What influence has Dirt had on your company?
“Dirt has always been an influential magazine in the mountain bike scene. I think it’s safe to say that the print edition was always at the forefront of how MTB was evolving, and every issue was highly anticipated.”
What has been the biggest lesson the company has learnt in the industry?
“We have been around for over 60 years and have learned a lot of lessons in that time. I have been here somewhere around 18 yrs and I learn something new every day that helps inform the product we work on.”
What do you dislike about working in the bike industry?
“I love the bike industry; I grew up on anything two wheels so it’s hard to find something I don’t like about it. If I said I didn’t like something about the industry, it would be the general lack of education around concussions and helmets. There is a substantial lack of understanding for how complex the protection category is for cycling and the challenges it provides.”
What would you like to see from Dirt over the next 20 years?
“Great feature articles at the forefront of mountain biking.”
Do you have a favourite or memorable feature from Dirt’s history?
“Billy always did a great job with the online coverage. During World Cup season it was always great when you saw a new video or feature of his pop up on the site. It was always a little bit raw but full of insight at the same time. You could tell he was completely submerged in the scene, and it come across in his content.”
How were you first introduced to Dirt?
“Way back when it was part of 4130 publishing and was linked to Ride BMX mag.”
What would be the first question you would ask Dirt?
“Tea or Coffee?”
Press releases or journalism?
“Both can be done well (or badly). It’s always good to read an in depth piece that teaches you something or gives you an insight that you didn’t have before though.”
Who have been your favourite riders of the past 20 years?
“There are too many great riders to name them all. Any riders who have raised the bar and moved mountain biking forward in their own way deserve a mention.”
What Rider has most pushed the boundaries over the past 20years?
“This is an interesting question…every rider that puts on a Bell helmet pushes their own boundaries in one way or another. We provide a product that allows people to push their own personal limits whether it’s a grom on a kick bike trying to roll through a pump track, or a top-level athlete dropping in at the “Rampage”.
What has been your favourite or most memorable race?
“World Champs is always a special race. It’s one run on one day that crowns the champ, and all the variables around that make it one of the greatest races on earth. It never disappoints.”
What does the next 20 years bring for Mountain biking?
“I think mountain biking is the future of cycling. The culture around mountain biking is more accessible to the younger generation as opposed to the spandex categories.
We are starting to see mountain biking explode with the kids that started on kick bikes 10 years ago. Now that they are older, we can see the impact they have to the growth of the category. Any sport that is accessible to the youth is sustainable; look at team sports as a whole.”
