If you’ve been hovering around the bike scene for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the name Tim White tossed around from time to time. You’ve possibly seen him grace the pages of our own Spoke magazine a number of times or right across the genres to Auckland’s Metro magazine. Tim’s name has now spread far wider than just the cycling world, aided by his now very successful but still ‘non-corporate’ bike store, T White’s bikes.
Tim has a strong history in cycling, from his early years racing BMX to his now post-30 year old jaunts on fixed gears and mountain bikes, and he’s still holding his own on the BMX. Tim shreds every sort of bike, and with his effortlessly relaxed style on the bike and super friendly persona he often sits back quietly in the background, letting his riding do all the talking, unless he’s got a lager in his hand!
This week we caught up with Tim to find out a bit more about what makes him tick….
How old are you? 31
Where do you live? Ponsonby, Auckland
Who makes your riding possible?
Track Bike= Worralls
MTB= Wide Open
BMX = DirtBikeCo
Motobike= http://home.thesecondhandbikeshop.com/ and head engineer at T.Whites Bikes “Sid”. Lucky I also have Mr Brian Mackay who inspects and adjust all my rides to an 88mph rating keeping all my bikes dialled.
First bike? First good bike was an S&M Holmes, my mum said if I was to pass School C she would buy me a new bike. Needless to say I studied and somehow just managed to pass. It was the first and only time I tried at school. Mum let me pick out a custom BMX! Mum rules.
Best thing about owning a bike shop? So many good things about running and owning the shop. I love offering New Zealand a bike shop like no other, with rad components and a style corporate stores can never duplicate. I also love the fact we can do whatever we want and don’t give a shit what our competitors think. But hands down the best part is watching a customer get stoked on the bike you just built for them and having them out riding and just loving bikes.
Worst thing about owning a bike shop? That you never stop working, EVER! But I love it.
Best spot in the world to ride? Ditches Melbourne or Vancouver skate parks!
What can you not live without? My Lady
What does your average day consist of? Start with some coffee then get the e-mails going maybe update some of the websites and blogs, maybe pick up some parts or head to the shop, fix bikes, sell bikes, eat some good food, ride bikes, drink beer, hang out in the basement, sleep.
What motivates you to get out of bed and go to work each day? Life is fun, getting out of bed is easy!
What are your plans for the rest of our winter? Getting the shop sorted for another ripping summer also working on the Second Hand Bike Shop downstairs and am looking at maybe trying to get away on the road for a BMX trip or two.
What’s wrong with mountain biking? Some of the style and outfits! It’s crazy the amount of gear people think you need to ride Woodhill.
What’s right with mountain biking? Hitting spots you can’t on a BMX! Spoke mag, Wide Open and the guys at Woodhill.
How many bikes do you personally own now? Not sure on the exact numbers but I thing it’s around 20 to 25, if you include the frame and forks probably 30ish. Not sure really but I should count them as customers ask me all the time. I just point and say yeah I own all ten hanging on the wall. But I always point at the bikes on the shop floor and say the bank owns them! Hahahaha! Rider owned!
Favourite bike to ride out of the lot? I am fairly seasonal with bikes; in the summer it’s BMX, in the winter it’s track bikes but my SkullSkates 26inch BMX cruiser hands down, it’s copied off a Cooks Bros frame and has a heap of old BMX parts and style to it. It took home an Alleycat race Victory after six Jim Beams and a few disgruntled fixed gear riders.
Who do you look up to? The Worrall’s, Allister has helped with the shop since day one and always has good advice for the business and life. Without them I would have made some mistakes we avoided. Don Selby in Canada taught me how to run a shop like T.Whites Bikes. My mum. So many other people. The list is endless but as a rule anyone doing their own thing and making it happen.
What do you like best about living where you do? I live about 15min ride from the shop so every day I get to step outside my door and ride to work enjoying the city. The food is amazing for selection and just the proximity to everything. All the Skull Bike clubbers live close by for a cold beverage or two, also soon the temporary Vic will be done.
What do you dislike about living where you do? The noise
Favourite piece of bike kit? Vans, and my SkullBikeClub T-Shirt
What are your vices? SkullBikeClub
Got any dirt / story of a pro rider (BMX or MTB) you’d like to share? RMC, the best all-time New Zealand BMX racer told me about the touch of death that Gary Ellis used to pull on other pros. Since then my riding changed. LOOK OUT 2013 Worlds!!
RAD!
RAD!