According to top local mountain biker Lee English, when mountain bike racers get older, they don’t get slower. They get faster, and more competitive than ever.
English has raced for about 10 years and now competes in the 40-50-year-old expert category. He competes mainly in B.C. competitions.
This year, he won in his age group and placed third overall at the Summerland Test of Humanity event. He also placed second overall at a large Revelstoke race, then won a weeknight race series hosted by the Revelstoke bike club at Mt. MacPherson.
“That was a big achievement for me,” said English, who loves to spend time outdoors.
“The races here are highly competitive,” said the racer. “We do have a lot of really talented mountain bikers in this area.” He, points out however, that though competitive, most of the racers are good friends who like riding together in a rugged outdoor environment.
English focuses on cross-country mountain bike racing. Races usually last for one- to three-hour distances, on single-track trails that take riders over obstacles like logs, roots and “pretty much anything that’s natural.”
“The trails are usually built and maintained in an environmentally-friendly manner,” explained English, who spends up to 12 hours a week doing some hard riding during peak racing season, which lasts from May to August.
English rides on the South Canoe trail network as well as the Rubberhead trail area and Larch Hills Traverse.
The race enthusiast, who works as an automotive technician at Braby Motors, plans to compete next year.
“When you get to be a racer, you’re always trying to achieve what you haven’t yet, and do better at the sport than you did the year before. The guys are all fast, and they’ll be even faster next year.”
When not racing in the winter months, English does some snowshoeing and rides on an indoor trainer. Otherwise, he doesn’t participate in any other sports.
“Work takes up all of my time,” he laughs.
Though English has many bikes, he rides on one high-end Giant-brand bike, made from carbon fibre, a strong yet flexible material.
“It was embarrassingly expensive,” he admits with a chuckle. “Most of the high end bikes now are made of carbon fibre.”
Though the 2012 race calendar isn’t out yet, English plans to compete locally in the Salty Dog, in Revelstoke, as well as in several BC Cup races, many of which are held in the Lower Mainland.
For English, the thrill and companionship of being out on the race course is truly why he rides.
“It’s not for money, or prizes or even the placing. That’s all secondary. In the actual races, you’re shoulder to shoulder with someone, whether you’re in the front, middle or back of the pack. I look forward to going to all of the races because of the friends I see there.”
