Wise Words is our 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 come at you from none other than our good friend Ollie Kidner.
If you took our man Pete, gave him a good shave, added about a foot of height and exchanged his love of WW2 aero engines for Japanese two-seater sports cars of questionable merit, then you would get Ollie Kidner.
In between keeping Miatas on the tarmac, Ollie is an instructor at Ashton Court-based legends, Pedal Progression, where he uses his boundless enthusiasm to help others get the most from their riding.
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
One of my friends once described hanging out with me like being around a wild animal, one minute I can be enjoying the stillness and serenity and the next I’ll be hooting my way down a trail or thrashing about in the bushes. I think he meant it in an endearing way.
My boss put it slightly more eloquently and described my hunger to ride as insatiable, but equally my desire for other people’s enjoyment is just as strong. I get as much enjoyment from other people’s excitement and satisfaction as my own.
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?
My goodness this is a good one, let me tell you; as a coach I’m going out to ride all the time, no matter the weather. There are a couple of things that make life so much nicer. The Madison Waterproof dungarees have been a godsend. I can’t recommend them enough. Torrential rain? Dungas and rain jacket. Saturated ground but mild weather? Dungs and jersey. No spray up the back, no cold breezes up your jersey. Life changing stuff right there.
Number two is the Truflo Electron tyre inflator. No messing with puny hand pumps = winning. Number three is the Silva Strive 10 vest. This is brilliant for rides where you might want storage for snacks, some tools and perhaps another layer. Stuff it in vest and off you go. Way better than a bumbag and more versatile than a rucksack.
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
My boss (and owner of the best cycle coaching and rental company, Pedal Progression) remarked that I have a very strange climbing style. Maybe it’s because have a bad back but whilst everyone else is doubled over and heaving on their bars I like to ride the rivet and sit as up straight as possible. Right over the top of the BB and barely any weight in my hands. Looks weird, feels good.
What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
Hmm, this is hard to narrow down because my whole job is dishing out advice to riders. Everybody already knows this one so think of this as friendly reminder; It’s all about the rider, not the bike. You might not admit it but you know it deep down.(I understand, your 36s are too flexy and you need the 38s). Here’s some more helpful advice instead; you’ve only ever fallen off your bike for two reasons. Either you didn’t pull your brakes in time or you lost your balance. When you simplify a crash down to that level it makes understanding what happened and rationalising it much simpler.
A piece of advice nobody needs? “Get your weight back”. That’s a massive fallacy that might have had grounds in the 90s but we have droppers now and proper sized bikes. Nobody rode down anything steep and had a good time with their arse scrubbing the back wheel.
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?
Three years ago me and my pal Phil made a rut track through the brown December ferns of a local woodland. It was about 5 corners long and we must have lapped that sucker a bajillion times. Push up, pedal in, slap 5 turns, push up, repeat. The best thing ever. Lots of otb’s, lots of delighted shrieking. I love that man and I love a rut track. What a combination it was.
Would I change anything? Perhaps I’d have more friends there but honestly we’re both as nerdy about technique so I think the novelty might have been lost on the others, haha. We both seriously improved from rising that loamer. If you’re reading this it’s your sign to try the same thing, it’s great.
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?
The perfect bike setup doesn’t exist. My boss (also Ollie) once imparted me with this nihilistic nugget of wisdom. “The more time and effort you invest into something, the more potential it has to disappoint you”. This sounds horribly pessimistic but I think I know what he’s getting at. Just ride your flipping bike.
A slightly imperfect setup should never get in the way of getting out for a ride. Got a moderately priced bike with average shifting? Good. Imagine how annoyed you’d be if your XTR mech was misbehaving after you’d dropped £200 on it. I love a tinker as much as the next person but there’s a point where “good enough” is actually “just right”, y’know?
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
This one really interests me because of the myriad of reasons which might cause you to sack off a ride. Usually when I can’t be bothered it’s because I’ve overcommitted. Either to one too many rides or too much of a challenge. What a gift it is to have body that can do all this amazing stuff, ride all these amazing bikes, take you to amazing places and interact with all these unique humans out there. If I didn’t get off my arse or get out of bed I’d be giving the middle finger to all those people less fortunate to me, who would give anything to rip a bike along a trail or to feel the rush of the wind in their hair. I
’m so lucky to do this and there are a lot of people out there who can’t. I felt absolutely heartbroken for Martyn Ashton when he had his accident. What an unfair and terrible way to have the joy of riding taken from you. I know he doesn’t see it like that, (I’ve watched his Ted talk, the blokes’ a machine), but imagine what he’d give to ride again. If you could distill that essence into a bottle and take a sip of it when you lacked ride inspiration you’d never miss a ride again. Ever.
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
I struggle a lot with organisation, planning, focusing anything that’s not directly under my nose just escapes me sooo you know, that’s like all the stuff that makes you a functional grown up. When I ride my bike none of that matters. In fact the only things that does matter is what’s directly under my nose!
I could get lost within myself on a ride. I could hit the same section of trail 100 times over if my legs let me. Every turn, pump, touch of the brakes. It’s hypnotic. Then the sudden contrast of stopping and just taking in your surroundings whilst your heart thumps in your head. It’s the closet thing to meditation I’ve ever felt. It’s mindfulness. As I kid I never got it when people said biking was their “church”. I’m not religious but now I see the mental focus is like the ceremony and repetition of worship.
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
Oh man that’s hard, what single ill of the world would I rid? Maybe I’m being ignorant but the world of mountain biking seems to be headed in the right direction, give or take. Rather than something from the last year here’s something that often gets my goat. I’m annoyed by e-bikers literally elbowing their way past slower riders on climbs without saying anything. I have no problem with being passed and I have no problem with eebs (they’re great) just say something if you want to come by. We’re all out to ride the trails so be friendly and say hi.
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
More affordable bikes, more opportunities for people to ride bikes. Riding bikes is the best, everyone should at least have a go. We need more trails, we need more pump tracks, me need more people on bikes doing cool shit to inspire the next generation of riders.
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Leo Smith aka Lando Steezy.
