Red Bull Rampage 2014: Profile - Kyle Strait

Sep 25, 2014
by Dan Severson  

RED BULL
KYLE STRAIT

RAMPAGE

Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

What have you been up to lately?
Traveling tons to all sort of events. Crankworx, coaching camps at Highland MTB park, filming and contest. It's been pretty hectic but really fun.

Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait


How is the new site looking? What are some of the differences you have noticed between the old and the new zone?
New site is looking good. I would say it has a open canvas to see what the riders can create. With the old site we were pretty much boxed in with the how many lines there were.


Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Even though the wood features have helped many riders including yourself take the win, there still seems to be an overall consensus, that the event should leave them out and get back to all-natural features. Should Rampage be wood or all natural?
I think it should be mostly natural.

Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Last year, a handful of riders didn't even get to ride their line until the finals. Will there be more build and practice time this year?
Yes, way more practice time. We are able to start riding the Sunday before the event.


Who do you have on your build team this year? Is it important that each builder is a confident rider as well?
I have two return builders. It's a pretty rowdy bunch; James "Slim" Patterson, Sean "Griz" McCleandon, and Taylor Sage. They are all some of the baddest dudes I know.

Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Do you plan on sharing a line with Cam Zink again this year? What are the advantages of working with him?
Not really sure this year. With it being a new site it's hard telling if our lines will meet up. With two minds together we can push our ideas and riding.


Which riders impressed you the most from the 2013 event?
Aggy, Doerfling, and CMC.

Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Last year a certain Russian rider got the invite, showed up, and then backed out. Why do you think that was?
Rampage has become such a giant spectacle and when you get there it's always bigger than you think with way more added pressure that you didn't think of.


How do you build up the confidence to tackle such massive features? Is it more physical or mental strength?
I would say mental for sure.


Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Let's talk a bit about the massive step-down on the Oakley icon sender. At what point did you decide to incorporate that into your line?
The first time I heard of it.


How do you judge for the proper amount of speed into that? Is it all instinct and feel, or is it a more calculated approach?
It's mostly by feel. Zink was there to help out and judge from the side how fast I was going. And the same for him.

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During your and Cam's test run on the huge step-down, the spectators were treated to some Black Sabbath which seemed to only add to the suspense. Does music play a role in getting you in the zone and psyched up, or is it more of a case that you are already in a zone?
I think it helps a little. But you only hear it from the time you're walking up until you start to ride. Everything after you decide you are dropping you can't hear a thing. Kinda white noise.

Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Tell us a bit about your bike setup for this year? Any major changes or special tweaks for the Virgin, Utah terrain?
Super stiff RockShox Vivid with a 600lb ti spring. Pretty much the same set up every year.


Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

With the major international coverage of the event last year, it seems like mountain biking has now officially arrived in the mainstream. What kind of opportunities came up for you as a result of that win?
Got to go on "Wake up with Al". That was pretty cool. And now we aren't either "just the guys that hop around" or "the guys in spandex". There's another category now, "the guys who jump off the cliffs."

How was being on live TV? It seemed like you handled it really well despite them having a few mix-ups. Do you think Al Roker did his homework?
It was very hard, with no set and not being able to hear what was being said over their headphones. I just kinda had to guess a lot of what they were talking about. But at the same time I feel like it went pretty well for my first time. It's hard to say if he did his homework.


Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Any final thoughts or special thanks?
Thanks to my dig team and all my sponsors.


Red Bull Rampage 2014 Profile - Strait

Check out all of our images from the Red Bull Rampage 2014 here.

Posted In:
Interviews Red Bull Kyle Strait Red Bull Rampage


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61 Comments
  • 187 0
 Dear Pinkbike interviewers: when you have a chance to get into the minds of these pros we're all curious about, ask open ended questions that give the person something interesting to talk about. There are about 12 questions in there that call for a one word answer. Half of them are Yes or No questions. These lead to boring answers. For example instead of "should the rampage site have wood or be all natural?" try, "what does the perfect rampage site look like in your mind?" or "if you were in charge, how would the rampage site be different?"
  • 28 0
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ YES! Been thinking this forever.

PB you have awesome access to amazing content that can fall short because of this. Spend some $$$ and bring in someone to the office that can train the crew on how to construct proper questions.
  • 7 0
 Just send Nathan.
  • 4 0
 why can't I upvote this more than once??
  • 11 1
 You make a good point, but Kyle Strait is also not a man of many words. I'm ok with his riding doing the talking.
  • 2 1
 ^^^ Agreed. Kyle seems the type of guy who speaks softly and carries a big stick.
  • 4 22
flag ManuGi (Sep 25, 2014 at 11:09) (Below Threshold)
 Kyle Straight is the most overhyped rider. I 've never heard someone say something like"have you seen this video or run by kyle". Thats why he didn't deserved , the win last year. Nobody talked about this run. Mc Garry, Lacondeguy and Zink where the names you heard. Straight was good like 5-8 years ago.
  • 8 1
 Watch Kyle's run, then watch Zink's run. They rode the same gnarly, technical top section. Kyle rode it much smoother. His entire run flowed better. Zink had one very big move, but as a whole Kyle's run was better.
  • 3 2
 ^ Then compare it to the other crazy lines other guys had....
  • 9 2
 Chilax hombre's He shreds, other guys shred. Your opinion doesn't matter about who is awesome and who isn't until you can ride the same line. THIS NEW RULE IS NOW IN PLACE. I HAVE SPOKEN!
  • 4 0
 @blizzardmk That would be fine if this was a movie, but it's an interview. If someone isn't much of a talker, it's that much more important to ask good questions.
  • 1 3
 I agree with you ManuGi 100% And, i might add, he is a total sell-out. That, or SRAM backed up to his house with a dump truck full of money so he'd sell his soul and do this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrQV8qtKscw
  • 1 0
 It is decided.
  • 87 3
 "Last year a certain Russian rider got the invite, showed up, and then backed out. Why do you think that was?"

Wow, way to be a dick with the questioning.
  • 20 1
 Ikr, thought it was a bit of an odd question to ask, I mean he probably just had too much sanity.
  • 44 1
 The Russian is a great rider, but him bailing shows how much pressure is actually in these events. And yeah it was a stupid question.
  • 11 0
 Agree but Kyle answer it well
  • 2 1
 Who's this enigmatic Russian?
  • 5 0
 @yd35, the Russian rider was Kirill Benderoni.
  • 2 0
 Kirill Benderoni.
  • 7 0
 it is way tougher than on TV. the steeps and risks are off the map. I totally understand
  • 6 4
 The thing is that Kirill waisted an invite. He showed up, built his line, talked about it on video, and then left. Despite him going massive elsewhere and the huge hype for his run.
  • 15 0
 The thing is that he is an easy going, fun loving guy who just likes to go huge without added pressures which Rampage clearly brought, even more so when lots of things leading up to it weren't going well for him. The guy *hyped* his video as "Some talking, some music and some shitty footage from the last 2 years" so the hype was definitely from elsewhere. He was more disappointed it worked out how it did than anyone else so no need at all to be harsh on the guy or try to make out he is some kind of talentless wuss which the question implies.
  • 1 0
 www.vitalmtb.com/news/news/Kirill-Benderoni-On-His-Rampage-Experience,664 What Kirill Benderoni told vitalmtb about backing out from last year.
  • 1 0
 I agree with Kyle, he just didn't show up. All we wanted to see was him riding a line, even if it wasn't a winning line. He didn't have to drop from the sender or flip an open loop. Just show up and ride something, anything. I truly think he could have ridden down and picked his way to the bottom without risking his life, even if it was just to say that he got the invite and then rode it.
  • 2 0
 I got the feeling the benderoni thing was mostly a media ploy by redbull, they should have brought him over earlier. Of course he's going to take the invite and come over, but reality sets in when you get there in person and realize you haven't ridden much DH at all and you could basically get killed or crippled making the wrong move out there.
  • 2 0
 Not to be a stick in the mud here but the guy has done bigger on his hard tail and he says as much in that interview, the guy has the skills but just like pilgrim at crankworks he got a mental block and there is no point in riding if your not 100% I'm sure it affects nearly all riders at some point some can get it some can get past it some cant.
  • 17 1
 not going to lie the pinkbike rampage covered has been terrible... i had to go to vitalmtb to see what was going on... and this interview sucked, partly because of kyle strait and partly because the questions were terrible. i put pinkbike at a higher standard than this
  • 9 0
 Thanks for the tip went over and checked it out. They have more pictures of lines and even have pics of the testing and warm ups on the lines!
  • 2 0
 Completely agree on all fronts!
  • 4 0
 it's also just not current at all—we've known all week that he and Zink are sharing a line, which really dates this interview
  • 4 0
 Yeah I agree. They keep posting stuff on last years rampage, which seems a bit ridiculous.
  • 5 0
 Pretty much every post related to Rampage on Pinkbike this year I have viewed already on Vitalmtb a few hours or day prior.
  • 15 0
 Damn he's burly. He could snap my puny office arms in two without even blinking an eye.
  • 2 9
flag nug12182 (Sep 25, 2014 at 5:27) (Below Threshold)
 Saw him at highland this year.he looks like a kid in person.
  • 8 0
 I don't think thou saw Lyle. Dudes a bear
  • 2 2
 didn't say he wasn't big
  • 14 4
 I really hope these kids are taking these risks for there own personal gratification and not because their feeling the pressure of all this redbull douchebag culture.
  • 2 2
 *red bull progression culture
  • 2 1
 Sorry.
  • 6 0
 This years RAMPAGE is going to be Epic. Even though I old enough to be your dad, admire you and the rest of the Rampage rider's, pushing the limits.
  • 3 0
 "Let's talk a bit about the massive step-down on the Oakley icon sender. At what point did you decide to incorporate that into your line?"
The first time I heard of it.

That's a good answer.
  • 4 0
 Straights pretty beefy for a rider, anyone know what he weighs?
  • 22 1
 He is 7 1/2 feet tall and about 450 pounds. They use special props and camera angles to make him look normally proportioned.
  • 3 0
 The first picture posted says it all: "Neither me or my dog give two shits about this interview".
  • 2 0
 So many Rampage's posts on those days ... It's like Christmas in September !
  • 7 4
 Cant beleive somebody with a hair-do like that can be so cool???
  • 4 0
 Are you serious?
Which are you, 12 or 13?
  • 1 2
 Yeah I'm serious, do you think it is cool?
  • 5 0
 I couldn't care less what "hair-do" he, you, or anyone has. And since when do guys use terms such as "hair-do"?
  • 2 0
 I reckon you must have the same hair-do as him, otherwise there is no reason to get so touchy about it. Dont worry its not the end of the world, just shave it off Smile
  • 1 0
 Why is there no photo epic of rampage on pinkbike, yet? Vital has 2 really nice slideshows up already and you really get to see something, unlike most of this red bull vids.
  • 1 0
 crazy how young he still is and is a vet of the event. pretty impressive raw talent right there. quite surprised pb is behind vital on the content. must be an access thing.
  • 2 0
 Any info when is the qualifying, is it live stream?
  • 2 0
 Few of those pictures are Kyle riding at Snow Summit. I feel honored
  • 1 0
 what a legend! 14 and riding rampage, that's sick!
  • 1 0
 Kyle strait has inspired me for sure...thanks dude.
  • 1 0
 so many good answers to these amazing questions......
  • 3 3
 When you drive the same truck with the same tires you know whats up!
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