Mia Serratore
Kelowna, BC
How would you define your riding style?
I would define my riding style as tenacious. I usually keep trying something till I get it right no matter how long it takes. I feel like my speed is coming along and the next thing I’m working on is the steez!
How and when did you get into riding?
I got into riding about 4 years ago when I moved out to Canmore to take my career as an xc skier to the next level. I ended up getting a job at a bike shop and the crew there got me fired up to start riding. Ended up quitting ski racing after feeling really burnt out from the sport and have been obsessed with mountain biking ever since.
What are your aspirations as a rider?
That is something I am currently trying to figure out. I gave racing a go last season but I’m not really sure that is my thing. I would like to take my shot at the women's freeride scene this year and see how that goes. I think that’s more the style of riding I would like to get into.
Do you pull any inspiration from any other sports, arts etc?
I would say most of my inspiration comes from music. All my best ideas come from sitting around and just letting myself daydream while listening to music.
What do you do in your down time?
Lately I’ve been spending my down time converting my 2000 GMC Safari into a camper van to travel in this summer.
What riders do you look up to?
Definitely Casey Brown. Such a pioneer for women in the sport.
Have you been through any injuries/adversity?
I’ve been quite fortunate with my biking career so far. No major injuries from the bike yet... knock on wood… but when I xc ski raced I got compartment syndrome in my shins which is basically when your muscle gets too big for the compartment. My feet would go numb every time I skied and just got used to the sensation. Before I was diagnosed, I had had 3 bad ski seasons where I just wasn’t performing to the level, I knew I was capable of and at the time I didn’t understand why. When I finally got diagnosed in 2018 I ended up getting surgery on my shins later and after 8 months of recovery I had the best race season of my career.
Do you have any results or projects that you are proud of?
I made it to the final on the Pinkbike Academy which was a huge accomplishment for me. I’ve only been biking for a few years so it felt like a huge steppingstone for me.
What are your plans for 2023?
I’m taking 2 months off of work this summer to ride full time. I’m planning on doing lots of riding trips in the van. Going to take my chance at a couple events at Crankworx. Might do a couple enduro races here and there but trying to do more video and photography projects this season.
