Harry has ridden bikes handed down to him from siblings, or pieced together from parts. Now YT has built a custom bike to replace his trusty hardtail.

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When it comes to bike handling skills, Harry’s got it dialled

Harry’s custom YT

Harry’s bike has been designed for him by YT engineer Harry Schroppe. It’s based on the existing YT Jeffsy 27 albeit with customised geometry and kinematics, and some new parts to allow for the smaller size.

“It required new CAD drawings, molds and also custom machine testing,” Harry X says. “The Jeffsy 27 is a very playful bike and we thought it would be a good idea to include that DNA in Harry´s bike.”

Harry keeps Harry on point

That DNA includes Manitou suspension, Shimano SLX 11 speed rear mech and SRAM crankset, and Maxxis Minion tyres for the 24in wheels. There’s no price for the YT Custom, because it’s not a production bike, and YT says they have no plans to make it so. We think that’s a shame, after going to all the effort of designing the bike they might as well sell it too.

Harry demonstrates his ideal riding height

Young talent

Nine-year-old Harry Schofield nearly lands a backflip. Not a 50ft gap at the Masters of Dirt in Austria this time, but a vertical bounce on a ‘tramp’ bike, in the garden of his parents’ house in West Sussex. “That’s the closest I’ve come to getting it,” he says with a grin. Wheel-less, with the pointy bits wrapped up in foam and gaffer tape courtesy of his dad, this old BMX has been repurposed for use on a trampoline and now gets whipped, flipped and thrown with abandon.

The new trophy cabinet will be arriving soon…

It’s far from the only bike Harry messes about on during our brief visit though. He rides trials on an old 20in balance bike, wheelies the new custom full susser from YT, loops out on his brother’s hardtail and lovingly pats the seat of his new, used motocross. Full of energy, cheerful, and eager to ride everything on two wheels, Harry Schofield is as likeable as he is talented.

Harry’s custom Jeffsy gets a big thumbs up

And boy is he prodigiously talented. Riding balance bikes from the age of one, bunnyhops by two, before taking up BMX, mountain biking and motocross. Last year he came third at the BMX World Championships, this year he went to Masters of Dirt in Austria. “I’ve always wanted to fly,” Harry says when I ask what he likes about riding. “In other words jumping.”

Harry’s dad Paul has a slightly different take on it. “He’s fearless,” Paul says. “I haven’t pushed him into any of this, he just sees a jump and he wants to hit it.”

“He breaks everything though,” Paul says, beaming with pride. “He’s broken all my door handles. The towel rail, the car door hinges, his goggles just this weekend. He broke the cup holder in the van too.”

“That was all by accident though,” Harry pipes up.