Fishing for Bearclaw
An Interview with Darren Berrecloth
Darren Berrecloth doesn’t mince words. He knows what he likes and goes after it—with no regrets. He is arguably the best at what he does but you won’t find him wagging that in your face. He’s just another guy who loves to fish, loves the mountains, and loves be on a bike—mountain bike that is. Over the last few years he has helped progress the sport of freeride mountain biking to new levels.
You may not find slope style or big-mountain riding at the Olympics just yet, but you will find plenty of these events in North America’s premier ski resorts. We were able to wedge some time into Darren’s busy schedule for a few questions to help us better understand his sport and the man behind the “Bearclaw.”
TDS: Many people know you as one of the premier freeriders in the mountain bike world, but who are you off the bike—after the final run, when the crowds are gone and the party’s over?
BERRECLOTH: Well, if I’m not on my bike in the summer I like to go wakeboarding, moto’xing, ride quads to remote lakes in the mountains. I also love to fish, camp and build trails. When I want to get away I jump on my fishing boat and head to the west coast. But in the winter I love to fish for steelhead in the rivers. And there’s always snowmobiling when the snow is good.
TDS: What was your first bike? What eventually made you decide to start launching off cliffs?
BERRECLOTH:Well the first bikes I had were a redline rl440 and a Specialized Rockhopper and I’ve always been fascinated with going from here to there and doing tricks in the middle.
TDS: From skateboarding (mega-ramps) to snowboarding to mountain biking, huge airs continue to shape the extreme sport world. Talk about where the sport is heading and what trends you see emerging.
BERRECLOTH: Well I’ve seen the trends in all the other sports and I definitely think mountain biking, with all the slope style contests, is going more towards the smaller, more tricks style riding. But I think there will always be a need for the big mountain riding—stay tuned on that one.
TDS: What were your thoughts when you saw Jake Brown take that nasty forty-foot fall in the mega-ramp competition during the X-Games this past year?
BERRECLOTH:I thought to myself man I know exactly how he is feeling right now. I was scared for him; not only do you get beat up physically on a crash like that, your mental side takes a beating as well.
TDS: What drives you to be the best and help progress your sport?
BERRECLOTH:I don’t try and be the best, I just love to progress myself. Whether it be casting that fly line or learning tricks off drops, it’s just my progressive nature that keeps me givin’er eh.
TDS: Talk about the creative side of your sport—is it about beating the mountain or expressing yourself through your interaction with the mountain?
BERRECLOTH: Oh, definitely “mountain expression.” When a trail-builder walks through the forest or mountains he tries to use the landscape and kind of let it speak to him. Then he tries to rearrange it in the way he wants to, to create his stunt.
TDS: From your perspective what should be the policy when it comes to riders gaining access to land that is currently out of bounds for mountain bikers?
BERRECLOTH:Well, the fact of the matter is that there is barely any land available, so a builder must go so far out of the way just to build a trail. It’s tough, but that’s just the way it is.But if you are really addicted to building stunts and trails, then you should work for a mountain like Mt. Washington.
TDS: You have been all over the world with your bike, what is the best place to ride that no one talks about and what about it makes it special?
BERRECLOTH:Two places, “The Island” (Vancouver Island) is rad and China is super sick as well.
TDS: How does riding in China compare to the Pacific Northwest—are there any similarities?
BERRECLOTH: There are no similarities to anything I’ve ever seen in my whole career. Man, those never-ending slopes made me think I was on skis—it was surreal.
TDS: Take us through a pre-session warm up. How do you get mentally prepared for a run?
BERRECLOTH: Pretty simple really … I look at whatever I’m about to ride and decide what type of run I know I can ride away from, and roll in.
TDS: You’re featured in many of the top-selling free-riding videos—NWD series, The Collective, etc. Do you have a favorite?
BERRECLOTH: They all have their important place in the industry.
TDS: You ride with Specialized, which is a huge bike company. How is it to ride for them? What do they do to promote the heart and soul of the sport?
BERRECLOTH: Oh man, it’s definitely the best company to ride for since they have the latest and greatest bike technology and support. They promote the soul of the sport by letting riders like myself travel the world and inspire readers and viewers all over the world to get out and do it.
TDS: You are doing what you love, which is rare in this day and age. What advice would you give to someone reading this interview who wants to follow their dreams and passions?
BERRECLOTH: That’s it … follow your dreams and don’t let girls, debt, or flat tires get in your way.
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