Josh Bender is one of the world’s best freeride mountain bikers. That means he pedals off gargantuan cliffs, dropping 40, 50, even 60 feet before landing in dirt. Sometimes he lands smoothly and sometimes he crushes himself. He’s always riding the next day, pushing the limits of what sane people imagine can be done on a bicycle. The Silverton Mountain pro rider has spent most of the summer building trails, jumps and features that make the San Juan County ski area one of the best freeride venues in the country.
What is your best training technique?
Weights and repetition, like riding every day.
What is you worst injury?
Hitting a tree and getting knocked unconscious at the first attempt of the “Jaw Drop” (a 60-foot cliff in Kamloops, British Columbia). I had amnesia for seven weeks.
Most frightening moment?
Every day.
How do you push through mental fatigue?
Yerba Mate (tea) and training.
What is the sickest thing you have ever seen?
My buddy Kirk Hedstrom broke his ankle on Folgers trail in Basalt. His foot was hanging off.
Whom do you admire most?
Pioneering individuals who see things outside the box.
What music revs you up for a big contest?
Rap, rock or reggae. Slayer, De La Soul, Dilated Pupils.
Best advice you ever received?
“There are two sides to every story; don’t assume anything until you talk to the source.” From Grandma Bender.
What do you know now that you didn’t know then?
It is hard to get things rolling doing what you want to do. But it is just as hard to stay consistent at what you do and keep things rolling. And there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Favorite place to ride?
Planet Earth and Silverton Mountain.
