Age: 24
Years Riding: 21
Bike: Violet NS Suburban 26” with NS componentry and 100mm Fox 36’s
Hometown: Seaforth, NSW
Local shred spot: The Grove R.I.P.
24 or 26" wheels? I used to ride xc trails on my 80’s BMX but graduated from kid’s bikes and got a 26” wheel Gemini Echo Beach when I was about 13. Since then it’s been TwoSix for life baby!
Favourite trick: Taybos and kick-outs
Blondes or Brunettes: What about rangas? If I had to choose I’d say brunettes.
Worst stack: Nose case to head plant to overnight hospitalization with lots of memory loss and a weeklong headache.
Funniest story: Well I still don’t remember this so it’s all alleged. After my ‘worst stack’, my mate Alex pretty much carried me out of The Grove and back home where we waited for the Ambulance. Now this was 2003 when lots of people where dying their hair emo-black and Alex, being hip with the times, had followed suit. The Ambo’s arrived and gave me one of those pen things, like sucking on a permanent marker, then neck braced and stabilized me. The next thing was to get me into the ambo and as the medics were taking me out the front door I said, “Wait!” They realized something was wrong and stopped as I gave my family and friends yet another thing to worry about... I looked back inside to Alex and exposed the awful truth, “I only just realized how gay you looked with your black hair.” What a great way to show my appreciation.
Have you ever been arrested? Not yet.
Last time you spewed: I’d eaten some sub-optimal food and I wasn’t only spewing.
Legs, bum or boobs? My legs and bum are going alright but I’m definitely lacking on the boob front.
Raddest thing you ever did: Rode the 2007 Red Bull Elevation trails in Whistler.
So what is your local riding scene like? I mainly ride dirt. Since The Grove was dozed I’ve
been riding at the hill lots. They have a really solid crew now that keeps growing, bmx and
mtb. There is a pretty strict trails code, which is cool if you want to ride, have a dig as
well. It results in some of the smoothest, neatest, most progressive trails in Australia.
Props to Dale for all his work on the trails.
How often do you get out on your bike? In summer every day, but when you finish work and it’s dark it sucks, so only a few times a week in winter. I ride a bunch of XC as well and a
bit of DH when I can.
3 things you love? Everyone, riding bikes, Jesus cause he loves you too.
3 things you hate? Finding out your trails just got dozed, wind while jumping, being sick or
injured.
What trick are you working on but struggling with at the moment? I don’t do many tricks, mainly because they scare me I guess! When I do tricks I try to do them smoothly and make them look good and at the moment I’m not satisfied with my 1-foot tables, they need work.
What’s your advice on rider progression, how do you get so good? My fear holds me back more than my skill level. When I can conquer my fear I progress rapidly but it’s hard for me. Lots of time on the bike and having fun riding, getting in that “zone” where things just flow and work and you don’t need to think too much, that’s when my style and smoothness improves and that is progression for me.
What got you into riding to begin with? I did anything my brother did. He rode bikes so I did. He started getting into XC so I followed on my hand-me-down bmx. We both went through the trials scene (where Benny was the king!) and then got into jumping and the more “extreme” side of mountain biking.
Describe your (on bike) style in 3 words? Smooth gnarr shredding
Describe your (off bike) style in 3 words? Dave Rad Musgrove
Where do you see the hardtail scene here in Australia going within the next few years? I hope to see Slopestyle comps starting up which cater for hardtails and duallies. We are lagging behind North America and Europe with Slopestyle. Mountain bikes are capable of going bigger and over rougher terrain than bmx bikes and I think that well designed Slopestyle courses are a great way to progress and display that potential.
How often do you get groms asking if you are sponsored? whats your general response? Quite often. A kid in Whistler “sponsored” me a US $1 to do a 360, good hustle hey! When asked I normally just say, “yeah a bit”, then over the next jump drop a legitimate bar-hump and show them where it’s at.
What's been your most memorable MTB experience to date? After a season in BC Canada it’s hard to pick just one experience. It’s either riding the Red Bull Elevation trails or tight trains with my close mates down Dirt Merchant in Whistler Bike Park.
Any custom mods to your bike? I like wide bars, but I also love the NS District bar because It’s steel and has a great shape. So I run bar extensions, which make them 730mm wide.
If you could have one signature part what would it be? Forks like Fox 36’s cause they’re damn expensive.
And so what would you call that part? The Legitzicon Rad Fork, maybe that’s why I’m still paying for forks.
What does a 'normal day' in the life of Dave consist of? Summer Saturdays are rad: Wake up whenever no alarm. Check emails, facebook, BOM to see if it’s going to rain, find a bike vid on youtube (check Martin Soderstrom) or a rad DVD and watch it while I eat my 8 Weet-Bix with fruit, honey and yoghurt. Try find a job in the Herald, feel bad cause no one wants a graduate materials engineer. Grab my bike, head to the trails. Feel good. Have a dig (yeah write that down kids), ride trails with mates till I crash from hunger and get a late lunch. Meet up with my lovely girlfriend and head to the beach for a swim. Have some tasty dinner and maybe drop some DFDTTM (dance floor domination to the max) with friends till the early hours.