Pro Mountain Bike Rider, Ben Moore, has been rocking Quad Lock for the past year. So we caught up with the British larrikin to find out a little bit about what's involved in being a pro rider.
Hey Ben, what’s news in your part of the world these days?
Hey Guys, rain and cold I guess! The British winter certainly is long and wet but we love it deep down. Mountain bikers love getting muddy after all!
Your job as a pro rider is a lot different than most. What does a day in the life of Ben Moore look like?
A typical day starts with a big hearty breakfast alongside my laptop to run through urgent emails and social media comments/questions. Then it's straight off to the gym for training; I usually spend 2 hours in the gym which consists of different exercises and stretches everyday.
I then get home and get one of the bikes out to start the bulk of the days physical training. Again, this differs everyday depending on weather and what training I've done in the gym. I train on everything from road bikes to freestyle jumps. I simply can't get enough of it! I then spend the rest of the day planning videos and upcoming races as well as editing rough footage from my POV camera. This often runs into the late evening which doesn't always please my wife, although she supports me and the job 100%.
How did you become a Professional MTB rider?
I was working in an office like most people do but I loved mountain biking and competed most weekends. When I turned 24 I was competing internationally against full-time pro's. This made me realise that I could do this full-time as well and would give me an even better chance of winning if I could train everyday and practice.
Can you take us through all the gear you use for a race?
To be honest, I try to use the minimal gear during a race. After all, the lighter you are, the faster you can go. This said, I have to protect my head at all cost, I'm very lucky to work with one of the leading helmet manufacturers in the world, Kali protectives They have been protecting my head from concussions and knock-outs for a long time! I also use ION knee pads just in case we go surfing!
What sort of training do you do?
I train on most all round' exercises in the gym. The main focus is aerobic capacity but strength also plays a huge role in hanging onto the bike at high speed on rough ground.
What preparation do you do before a race?
A huge amount of time is spent preparing the bike for each individual race. We look at tyre compounds and suspension set ups for each course. Leading up to my race run, I try to find a quiet place away from the crowds and noise. This lets me relax and keep my pulse as low as possible. I then take a double espresso 15 minutes before my race run and start to get seriously warm and pumped up in the last 5 minutes before walking up to the start gate.
You hit the trails pretty hard. Do you ever get scared?
Yes! Anyone that says "no" is only kidding themselves! After being in this game and sport for a long time you get to see a lot of hurt and life changing crashes. I'm very fortunate to have only broken bones and ligaments but have been around fatal accidents and seen friends have life changing accidents in the sport certainly makes me tread carefully everyday and really think hard about what we're doing.
You did a fair bit of travelling in 2019. What was your favourite place to ride?
Yeah, the airmiles certainly shot up in 2019! I was very lucky to see many places but I have to say Greece was my favourite. Not only do they have incredible landscapes and weather, but the people are equally as hospitable and kind.
Is there a specific trail you’ve got your sights set on riding?
This year, I have my sights set on Australia so watch out guys! I'm hoping to come to the Albany urban downhill race.
You’ve got some pretty funny / epic vids on your Instagram. The AUDI jump and Santa ride are some of our favourites. What has been your most fun video to create?
I have to be honest and say the Quad Lock film was my favourite to make this year. We always have fun making the vids but this one was especially awesome as I got to work with Xander Ettling again and do all the things that are 'fun' to me. Big jumps, gym sessions, driving, running etc.
If you weren’t riding, what would you be doing with your life?
Trying to ride! It's all I've ever wanted to do and being able to say I have my dream job means the world to me. Ride on guys!
Thanks for the chat Ben. Always a pleasure and look forward to hopefully seeing you in Australia soon!
You can follow Ben's antics at @benmooreracing on Instagram
