Got bike skills?

Robbie Pfunder takes mountain biking to a whole new level

Robbie Pfunder makes a living riding his bike. Pretty cool, huh? That’s what can happen when you are dedicated to something you love. Robbie is a full-time pro rider, and he’s ranked 4th in all of North America. He currently lives in Boulder, Colorado where there are lots of mountain bike trails. He’ll be in Bentonville in August, at the Benton County Fair, where he’ll be performing Mountain Bike Stunt Shows, signing autographs and meeting kids like you! Official Kids Mag had a chance to talk to Robbie and get some pro tips on mountain biking.

7HEN DID YOU START MOUNTAIN BIKING

I first started when I was 12 years old. I was actually on a BMX bike and my buddies and I were riding on homemade dirt track courses in our backyards. Then in high school I got a proper mountain bike and was lucky that my school had a mountain bike team. That’s when I started racing interscholastically. The rest is history. I’ve been mountain biking for 24 years now.

4ELL US ABOUT BEING A CHAMPION 7HAT IS THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE LIKE

I’ve won the Mountain States Pro Title 4 times in the category of Mountain Bike Trials. The Championship is held in a location with challenging terrain. Riders have to maneuver over super tough obstacles, through a timed course, without putting their feet on the ground. The rider who makes the least number of mistakes wins the event.

(AVE YOU RIDDEN THE "ENTONVILLE BIKE TRAILS

Believe it or not I’ve never had the pleasure of riding in Bentonville but have heard about it for a few years now. I’ve watched videos on YouTube and heard from my riding buddies about how amazing the trail system is! I’m super excited to check it out and test my Rocky Mountain skills.

7HAT S THE SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS

I stay pretty focused on my riding and improving my show but I also try not to take myself too seriously, otherwise life gets too serious. Riding bikes is about having fun and I believe that that’s very important.

7HAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO KIDS JUST STARTING OUT IN MOUNTAIN BIKING OR CYCLING

The advice I would give would be to practice skills in the grass! I learned the hard way growing up that pavement hurts a lot. If you’re going to practice skills or tricks, then you might as well have a soft