It’s the little things that count

Being paid to ride is great, but some of the biggest perks of being a pro are less obvious...

Becoming a pro mountain biker may not be a guaranteed route to riches, groupies and a garage full of fast cars, but it’s certainly a step up from keeping all your racing kit piled up in the boot of a clapped-out Ford Mondeo. Oli Carter has been on the UK enduro and DH scenes for years, first as a privateer, then on small teams and now as a fully paid-up rider for Identiti and other sponsors. We asked him what it’s like to be living the dream and be paid to ride his bike.