Richie Schley joins Mercedes- AMG – “Performance Driven”
We are mountain bikers, we live for adventure and excitement and shape our lives around the sport that we love. As such it should come as no surprise to see when motor sport legend AMG were looking for new ambassadors for their performance cars that they started their search in the world of mountain biking.
Anyone who has followed mountain biking over the last 20 years will have heard of Richie Schley, for many he represents the spirit of off-road exploration as a lifestyle. Schley was there from the beginning when the freeride mountain biking movement exploded and was one of the first pioneers of our sport. It’s not often that the worlds of motorsport and mountain biking collide, but when AMG were looking for a representative that matched their innovative approach, Richie Schley seemed the perfect choice.
A formidable athlete and unsurpassed innovator of his sport, Richie Schley has certainly earned his title as the “godfather” of freeride mountain biking. Navigating treacherous mountain terrain requires control and discipline–qualities Schley has not only mastered but transcended through creative and boundary-breaking maneuverings. His vehicle of choice, the Mercedes-AMG G 63 shares his unsurpassed passion for off-road performance. Read our interview with AMG Brand Ambassador Richie Schley.
What do you love about mountain biking?
When I was a little kid and I got my wheels, I got my wings. It’s this first piece of freedom that you experience as a child. I guess that feeling always stuck with me. It still gives me a sense of freedom because I love the outdoors, and I can go so far and go so many different places and cover so much different terrain. It’s one of the coolest machines you can use to explore the outdoors, not to mention the thrills you get are insane. If you want to push yourself, the speed and the jumps and the things you can do on a bike are so exhilarating.
What about the Mercedes-AMG G 63 inspired you to select it as your vehicle of choice?
The Mercedes-AMG G 63 Is perfect for me because its fully capable both on-road and off-road. I can put my bikes on it and cruise in style to the mountains. When I get there it doesn’t matter what kind of road or terrain or how rugged the road is it can get me to exactly where I want to go because its so capable off-road as well.
How did your career as a mountain biker begin?
I was trying to make a career as a skier, and I saw this opportunity that didn’t exist in mountain biking. At the time, mountain biking was just racing with no real lifestyle or culture. I started to pursue it and rather than wait for someone to come to me I started to go to the trade shows and kicked the door open.
How did your upbringing cultivate a strong sense of drive?
I grew up in a blue-collar working class home and I was always a hard worker. When I was about 12 or 13 years old I was already writing resumes and trying to start my own BMX team. I wrote to hotels to try and get sponsorship to get jerseys for my team. I was always going for it and pretty entrepreneurial; I didn’t really sit back and wait. My favorite saying is “Don’t wait for your ship to come in, swim out.” I’ve always been that way. Had I not gone for it, a lot of this wouldn’t have happened for me or for maybe the industry at all. I think if you want something you go get it right.
What qualities are essential to your sport?
Creativity. You have to be clever and creative and how you train is important, but all of it kind of
comes back to devotion and hard work.
Words & Photos: K-MB
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