May 10, 2022

Richard Payne, the interview

Get to know AMS riders. We start a series of interviews with our awesome global rider team with Jersey's Richard Payne

General info about RICHARD PAYNE

Age: as of 2023, 38 years young

Born: Great Britain - 1985

Seat, grab a beer and enjoy the read:

Rich Payne at the car trunk

AllMountainStyle.com: Hello Richard, let's start by asking to present yourself and to tell us a litle bit of your biking background

Richard Payne: Hey guys my names Rich Payne, im a 28 year old rider from Somerset in the UK originally but moved to Jersey in the Channel Islands 6 and a half years ago and have been here ever since. I started riding around the age of 11 and did my first dh race at 13, from then i raced dh for a while then started racing 4x aswell. Recently i made the switch to Enduro as the riding in Jersey lends itself much better to it with the downhills being so short but having such long amazing singletrack it just made sense.

AMS: How is the mountain bike scene in your area?

RP: Jersey's got an awesome riding scene with loads of different people of all different ages and abilities and everyone gets along as its quite a close knit community so can make for some really fun rides wether you want to go flat out or just cruise and play around. Theres quite a big xc/freeride type scene over here as thats the most kind of riding that we've got however theres also a really good bunch of dh guys even though were a bit limited on the dh front.

Rich Payne downhill AMS Frame Guards

AMS: Do you ride mainly for training of for just to have fun?

RP: I like to mix up my riding so i do alot of training on the road bike and the mtb but its also really important to just go out and have a laugh on your bike with your mates and throw some whips and skids otherwise riding can get a bit too serious and loose its fun side.

AMS: How an amateur racer like you combines racing on the weekends, work and family?

RP: It's a bit of a juggle trying to do everything and squeeze everything in but when you do something you love you just make it work. Im lucky enough to be self employed so that gives me alot of flexibility to ride/train and also to go away which makes things easier as im not tied down at all. My girlfriend is super helpful when it comes to racing she often comes away with me and helps out from making up food and cleaning my bike to just being track side and shouting at me to pedal more if i look like im slacking :) its also nice having a familiar face as living in Jersey means we've always got to either fly or get the boat over to the UK or France to get to races which adds alot of extra mileage on to racing.

Richard Payne UK Gravity Enduro

AMS: Which are your goals for this year?

RP: Goals for this year are to definitely finish in the top 3 overall in the UK Gravity Enduro series and having had a strong start with a 5th at the 1st round and a 4th in the 2nd round id like to carry on that consistency and stay in the top 5 at every one this year but obviously always go for the win. Im also racing both the Italian rounds of the EWS and would be well pleased with top 50 especially as there my first enduro races of that size.

AMS: 4X, DH, Enduro? What do you love of each one? … and what if you had to pick only one?

RP: I've tried all disciplines and before i would have said dh for sure as you cant beat going flat out through a rock section or hitting some big gaps but as iv got a little older and a little wiser im enjoying the whole "enduro" movement more as you get that same flat out feeling but alot more bike time and chance to explore new places so id have to pick enduro for sure.