Heavy Riding - Easy Going

Kyle Strait is a mountain biker with an uncomplicated approach to life. "I'm fast because I like being fast."

Kyle is 18. When asked what it’s like to compete against stars like Cedric Garcia and others, whose posters hang in teenagers’ rooms across the world, he replies that those same posters hang in his room, too. And that it can be rather intimidating.
He can’t be entirely serious with that last part, though, because for years he’s been the one who intimidates the others: with his nonchalant way of riding, jumping, winning and having fun the whole time.

Creative Chaos

Although his nickname is Kayodic, a phonetic spelling of chaotic, the handle is a bit exaggerated. Kyle possesses untameable energy that is channelled in every direction. Some people confuse that with chaos. In truth, it’s creativity. And cold calculation has had little to do with Kyle’s success. It’s more a happy coincidence – he’s so good, because he has a lot of fun being so good. Especially enjoyable was the time he first appeared on the MTB scene at the age of 13, and that was at the famous Sea Otter Classic Big Air – and when he won it.

The Woes of Being Young

Kyle learned to ride a bike as three-year-old. By the time he was eight, he was doing BMX. Then it was mountain biking and, along with it, sponsors, events, photo shoots, interviews. And the other mountain bikers, years older, but not necessarily better. At first they took no notice of him, but soon it was impossible to ignore him. With ease, he let world class riders eat his dust, and at the same time, he had to be driven everywhere by his mother. Being young, he once said, may give him a certain appeal with sponsors, but it’s a pain in every other regard – especially when it comes to groupies and post-race parties.

Rampage Hero

But parties in general are a hot topic: “No drugs, no drink, and definitely no cheap women”, Kyle says. Rock is allowed as long as it’s from Green Day or some similar band.
The fun is mostly to be had on the race course. Back in 2001, the year of the Sea Otter victory, he also competed in the Red Bull Rampage and landed a respectable 9th place. Two years later, at his first Junior Worlds, he placed fourth in the downhill and then, in 2004, third at the UCI Junior World Downhill Championship in France. Earlier that year he competed again in a Red Bull Rampage – first place, despite a knee injury that had kept him on the disabled list for quite a while.

Forecast for More Fun

In the winter of 2004/05, Kyle spent a couple of weeks at the Red Bull Diagnostics & Training Center near Salzburg, Austria. There, each athlete learns his or her strengths and weaknesses with the help of a highly professional staff. It was worth it – in June, Kyle placed seventh at the Men’s 4X in Schladming, Austria. It was his first top-ten finish at a World Cup race for adults. And he didn't have to wait long for his second top-ten result which he achieved in Santa
Catarina, Brazil. A top-three World Cup finish would probably be even more fun for Kyle. And so we won’t have to wait long for that.