Richie Schley on Inventing Freeride MTB, Bike Evolution, Fixing Rampage, & More

Richie Schley is one of a kind — pioneering freeride mountain biker, former pro skier, hilarious storyteller, & much more — and in this conversation, we cover a lot of ground, from the early days of freeride MTB to the current state of the sport and what he’d like to see change, and along the way we chat about his recent bachelor party; how Richie was too early in adopting fanny packs; how hard it is to get new ideas to achieve widespread adaptation; and a ton more.

TOPICS & TIMES:

• Richie’s bachelor party (2:56)
• Early freeride & the Kamloops scene (4:44)
• Pulp Traction (11:55)
• The Fro Riders & things starting to click (19:02)
• Early freeride bike evolution (23:29)
• Balancing pro skiing & MTB careers (36:04)
• Refining bikes & gear (41:03)
• Bringing about change & consumer skepticism of new ideas (45:06)
• The growth and expansion of freeride (47:35)
• The “sanitization” of freeride (53:53)
• Rider empowerment & evolution of the sport (57:18)
• Richie’s 2023 plans (1:03:35)

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• BLISTER+ Membership
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• Blister Labs
• This Week’s Gear Giveaway
• Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide

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• Off The Couch
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• Blister Podcast
• CRAFTED
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