Ladies and Gentlemen, Frankly Thursday with Chris Burr.
How old are you? You’re only as old as the person you feel…who in my case is the same age, 35.
Where do you live? Nelson, land of the 50 minute climbs and tight switchbacks, lots of tight switchbacks.
Who makes your riding possible? My partner in crime Bob, my bike pimp Stylie and my riding buddies. We give each other kudos when riding well and you get chastised if you ride like a Muppet.
First bike? A Metro 22, 3 speed with a flag. Can’t upsell it, it was a flash Raleigh 20.
Best thing about traveling around the world riding your bike? Getting to drink new beers, eat new foods and being constantly schooled by locals, because you may think you’re good but someone is always better.
Best spot in the world to ride? Anywhere in Canada or Boulder, Colorado. Honourable mention to 7 mile in Q town, Rotovegas, Wellington and of course Nelson. Kiwis have it good.
What can’t you travel without? iPod, Cactus pants, you can go weeks without having to wash them and they are tough as hell.
What can you not live without? Bob, coffee, music, beer, Santa Cruz, Ducati, the order of which can change depending on my mood.
What’s your day job? I’m owned by Fulton Hogan.
What motivates you to get out of bed and go to work each day? The search for coffee gets me out of bed, work is just a necessary evil that keeps food in the cupboards and gas in the moto.
What are your plans for the New Zealand winter? Skiing and mucking around in the snow up at the lakes as much as possible.
What’s wrong with mountain biking? The obsession with bike weight—get stronger, dumbass (women and those short in stature excluded). And the over-regulation of racing. Show up, pay $20 and fastest wins; how hard is that?
What’s right with mountain biking? You get to go places seldom seen by ‘normal’ people, it brings an amazing amount of very different people together, and you’re always challenging yourself to be better at it.
Who do you look up to? I’m not the kind of person who admires the rock stars, just the normal Joes with a good attitude like Wayne Hiscock – just a nice dude; Trevor Woodward – hauls arse and likes a drink; and anyone who manages to balance a family and biking.
What do you like best about living where you do? Hard tracks, great weather, and good riders!
What do you dislike about living where you do? Cafés aren’t open at 6.30am when I’m on my way to work.
Favourite piece of bike kit? My Camelbak, it’s old and smells like 10 different types of BO but it hauls the stuff that saves my arse.
What are your vices? My motorbike; some days I lack the self control to obey the law.
Got any dirt / story of a MTBer you’d like to share? I’ll politely decline to answer, when you have been riding for 20 years you collect a lot of incriminating stories about a lot of people, I’m not ready to burn bridges just yet.
This question was posed to Chris’s partner Bob: “Will Chris be seeing your Nurse’s kit from the Singlespeeds at any time when you’re not on the bike?” Chris’s reply: F*cken better!
The question is why didn’t I take that last photo? I so want to be there… Is that the top of Peaking?
The question is why didn’t I take that last photo? I so want to be there… Is that the top of Peaking?
I cannot put a name to that track. but looks to high up to be fringe, and doesnt look familiar. my guess is mt arthur area? i sure would like to no too! anyone?
I cannot put a name to that track. but looks to high up to be fringe, and doesnt look familiar. my guess is mt arthur area? i sure would like to no too! anyone?
Go canterbury!
Mt Oxford then or Cass Lagoon?
Looks like i guessed right, Cass Lagon (in and out) it is…
Go canterbury!
Mt Oxford then or Cass Lagoon?
Looks like i guessed right, Cass Lagon (in and out) it is…
wherever that pic is thats where I want to be! Looks like a hella-fun trail
wherever that pic is thats where I want to be! Looks like a hella-fun trail
Ha, I have photos of that rooty ridge too. Some say it is one of the best singletrack descents in NZ…
Ha, I have photos of that rooty ridge too. Some say it is one of the best singletrack descents in NZ…
I’d say C&B, so hot right now. but they’ve been that for the last 20 years
I’d say C&B, so hot right now. but they’ve been that for the last 20 years
I reckon the 3rd photo is the bottom of the old Dead Dogs trail? Stand to be corrected though – it appeared in an old Spoke magazine some time back. 4th could be anywhere in Nelson – perhaps Supplejack looking down on Chris having just gone around yet another switchback 🙂 5th photo looks really familiar, maybe somewhere on the way up to peaking ridge? If it is, you can bet it doesn’t exist anymore after all the windblow two years ago 🙁 Ah, yes Reuben, could be Mt Arthur to Flora perhaps? That is super tech like this 🙂
I reckon the 3rd photo is the bottom of the old Dead Dogs trail? Stand to be corrected though – it appeared in an old Spoke magazine some time back. 4th could be anywhere in Nelson – perhaps Supplejack looking down on Chris having just gone around yet another switchback 🙂 5th photo looks really familiar, maybe somewhere on the way up to peaking ridge? If it is, you can bet it doesn’t exist anymore after all the windblow two years ago 🙁 Ah, yes Reuben, could be Mt Arthur to Flora perhaps? That is super tech like this 🙂
More importantly, did Chris hint that they are pregnant?
More importantly, did Chris hint that they are pregnant?
I thought that was the increase in chris’s beer drinking that gave him that belly
I thought that was the increase in chris’s beer drinking that gave him that belly