I think the industry has done a superb job of delivering the products that have been desired to this point. Like any industry it takes time to reach a level that is satisfactory to the consumer. The bikes and components actually work properly in contrast to some of the early versions of things we saw back in the day. It is hard for the companies to keep everyone happy though. In my opinion, the love of riding, and just getting out on the trails, is bigger than racing and competing and always will be. As long as the industry keeps that in mind, I think it will be a healthy industry forever.

Sadly, I do think DH in the US needs some reassembly. We need a true national series, a real title sponsor, real marketing vision and lets get these guys some money. How can we expect our racers to compete internationally and put it all together with such a small amount of support? The USA Cycling people don’t do much for downhill as it is not an Olympic sport, and that is the inherent problem. There is a genuine lack of respect for the athleticism that is required.

Globally I think downhill is strong, it is hard to say what it really is capable of becoming. I don’t think it has fully matured, the sport is really only a bit over twenty years old, but in all reality downhill is, and always will be, it’s own sport. What is the UCI to downhill, is downhill actually cycling in the traditional sense? I think it is its own thing. Why not ask Red Bull that question, they have the money to transform anything to the next level. One of the inherent problems is the viewing format, and the fact that it isn’t exactly spectator friendly.

Well I grew up in San Francisco, just a bit north of here, so it’s nice to get back to my roots a bit and obviously it’s closer to some family, but also I just wanted a fresh start and this is a good place to raise Raven.

Those are nice to fall back on and that was a bit of an underlying factor I guess, but not the primary reason for the move. It was time to just get out and start fresh.

Ha ha, nah. I did a few hare scrambles and actually won one in New Mexico…not a ton of competition, but still they’re tough and it was a blast. I actually mostly raced in pro class against the kids at the local tracks because there weren’t all that many fast guys in vet, so that was cool.

Not really, I did a handful of races here and there…Downieville, etc. and did pretty well, but at this point in my life with a family I can’t afford the time to 100% commit to being competitive and I really don’t want to hear a bunch of clowns bragging about how they beat me because they went faster than I did uphill ’cause I’m not fully ‘vested and not training. I don’t want to taint the ‘legend’ that is Myles Rockwell. Really the bottom line is I just would rather not be competitive if I can’t be fully ‘vested, as I don’t really like being beaten by people who are less talented than I am.

Yeah, it was funny, most of those guys were out there testing various set–ups and getting super serious. I just showed up on some old bike, slapped road tyres on it, put on a moto helmet on and had a blast.

I guess so…that race was super fun.

I don’t know about sideways, these days I keep the wheels in line, but that thing is super fun.

Well, like I said, I grew up in San Francisco in the 1970’s in a rough part of town and I wasn’t going down the best path. Bikes literally saved me. I didn’t have a lot of direction but had a lot of energy. Somehow, I started riding a 1988 Gary Fisher Mt. Tam and I got to be pretty good. At some point I had overheard some guys in the local bike shop talking about how impressed I’d be by the guys riding at Mammoth, Greg Herbold and the likes. I was a cocky kid and just said, ‘pfff…wait til you see me at Mammoth, you’re gonna be impressed’. I got motivated, started going to the gym and training. Being a top contender on a bike became the goal. I stopped lying, stealing and being an all around punk kid, then started channelling that energy towards racing. That was a pivotal time in my life.

As opposed to starting a ride school, I have decided to start my own non–profit to benefit up and comers right here in the Bay Area. Rockwell Ride Well will be focusing on finding aspiring young mountain bike riders who could use some direction and assistance in their efforts. By contacting high school race teams and by marketing my services, I hope to ultimately create a race team to help propel these guys on to the next level. Eventually I would like to mentor athletes all around the country. As for a real job, I am putting myself out there in the industry to see where my old school roots lead me. I still love to ride!

It’s called ‘Confessions of a Mountain Bike Junkie’, and it truly is no holds barred, I spill all my guts. I’ve got nothing to hide; this is a chronicle of my life on the bike and on the bong. I’m pretty sure everyone in the mountain bike industry knows about my weed bust. I am just putting it all out there, ‘It’s the journey of a man’…

It was time to pack up and leave. I dove into this interview without much of a clue, and zero preconceived notions. Pure curiosity I suppose. I left feeling a bit more human. It was comforting to meet someone I looked up to as a teen, realize his own confusion, and see that he was so at peace with his anxiety, and his demons. Still, somehow he is raging into his 40’s with more of a zest for life and an addiction to speed than anyone his age should. Myles overflows with character, and it’s exciting to see him come around again.