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!
This week’s Wise Words come to you from the Swiss magician that is Ludo May.
An accomplished Enduro World Series racer, as well as being handy at the old multi-day stage races, Ludo now spends his time riding ridiculously technical climbs for his #MotivationMonday videos and exploring the wilds of his home town of Verbier.
Photo by Laurent Bruchez.
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
Probably as a passionate mountain biker who loves outdoors and nature. I just love to be outside and if I see an animal, I can spend hours watching it. The people who ride often with me know that I like long runs and long days out in the mountains.
If I am trying a new challenge like my #MotivationMonday videos, they know that it can take many attempts and that I almost never give up and that it can take hour. Sometimes they leave.
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?
Definitely the old car I bought with the plan to dress it as a dog car (Dumb & Dumber-style). The laughs we had to built it and to drive it around was higher than anything I ever done before.
It’s not really something directly with MTB, but I did that for some video projects and I still have so much feedback and asking me how is my dog car doing. Unfortunately after 2 years of trust, it died after a crash (for use in one of our episodes).
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
Maybe the fact that I am not really materialist. I definitely keep my bike in one piece and good shape, but I have no problem letting people even that I don’t know ride my bikes.
Photo by Laurent Bruchez.
What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
Definitely that nature is giving us so much, so we should always protect it and respect it. I say that because we always have problem with people cutting corners on beautiful places and at the end the trail doesn’t keep the same charm as it used to…
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?
So many days. Maybe one day in Vancouver in 2017, when we rode some trails that we saw in the early freeride videos, it was really special for me and they were so good, steep and technical, I absolutely loved it.
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?
Maybe putting to much pressure on myself on certain time during racing. At the end we have only one life and with the bad pressure, I don’t feel we go anywhere, it doesn’t bring us anything good.
Photo by Laurent Bruchez.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
I try to do some meditation, to understand why I am not feeling motivated and after taking some steps back you realise how lucky you are to be alive and it helps to bring motivation back.
Actually, when I feel good, pedalling uphill is a big source of inspiration, it always give me lots of new ideas.
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
The feeling of corners, speed, and unknown trails. I love to ride blind. And also to be in the nature and the finally to share all those good times with friends.
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
All the doping side. Cycling is always the only sport that gets the media coverage and pays for every other sport.
Photo by Laurent Bruchez.
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
That everyone accepts the change in general, like for example e-biking. I hate people giving their opinions without even having tried it before. The fun that those bikes can give is incredible, it’s a new tool and for sure he will never replace a normal bike but it has its advantages.
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Max Chapuis.
