A New Nozza Assistant - Jordan Godwin and his ECLAT Storm Fork

"If a nuclear war happened (which is looking likely), the only things left would be cockroaches and Eclat storm forks."

16 Jan 2020

Photos courtesy of ECLAT / Tom Price-Jenkins

When it comes to important bike parts, it doesn't get much more serious than forks. While it keeps your face away from kissing concrete on big landings, it is also an incredibly important factor to how your bike rides, with adjustments to offset completely altering the responsiveness of your bike. When Eclat mentioned a signature fork to Jordan Godwin, he jumped at the opportunity. We got a chit-chat with the Welsh hardway connoisseur about his new signature Storm Fork and it's finer details. Nozza participants pay attention...

Hey Jordan, so it’s safe to say last year was probably your busiest to date. With the multiple Eclat and WTP trips along with Doomed, etnies and Monster projects, you seem to be everywhere but where are you currently?

Hey what’s up man hope you’re all good, yeah it was a really busy year with everything going on and then along with a ton of injuries made it even more hectic, but honestly I enjoy the pressure, I find it makes me more focused on getting shit done, especially with longer term projects, I’m hyped to get them out, I’m currently at home in Wales with a broken ankle ha-ha, classic.

Eclat are now giving you a signature version of their Storm fork . How does it feel to be able to put your own graphics and morph your own line like you’ve been able to do with your signature products?

My first thought whenever I’ve been offered a product is the classic “what did I do to deserve this” it still makes no sense to me, but its always humbling whenever it happens and I really take the opportunity and try to get it exactly how I want it down to every last detail. Getting a product to how I envisioned it is a really big deal to me, and I think éclat are on the same wave length so they never settle until we are both satisfied and it's really humbling knowing that they trust me with how the product is going to look. It's always a really easy process, I can’t thank them enough for everything - it means the world, seriously.

How long have you been drawing/illustrating for and how does it feel to not only have a huge input on product development but also to have your own art feature on them.

I’ve been drawing since I can remember, its actually crazy to think my art is on product, its the same as riding to me just having fun and doing what feels right, but those guys at éclat and WETHEPEOPLE have let me do my shit on whole other scale something that I never thought would happen and its still as fun as day one, I’m forever grateful those fuckers changed my life!

Has this been a graphic you’ve had saved for a while to go on a signature part, or something you’ve drawn up fresh?

The idea of the storm clouds has been something that I’ve had in the pad for ever and I still just draw clouds all the time ha-ha, and when the storm fork opportunity came about, to me it just made sense to use it, and it fitted perfectly.

Pre-sponsorship, did you have a problem with forks? If so, what was it you needed in a fork to make sure you could have complete peace of mind when battling it out with a spot?

I had cracked a fair number of forks in the past and even pinged both drop outs off a set once. To me it's just one of those parts that you can’t accept second best with, it's one of the only things that is keeping your face from the floor and if they snap well, yeah, you get it ha-ha. So main thing was make it strong as fuck cause I don’t wanna make my face any uglier ha-ha.

Is the Storm Fork going to be available in just a 20mm offset? Also what colourways can we expect to drop this year?

Yep its a 20mm offset fork, and it will be out in the pastel blue to match the frame and ED black.

Having a 20mm offset is pretty damn steep! Is it just for the nozza’s or do you feel like it gives you an advantage when popping those dangerously nippy hard 360’s as well?

Yeah she’s a steep one, because I need the help with nozzas ha-ha. And I like the feel of a short-ish bike but making the back end shorter just didn’t feel right for me because manuals are way too nippy and I do love a good fakie manual, so with a steeper fork, the wheel base stays pretty small for spinning and all of that and the back end is still at a nice length for stable manuals it just made sense to me.\

For the tech nerds out there, what features does the Storm fork have that make it perfect for you?

Fantastic graphics, nozza assistance, and if a nuclear war happened (which is looking likely), the only things left would be cockroaches and Eclat storm forks.

Who else besides yourself is reppin’ the Storm Fork on Eclat?

Pretty much the whole eclat team rides the Storm fork. As for my signature 20mm version, my buddy Felix Prangenberg has been helping me test these since the very first samples. He loves them, which is a good stamp of approval right?

Any last words/thanks?

Thank you éclat for giving me a signature fork and bar, and everyone else that gives me stuff that I don’t deserve you’re all the best and I’ll forever show you love! Also thank you for doing this with me I much appreciate it boys.