ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
REECE WALLACE
AGE: 30
HOMETOWN: Calgary, Alberta
CURRENT RESIDENCE: Nanaimo, BC
FAVORITE TYPE OF RIDING: Freeride
GUILTY PLEASURE: Country Music
FAVORITE FOOD: Deep Dish Hawaiian Pizza
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
REECE WALLACE
AGE: 30
HOMETOWN: Calgary, Alberta
CURRENT RESIDENCE: Nanaimo, BC
FAVORITE TYPE OF RIDING: Freeride
GUILTY PLEASURE: Country Music
FAVORITE FOOD: Deep Dish Hawaiian Pizza
THE LOAM WOLF: SO, REECE. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. HOW DID YOU GET INTO MOUNTAIN BIKING AND WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE SPORT THAT DREW YOU IN?
Reece Wallace: I got into mountain biking from one of my first trips to BC as a kid. We went camping and I had a Sport Chek special, and it was rad to escape the city and just ride my bike through the woods. Pinning single track in my hockey pads (Canada, eh) and jumping off stairs and grass banks. It was the freedom of doing whatever I wanted which drew me to it.
TLW: WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF RIDING? WHAT DID YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THE MOST WHEN YOU GOT ON THE BIKE?
RW: Man. A lot has changed since I started riding. When I was a kid, my crew and I would pedal around the neighborhood looking for the biggest drops to flat we could find. Loading docks, ledges, off rocks, whatever. After a couple years of that, I found I had a knack for it, and it was addicting. I would stay at the skate park until 2am trying the same trick over and over. It was this addicting thrill of bettering myself which hooked me, and I am still chasing it today.
TLW: DID YOU PLAY OTHER SPORTS AS A CHILD? ANYTHING YOU EXCELLED AT?
RW: I played lacrosse and snowboarded. I was pretty good at lacrosse, but I had more fun riding my bike to practice than playing it, so I quit. My mom was PISSED.
TLW: AT WHAT POINT DID YOU THINK OR REALIZE THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE THE WHOLE “PROFESSIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKER” THINK WORK?
RW: Growing up in Alberta, I never thought it was a possibility. The best riders in my hometown were not hooked up at all, so it was not on my radar. That said, when I moved to BC things opened up for me. I got my first sponsor at 19 (Chromag) after living in Whistler for a few months. I was getting free parts, shirts and stickers and thought I had it made. I was still working several jobs (grocery store, landscaping, air dome) to scrape by being a teenager in Whistler. Having worked since I was 14, I knew these jobs were dead ends and not what I wanted to do. I have always valued an education, so I pursued that while still riding my bike. In the fall of 2019, I started my bachelor’s degree of communications in Vancouver. After 4 long years, I REALLY knew this was not what I wanted to do. Riding bikes was the only thing which made me happy and I decided to put all my effort into doing it professionally. It took a while for me to find my way, but I am happy where the path has led in free ride.
TLW: NOW THAT YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKER, WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES TO YOUR RIDING, MENTALITY AND DEALING WITH SPONSORS? YOU ARE NOT JUST GETTING T-SHIRTS AND STICKERS ANYMORE.
RW: Balancing stress has been the biggest change for me since turning professional. Since my main gig is filming videos, I take care of all areas of production. This includes not only making sure my riding is on par, but building, logistics, budgeting, hiring a filmmaker, contracts, hotels, flights, music licensing, distribution…the list goes on. This can be overwhelming at times when my focus should be for my riding to look good on film. I am learning to delegate some of the responsibility with the help of my brother Liam, but I am particular with how my videos are made and how I am portrayed. Not easy to give up control, haha.
I am fortunate my sponsors trust in my vision and let me run with pretty much any video idea or project I want.
TLW: SPEAKING OF SPONSORS, YOU HAVE GOT SOME NEW ONES THIS YEAR, ONE BEING LEATT. WE ARE BIG FANS OF THEIR PROTECTIVE ITEMS ON BOTH OUR DIRT BIKES AND MOUNTAIN BIKES. WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE NEW PIECES OF GEAR FROM THEM? ANYTHING YOU DID NOT REALIZE YOU WERE MISSING BUT IS NOW PART OF YOUR DAILY KIT?
RW: I have been wearing some pretty budget protection for the last five years, so it was a big shock to me upgrading to Leatt. The DBX 4.0 full face helmet is much lighter and more breathable than my last one. It was one of those things I was OK with wearing my old gear, but only out of ignorance—I did not realize how much lighter and safer helmet have become. This confidence is big for me as brain protection is my #1 priority given what has happened to a couple riders over the last few years. It is also a HUGE bonus to finally have proper riding pants. I have had to make my own with iron on logos over the years, so I am stoked to finally have a slim fit stretchy pair with the MTB 4.0 pant.
TLW: WHAT WAS YOUNG REECE LIKE AS A KID? NOT THAT YOU’RE ALL THAT OLD NOW…
RW: Pretty much same shit I like doing now. Riding bikes, building jumps and filming videos.
TLW: WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOU A UNIQUE AND INTERESTING PERSON?
RW: Not for me to say, haha.
TLW: ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA KNOWS THAT YOU’RE INTO PLANES AND FLYING, WHAT OTHER HOBBIES DO YOU HAVE?
RW: Not much to be honest. Biking takes up so much of my time, I do not have room for much else. I fly when I can, but hardly even have time for that. I usually just fly to commute for riding as I live on an island and it beats taking the ferry.
TLW: WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE DONE IN A PLANE?
RW: Would not have my license if I disclosed it online—haha. There have been a couple sketchy moments, but I fly with a different mentality than riding. If you make a mistake riding, you may fall and break a bone. If you make a mistake flying, you might die. There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but no old bold pilots. Cheesy, but true. I try to keep it pretty by the books, because nothing makes you look dumber than dying doing something stupid.
TLW: WE REMEMBER READING A STORY ABOUT YOU BUYING A PLANE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF CANADA AND FLYING IT HOME AS MECHANICAL ISSUES KEPT STACKING UP, MAKING YOUR JOURNEY HOME MORE DIFFICULT. TELL US ABOUT THAT?
RW: Man…it was a trip. I bought a 1955 Cessna 170. An OLD bird. It had not been flown in a while, so once I fired it up tons of issues began to develop. The radio died, then a fuel and oil leak, then an entire electrical system failure as we entered the Rocky Mountains. Good times…
TLW: IF YOU COULD FLY ANY PLANE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
RW: Probably the F-14 Tomcat. They are supersonic, aerobatic, and Maverick flew one in Top Gun.
TLW: HOW DO YOU THINK HAVING ACCESS TO A PLANE AND FLIGHT SKILLS WILL HELP YOU AS A RIDER?
RW: I am not sure if flying helps my riding at all but riding definitely helps flying. Quick, intelligent, and decisive decision-making skills are prominent in both. Plus, the spatial awareness developed from mountain biking may save your life in a plane. Spatial disorientation is a huge killer of pilots, and I like to think mine is pretty good.
TLW: DO YOU HAVE ANY FUN PLANS OR PROJECTS INCORPORATING YOUR TWO PASSIONS NEXT YEAR?
RW: We will see. I do not want to brand myself as an ‘adventure athlete’, but if I can come up with something creative which allows me to fly and still get gnarly, I am down.
TLW: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF RIDING OR TRAIL?
RW: Depends on the terrain. At home, jump trails for sure. I live in Whistler during the summers and pretty much only ride A-Line, Dirt Merchant, and Crab Apple. When I am in Utah though, I love ripping steep Kong or Bourdozer laps.
TLW: WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS? GOALS, VISIONS, WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH.
RW: Just keep riding. I want to continue building, filming, and having fun on my bike for as long as I can.
TLW: IF YOU COULD BESTOW SOME KNOWLEDGE ON OUR READERS OUT THERE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
RW: Just have fun and enjoy yourself, because you never know the day when you will not be able to do it anymore. Riding for fun is why we all got into it and paying homage to this will make it a life-long passion. That is why we all got into riding bikes in the first place.
THANKS VERY MUCH REECE, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE SOME STORIES AND TIME WITH US. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING YOU MAKE COOL THINGS HAPPEN.
Thanks to you Drew and TLW. You can be my wingman, anytime.