From Dirtworld.com

Interview with Frorider Wade Simmons
Dan Schurbert

Over the years with the growing popularity of extreme mountain biking videos like Kranked, Chain Smoke and the newly released Kranked II many riders have become household names and trial legends. Perhaps nobody has made as big of a name for themselves in the world of extreme riding as Rocky Mountain's Wade Simmons. Wade, a B.C. native has built a reputation for riding the unrideable. Recently Dan Schurbert caught up with Wade in a coffee shop in North Vancouver and asked him a few questions.


How did you get into Mountain Biking?

Wade - I raced bmx for years. At the races Norco, one of the local bike companies, would bring out Mountain Bikes for demos, and I got on them and thought it was really cool with the low gears. That was my first introduction to Mountain Bikes, and it was a natural progression after that.


Where did you grow up?

Wade - I grew up a little in Victoria for seven years, then moved to Kamloops and spent nine years there, then went down to Vancouver in 1991.

What exactly are you doing now? Any racing?

Wade - Yep, I do a little racing, but its not my focus anymore. But I enjoy the fun races, like its more of a social event, I like the more fun courses. What turned me off of racing was doing the tour, and going to places, like driving there and spending all this money and its not very fun and the course is inadequate. That is what really turned me off of racing. But I still do some fun races like Bear Mountain.(Mission, BC), Blue Mountain.(Maple Ridge, BC) the local ones. I go up to Silver Star(Vernon, BC) for the Nationals.


What is your favorite thing about racing or riding?

Wade - My favorite thing about racing is the competition with all your friends. Your there with all your buddies, but when the gate drops its race day and everyone is trying to beat each other out. My favorite thing about riding is just hanging out with friends and having a good time.


You ride stuff that us mortals would not consider. How do you draw the line? Or do you?

Wade - Its all common sense, people ride hopefully within their limits, and when were riding it may not seem that hard to us, but when others see us they're like, "Wow, how can you ride that?" But we've built up to that, so it's not like were just throwing ourselves right into it, it's within our confidence level. But you do have to draw the line though, you have to know when to call it quits, that's when you start getting hurt.


Rocky Mountain is unique with it's support of a Froteam, how did it come about?

Wade - Well, this whole freeride thing came about 3 years ago. It came maybe from snowboarding, there was some movie I can't remember the name, but it had Richie Schley and all those boys in it. That sort of brought in the whole freeride thing. But what it was, Rocky was going to have a freeride team, but you probably know the story with Cannondale had a kind of trademark on the word "freeride" so it got mutated into froride so its more of a marketing thing. But were all really freeriders, but the word "fro" has been thrown in there.


What is your definition of "Freeriding"?

Wade - It's all encompassing, it's a little of racing, technical, vehicle shuttles, heli shuttles, its everything, basically having fun on your bike. You and some friends, its hard to define.


Any tips for aspiring young freeriders?

Wade - Be patient, learn the basics and work your way up. Always have fun at it, don't get too serious, once you lose the fun its more of a job.


Where is your favorite place to ride?

Wade - I like riding all kinds of places, my hometown here in Vancouver is a lot of fun. But you get stale in one place. You want to move around, I enjoy riding everywhere. But I go somewhere and people say, "How come you like this it isn't very technical?" But that's what I like about it, it is a change. I like Kamloops riding, I like different kinds of riding for different situations. I just like doing road trips and racing in different areas. I really like high speed swoopy stuff with drops in it, like Bear Mountain, I like to rail corners and a couple technical sections thrown in there. Sometimes the "Shore" can get to technical, its always in your face, very rarely do you get to carve behind the saddle and kinda ski down the mountain.


What is your worst crash?

Wade - I probably have had worse crashes on snowboards then mountain bikes. The one in Kranked was pretty bad. I did a face plant and ate some dirt, I hurt my sternum pretty bad and my face, but other then that I really haven't broken anything. But I have had some pretty good crashes and endos, I am getting pretty good at it, just tuck and roll.


What do you think you'll be doing in 10 years?

Wade - I don't know I have some plans that I need to go through with my mom will kill me. But I don't know, I try not to look that far ahead I scare myself, because it's happening way too fast. I could see myself maybe getting into a business on the mountain bike side of it. Maybe tours, or coaching clinics. I'd like to see some kinds of camps up in Whistler/Blackcomb, maybe some extreme camps, taking good riders and working on their skills to be a better rider, and tackle obstacles that they were scared of before. But 10 years is a long ways away.


What do you do in the off season?

Wade - A lot of snowboarding, there really is no off season here because of the climate, but there is a money season. I still ride a couple days a week. I'm either up in the trails or I'll do an urban ride in the city. I also work at the Deep Cove Bike Shop as a bike mechanic part time. But a lot of snowboarding, Cypress, Seymor, and Blackcomb when I can afford it and Baker. I try to do a little hiking, running, some weights, just trying to keep fit.


Are you in any upcoming videos?

Wade - Yeah, one that just got released, the Roach video, Menace to Society I have a small section in that. Also Adventure Scope Productions from Whistler is doing video that should be out in a couple months. And Kranked 2 of course, April 1st is the launch for that here in Vancouver.


What else do you want people to know?

Wade - Umm, ride smart, respect the trail and the lines in the trail, I really don't like people cutting lines, kind of cheat lines. Just get off your bike and walk it. Other than that just have fun.