Beyond the Ride: Pierre Bergman

Editor’s Note:

Beyond the Ride is our love letter to the people who make mountain biking better. This isn’t a series reserved for sponsored athletes or the folks in power at bike brands (although we’re excited to cover those too). Instead, it’s an open invitation: Do you know someone who’s working to make mountain biking better? Nominate them here . We want to highlight the local ripper, the policy wonk who works with land agencies, the mechanic who saved your race, and the organizer who put it on. This is for the advocates, the storytellers, the builders, and the coaches.

Name, age, current place of residence?

Pierre Bergman, 32, beautiful and complicated Jackson Hole , WY.

What do you do? (Specifically related to mountain biking)

In the past, I was a bike park worker, which involved trail maintenance, trail building, and a lot of riding. This summer, I started working at Teton Adaptive , which is one of the local non-profits that focuses on getting folks with disabilities (permanent, cognitive and temporary) out enjoying what we all like to enjoy in the valley - bikes, ski, water sports, etc.

What’s been the bike-related highlight of your year?

I just picked up a new hand crank bike this off-season and I’ve been riding it a lot. Even pedaled up the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort trails and hit the Pirate Ship jump first thing and cleared it. The boys claim that jump is twenty seven feet knuckle to knuckle.

If you could leave any impact on mountain biking, what would you like to be remembered for?

With the adaptive technology now, I want to show that there are so many new places for folks with disabilities to explore. My favorite thing is showing friends from out of town all the rad trails we have locally that are world class, especially for the adaptive bikes. So getting butts in bikes and then in the mountains. And the stoke: I’m a happy dude who loves biking.

What, outside of mountain biking, makes you excited?

Well, I’m a classic valley skid, so skiing in the winter is something I do a lot, a lot. I love my work in the winter time: I’m a snow cat operator, which is a rad job with big machine. In the summer, camping with the wife and dog is almost a weekly things. And food. We love to cook and eat out and treat ourselves - often - with a nice meal.

What are your goals for the next year?

The new jump line at the resort is massive and I'd like to give it a go. There are also some Pass jumps that I'd like to give a go. Only two I need are Canyon Gap and the Fuzzy Bunny one at the top (thats where I broke my back). I want to keep progressing the sport, like loots of rad folks I look up to - shoutout to Grant Allen, Cole Bernier, and Gustavo Ortiz , poets on a bike.

What’s the most exciting trend in mountain biking you’re seeing right now (and how can we help it)?

Inclusion! More butts in bikes! And folks that have not generally been represented. It’s a super expensive sport so I love seeing brands supporting inclusion in biking. Also the lady shredders at all the “big boy” events (minus Rampage last year… but this year...! )

What’s the worst trend you’re seeing right now (and how would you fix it)?

Worst trend hands down is the e-bike hate. It makes zero sense. If my philosophy is butts in bikes, I don't see why e-bikes are bad. No one is forcing you to use one. If you get stoked when you see three wheels on a trail, then I don’t understand why an argument is that e-bikes damages trails. My bike is ninety plus pounds, and one of my bikes has a three-thousand watt motor. Stop judging and just enjoy your steed. I have a buddy who’s a walking quadriplegic and uses one, and he gets shits all the time and the dude IS A QUAD! That and trailside chads… It's a disease

What’s your trail of choice right now (and why?)

I’ve been doing a lot of Putt Putts, Hagen and the Wiggle Connector in some variation. So fun on the new crank bike.

Any sponsors, friends, or family you’d like to thank?

Extremely fortunate that these brands help me in a variety of ways, so huge thanks to 100% (Simon Orny on that side), Tenet Components (big big shout out to Tyler Deschaine), Sensus grips (Howie Zink is the man and has taken great care of my needs), Onyx Racing (Daniel Orellano!), Light Bicycle for rims I can’t seem to break (Tina and Nicole have helped a ton there), Bowhead Corp is who makes my bikes and have been incredible - very thankful to be on their team and everyone there is a super star - KBF for helping me purchase the most recent addition (Greg Durso is a beauty) and last but definitely not least High Fives Foundation who have helped me get back outside with lots of financial help and a LOT of community (thank you Roy and Dani for EVERYTHING <3 ).

Also grateful for my friends, Anna Kerr, Jacob Morgan (Turtle), Shane Doyle, and Heath Woodruff. I would not be where I am today post-injury without their countless hours of going slow with me at first and then pushing me to do some of the “cooler” stuff I’ve done. Forever grateful to those four, who are down to do dumb stuff with me, for their support and lots of love and kindness (because no one hates me more than me when I’m not good at something).

And, finally, thanks to my beautiful wife May, who is the most encouraging and supportive partner I could ask for. I’m definitely not easy, haha, but she lets me be me, and only complains when I fall (which is fair).