean, staying clean, and being fresh. Jimmy Pratt has one of the most interesting stories out there of how he came clean. The 25 Year old from West London spent years building his talents in mountain biking, and is now one of the most iconic dirt jumpers in the United Kingdom. Signed by the best dirt jumping and the most recognised brand, Jimmy seen as a “God” in the profession - not many people achieve so much in so little time unlike he has.
BUT Pratt has had a rough upbringing and turned to a new ‘Legal High’: Methadrone, which is used as a substitute to cocaine, having very similar effects, it was a potentially devastating drug. He was only fifteen. Spiralling out of control, the drug took over jimmy’s life. From one hit a week, it increased to two, then three, then at the pinnacle of Jimmy’s Time on the now Class A drug he was hitting two, sometimes three lines a day. Red nose day was every day for jimmy but he was the child in need, in desperate need. With every high there’s a low and Jimmy’s lows were devastating to his personality, and family. He would have serious mood swings lashing out on his mother, hitting her, Shouting, abusing her. His brother being three years younger would not dare to speak to Jimmy, scared of the consequences of his actions. It was only until Pratt was threatened with death did he really consider the devastating effects the Methadrone was having on him and his alter ego personality.
The day came when Pratt was told it was make or break and that he either came off the drugs or he would have an estimated 6 months left of living an ambiguous, low life or turn to the right and come clean of the drugs. Easier said than done! Pratt went to rehab and tried umpteen solutions all to fail.
He was then introduced to a mountain bike.
Then everything changed. Jimmy focused in on training although the drugs were still present, the highs from hitting ten foot jumps were at another level, the feeling was highly addictive and the drugs were soon becoming inadequate. Jimmy’s talent was there from day one the countless days of training and finally finding a perfect spot in maidenhead for the ultimate trail spot, building some of the biggest trails in the UK was hard and even harder to keep secret. The spot has taken years to build with shear man power, shifting tonnes of dirt with normal shovels. Once Jimmy had a couple of lines running his skills started to really take off.
At the age of 20, being 6ft 5ins, well built, tattooed, and clad with a flat cap, he could easily slot into an unforgivable stereotype. Pratt entered King of Dirt, and won. Getting spotted by DMR the most renowned dirt jumping/ slopestyle bike manufacturer in the UK, Pratt started living the high life driving a nice car, riding a nice bike and for the first time in his life had a stunning girl on his arm.
Drugs were in the past, never forgotten but in the shadows of the mind.
Pratt continued to practise and developing his style. Collaborating with the owner of Wisley dirt jumps: Diggs, Pratt and Diggs transformed Wisley to host annual events such as King of Dirt often sponsored by