05/17/2008

Greg Watts Gary Fisher's newest athlete Talks about 24" wheels and mini golf Cam McRae

nsmb - Tell us about Greg Watts.

GW - My full name is Gregory Brian Watts, but people just call me Greg, I am 18, and I just moved into Aptos, CA. I live about 2 blocks away from Cam McCaul.

nsmb - How did you get hooked up with Fisher?

GW -Well, I got a call from Chris Duncan a couple of months ago saying that he was leaving Fisher, and they were looking for a new rider. Chris recomended me to Ryan Atkinson (Brand Coordinator for Fisher), and gave me his contact info. Cameron McCaul also recomended me. A few days went by, and I didn't here from them, so I thought that they found someone else. But this was at the same time as Cowan's jump jam where I placed fifth, and won best trick with a flip whip! So I e-mailed them, and started talking to them about riding for Fisher next year. and that is pretty much how it went down. 

Passing the torch.  Chris Duncan (left) moves on and Greg Watts takes his place.

nsmb - How has your experience with the company and the products been thus far?

GW - It has been awesome so far. For the first time in my life my bikes are new. Before this I was running wheels that were pretty much square, and at least one part on my bike was held together by duct tape. not to mention I had 3 bikes and I only had enough parts for two. All the new Bontrager parts are working perfect.

nsmb - How long have been riding a mountain bike?

GW - I have been riding for about 6 years.

nsmb - What sort of riding do you like to do?:

GW - I mostly like to dirt jump and freeride. Sometimes I will go and ride a trail, but only if i get shuttled to the top. There will be no cross country racing in my future.

nsmb - What would you consider your signature move?

GW - I would like to say that it's a flip whip, but I've only landed that once. I would say my signature trick is a backflip barspin.

nsmb - What are you working on?

GW - I am working on flip double barspins right now. It is easy now that I live right next to Cameron (McCaul) because we go pool jumping all the time.

Greg on his new Fisher GED.

nsmb - Are there some riders you look up to?

GW - I look up to Jamie Goldman, because sometimes he does stuff that no normal person would even think of. I also like Aaron Chase because he is so smooth, and he has everything dialed.

nsmb - Tell me about some athletes from other sports who get you stoked.

GW - I always like to watch James Stewart ride a motorcycle. Also Travis Pastrana, and all of the nitro circus crew (especially special Greg).

nsmb - What bikes will you be riding this year? Have you had much time on them yet?

GW - I will mostly be riding a Bigg'ns GED hardtail. I will also ride the King Fisher, and a custom slopestyle bike they are building me. I might also be riding the PHD on occasion. I have only been riding a GED for about a month, but I got used to it really quickly.

nsmb - What is your set up like?

GW - I am riding a small GED with a 3 inch Fox 36 fork, Gamut red chainguide, all Bontrager King Earl components including these sick King Earl wheels with carbon hubs, and SRAM XO rear deraileur.

nsmb - Do you have any filming plans lined up?

GW - Yes, we are shooting for the next Top Soil movie right now that should come out around the time of Sea Otter. And I think Iam going to have a part in the next Chain Reaction video.

Greg on top of the podium at last year's Outdoor show in B.C. Place here in Vancouver after winning the Denny's Jump comp.

nsmb -  What about events?

GW - There are a few coming up like the Woodward West skatepark comp on December third, The Gathering in january, and there is a Redbull comp at Rays mtb park in Ohio that I will go to.

nsmb - Who do you generally ride with?

GW - I ride with Cameron McCaul, Jamie gGoldman, Josh Toland, and all of the Aptos crew including Tyler McCaul, Alex Reveles, Jim Tharp, and many others.

nsmb - Have you ridden much in the Whistler bike park? How was that?

GW - Whistler was awesome, but I couldn't ride too much because I hurt my back over rotating a flip at the dirt jumps.

nsmb -Are you tight with the infamous 2six Stallions? Are you considered a stallion?

GW - I am not considered a stallion, But I hang out with them at the races every now and then.

nsmb - What do you think about the way they stir things up?

GW - I think its funny because it makes things more interesting.

nsmb - While we're on the topic - what do you think about the riders who paved the way in the world of freeride?

GW - I think its cool that they did what they did because I wouldnt be riding right now if it weren't for them.

nsmb - Has the changing of the guard come? Will we start to see some of the names who have traditionally been invited to events like Crankworx left off the list?

GW - I think in the next few years, they will be off the list. I think that they should make everyone qualify for all slopestyle events.

nsmb - Where do you see yourself in five years?

GW - Hopefully I will still be riding bikes, and having fun.

nsmb - Any plans after you stop riding full time?

GW - I have no plans for after I quit.

nsmb - You won the Denny's comp up here last year. Are you coming back this year?

GW - I would love to go back to that contest. I will most likely be there.

nsmb -What are some of your hidden talents off the bike?:

GW - I don't really have many. If it werent for bikes, I would probably be a loser. Although I have been known to be a good miniature golfer.

nsmb - What do you like to do when you aren't riding? Sports and otherwise?

GW - I usually hang out with my friends, or go scout out spots to build more stunts/ jumps.

Thanks Greg and congrats on the new gig.

Press Release Greg Watts Joins the Gary Fisher Team

Greg Watts has joined Gary Fisher Bicycles as their marquee men’s freeride athlete. The eighteen year old Aptos, California native will compete in dirt jump and slopestyle competitions on Gary Fisher bikes. And he will appear in advertising and promotional materials for the brand. He will also work closely with the company to keep the Gary Fisher product and brand image on the cutting edge.

“I’m really excited to work with Gary Fisher, they are going to give me the chance to travel a lot next year for competitions and video shoots. I’ve been able to do pretty well so far, even though I just finished school this year. I’m excited to have this opportunity because I know that with more time to ride and compete I can do really well.”

Greg had some standout performances in the last year, including his fourth place finish at the Sea Otter Classic Dirt Jump Contest. “That is where we first became aware of Greg,” says Gary Fisher’s Ryan Atkinson. “His energy was impossible to miss. He made way more runs during practice then any of the other pros, and was at the jumps literally all day. Then of course he rocked the contest, he was hard to miss.”

Greg had a major win at the Vancouver Denny’s Big Air Jam Session & Invitational, a premier indoor dirt jump contest. At the end of the season Greg won Best Trick at John Cowan’s Jump Jam where he landed a Backflip-Tailwhip, the first mountain biker to land this trick in competition.

“Greg was recommended to me by several people that I trust, not the least of who were Andrew Shandro and Hannah Steffens. I was immediately impressed when I first talked to Greg about his plans for next year,” says Atkinson. “I couldn’t believe that he was eighteen, he was confident and well spoken, very professional.”

“We got the contract signed a couple of weeks ago and I was able to spend time with him last weekend at Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park during their Grand Opening. Greg was a total pro off the bike, and was really fun to watch on the bike. He is really progressive with his tricks and I’m sure that he is going to be one of the sports biggest stars. I was lucky enough to be there while he learned how to do a Barrel Roll, he is amazing.”

Greg has been on his new Gary Fisher GED for just over a week. “I’ve already done all of my tricks on it. It fits me perfect and is really light.”

Greg spent Monday at the company’s headquarters meeting with people that he will be working with and learning about his new gear. Greg will primarily ride a Bigg’ns freeride hardtail and the Kingfisher full suspension bike. Each of Greg’s bikes will be outfitted with top of the line Bontrager King Earl equipment.

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Check out Greg in action in this teaser for the latest Top Soil video. The clip fades out on the image of Greg doing his Backflip-Tailwhip.
http://aptosproductions.com/topsoilteaser.htm

In 1974 Gary Fisher grafted a mixture of road bike and motorcycle parts onto a 1940s Schwinn Excelsior and created the first reliable, low-maintenance mountain bike. Soon after, Gary founded Mountain Bikes, the first company to build production mountain bikes. Today, Gary Fisher Bicycles is one of the world's leading brands of performance bicycles sold through specialty retailers. As chief designer Gary Fisher continues to be one of the most creative forces in cycling with a bicycle line that includes highly engineered, American-made mountain, luxury and children's bikes. For more information about Gary Fisher Bicycles visit FisherBikes.com.