Stats: –
/// Name: Ryan Nangle // Age: 21 // Weight: 136lbs // Location: Hampshire, UK // Sponsors: Dartmoor UK, FOX Clothing and Protection, Kenda Tyres, Smuggling Duds and Marzocchi ///
Questions: –
1) How long have you been free-riding? And what exactly got you started? I’ve been free-riding since I was 13, maybe 14, so roughly 7 year! The first memory I have of jumping on my bike was at a public golf course, which had all sorts of sweet natural jumps. Me and my friends would just go there after school – Next we found out that people actually built proper jumps to ride, so my parents would take us every weekend to ride and it went from there really.
2) What was it like growing up in Farnborough? And how does the riding scene compare with other scenes you have sampled? Well, where I’m based is pretty much a perfect location for free-riding – I have a local free-ride area, which is where I started off properly. It features DH runs and few smaller jump spots, which are dotted around the woods, these were perfect for dialling in my riding! It wasn’t until I started building my own jumps that my riding really started to progress – I knew I could go bigger and higher, so I would build a jump which would make me do that. Eventually I took over a really old BMX dirt jump spot right outside my house – I’ve been digging there for the last 4 years now! The scene was really good back in the day, but people lost interest and now it’s only a few of us dedicated ones. With that said, I have been helping out at my mates trails at his farm just up the road and the scene there is awesome!
3) Can you describe you transition from ‘downhill to freeriding’ and from ‘freeriding to dirt’? Or if you prefer, a brief history of how your riding style has evolved? When I started riding I always wanted to learn new things and just to progress – So I think it was natural for me to go from downhill to free-ride to dirt jumping. Riding all the disciplines has definitely made me a better rider. A big influence in my riding was also watching the ‘NWD’ series.
4) You’ve definitely got a distinctive style – And with reference to style, who are the names you have looked up to as dirt rider? Who’s proven influential? Thanks! The rider I look up to the most at the moment is ‘Semenuk’. He’s always pushing the tricks and has such a cool style! In the past I’ve looked up to riders like ‘Paul bass’, ‘Andreu Lacondeguy’ and ‘Cam Mccaul’. I also love watching new riders come through the ranks like ‘Casey Groves’ and ‘Brett Rheeder’.
5) Leading on from that last point, how have you authenticated your name in the dirt scene? If you like, how does ‘Ryan Nangle’ have ‘Unique Selling Power’? Well I don’t know if I have ‘unique selling power’, aha! But I just try and be different really. I like doing stuff that hasn’t been done previously, or by linking tricks together in different ways! I guess ‘barrel rolls’ have been a staple trick for me for a while now – Last year I managed to put a ‘barspin’ into one, which I was pretty stoked about! At the moment I’m working on some more technical combos, with ‘barspins’ and ‘tailwhips’, so hopefully I’ll be able to dial them in soon.
6) How important have ‘foam facilities’ (foam pits, etc) proven throughout your career to date? They have been pretty important I guess, but I don’t get to ride one much, as the closest foam pit is over 2 hours away! I tried my first back flip straight to dirt, which was a pretty stupid idea since I landed on my head! But I would say I’ve only learnt a few tricks using a foam pit, the rest has just been from trying new things on dirt and taking the crashes.
7) Can you provide a quick glimpse into your contest CV?
1) 3rd in Wisley Dirt Wars 2011, UK/ 2) 4th in Kia Motors Portuguese 2011 KOD/ 3) Best Trick in Kia Motors 2011 Portuguese KOD/ 4) 4th in overall King of Dirt 2010 UK series/ 5) 1st overall Dirt Wars UK 2010 series.
8} Film making is also important to you – Care to tell our readers a little more about this aspect of your resume? Well I’ve been filming for longer than I have been riding, so it’s just as important to me as riding really. Recently I’ve done a few jobs inside and outside of mountain biking, so hopefully I can make a full time job out of it one day! Filming also helps me push my riding, because you can see for yourself, you can monitor your progression – Imagine it takes you 20 slams to pull that one specials trick, then you get the glory of watching it back in slow motion! Pretty rewarding!
9) What’s more important to you – ‘Progressive Web Edits’ or ‘Solid Contest Runs’? Progressive web edits for sure – There is no one in my space, I can do what I like and that’s not just the tricks which win the events! Contests are still cool, because I get to see everyone from around the UK! But there is nothing better than dialled filming sessions at my local spots.
10) Tell us a little more about your current bike setup? And what’s the story behind it? The component specification on the red ‘Dartmoor Bikes’ (2012) ‘Two6 Player’ was very eye catching indeed – So I went for that! The frame has been amazing so far, it’s superlight and I love the geometry – It’s a fair bit longer than my old bike, which means the front wheel clears my foot easy on barspins and tailwhips. It also makes it super smooth on the trails, which is what I ride 99% of the time! The rest of my bike sparkles with dartmoor componentry – ‘Raider rims’, which I still haven’t buckled! ‘Thorn’ cranks which look sweet and are crazy light! Another favourite part of mine is the dartmoor ‘swing low’ bars, because they are super wide and have a perfect shape! I’ve also got a good range of kenda tyres, which I’ve been running; the small ‘block 8s’ are definitely my favourite at the moment! They are really light and such a good all round tyre!
11) Has the Dartmoor Bikes programme changed your life? It’s definitely helped me out a lot! I get brilliant bike support and get to be on a great team, with the other guys ‘Marcel Hunt’ and ‘Alfie Stephens’.
12) By now we all know that you totally smash it on dirt and freeride terrain… But what about skateparks and street? Thanks! I never ride skatepark and street, since I grew up riding in the woods I just have no interest in it really. I do love watching bmx park on TV though.
13) You are due to graduate shortly! What’s next!? I think I am going to have this summer off to ride and have fun! I’ll be riding most of the UK comps and putting out some more edits! After summer I will probably have to start looking for a job in the media industry, but it would be amazing if someone would pay me to ride bikes so ! don’t have to get a real job though (hint), ha!
14) Any advice to the youngsters who want to follow in your foot-steps? Just ride as much as you can and never give up, even if you think you can’t do something!
15) Any final words? Shout-outs? Shout-downs? Hollas? Thanks to my sponsors Dartmoor bikes, Fox clothing, Smuggling duds, Kenda and Marzocchi!
Videos: –
Bike Check: –
Frame: Dartmoor Two6Player; Fork: Marzocchi DJ; Crankset: Dartmoor Thorn; BB bearings: Dartmoor Euro 22mm; Sprocket: Dartmoor Trance 25T; Chain: Dartmoor Core Light; Pedals: Dartmoor Fever; Handlebar: Dartmoor Swing Low; Stem: Dartmoor Funky; Headsets: Dartmoor Flash; Front rim: Dartmoor Raider; Front hub: Dartmoor X-Drive; Rear rim: Dartmoor Raider; Rear hub: Dartmoor Revolt; Saddle: Dartmoor Ivy; Grips: Dartmoor Race.