Cole Nichol
Victoria, BC
Riders like Cole are few and far between these days. Someone not chasing money or fame but simply in it for the right reasons, just to ride. On an average day you can find Cole building local trails in Victoria or boosting through his beautiful set of jumps he’s been crafting for years in his own Arbutus Forest. Coles timeless style is here to stay and we are more than excited to have him be part of our brand.
How would you define your riding style?
Go fast, pull up!
How and when did you get into riding?
I was 13 years old, in middle school when a friend of mine showed me what Pinkbike was. I started watching all the local riders videos and was instantly hooked. We went out riding at the local bike park and I realized I needed a proper jump bike so my following birthday I asked for a hardtail. Been riding ever since!
What do you do in your down time?
I’m building most of the time I’m not riding, but apart from that I like to go on camp trips, ride my dirt bike and skateboard from time to time. I also enjoy shooting some hoops.
Do you pull any inspiration from any other sports, arts etc?
Definitely skateboarding, dirt biking and BMX. I’m always inspired by people who create their own path doing the sport they love, and especially those who focus on style and creativity.
What are your aspirations as a rider?
To film video parts, build jumps, travel the world and get kids stoked on biking!
What riders do you look up to?
I’ve looked up to a lot of riders over the years, but right now these guys inspire me the most: Jordie Lunn, Tom Van Steenbergen, Matt Macduff and the Fast and Loose crew in BMX.
Have you been through any injuries/adversity?
I’ve had a broken wrist, multiple concussions, an AC separation, a bunch of sprains in my wrists and ankles, bruised ribs and a bunch of minor stuff. The worst by far was the shoulder separation, because I had to have two surgeries and couldn’t ride for 7 months. At the same time as that, Jordie had just passed away and my friend Aaron broke his back riding, so that was definitely a difficult time to get through. Not having riding or building as an escape provided a lot of time to reflect on what was most important to me in life, and as much pain as that caused, I think I was able to grow in to a better person because of it.
Do you have any results or projects that you are proud of?
The video I did with Rupert for RedBull is the one I’m most proud of, mainly because I spent most so much of my free time building my yard from age 15-21, and seeing the progress I made both in riding and building at that spot makes it all worth it. Also winning the whip off at Calvins Jam hosted by Loft was a highlight!
What are your plans for 2023?
I’ll be shooting a video part with Rupert and Calvin, I plan to put a lot of time and effort in to building for this one, so that should be fun. I’d like to go on some riding trips to Europe and South America, ride in a few events in BC, host a big jam in my yard and build more bike parks with Claw!
