Several waves of iconic freeride moments have come crashing onto the beach of mountain bike culture throughout the last few decades – each swell has its origins, but Kamloops B.C seems to continuously produce the largest. The whitewash of these monstrous waves comes in with blood, sweat, and broken bike parts, yet it spreads something completely different across the sand that remains: inspiration to the masses.
Why does Freeride strike the hearts of so many mountain bikers? It’s more than just a niche discipline of cycling, it’s been a movement – a form of rebellion.
For Kona Factory Rider Kyleigh Stewart, this movement shaped her upbringing almost entirely. Born and raised in Kamloops B.C., it was just part of the norm to encourage a young shredder to hit jumps in the yard. As her local riding community dove deeper into jumps and creative lines, her progression as a rider evolved in variety, style, and impressive features – just like the famous local trails.
From a 2007 Makena to a Process X DH in 2023, Kyleigh shows us how far she’s come and how her love of bikes and downhill hasn’t faded.
