Wise Words is our new interview series talking to some of mountain biking’s most switched on people.
We’ll ask our short list of questions to a heap of influential, inspiring and outspoken people that we feel are driving the direction of mountain biking today. Some will make you think, some will make you laugh, some will be plain dumb, some will inspire you to better yourself and your riding. We hope!
Wise Words is back and none other than Seb Kemp is tackling the wisdom within this week.
If you haven’t heard of Seb then you may well have been living under a rock. Currently Santa Cruz’s brand manager, but sporting a quiver that includes racer, trail builder and print magazine aficionado, there’s not an awful lot Mr. Kemp can’t turn his hand to.
Photo by Gary Perkin.
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
Handsome, hilarious, charming, wise and did I say handsome?
Truth is, none of my riding mates like to blow smoke up anyone’s arsehole so even though I’m absolutely sure this is what they think of me deep down inside, I know it’s highly unlikely they’d ever say these things out loud… maybe.
What thing or things have you bought in the last year that had the biggest effect on your life as a mountain biker / cyclist / person that works in the bike industry?
Rogue Hoe AR-70 – The name might suggest it’s a piece of military grade weaponry but actually it’s the very best trail tool I’ve ever found. The most versatile, that is.
Ways of carrying stuff while riding. I bought some 100% SWAT-style bib shorts even though I don’t wear shammys unless the ride is over 3 hours long. So these are a bit of a silly buy for me because if I’m riding for over 3 hours I need more than a multitool and an energy goo. However, I might train myself to not wear out the undercarriage of my boxer shorts and put these on more often.
I also bought a Salomon running backpack. It’s super lightweight, comfy and secure, the only downside is it makes my back sweat like I left the tap on.
The OneUp Components EDC is actually really trick. Very well thought-out and hides in the wasted space in the steerer tube. I’m not sure about adding weight up high on my bike like that but…whatever.
New passport – I’ve learned more from this book that any other.
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
I pick my nose. Have since a kid. I’m not proud of it but it has stretched my nostrils out so much that I have two huge American muscle car-sized hood scoops on my face to suck in more oxygen into my motor. It’s a performance upgrade that 37 years of bad habits have endowed me with.
Photo by Sam Needham.What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
Get a skills coach. Just do it. Get a coach, get some lessons, learn how to ride a bike. It’ll be the best investment you ever make.
Ignore anyone that says “Such and such place is the mecca of mountain biking”.
If you could go back and re-ride one day from your life so far, where/what/when/who would it be? Would you change anything?
Any race when I was a kid. I was terrible at racing, even worse at riding, especially under pressure. I’d fall apart and just flail my way around the course. I wouldn’t change anything, I’d just laugh at myself more. Everything is a good lesson to have, even being rubbish at something.
What have you wasted the most time on in your life as a rider or bike industry career that you wished you’d given up years ago?
Smoking weed. I haven’t smoked it for years but I can say I wasted my teenage and young adult years by getting high as a Hindu cow. I thought it was giving me ultra insight and getting me more in touch with the within and the surround but actually it was just filling the void and really crushing my motivation to do anything truly productive. I’m closing in on my forties now and I feel like I’m desperately trying to catch up after years of wasted time, potential and energy.
Photo by Duncan Philpott.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
I think about the Queenstown crew’s mantra of: Get Shit Done!
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
Saddle sores. Punctures. Shinning myself with my pedals. Big, nasty, long, steep climbs in the middle of the day when it’s really, really hot. Bonking miles from home…
I’m not sure if I’m being facetious or not. I genuinely think the tough shit that you go through on a bike, physically, is the most valuable learning experiences I’ll ever have. Adversity makes us strong of mind. Getting beaten up makes us more resilient. Pain and suffering (in the right doses, and when done through sporting activity) is one of the sweetest feelings to have. The things I’ve “achieved” on my bikes have made my resolve stronger for dealing with real life shit.
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
Most of the vlogs and Instagram Stories I haven’t seen. Kudos to anyone making it work for them, but when you look back are you really gonna be proud of that work? If you want to waste your time and pretend to be creative just go smoke some weed instead.
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
If I told you that now it wouldn’t happen next year.
That answer is an attempt to sound mysterious and smarter than I am. The truth is I don’t know.
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Ash Smith (Trans-Provence), Paul Angus (The Huck Wizard and pillar of the Queenstown community), Yoann Barelli (he of Tuto Tuesday fame).
