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 this week comes to you from Mr. Nico Vink.
If nothing else, Nico Vink is a man with some serious style on a bike about him. Before that, he put Belgium on the downhill map during the 2000s before becoming the main man to get in for building and sending jumps that not long ago we’d be thinking would be the realm of motocross bikes. Definitely one to let the riding do the talking.
Photo by Skye Schillhammer.
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
I can’t reply this question myself so I asked my buddy Martin Vinje to reply this question.
“Nico is an amazing rider and an equally good friend. He’s the guy who will go an extra mile for those around him, and then manual the same mile, before sending a huge double that he built at the end of it.
Hanging around Nico you notice the chill vibe he creates. His humble nature makes it easy to forget what a beast he is on a bike, but once that helmet is on, you’re lucky if you find yourself in a viewing position. Fast, massive, and style is the name of the game, and nobody embodies is quite like Nico.”
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?
Buying more machine time to build trails etc. At a certain point building by hand it just takes too long to realise your visions of what you want to ride. Other than that I bought a new van which made travelling to go riding a lot more convenient .
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
I go mental when people try on my helmets or goggles. I really don’t like it.
Photo by Oliver Parish
What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
What they should hear, ride for yourself not for Instagram.
What they should ignore is that 29” is better. I believe for every style of terrain, style of riding, small person big person there’s a certain size of wheel that will work better. Just ride whatever suits you best.
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?
I wouldn’t change anything, definitely had set backs but they also form you into who you are. I’m stoked. There’s definitely a couple Fest sessions or events I would like to re-ride but only because they where the most epic times I ever experienced. The Reunion, Hofffest, Cruzfest and so much more.
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?
Not sure, I’m pretty stoked how things are. Maybe I would have stopped racing a little earlier but then again I also loved and enjoyed that part of my life.
Or maybe there’s one thing.
When you have a certain vision of progression or something you really want to try and when you explain it to people they just tell you, man, that’s not possible. If you really believe its possible yourself don’t waste time listening to the those people. It makes you doubt your vision and it slows you down, I wasted some time taking bad advice or demotivating comments like that.
Photo by Oliver Parish.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
If I’m struggling or lacking inspiration it’s usually because I got to much stuff going on. I’m the most stoked on riding when I can be creative and when I can build new stuff. The times it gets boring is when people ask me to do the same thing over and over which comes at cost of me progressing as a trail builder or a rider. That’s when I get frustrated and I stop enjoying what I’m doing. Usually when that happens I just sleep on it and I go back to building new stuff to ride.
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
There’s nothing better then ripping down a fresh build with your friends. The feeling of hitting new gaps, berms, chutes, transfers and making it all flow plus sharing this with friends beats everything.
Photo by Skye Schillhammer.
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
Jordie Lunn passing away.
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
Its not in my hands, but would love to get rid of this Coronavirus crisis so we can go back to riding bikes like we used too.
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Jaxson Riddle and Andreu Lacondeguy.
