Off the back of his appearance on The Ignition Show, we chat anything and everything with Red Bull Rampage stalwart Kyle Strait.
You will certainly be familiar with Kyle Strait but not so much with The Ignition Show… Dive strait (whey) into Kyle’s appearance where he coaches Selema Masekela how to jump.
Photo courtesy of Team Ignition.
How has 2026 been so far for you?
It’s been good. Busy, busy. Life after having kids has only gotten more full throttle but I’m not complaining. I get why parents vacation so hard though now.
What does the rest of the year hold for you?
Got some more US DH races coming up, Nationals Champs, Hard MTB, might go out to Hardline BC to check it out with BFG. I’m unsure about Rampage still. The current proposed location doesn’t really entice me, I do still love it.
What bikes are you riding this year?
I’m on Ari bikes this year. It’s been really having a good time developing and working with the brand.
How did you get involved with Team Ignition and what was that experience like?
I got hit up last year by them and scheduling wise it just didn’t work out, but I’m super stoked it did this year. I’m a massive fan of Selema. He is the all time personality and voice of action sports. It was rad to be able to share my passion of riding and coaching with him.
You ride pretty much anything and everything, how do you decide what to do, and what not to do?
Growing up we didn’t have much money so I learned how to have fun on any environment, on any bike I had at the time. Whether it was BMX, street riding near my house and eventually mountain biking, I learned it all and it definitely transferred as an adult. I also have ADHD so I think it lines up with that as well.
I also grew up in the era where you couldn’t really survive off of a freeride career yet. So in my late teens early 20s I was pushed to race WC DH and also film New World Disorder segments to keep my sponsors happy, so I’m sure that’s contributed to it.
How do you balance keeping on top of family life, being a professional rider and maintaining Strait Acres?
My wife… (laughs) No it’s hard. I am lucky to have support from not only my wife, but friends and family. It helps surrounding yourself with supportive people.
You’re one of, if not the, Rampage stalwarts. What is it about that event that draws you back?
Currently it’s not drawing me back but in the past, for me, it’s a combination of guinea pigging, putting a plan out, building a line and succeeding in successfully doing that line at the moment under pressure that is what always drops me. I mean the idea of that of that right there is is basically keeps me going. I mean I get excited about it that ultimate pressure for whatever reason I truly enjoy. Enjoy it and it feels even better afterwards
How has that event changed over the years for someone who’s never stepped foot in the Utah dust?
The level of magnitude and tricks seems to ramp up year after year, along with bigger builds and heavier hits. The addition of water usage over the years was a massive game changer for us. With that comes the over use of venues and the dwindling availability for new zones. Which is to be honest why the interest for me is lacking. As someone who has done them all but one, I want that truly barren landscape so I can create something from nothing.
How does Rampage compare to Hardline?
Both very, very challenging, two different mentalities obviously the racing side of Hardline is a whole other challenge and the building portion is a whole other challenge. On top of that for Rampage so they have some similarities and yes, they have jumps and drops but they’re too very different. Awesome beast.
How has being a sponsored rider changed for you in the decades you’ve been on the tools?
The biggest change for me over the years has been social media. It used to be magazine articles and film segments but as that went away social media took over. To be honest I’m not the biggest fan of it but I understand the importance of it as a tool. I think as long as you’re staying authentic to yourself within social media it’s okay.
Is it hard to manage risk on a bike without your kids doing something daft watching you ride?
After having kids, it definitely puts in perspective what I put my parents through the way that I go about doing things on a bike. I feel like I don’t think I put them in crazy positions especially with my daughter. She’s five now I feel that I really make her think about what her decisions are and how to be responsible in her decisions on her bike and moto. I’m not really a wild man, I’m very calculated with my decisions. But I say that and then I think of my 18 month old and he is absolutely insane, so we shall see.
What is the future of mountain biking in your eyes?
I could only hope the future will get better for the riders, larger salaries, better support. It’s seems that in the US DH and free ride is alive and well on all levels. Which makes me stoked.
Do you follow World Cup downhill and if so, who are you rooting for on finals day?
For me it’s like Supercross. I’m just a fan of racing obviously I love when Americans win but overall I love great racing that is that has tight times so far this World Cup season has been very impressive.
