Inside Info: Ricky Boyer & Lusty Industries

Ricky Boyer has been racing downhill for longer then some of how readers have been alive! A true legend of the scene. — Ricky Boyer has been racing downhill for longer then some of our readers have been alive! A true legend of the scene.

Lusty Industries is increasingly well known throughout the Australian action sports industry as a distributor of gear. From GoPro to Troy Lee Designs, Downhill to Moto and beyond. We got an interview with Rick Boyer, Australian mountain bike legend,A�to gain some insight on his role, what it’s like to work at Lusty Industries, and how the company has grown from a Vegas idea to a household name. Read on…

How did you become involved with Lusty, you have previously had/have a mountain bike related import business?

I have known Johnny (Lusty Ind Director) for some time now. It all really kicked off when we caught up in Vegas many years ago, with different business agendas. It wasna��t until a few years later that the hangover wore off and I started repping Lusty bicycle with the other programs I was running. I then moved to Newcastle and while doing some work at Drift bikes ended up helping out at Lusty HQ and it progressed from there into a full time gig. I still run Orange bikes on the sideline which pumps along under its own steam as it has done for over 10 years now, we have a great Lusty / Orange bikes partnership. A lot of that experience and years of retail translate directly to my role at Lusty.

What is your job at Lusty and what does this mean you do day to day?

My official title would be Sales Manager, but my role is pretty diverse. I help out with most stuff but lately its more focused on building the bicycle program at Lusty. Customer service is one of the main areas I drive at Lusty but I do a mix of everything from dealing with suppliers and product orders to keeping the reps informed. It’s exciting to say the least and have not had 5 spare minutes since I started working here nearly 5 years ago. Im the longest serving employee other than Johnny and watching the evolution of Lusty has been an amazing experience. Its a great gig to be a part of.

Knowing that the head of your bicycles division is a rider/racer is a good indication of the culture of the company.

Ita��s great to see an Australian company picking up speed in the sports industry, how has Lusty Industries grown to what it is today? Has it been a smooth ride?

Lusty has grown to what it is today from the hard work and dedication we have put in to bring Australia the worlda��s best brands. Johnny McLean founded Lusty Industries based from a Moto heritage and has always had the insight to diversify into all areas of the Action Sports markets and more, and quite considerably Bicycle of late. We have tried to work with brands globally that are just as passionate about the sports and products that we are. You cana��t make an omelet without cracking a few egg shells, but the ride has been positive the whole way. We have been faced with the usual highs and lows, but ita��s how you recover that says a lot. The evolution of Lusty is continually moving to another level.

Working with the Lusty family would be pretty special; whata��s the workplace like? Wea��ll try not to drool thinking about all the awesome gear you handle daily..

Yes ita��s not your usual office, shiny pointed shoes, ties and suits are banned. The Lusty office is fitted out with some vintage MX Bikes, Race Jerseys, Athlete helmets, paraphernalia plus photos and posters signed from some of Australiaa��s and the worlda��s best athletes. Ita��s a great vibe to be a part of. Ita��s never quiet and there is always something to do. We aim to work with market leaders in all of our brands. The look on some peoplea��s faces when they walk in is great!

Within the action sports industry gear and brands often cover a few different sports (eg Von Zippera��s snow, moto and bike goggles). Does having a diverse range of customers ever make things difficult?

Definitely, having such a diverse customer mix is a real challenge, as trends and styles change over varying disciplines. Different industries also need to be catered for differently with seasonal buys as well as industry expectations. You always need to remember that the customer is always right!

Lusty Athlete Graeme Mudd on the pace in Lithgow for the NSW State Championships, 2013. Photo/JB Photo & Media

Gravity mountain biking is ever-growing in Australia, especially since Cairns 2014 was announced. Will you be doing anything special with that in mind in the lead up to the event next year?

MTB and Gravity MTB is a focus at Lusty, we have had the Lusty MTB team running for a number of years now with amazing success. We will have a presence at the Worlds, thata��s a definite! We will be looking at some special events to coincide with the World Cup and World Champs.

Troy Lee Designs is one of the biggest names in action sports a�� what does this partnership mean for Lusty Industries?

This amazing new partnership is the most exciting news we have launched to date! To partner with a business that shares the same drive and passion for its athletes, market and sports is crazy. There is so much buzz with all of staff and in the industry ita��s hard to focus on emails sometimes. It is definitely the next step in the evolution of Lusty Industries in so many aspects; it solidifies us even more as a bicycle distributor but is massive on a whole new level.

GoPro went from sponsoring no events or athletes, to covering the industry in only a couple of years. I remember when they were few and far between in the country. What is it like to be a GoPro distributor, and to be connected to such a phenomenon

Being a GoPro distributor is a wild ride. Having a product that is in such high demand presents its own problems but being a small part of a global revolution is something that will never be easily repeated. It brings so much to the business and ita��s nice to have a product that in some cases keeps our dealers afloat in a tough retail climate. We get so many sponsorship enquiries each and every day it is unreal. Ita��s easy to get caught up in the whole GoPro phenomenon but sometimes you just have to sit back and just take look at it all and take in how incredible the brand is.

Downhill247-LustyIndustries-photoJaimeBlack-3 — The camera everyone is talking about. Photo/JB Photo & Media

2013 is blazing past, what has Lusty got in store to finish the year and soar into 2014?

We are going to keep working on the same program that has got us to where we are today and then push that a little more! Marketing and social media are a significant aspect of the business and will continue to strive to stay on top of the social media beast. We will keep working with the worlda��s leading brands and try to secure more partnerships that the Australian market will hopefully benefit from. You will see a press release shortly announcing that we are the new bicycle distributor for Five Ten shoes which is another exciting program to be a part of!

Lusty Athlete Blake Nielsen riding for Norco Australia at Round 2 of the NSW State Series - Del Sin, Del Rio. — Lusty Athlete Blake Nielsen riding for Norco Australia at Round 2 of the NSW State Series – Del Sin, Del Rio. Photo/JB Photo & Media

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December 1, 2013

Tas DH 13/14 Round 2 – Tolosa | Glenorchy

The second round of the Tasmanian Downhill series saw Glenorchy mountain bike park back in action for the first time since Oceania championships back in March. The course had had a bit of a tune up since then particularly to the bottom a�?Bombshella�? section to open it up and make it faster.

Josh Fuller launching off the improved gap in the a�?bombshella�? section.

Aaron Oates on the a�?bomshella�?. — Aaron Oates.

In classic Tasmanian style the week before the race saw grey skies and rain leaving grim predictions for race day, luckily the sun was shining by Saturday morning drying out the majority of the track for riders to get their lines dialed on the practice day.

By Sunday the dust had revealed itself all over the track with plenty of riders getting loose on their way down. Sundaya��s practice went off without any major incidents apart from a few riders ending up in the bushes after taking one too many corners at full speed.

Simon Palmer testing the limits of his new Norco Aurum.

A turnout of 49 riders was reduction from round 1 with a few riders away at mainland events or choosing not to attempt the challenging course. Despite this fun was had by All with Ben Hill coming home with the win in Elite with a 3:18 followed by Aaron Oates and Josh Fuller. Under 19 was won by Dan Booker with Simon Palmer in second place then Derek West.

Ben Hill brought his flair for race day.

Thanks to Track X, Iron House Brewery, Bike Ride, Dirt Art, Thrifty Car Rentals and Hill Street Gourmet Meats for their support throughout the series . The series heads North on December 7th and 8th for the third round in Wilmot.

Photos & Words: Andrew Palmer

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Nathan Aver with lift off... — Nathan Aver with lift off…

Danny Young making use of the large table top at the bottom of the course

Aaron Oates highlighted through the dust on a solid run.

Dan Booker leaving a trail of dust on the way to first place for the under 19a��s.

Callum Fagg on his way to first place in the All Mountain category.

Tim Sumpton kicking up dust amongst the Tassie bush

Martin Branfield taking on the bottom berms.

November 23, 2013

Bright Mountain Bike Festival

Bright MTB Festival - one of the biggest events of the year! With a huge amount of disciplines there was something for everyone. — Bright MTB Festival – one of the biggest events of the year! With a huge amount of disciplines there was something for everyone.

The second round of the Alpine Gravity Enduro Series saw us arriving in the picturesque Bright, not only for the enduro, but for the Bright MTB Festival. This saw a slopestyle event, cross country, downhill and enduro races all held over the course of the weekend!

Steep and loose, just what riders wanted and living up to the reputation that Bright has for being one of the premier race destinations in Australia.

For the enduro the weather was on our side with warm sunshine beaming down. On initial inspection the track lived up to its reputation from last year and from the start gate it was steep and loose with plenty of fun turns. After a few riders the track started to get loose and the dust started to fly! Riders were flowing down the track with smiles from ear to ear on everything from 29er hardtails to full-fledged DH bikes. When one bike was shining the other would lose out and the track became equally fair to everyone.

Caption options A) Bulldozing down the track! B) The grade was awesome! C) Everyone brought out their best machinery for the weekend. There you go pick your story!

The sun was out and shining, well for most of the weekend anyway!

As the first run rolled around there were so many riders the times fell slightly behind, but everything continued to keep up and run smoothly. As rider after rider pounded the corners the looseness escalated quickly, with many being caught out by dust piles looking like berms, and front wheel washing out.

Front wheel washouts and flat outs wiped the smile off the faces of many riders but only temporarily of course!

Rider after rider hit the track churning it up but that's pretty standard and you get use to that with the Australian climate and soil conditions! — Rider after rider hit the track churning it up but that’s pretty standard and you get use to that with the Australian climate and soil conditions!

Check out the crowd and the stoke clearly evident on Lucy Crundwell's face! Doesn't it make you smile?! — Check out the crowd and the stoke clearly evident on Lucy Crundwell’s face! Doesn’t it make you smile?!

Staying with the Crundwell clan but this time Ben pinning it and duly rewarded with 5th for his efforts!

The second runs began seamlessly and riders again flowed down the track but soon the clouds rolled in. By the time Elite Women were racing there was a sizable thunderstorm making its way over the race, many women finishing claimed to be hailed on either at the top of the track or mid-way down! As the storm escalated and the lightning grew closer and closer, the decision was made to cancel the Elite Mena��s second run due to dangers with the lightning and storms. This meant a hectic mass downhill start for all the boys resulting in plenty of fun being had down the track, it did however mean the first runs standings were the final results. Chris Panozzo took the victory with a healthy margin of overA�9 seconds in what was a pretty stacked field.A�What times riders would have done in their second run we will never know but we still got a result and fun was had, which is the main thing!

Elite Women:

1. Carrie McLachlan 8.30.22

2. Genevieve McKewA�8.34.10

3. Ronja Hill-Wright 8.38.36

4. Jpo Wall 8.44.25

5. Alyssa Lyons 8.52.44

Elite Men:

1. Chris Panozzo A�6.55.52

2. Jack Tattersall 7.04.58

3, Kaine Cannan 7.05.58

4. Jon Odams 7.08.09

5. Ben Crundwell 7.10.73

Watch that pedal! The fine line between an awesome run and telling all your mates in the car park 'if only I had/hadn't...' — Watch that pedal! The fine line between an awesome run and telling all your mates in the car park ‘if only I had/hadn’t…’

Bright MTB Festival done and dusted for another year, we will be back next year! Before then though we will be back to Bright over summer for some more racing!

Report & images: Jason Stevens Photography

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November 19, 2013

Double Fist Fury – Fun In The Sun

Dual slalom, is it just like two person downhill racing?!

Downhill mountain biking (and to a large degree mountain biking in general) is so much more than just the act of riding, it encompasses so many other areas. We attended a private race, on a sunny weekend day, that just was all about riding, mates, tunes, food, drinks, outdoors and good times. All things that come with downhill anywhere, this day just saw everyone racing bikes dual slalom style, there were World Champions, World Cup riders, Elite racers, punters and us! It didn’t matter about your skill, in the end no one is sure who even won but that’s okay! Surely downhill encompasses so much more than just riding, no doubt you can relate to a great day like this, enjoy.

Small wheels, normal wheels, big wheels, so long as there were wheels it didn't matter! — Small wheels, normal wheels, big wheels, so long as there were wheels it didn’t matter!

Shuttles for the day! For some reason there didn't seem to be a shortage of volunteer drivers! — Shuttles for the day! For some reason there didn’t seem to be a shortage of volunteer drivers!

Getting tight on the markers on the way down!

There was even drifting when there were no other riders around! All part of the 'just ride' vibe that was there all day! — There was even drifting when there were no other riders around! All part of the ‘just ride’ vibe that was there all day!

DIY helmets... The next big thing?! — DIY helmets… The next big thing?!

Energy supplies - Australian style! — Energy supplies – Australian style!

Downhill is just great!

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November 17, 2013

VicDH – Round 2 – Granton

Welcome to VicDH Round 2! Angus Jackson makes his way through the low cloud, which settled on the top sections of the track.

Welcome to Granton, the location of the second round of the VDHS. Nestled in some Australian bushland the track was partially destroyed by bushfires in 2009. The conditions for the weekend seemed less than optimal with a forecast predicting rain all weekend, and upon arrival it was evident that, for Saturday at least the weather man was spot on.

Dion Thomas looked to be dominating in the wet; right at home in Saturday's horrendous conditions. — Dion Thomas looked to be dominating in the wet; right at home in Saturday’s horrendous conditions.

Jesse Beare pushes down the track, with his game face on.

The air was damp, the track was saturated and very slippy! As riders began to make their way down the track the clay beneath the top soil started to rear its head, making clogged tires grip even less!

It didn't really matter whether you had spikes or not, this mud was going to stick to and clog everything. — It didn’t really matter whether you had spikes or not, this mud was going to stick to and clog everything.

Louis Armitage pushes hard into the berm with full confidence in the traction of his tires.

That didnt stop the smiles through the mud caked faces though! Saturday practice was full of carnage with riders sliding off line and off track from top to bottom.

Jackson Davis puts the power down mid-powerslide on the slippery berm.

Ian Jones shows everyone how it's done, flowing over the drop. — Ian Jones shows everyone how it’s done, flowing over the drop.

The concept of practicing became more like an active game of avoidance with riders sprawled out everywhere. The sun did eventually show its head Saturday, but only momentarily, but the fleeting sunlight did aid in the drying of the track and improving the conditions. Although, saying that itA�may of slowed the tracks running time down by making it very sticky.

Something learnt from world cups? Or just something a little bit ghetto?

Ben Crundwell gets some heckling from Nato on his way over the larger jump at the business end of the Granton. Fun times for all!

Sunday arrived and suprisingly so did some sunshine, the rain appeared to of moved on and the track was in great condition, riders began flowing down track in a much more consitant ride and the weather conditions now made it favourable to ride.

Max Kreuzer navigates some slippery roots that caught many riders out. Sunday brought only some relief.

Lachlan Gibson shows off some style over one of the bigger kickers.

More and more of the bigger lines were being hit and soon enough all the top riders were taking enormous slabs of time off the previous days efforts with riders coming past noticably quicker. By the time qualifying began the track had almost dried out enough that there were areas of loose top soil forming.

Fabian Bill throws in some steeze on his last practice run!

Jackson Davis gets loose on what is a deceptively slippery corner.

Matt Kelly came through the top rocks, very quick with a solid line choice on Sunday morning.

With Qualifying wrapped up Trent Piribaer took the top quali spot. With racing beginning the only change to the track was the amount of riding happening on it, there was no rain and no altering of conditions making for fair racing and tight times. At the end of the day Dean Lucas walked away with honour’s in Elite Men and Sarah Booth took the top spot in Elite Women.

Round 2 winner Dean Lucas boosts a part of the track that many struggled with, leaving no doubt in his title of Australia's Junior Mountain Biker of the Year. — Round 2 winner Dean Lucas boosts a part of the track that many struggled with, leaving no doubt in his title of Australia’s Junior Mountain Biker of the Year.

Elite Men’s Podium
1 Dean Lucas
2 Jesse Beare
3 Oli Zwar
4 Trent Piribauer
5 Joel Panozzo

That wraps up round 2, plenty more action on it’s way soon though!

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November 12, 2013

A Riders Perspective – Asia Pacific Downhill Challenge

Welcome to Indonesia! Fitting in with the local dress.

We told you about one of the most epic races of the year earlier with our article on the 2013 Asia Pacific Downhill Challenge but now let’s hear from one of the invited riders, David McMillan, here he gives us the low down on a crazy week;

You get to go to some pretty crazy places when your racing a bike and Bali is one of the last places I thought I’d be doing it. I got an unexpected call about a week before asking if I wanted to come to Bali and compete in a one off race called the Asia Pacific Downhill Challenge, of course I couldn’t say no. Specialized and FJC Clothing hooked it up and I was on my way a few days later with a bike, board shorts and a few t-shirts.

Stepping off the plane I was instantly hit with a massive heat wave, it was crazy hot all week. We stayed in a place called Swan Keremas Villa which is apparently a pretty epic surf spot. I don’t think I’ll ever stay in somewhere so nice again for a race week haha.

Press conference times! We have been to World Cups less organized than this!

The track was built by Gary from Trail Scapes. It had an awesome view looking over the ocean and had a bit of everything. Loose, slippery, dusty, rocky, technical are a few words to sum it up.

Practice rolled round after a few days of hanging out by the pool getting our tan on. I felt a bit rough on my bike having not riden it since Loegang World Cup. I found the track quite challenging with a lot of off camber parts and narrow shelves. After a few practice runs I got my head around it and had lots of fun with the other riders.

Dave getting his eye in and his wheelie on!

The fans in Indonesia are crazy! Always wanting your photo and autograph. We had an autograph signing and the line went for ever. They just love it and make the atmosphere really cool.

The fans just lapped it up! Loving having some of their hero's riding their home tracks. — The fans just lapped it up! Loving having some of their hero’s riding their home tracks.

Crowds lined the track going crazy for all the riders!

I qualified in 6th place just behind the big guns and knew I could have improved my run. Eric, The Lord of Bali hooked us up with a scooter for one night which was pretty fun, we ended up driving it to the track on race day fitting in with all the locals.

Race day was the hottest day for sure, constantly sweating and trying to cool down was hard. We had 2 practice runs then went up and watched some of the local riders try for gold in their categories. My team mate Jackson Davis won the junior category putting together a decent run holding it wide open on the bottom loose section.

Race run for me was not ideal being very messy with a small bobble near the bottom. The winner was the last man on the hill making for exciting racing with Troy taking the win by half a second.

Not the perfect race run but still smashing it as always!

Last rider down the hill and Troy took out the race.

We had a pretty loose night out afterward with all the Drogan (drongo-bogan) Australians and other racers. The whole experience was so cool And I can’t wait till next year to come do it again! Thanks to everyone who made it possible! Special thanks to Specialized and FJC clothing.

It's Bali - why not play tourist?! — It’s Bali – why not play tourist?!

Images: Christopher Berry (thechristopherberry.com/ or facebook.com/Christopher-Berry-Photography)

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November 4, 2013

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