A true cowboy, James Doerfling’s quiet demeanour can make him a bit of a wallflower in a crowd, but once he’s on a bike, all eyes are on him. Driven to be a professional mountain biker since he was a kid, James’ natural ability and unique big mountain style have paved the way for him to be one of the best mountain bikers in the world today.
A product of his surroundings, James has grown up riding terrain that requires creativity to find your way down; there are no trails, just your imagination and skill. The vast mountains surrounding Williams Lake in Northern British Columbia have shaped his riding style and allowed him to develop it independent of the Freeride movement. In fact, he pulls most of his inspiration for mountain biking from other sports, “it really makes me want to get out and do something different.” Long time friend, Mitch Cheek of Solos Productions, has followed James' career closely; “I can truly say that in the industry there is no one more natural than James on a bike.”
 | I started from the beginning with big mountain riding around here so it definitely developed my style and is what I love to ride. A lot of people will never get to ride the kind of terrain that I get to ride here on a regular basis - I feel pretty fortunate about that. - James Doerfling |
At age 12 James was already hitting 45-foot gaps on his old Norco Buzz. In 2005, when he was 18, James got his first taste of filming when he teamed up with Mitch for Race Face’s Ultimate Freeride Challenge. Since then James has been featured in Collectively Kranking up the Disorder (CKD), Kranked 6-8, Brighter, Where the Trail Ends, Builder, and other edits. Mitch recounts a memory of preparing for filming Kranked 7, “James wanted to bring tricks into the big mountain scene. He learned how to flip two weeks before the shoot and then hip flipped off a 15-foot cliff that went directly into a chute.” It was from this point that James knew the direction he would pursue with his riding. In 2007, James was already pushing the big mountain scene at the highest level; continuing the progression of legends like Brett Tippie and Richie Schley who rode the same area in Williams Lake almost two decades before. “It’s safe to say that James Doerfling is the Jeremy Jones of Big Mountain Biking,” says Mitch.
“James is not only one of my best friends, but I truly believe in his potential and I want more than anything for the world to see what he can do on his bike.” Being involved with nearly every shoot that James has done, Mitch listed out some of his favourite moments of James’ big screen career;
• Kranked 6 – double step-up to his first ever 360 drop (which he cleaned on his first try.)
• Kranked 7 – ally-oop on the fin, flip into the chute
• Kranked 8 – 360 into a chute with a drop and a wall-ride
• 2008 Red Bull Rampage – plum drop over the hiking trail
• Rock the Cariboo – dropping into one of the gnarliest chutes at that time
• Unit Video 1 – massive drop into an immediate berm, into a jump that went into a chute
• Unit Video 2 – massive flip to start the season – and every other line.
• Stund – 40ft drop in Kamloops
• Builder – Indian air into an inverted wall ride
• 2015 Red Bull Rampage – massive plum drop
| Every Project with James is one of my favourites; riding lines that look to be unrideable, cornering so hard his tire bead comes off, every time he rides it is truly film-worthy. - Mitch Cheek |
James has also competed in Big Mountain events including Mega Avalanche, Chatel Mountain Style, and Red Bull Rampage. This year at Rampage, James’ crew built one of the most ambitious features. Trying to break the poorly scored streak of the riders’ left ridge, they build in a massive drop – but James couldn’t break the curse and didn’t qualify. “It would be nice to do well there,” says James, “but it really doesn’t matter too much. As long as I can do something cool and get people pumped, I think I’m doing my job.”
Competitions aside, James’ career is focused on producing media content. His ability to communicate his ‘home on the range’ lifestyle in Williams Lake has allowed fans a look into who his is, not just how he rides. It is a message that comes through especially vividly whenever he and Margus Riga get a chance to work together. “To me, the kind of riding James is into
is the kind of riding I’m into,” says Margus of why he enjoys shooting with James. “Also I think I’ve always wanted to be a little bit redneck. Or maybe I’m just living vicariously through photos I take of James.”
As an outlier to the sport of mountain biking, Margus feels very strongly that the media content James creates is advancing the sport. “Without guys like him, doing what he does, creating the content that he creates, we’d be a lot further behind in the evolution of mountain biking.”
James’ career is the product of intentional and consistent growth; he has a calm perseverance that allows for longevity in the mountain bike industry. He came onto the scene at a time when it was nearly impossible to get a bike sponsor, and yet by setting and achieving goals each season he has progressed his riding and the sport at the top level. If you ask him
As an outlier to the sport of mountain biking, Margus feels very strongly that the media content James creates is advancing the sport. “Without guys like him, doing what he does, creating the content that he creates, we’d be a lot further behind in the evolution of mountain biking.”
James’ career is the product of intentional and consistent growth; he has a calm perseverance that allows for longevity in the mountain bike industry. He came onto the scene at a time when it was nearly impossible to get a bike sponsor, and yet by setting and achieving goals each season he has progressed his riding and the sport at the top level. If you ask him
when he became a pro-rider he will tell you he doesn’t know – if fact it has only been the past few years that he hasn’t taken other work in the off-season to support himself. “I always liked working in the off-season even if I didn’t need to, it seemed to balance things out for me and made me appreciate my biking career more.”
James is quiet, incredibly talented, and determined – “I’ve always done things my own way, it’s how I like to do it.” He has built his riding career on his own terms by doing what he loves. Being happy and staying busy are two staples in James’ life and he continues to achieve both.
With the snow falling, James plans to spend some time this winter hunting, snowboarding and deep in renovations on his house – when he isn’t away filming projects down south. “I’m just rolling with it right now, things are awesome and I have great sponsors that are stoked on what I do.”
Sponsors: Knolly Bikes, Oneal Clothing, Sr Suntour, Spank, Onza Tires, 100%, CaneCreek, Hope, OneUp Components, 9Point8 Seat Posts, MyPakage, Evoc, RedShreds Bike And Board Shed.
MENTIONS: @jim77 / @dbaker / @Margus / @solosproductions / @KNOLLYBIKES / @onealmtb / @SRSuntour / @Spank-Ind / @ride100percent / @CaneCreekCyclingComponents / @hopetech / @OneUpComponents / @ninepointeight / @MyPakage / @evocsports
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
-
About Us
Contacts FAQ Terms of Use Privacy Policy Sign Up! Sitemap -
Advertise
Advertising -
Cool Features
Submit a Story Product Photos Videos Privacy Request -
RSS
Pinkbike RSS Pinkbike Twitter Pinkbike Facebook Pinkbike Youtube Pinkbike Instagram
Newsletter Signup
Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.362057
Its hard to say because everything there seems like potential death.
Anyway, like I said; amazing riding, and amazing photo's! But in my neck of the woods that's going to inspire others to emulate and cause problems for everyone.
dirteveryday, if I'm mistaken my bad. My understanding is that Rampage "is" on private land. Which is the reason they can ride anywhere they want and modify the area any way they want. I'm pretty sure that is the case? If that's wrong then Like Holy Shit how does it work...?
"IF" the above video, and some of the recent Pinkbike video's are also on private land and have the owners consent to do/ride where/how they want than that's all good. It's awesome in fact. My point is just that it doesn't say that, or at least it's not readily apparent. Common logic, everybody breaks the rules. But celebrating and encouraging it usually doesn't end well.
anyway, amazing pics, and awesome skills. I think we all agree on that!
Angrynipples? Really? That's your screen name and your calling me stupid...? Anyway, you can just keep your bad tempered mammaries to yourself and don't e-mail me anymore dickhead. Shit, you live in California. How many more problems with trail access do you really need genius...?
Every line in the Utah desert will be gone in a month if left alone. It's sand and its all coming down.
Canada is an entirely different, amazing story.
Redbull has worked very carefully with Utah BLM for such high profile events.
I understand and appreciate your concern, all good Things. Just trust that MOST of the things you see have a long back story. Perhaps those need to be conveyed more...
And I agree that sometimes one rain or even one windstorm in the desert can erase the tracks of one or even a few riders. But that's actually part of the issue too, some of these area's are high erosion zones anyway. And some desert environments are pretty fragile. But at least right now it's still a small number of people that will go out into "Virgin" area's like that and create their own lines.
What concerns me is all that all of the recent coverage of "creating your own lines" will do for your average local trails where sustainability and access are real and constant issues. We already have conflict with hikers, runners, equestrians etc. when we ride responsibly "on" trails, where were supposed to be. I'd hate to think of the mess we'd be in if everyone thought it was OK to just make their own line whenever they felt like it...?
You already are, Margus. You already are.