Rider Profile: Mark Matthews

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Rider Profile: MARK MATTHEWS

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Age, hometown, and where you live now:

26, Sidney BC, North Vancouver BC.

How were you introduced to mountain biking?

When I was in middle school ( grades 6-8 ) lots of kids in my school rode bikes and there was a really strong riding scene around me. A few of the older guys got me into it. I started off with a Specialized Vegas Fat Boy BMX (TJ Lavin Signature!) and mostly rode dirt jumps. I quickly transitioned to mountain bikes because there was more to ride and more mountain bikers to ride with.

What was the scene like growing up? Who did you ride with?

The scene was awesome! Growing up in Victoria helped make me a good all-round rider because we have a little bit of everything from fast downhill trails, to slow technical stuff, and lots of jump spots have come and gone. Most of the places are spots we built ourselves so I’ve always built my own lines. I’ve had so many awesome riding friends in the Victoria area but dudes I rode with the most would be Andrew Sherry, Jarrett Moore, Luke Fulton, and Scott Wink Grant.



After What’s Next and before your comeback video with LaRocque it seemed as if you sort of disappeared for a bit. What did you do during that time?

That’s when I first moved out to live on my own. I moved in with my good friends Eric Lawrenuk and Jordie Lunn. We did tons of riding together and I hit up a few slopestyle contests but I never had good results. In that period I struggled to afford taking time off work or being able to travel anywhere, and then I decided to go back to school. It was a super fun two years though!

You’ve always been primarily a media athlete, what is it about riding for photo and video that you enjoy?

I enjoy the adventure lifestyle that comes with mountain biking, and my goal as a professional rider is to promote that lifestyle in a way that is positive for everyone. I enjoy hiking my bike all day and being out in the middle of nowhere just to get a few shots. It’s a lot of work but relaxing at the same time. And when it’s filming something I built that’s the most rewarding feeling in the world. Of course I want to progress as a rider and pull moves that get people stoked, but I love adventures more than anything. As exciting as slopestyle contests are (and good for sponsors), they are a waste of energy for me unless it’s something I really want to do because I’m not a podium contender.

Was there a point where you decided you wanted to make riding a job?

I’ve always wanted to be a professional athlete, but it’s taken me a long time to figure out how to do it. I’m still learning and working at making it a sustainable reality.



After your breakout video with LaRocque you made it into Rampage. What was that experience like?

The video I did with Aaron is the one I am most proud of because that took me two years to dig all that stuff on my own and that riding spot has turned out to be amazing. I’m not sure if it helped me get into Rampage though. I have to give thanks to guys like Geoff Gulevich, Mike Hopkins, and Darren Berrecloth for vouching for me and getting me into the contest.

You broke your femur at Rampage. What has it taken to recover from your injury physically? To recover mentally?

Lots and lots of hard work, the physical and mental aspects of being strong on the bike go hand in hand. If you are physically strong it really helps your mental game. I healed almost twice as fast as the doctors predicted. Every day since my crash I have dropped everything else and dedicated myself to being physically and mentally stronger than before. You need to be willing to drain your bank account and do the following: dial in the perfect diet, stay on top of physiotherapy, ultrasound therapy, a regular gym routine, going to lots of yoga, and surrounding yourself with positive people. I could write a whole book about this because I did so much research, so I’ll keep it short and just say it’s amazing what you’re body can do when you work really hard and do the right things.



How much bigger can riders go? Are we reaching the point where it’s too dangerous/bikes can’t handle it?

I had these same questions walking around the Rampage course before the contest. I was standing on top of the drop Zink flipped (in 2013) and thought to myself: if someone flips or spins this, how much more can we progress!? It’s insane. However, when stuff is built correctly you can go way bigger. I think we will reach a new plateau where lines aren’t much bigger but riders will get way more confident, stylish, and dialed riding them.

Do you feel that the risks of going big are worth it compensation wise, or do you do it for personal satisfaction?

This is a really difficult question because I don’t see it that way. I’m in control of everything and 100% confident I can stomp something before hitting it. However, crashes happen. I did take a risk at Rampage for the personal satisfaction, it’s a contest I’ve always wanted to ride in and it meant the world to me. I wasn’t there to just qualify- I wanted a top spot. If you asked my parents and they would definitely say no to it being worth it. Especially considering that I’m now sitting on a pile of American medical bills. But how do you measure worth? I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I’m a stronger person mentally and physically than before my crash and I now appreciate riding more than ever. I guess you could say mountain bikers are underpaid, but I won’t get into that, go read the article Zink wrote a few months ago, he was spot on.


You started out as a dirt jumper but you’ve moved more into big mountain. Do you think there will ever be a series like the FMB for big mountain? Is the Fest Series filling that void?

The most media that came of me at first was dirt jumping because it’s one of my favourite things to do and easily accessible, just like how slopestyle is much more accessible for many riders than big mountain riding. The most riding I did growing up was actually trail riding on a hardtail and dirt jumping would be a second. I think the Fest Series is really cool for our sport! Who doesn’t love big jumps on big bikes?! I think slopestyle will continue to have a stronger presence because setting up a slopestyle course, whether it's on the side of a hill or in a parking lot, is way more feasible than trying to find a suitable location to build a set of senders. I think the FMB and the Fest Series are equally awesome, but each play their own role in the sport. I would like to see more video projects done to showcase big mountain riding, that’s why I’m more excited than ever to be riding for Knolly Bikes!

You’re one of the most popular MTB athletes on Instagram, how did that happen?

Haha I get asked this question all the time. Majority of my followers are not just mountain bikers, lots of mountain bikers follow me but it’s mostly people in their 20s-40s who are into the adventure lifestyle and/or nature photography. I think lots of it has to do with quality and only sharing my best photos. If something isn’t good enough for Instagram I will post it on Facebook or Twitter. And you need to use hashtags that fit your niche. What’s the point in sharing a photo if it isn’t for people? I check out lots of other people’s photos via friends, followers, and hashtags. It’s also helped that my photos have made the popular page a couple times. Photography is something I am starting to get more seriously into. I recently purchased a Nikon D7100 as my first DSLR camera and I’m stoked!


How does social media affect your career as an athlete?

I do believe it really helps bring exposure to the brands you represent, and I did land a sponsorship with Telus Mobility (major Canadian wireless company) because of it, they have been an awesome company to work with. I wish there was a more measurable way of knowing your worth when it comes to social media though because many people still don’t see the value in it.

What are your major projects for this season?

I shot a new edit with MindSpark Cinema, and coached for two weeks with SGC in Whistler. Following that I went to Quebec City for the City 8 Slopestyle. I am currently building for two full-length videos, “Builder” and “Alchemy 2.” There will also be coverage from Knolly team trips coming up in the near future.

What are your long-term riding goals?

Never stop riding, keep having fun, build stronger relationships with more brands and find better ways to best represent the people who support me. I also have long-term goals to continue supporting the local riding scene as well. I started working with the local municipality to build a jump park in my hometown 12 years ago, and seeing what it’s done for the riding scene there is amazing. That gives me motivation to work on more public projects in the future when I have the time and resources to do so.


What do you do when you’re not riding?

Finishing off my degree in sport marketing, working part-time at Different Bikes, hiking, taking photos, building, snowboarding, and hopefully learning how to surf soon.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

I’m ambidextrous which comes in “handy” sometimes.

Who are your sponsors?

Knolly Bikes, iXS, Chromag, Smith Optics, Sr Suntour, Camelbak, Spank, Dissent Labs, Telus.

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Photos: Baxter Redfern
Videos: Aaron LaRocque // Mind Spark Cinema
Interview: Scott Secco

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