Had it not been for a mountain biking uncle almost a decade ago Matt Macduff may very well have spent his life as a horologist, rather than on the hunt for air. Hailing from Claremont, Ontario, the Canadian has been spending the most recent of his 24 years sipping Sangria in Spain and using the city as his personal bike park. It is not only Matt's incredible stoke for riding and his beyond-his-years-maturity that makes us proud to announce his partnership with Pinkbike, but also his drive to create. From Project Breathe Easy to 'the loop' - Matt dreams up, designs, and initiates the majority of his projects. We are excited to be along for the ride with someone this talented and driven.
How did you discover your love of biking? I truly feel like it discovered me, I’ve always had a deep love for anything on two wheels. My old man got me addicted to action sports right from the get go, and ever since then I’ve been hunting for air, but it was when my uncle introduced me to mountain bikes that everything changed. I had found my tool to live in the present. When I’m on my bike there’s nothing else and it feels like anything is possible. I swear every time I come back from a ride I feel like I just left an all-inclusive 5-star resort.
What types of action sports did your dad introduce you to before you found mountain biking? What sport is he passionate about? I was so lucky as a kid; I had so many opportunities to do cool things. My old man was super into motor sports, anything to do with cars and motorcycles. He was super talented too, but never had it in him to pursue his passion. He introduced me to a lot of different things as soon as I was big enough to do them, he taught me to send it for the boys! When I got a little older my parents divorced, so he wasn’t around to much, but luckily I got the best mum in the world, she really helped me stay on track and do my thing, even to this day!
Who has influenced your freestyle career the most? Probably The Claw [Darren Berrecloth], he was always pushing the sport and doing his own thing, no matter what else was happening in the industry. He’s a wise man with a textbook career and is always looking out for our sport.
In his early days he inspired me and after watching him, mountain biking became the coolest thing on planet earth to me. I hope to one day light that same spark in someone else.
Why be a Pinkbike athlete? Who doesn’t want to ride for the best website in the world?
In all honesty I’ve been a user of the site since I discovered my love for MTB back in 2006, I built my career on this site, so Its only makes sense. I love my sport and I wanna share it with the world, could you think of a better platform?
How do you find your personality influences your riding style?I’m really not sure. I think my personality is my personality and my riding style is my riding style. Both are constantly changing, growing, and influencing each other.
My Personality definitely affects my builds though. I truly believe that nothing is impossible and if you can dream it, you can do it. If you’re not scared of what other people think, and you truly believe in yourself, with a little bit of hard work and perseverance you can accomplish anything.
What do you do when you’re not riding bikes? When I’m not on my bike, I like to hang out with bad asses; people who are inspiring and do cool stuff, or take a lunch date with a cute friend, or stay home and clean up mom’s house. Sometimes I’ll take the odd construction job for some extra cash and more building experience. I play a lot of music and jam with friends, but most of the time when I’m not on my bike I’m working on a crazy bike project, answering emails, or dreaming up the next feature of doom to keep the kids stoked.
What instruments do you play? What kind of music?I’m all about the keys, and vocals! But you can catch me playing all sorts of stuff. I’m always jamming with the boys at The Rise HQ, rock n’ roll mostly. We’re actually starting a band! We wrote our first song this winter and plan on doing couple shows this summer around Montreal.
Nothing blows the stress off like a jam with the boys.
What are some of your top biking highlights? Project Breathe Easy for sure! I mean to come up with an idea for a project and see it through to the end is just an incredible feeling. Building and riding my first Open Loop, becoming friends with my idols, having kids ask to do school projects on me – I mean the list goes on, and keeps getting better and better.
I understand Project Breathe Easy was a very personal project for you, can you tell me more about it? It would be my pleasure. Project Breathe Easy is an action sports film for Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is no joke, it effects over 4000 Canadians and takes at least one life every week. I have a younger sister with this horrible disease, and it sucks. She feels terrible everyday, but still does her thing, and it’s truly inspiring.
The idea came to me after a long time on the road, when I came back I couldn't help but notice a big decline in my sisters health. That hurt, so I decided I would try to do something to help. I love mountain bike films, so I thought what If I could make my own with some friends and give all the money away to benefit CF research? I spoke with Nic Genovese from Mind Spark Cinema and he believed in me right away. My good friend from Halifax, Jason Liel, had some land and all of the pieces of the puzzle feel together. By no means was it easy. I was really up against the odds, but just like my sister I put my head down and tried my hardest everyday.
My fight with Project Breathe Easy may be over, but there are a lot of people out there like my sister who are climbing mountains everyday. Don’t forget it, especially when you think your having a rough day. Although my project was a success, I’m not satisfied, and I’m looking to do something bigger and more profound in the future. Project Breathe Easy Teaser
MATT'S CUSTOM PINKBIKE HELMET:
When Matt had the opportunity with Pinkbike to customize his helmets, he decided on wolves as the main theme. Why? Because he admires the perseverance of the animal - something he relates to in his own career.
What does a typical day look like for you? When I’m in shred mode I wake up around 9, do around 30 - 60 min of yoga, cook up a mean breakfast, drink some fine Chinese tea, answer some emails, and then go shred with some friends and stack some clips! Basically just make the most of the day and enjoy life as much as possible. Remember, everyday is another day in paradise.
How do you deal with injuries and recovery time? When I get hurt my world stops. It sucks.
I usually lock myself in a room for the first two weeks and don’t leave the house. I quite drinking any form of alcohol and just do what ever it takes to get better as soon as possible. It can be hard on your head, no one cares about you when your not out there killing it, and you start to get a glimpse of what life is like without your bicycle. Getting hurt can take you to a dark place.
Athletes are use to exercising their strengths. You get use to taking risks and coming out on top all the time, so when you loose it can be devastating. That being said twenty fractures later and I can say that each one was worth it and made me a better, stronger person.
Twenty fractures? Which bones? Four collarbones, both feet twice, right leg in four places, both wrists twice, a couple fingers, most of my toes, and the list goes on. But in all honestly I’ve been very lucky; I’ll take a fracture over ligament damage any day! You have got to pay to play.
Tell me about your loop de loop project. Where did the idea come from and why is it important to you? The loop thing is weird man. It’s like the idea discovered me. I was looking for a way to improve the roller, a way to get more speed on a flat service so I could build bigger jumps. In Ontario, and on the east coast in general, we just don’t have the same terrain. When I saw Bob Burnquist do the first open loop in the modern age it melted my mind. I thought ‘could you do that on a bike?’ I couldn’t believe no one else had! So I built mine, then a bigger one, and then I felt like it was time to build my first loop.
I can’t tell you what’s to come, but I can tell you that you’re not ready for it – you’re already two years behind.
Open Loop
Who are your sponsors and how do they align with who you are and what your professional goals are? I don’t have the most sponsors but I can truly say that I believe in 100% in every brand I represent. So many guys are out there selling there souls to brands that just don’t get it, I’d rather go work in an office than represent a brand that’s not making a positive impact on my sport.
My sponsors support me and provide me with a platform to excel, because they believe in me; not just as a rider, but as person too. What more could athlete ask for?
As of now I represent The Rise, Kali Protectives, Pinkbike, Sensus and Fox Suspension.
One love guys, you’re the best!
Describe your last year/season. Just the beginning.
What are you doing in Spain? How is the Sangria? I moved to Barcelona, Spain because it’s one of the best places in the world for a guy like me. The city is a skate park and some of Europe's biggest, baddest DJ’s are only a short train ride away. It’s heaven on earth. I just wrapped up a 100% urban edit for Kali Protectives and The Rise. It’s going to be sick! Louis Lhomel was sent over for two weeks, and we put in a lot of work.
After wrapping up a project like this, Sangria never tasted so good, that’s for sure!
What are your goals this year? How are you making them happen? This is going to be the biggest year of my life, people are finally starting to believe in me and I’m not about to let them down. What is even crazier is that I’m starting to believe in myself. I want to blow the doors off what we think is possible in slopestyle, and build a course so progressive that it brings on a new generation of athlete, one ready to take our sport into the main stream media.
I’m working hard everyday, it’s the only way you can get things down anymore. My goals are bigger then ever, but so is my ambition to accomplish them, its full speed or no speed, and all the chips are on the table.
What would you be doing if you had never learned to ride a bike? I’d probably be back in the clock shop, a fully trained horologist following in the footsteps of my Grandfather, a ‘successful’ textbook young adult. Look what my bike did to me...
 | It's always a good idea to surround yourself with people who embody similar core values, and it's even better when those people help push those ideals further than you ever could have on your own. Macduff is one of those people - he seems to be able to be inspirational in his every waking moment. Matt and I have worked together on and off now for over 10 years now and it's been a privilege to watch him come up. He is one of a kind and we're stoked to continue support him. Expect to see more amazing things from Macduff in the near future! - Julian Coffey, Pinkbike |
Author Info:
Member since May 10, 2007
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Then you have people like McDuff. Matt= Film segments and a couple of video's. He's an amazing rider but a company will probably prefer to sponsor somebody who does more than that.
In the words of Darren Berreclough last year: ''Just cuz you're a good rider, doesn't mean you should get sponsored. It takes a lot more than that. You need to know people an be very sociable.''
Either way Matt is f*cking sick
Matt have only some sick film segments...He isnt competing. And yes, many people know him just from street videos,and its sad-this people just didnt watch some real street riding(redbull edit from Garrett is great example),not parody...
But last years Matt have some good film segments in Breathe Easy and Builder,when he ride MTB actually like it must be.
NO ONE else that I know of made a rad video & donated all the money made to a charity.
Duffy just needs time. He's one of the raddest things goin' & everyone's noticing. Time for a frame sponsor to step up!
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Don't we all.
I like to hang out with bad asses with all my combat veterans and Airborne Ranger brothers. We go out and shoot and blow up some tannerite in the desert blowing up tv's and washing machines...thats always one helluva time! We get together and talk any bullshit we want and drink some beers, we stock up on our weapons, ammo and survival supplies, or maybe go down to the Vegas strip and what ever happens..happens.
Your still a bad ass though Macduff.
ODS, OEF, OIF
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