OUR STORY
A Mountain Biking Journey
After a number of years in mountain biking and post ride gatherings, two friends decided to found the Ridestoke Collective. After working for several years in the technology field, we recognized our misery due to work burnout. We were hungry for more, and needed to reawaken the fire in us. We could only achieve this through turning our great passion for mountain bike riding into a big project that would enable other people like us to enjoy as well share their stoke. We thought that there would be no better way than creating a collective online for riders worldwide to join us and share the big giant passion for riding we have. As kids we started riding anything that had wheels as soon as we were able to walk. That stoke for riding is still burning today. We are defined and fulfilled by taking part in activities like riding, digging the pump track, shredding the single track and conquering the downhill track or bike trials riding.
Riding is embedded in us to such a point that it is no longer a normal exercise but it is our community, stress reliever and lifestyle. Riding has so far seen us explore far off areas and places of disconnect where other men rarely frequent. It has facilitated the building of bonds and friendships that will never be broken in this lifetime. We are hopeful that you also share the huge passion we have for riding and will help enable us to continue to spread that stoke. It does not matter whether you are a beginner or have shredded for your entire life. As long as turning the wheels continues to put a wide grin across your face, that’s the Ridestoke.
// Our mission at RIDESTOKE is to bring the global community of riders together and get them stoked to ride bicycles. We do this by bringing you the world’s best mountain bike industry news, gear reviews and videos from the global mountain bike movement. After all, riding bikes is about having fun and putting the biggest smile on your face possible. Always ride and always ENJOY THE RIDE!
Ian Varga
My riding journey started with a big wheel before I graduated to riding a huffy fixed with mag wheels. At one point, I crashed due to the training wheels coming off and I became hooked. When I was growing up, BMX bikes were the most popular bikes then, but at the age of 12 I managed to get my first mountain bike. However, it was a stiff tank that came from a local department store and it broke almost immediately. From that time, my passion for riding has never slowed down for even a bit. I love mountain bike riding and what stokes me most are the big mountain runs, buff singletrack, downhills, Bike Trials riding and chunky technical goodness.
Rob Stepnoski
I am always ready to hit the downhill runs and lifts. I am always the first to get on the lift and always the last one to leave. I enjoy mountain bike riding until it even gets difficult for me to stand. I remember my first ever bike was a mashup of several bikes as well as parts sourced from a junk yard. However, this did not hold me back and sooner I graduated to rising a Mongoose Expert BMX bike and later on two mountain bikes. I had a GT XCR 3000 to conquer the trails and a GT DHi race for lift service. I once watched a video posted on Pinkbike.com with the title “Off Season.” In the video, Radek Burkat rode a blue Santa Cruz Bullit with red Boxxer fork. I was completely stoked and told myself that I would want to do that. It was Freeride/DH from then on.
