I actually met Robbie at my first bike trials competition in October 2017 – he happened to be back in New England, so he was able to attend this particular event. At that time I was competing as a beginner – I could barely trackstand and only had a trials bike for about 3 weeks. I was a complete newb, and didn’t know who Robbie was. Anyway, he was passing by one of the beginner sections (that was absolutely horrible – rocks everywhere, no room to maneuver at all!) and one of the other beginners said, “Hey Robbie, show us how you’d do this section.” Robbie rode right through it so smoothly, like it was nothing. I just thought everything about that was so classy and cool! Of course I later discovered who Robbie was – a rather accomplished pro rider!
I’ve been wanting to interview Robbie for quite a while – probably since I created the first list of people to interview. He was also nominated by some of the other interviewees. I recently caught up with Robbie, so I’m really excited to share this interview with you all!
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Robbie Pfunder and I grew up in New England, on the north shore of Massachusetts. I grew up as a really active kid, always seeking action and adventure, exploring the woods, swimming at the beach, taking the train into neighboring cities, going on long walks into other towns, and loved listening to my mom’s CD collection which consisted of a lot of Kenny G, James Taylor and Sade, lol. For high school I attended an all-boys boarding school in Salisbury, Connecticut, set in the Berkshire Mountains, where I excelled at wrestling and was also lucky enough to be part of an interscholastic mountain bike team. Towards the end of high school, I had met some riders online (using trials forums and AOL instant messenger, haha) and heard of a trials scene out in Colorado (thanks Andrew Tonkery!). That was all the convincing I needed and so I ended up attending Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. I’ve more or less been out in Colorado for the last 20 years and I recently purchased a home which was a big deal for me so I’m kind of tending to that and keep busy with my personal life.
How long have you been riding bike trials? What is your riding level?
I always had a joy for riding bikes, hopping off curbs and doing skids, but I didn’t discover trials specifically until I was about 13 years old, so I guess I’ve been at it for about 28 years now! I competed in the elite class for about a decade of my life, but I’d say my current level falls between expert and pro. At this point I really try to put an emphasis on smoothness, style and efficiency, but sometimes I can still nail a big tricky line.
How did you discover bike trials and how did you get started? What age were you when you started?
I’ll never forget when I discovered trials. I was about 13, hanging out at the local train stop downtown after school, when a kid came riding up on a 20” mod trials bike and hopped up on a bench and did a wheelie off. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen and changed the course of my life. I instantly ran up to him and started asking him a million questions about what he was doing. His name was Justin Piotrowski. I ended up mowing lawns all summer to save money for my first bike and later convinced Justin to sell me his mod bike (a chromoly Ross mod). He later went out and bought the anodized purple aluminum version mod which was super cool! I practiced riding relentlessly after I got the bike and the rest is history.
How would you define/describe “bike trials” in your own words to someone who never heard of it?
Hmmm, I would describe bike trials as the art of riding a bicycle up and over difficult obstacles without putting your feet on the ground. Imagine parkour on a bicycle…
What type of bike trials riding do you prefer and where do you like to ride?
My favorite type of trials riding is on natural terrain. I’d prefer to be in the shaded woods, riding technical wet rocks! Moss, slick, roots… bring it on! Riding rocks along a riverbank is my favorite and gets me into a meditative flow state where the only thing I’m concerned with is the problem-solving aspect of riding the technical natural lines. It’s a wonderful mind-body synchronicity and being in nature feels inherently healing for the soul. I love riding the rocks along the creek in Golden, Colorado. I also love riding along the Poudre River in Fort Collins, Colorado and jumping in the water afterwards to cool off. Sometimes I just wear my bathing suit on the ride so it’s an easy transition to swimming!
Why do you ride bike trials and what keeps you motivated to keep riding?
I ride because it’s fun. That’s the most important thing to me at this point. It’s also obviously a great source of exercise and a way to blow off steam. There aren’t many better feelings than when you finally conquer a line that took multiple attempts. It’s so satisfying. Even though my skill level has changed and I’m not sidehopping 4 feet anymore, it’s still so gratifying to nail a challenging line. There’s a timeless aspect to riding where you just feel ageless when you’re pushing yourself and having fun. It’s also still fun to go to comps to push myself and see how I measure up against other riders from around the country. Since trials is such a small niche sport there’s also an inherent sense of belonging and comradery that comes from being with everyone at comps and group rides.
What other styles of cycling do you do? How has trials helped you improve your skills in those other biking disciplines (and vice versa)?
I do some general around-town riding on my e-bike and some casual mountain biking… but honestly I haven’t been into trail riding as much lately. I’m not a fan of grueling uphill climbing and that always seems to be a part of mountain biking. Trials has been a huge help to find tricky lines on the trail and help with trackstanding around town.
How often do you ride trials? What sort of routine do you have for practice versus riding for fun versus making edits, etc. – how much time is dedicated to each?
So I used to ride and train a lot more, especially before National events but at its core it’s always been about having fun and pushing myself. That’s especially true now that I’m a little older. I don’t really have a set way of training. I just get out on my bike when I feel like it but if I had to say it probably looks like riding for 1-2 hours, 4 days a week during the warmer months. I try to ride almost every day for a month prior to any major competition. Nothing worse than showing up and not being prepared! When I was making movies and edits more it was really about capturing the story of a group ride. For example, I loved filming at OTN Dayz out east because the vibe was so fun and I found I could really capture it through storytelling in a video. Over the years it’s become less about filming myself on the bike, and more about filming others and capturing the vibe of the day to share with the world.
What’s the bike trials scene like near you? How many other riders are there? Do you have regular group rides? Comps?
Well I’m in Fort Collins, Colorado, and there’s a decent scene here in the state. There’s about 20 of us in a group chat where we can post about riding. It’s an easy way to tap into what’s going on and see who’s out and about. I would say most of the guys are based out of the greater Denver area but we’re all mostly about an hour from each other so it makes it fairly easy to link up and ride. Everyone understands that life happens and guys are involved to the capacity that they’re able to be.
How do you manage fear when doing new/bigger moves or lines?
I just tell myself “YOLO” and go for it, lol. No but seriously I’ve worked my way up to bigger moves very incrementally over the years as to not feel too overwhelmed when setting up for a big move with a higher consequence. The key is to minimize the risk by knowing your limits. I have a very good idea of what’s doable and not doable for myself at this point so I just try and stay within that window. I also find that remembering to breathe intentionally before a big move, or when I’m in a section, really helps to give my body the energy and focus it needs. It calms my nervous system.
What are your personal goals with respect to trials (near-term and long-term)?
I would say my goals at this point are to keep having fun with the sport and to be able to ride at roughly my current level for a few more decades. I suppose that would look like competing in the Masters/Expert class and being able to get through the majority of the sections. Going back to the having fun part – for me that looks like joining group rides, feeling the comradery, and being able to crack jokes and enjoy funny banter while riding. If I’m having fun and laughing while riding with others, that’s a win for me.
Who are your bike trials ‘heroes’ and/or influences? Favorite trials video(s)?
My biggest heroes growing up were Jeff Lenosky, Libor Karas, Hans Rey and JJ Gregorowicz. I thought others like Ryan Leech, Lance Trappe, Chris Clark were awesome too. My favorite trials videos (on VHS!) were Evolve, Revolution, Keepin’ it Real, Monkey See Monkey Do, and Libor Karas’ Bouncing Czech, World Tour. All amazing pieces of art that were so, so inspiring for me. The riding, editing, music, vibe were all so well done. I would put the videos on slomo and rewatch segments to understand how they did the moves. I watched Evolve probably 1,000 times (thanks Reed Merschat!).
Another funny point is that I rented the Bouncing Czech video so many times from my local bike shop that the owner ended up giving me the VHS tape because no one else rented it and I think he felt bad I spent so much money I probably could have bought it 5 times over haha.
But going back to heroes when I was a kid… it wasn’t just about who was “best rider” but also more about personality too. Hans Rey was hilarious and always such a charismatic spokesperson for trials in his videos. I was always impressed by him.
One clip that stuck out to me as hilarious when I was a kid was from the movie Contact, where Jeff Lenosky is seen sitting at a Mcdonald’s drive thru window as he preaches about “how a proper diet is the most important thing to longevity in his career” and then immediately proceeds to order a double cheeseburger and fries at the window hahaha. I laughed so hard at that as a kid it was the funniest thing I’d ever seen in a trials movie and that really spoke to me. Jeff became my hero after that!
What are your perspectives on the trials biking scene in general and in North America in particular?
Hhhmmm. Honestly, this question is hard for me as I don’t really have a particular perspective. I don’t feel as plugged into things at this point, which is fine. I kind of stay in my own lane and do my own thing.
What would you like to see happening in North America with respect to bike trials?
Good question. I’d like to see an event that brings riders together that doesn’t necessarily revolve around a competition. Years ago there was an event called OTN Dayz based in Rockport, Massachusetts, where riders would travel from all over to ride the epic rocks by the seashore, eat lobster afterwards, and just hang out for a good time! The riding almost seemed to come secondary to the fun and shenanigans. Trials was like an excuse to get us all together. I loved that. It felt like a party vibe was infused into a weekend of riding. It would be great to get riders together for the sake of fun and connecting with each other. Shout out to Jon Tollerud and Aran Iolo Cook for being my travel/riding buddies back then. So much comradery!
Any interesting / funny / crazy bike trials stories or experiences you can share?
In 1998 my dad drove me up to Mt Snow, Vermont to attend the NORBA National event where I rode in the sport class. I think it was on a Saturday and we were camping out at the Haystack campground. As the night drew on we started hearing shouting and wild noises coming from the distance. We walked across the giant parking lot to check out what was going on and found ourselves witnessing a naked fire jumping contest, lol. I think it was the downhillers. There was music, hooting and hollering and it was just a rowdy time. Riders were launching themselves over a giant bonfire, making the jump bigger and bigger. It felt kind of tribal and spiritual. My dad and I still bring up that memory from time to time in our conversations!
Also, in 1998 the first comp I ever went to was an EFTA event (Eastern Fat Tire Association) in Bear Brook State Park in New Hampshire. My mom drove me and when we got there it was pouring rain. I had never ridden in the rain before and got my butt handed to me. I fived every section in Beginner class except one, finishing with a score of 58/60! It was very humbling and a huge learning experience. I think I was the youngest one there and it was very intimidating but also so inspiring to see other riders doing what I had only seen in videos at that point.
You’ve had a pretty long career in bike trials. What are some of the highlights you’d like to share?
Yea I’ve been at it for a while. Well, I’ve more or less managed to stay in one piece over a 28-year span of riding so that’s a pretty impressive accomplishment, lol.
In 2001 I qualified as a Junior rider to attend the UCI World Championships in Beaver Creek, Vail, Colorado. The whole event was a huge learning experience for me and was my first time witnessing the top European riders. It was just amazing.
In 2012 I made it a point to drive my car all around the country and attend as many of the NATS events as I could. I was really inspired by Aran Iolo Cook who won the NATS series in 2011 by driving his van around the country and attending nearly all the events. Back then there was a NATS series, instead of a single championship style event, and riders would accumulate points in the standings based on how they performed at each event. I ended up going to enough events and placing well enough that I wound up finishing 2nd in North America in Pro. I still have the plaque hanging in my bedroom.
Another highlight was the fact I singlehandedly put my own trials stunt show together and performed solo shows for about 4 of years until the height of Covid.
Tell us about your most memorable trials competitions. What made it so memorable? Who else was there?
Oh man, there’s so many to choose from… in 2004 (or 2005?) I went down to Durango and competed at the NORBA National and, if I remember correctly, finished 1st in Pro, ahead of Matt Robinson, which felt like a huge accomplishment since he was kind of the top Colorado guy. He was a Pro rider in Colorado and had a custom trials bike made by DEAN cycles. After the event we were all at Steve Arrowhead’s cabin for an after party. He was the U.S. “trials coach” at the time and a super cool dude. My buddy Graham Wilhelm was there and he owned a company called Faction Bike which distributed trials parts. He was giving away some parts for prizes at the award ceremony.
Anyways, I was sitting in the outdoor hot tub feeling buzzed from the “festivities” and Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley started playing and I found myself basking in victory and contentment while gazing at the stars. It was just a wonderful feeling and picturesque evening. Even thinking of it now it was just magical. I was so happy with how I rode and how I felt being around friends after the event.
Another favorite trials comp experience was when I traveled up to Whistler, BC in 2009 for their Trialsworx comp. The part that stood out to me the most was meeting Aran Iolo Cook, who was/is an amazing human. He was originally from the UK but traveled over to North America to explore and ride bikes. He was also living out of his van at the time which I thought was amazing. This was before the “van life” trend really became a thing and it really inspired me as to what was possible and how someone could live. He was also riding in the Elite category at Whistler on a beat-up old ZOO! bike. He had drilled holes in it to make it lighter and it just struck me as so cool that he was making the best with what he had! And his riding was incredible. So much speed and power. To put his abilities in perspective, he won the Pro NATS series overall in 2011! Meeting Aran was really life changing for me as we became good friends and he even visited and stayed with me and my buddy Stew in Fort Collins, Colorado!
That brings me to another comp… Moonrocks!! In 2009 and 2010 years my buddy Jon Tollerud and I hosted the infamous Moonrocks comp in Fort Collins Colorado! The whole comp was held on a unique piece of land that had tricky, rocky terrain on a hillside – perfect for a competition. The guy who owned the land was named Chris King! We took that as a sign. We had about 25 riders show up and had custom event t-shirts and prizes! We also had an afterparty at my house at the time which involved riding an obstacle course of pallets and spools in my front yard, but on a 16” mini bmx-style bike! It was ridiculously fun and we had lots of belly laughs as we egged each other on. It was one of my best memories. It’s funny but the sense of belonging and laughter at the afterparty was, in a way, more fun and memorable than the actual competition! I wore out both of my Moonrocks t-shirts but I still have the designs saved on my computer somewhere… hmmm… maybe I need to do some reprints haha.
Back in 2021 you obtained a gorgeous, blue, one-of-a-kind, custom trials bike from REEB Cycles. Can you share some of the backstory about how this frame came to be?
Yea it was, and still is, an amazing bike. To make a long story short, my friend and childhood hero, Jeff Lenosky, got me hooked me up with REEB Cycles.
In 2017 I befriended him at a personal level when he was out performing a trials demo in Ohio, and we have remained friends since. A few years later we both thought it would be a rad idea for me to perform my trials shows on a custom REEB trials frame, and so we made it happen. Huge thanks to Adam Prosise at REEB for handcrafting the frame and making it a reality! I got the frame built up with custom parts by the start of the 2021 season and performed all my demos on it going forward, which ended up being my final season of performing.
The story behind the frame is that I wanted geometry that didn’t exist. All trials bikes now seem to be either high BB/long WB comp bikes, or short street bikes – and I wanted something in-between, a jack of all trades. The bike ended up being +25BB and 1053WB which makes for a sort of “long street bike” that can handle rocks and natural terrain better than, say, a Hex could. The bike also looks a bit more “normal” in its aesthetic so audiences can relate to it a bit easier. The dual disc is also amazing as I love the modulation, power and silence of discs.
You’ve participated in trials competitions and entertained audiences in bike trials stunt shows. What are some of the differences in mindset for these different types of riding? Are there also differences in how you prepare physically and mentally for each of them?
Performing shows versus competing in comps requires very different mindsets indeed.
When I first started doing shows I was sooo nervous and kind of “rigid”. I even wrote out a detailed script of different “bits” that I would perform, including all the dialogue. For example, I would get two kids to hold a long piece of tape up in the air so I could side hop over it repeatedly. Then I’d get them to raise it higher and higher. You get better at knowing what to say and when, and also making some jokes here and there. It’s like a hybrid of going off a script, but also infusing your own personality. So the show is somewhat rehearsed but also live and spontaneous as well. It can be a lot of fun. I guess I would add that the mindset going into a show is that of a performer. You’re going in to literally do a job for a certain amount of time, but I tried to add my own uniqueness to it.
For comps I used to take it sooo seriously in my younger days and I was very hard on myself when I didn’t ride how I wanted to. Now I just go into events with the mindset that I’m going to have fun and push myself – and that’s good enough for me. I just like seeing other riders and hanging out during and after the comp too. But like the shows, I used to be uptight and nervous with my riding because I felt so much pressure from spectators, like my life was on the line. But now I’m able to stay relaxed and just have fun with what I’m doing.
As far as differences I would say that before a comp I’ll try to ride about 3-4 days per week, a couple months in advance at least. I like to show up to comps in reasonable shape and not feel like my bike is foreign to me. If I have a show booked the moves are usually so embedded in my body I just have to ride a few times a week, maybe a month ahead of time. There’s nothing worse than having a show to perform, or a comp to compete in, and your body not cooperating! So leading up to shows or comps I’ll try to get good sleep and eat well so I have some baseline of health going into it. Pretty basic stuff I guess.
What are some of the biggest challenges in being a professional bike trials rider? What are some key techniques for overcoming these challenges?
The truth is, for me, performing trials shows for a living was very lonely and isolating. It looked cool from the outside, but I was basically living on the road, with no home base, driving thousands of miles between gigs, and didn’t feel mentally and emotionally resourced enough. I gradually got in over my head with everything until my body hit a point of burn out and I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I basically pushed myself in too many ways without enough rest, recovery and resourcing. I was constantly doing, going and working and it cost me. Huge lesson learned! I learned that I love riding bike trials but not doing all the other business aspects of the shows!
Also, performing was like a rollercoaster with that hit of adrenaline/endorphins I’d get, and folks would come up afterwards to tell me how cool they thought it was, which felt good… but then later in my motel room I’d be alone again and it took a toll on me.
My advice to future trials show performers would be to have a home base you know you get to come back to, be well connected with friends and family on the road to not feel alone, ask for help if you need it, and really take care of your body and mind while on the road!
All in all, it was a huge learning experience and I’m so proud of myself for what I accomplished, and the kids I inspired, but I’m happy that I’m just riding for fun now.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start bike trials or has just started?
I would say be patient and kind with yourself in the learning process, and wear shin guards. It’s a steep learning curve and it takes a lot of practice and dedication to improve. But if you stick with it, learn the basics, it is a very fun and rewarding sport to get into. Also be on the lookout for other local riders so you can join them, get inspired and have fun connecting.
Anything else about bike trials that you’d like to share?
Yea, I’ve been kicking around the idea of hosting some kind of trials bash “throwback” event, over a weekend in the summer, where we go for group rides and then bring it back to my house for an epic post-ride party and watch oldschool VHS trials videos of yonder days, to appreciate the styles of riding/bikes that preceded us. I think it could be a lot of fun- but it’s just an idea for now!
How do people find you online?
Nowadays people can find me at all things @robbiepfunder. I’m not nearly as active as I used to be but I still have a YouTube channel that I upload to every now and then, with tons of old videos I’ve produced, and also a personal Facebook page if anyone wants to connect with me. I have an Instagram account @robbiepfunder as well but it’s currently deactivated due to me stepping away from promoting myself in that way after I stopped performing trials shows for a living. I needed a break from it all but I might fire it back up with the intention of shifting the way I use the account (maybe not to trials oriented going forward).
Who is the one North American bike trials rider (any skills level) that you think I should interview?
Ryder Okumura. He’s a good friend and a former Pro level veteran who lives in Durango, CO. He’s been in this sport for a long time, is a wonderful ambassador, and has hosted several comps including some excellent NATS events! Maybe ask him about hosting comps and what his thoughts are for the scene. I’m sure he also has some funny stories he could share as well. He’s really funny and one of the best people to hang out with.
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