So Troy, How long have you been riding for?

Eight years. But I think every kid hits a jump when they’re ten so let’s say twelve.

What was it like growing up and riding within the Canberra scene? And What is your go to park up there for a roll?

The big thing I noticed as I was growing up in the Canberra scene was that there weren’t really any big egos or dudes who thought the world was owed to them because they were a better rider than those around them. I feel Canberra’s scene for a long time has always been welcoming and it’s been awesome to be apart of it for so long! I will generally ride most of the parks around Canberra, however Fadden bowl if the chance comes up but it usually is Tuggers.

You seem to travel to smaller country towns to either film videos or ride, whats your take on the smaller towns, such as Goulburn? and how would they compare to Canberra?

The Canberra and Goulburn scenes are very similar. There are a good bunch of dudes in Goulburn who keep the scene going, whether it’s throwing a jam every Halloween to building jumps for everyone to ride and I hope their scene keeps going that way.

How important has Back Bone BMX been to the scene in Canberra?

The scene wouldn’t be as tight as it is without Backbone its as simple as that. You can definitely see the stoke in young kids when they get a Backbone sticker or a shirt. I don’t think the Canberra kids can thank Rhys and Tyson enough for what they do for us.

You always seem to be producing some kind of content, whether it’s riding videos, epic drone shots of Canberra or a combination. Where do you find motivation?

I enjoy the challenges and process of creating, whether that be creating a web video for my friends or getting up early on a Saturday morning and going out solo and filming what I’m doing. My motivation comes from the thought that there are endless possibilities on how we can present BMX.  It’s all fun and in the end isn’t that what we all create/ride BMX for?

Who are some of the filmers/editors you look up to?

When I first started out I definitely looked up too dudes like Brendan Boeck & Cooper Brownlee. It’s a tough one now because unless my friends are in it, I won’t really watch many web videos. A non BMX related filmer I’ve been into a lot is Oscar Boyson.

We recently hopped into a bus and went on road trip through Victoria with the Back Bone BMX crew, what was that like for you? 

It was a good thing to experience, getting in a bus with your mates, riding new places and meeting new people who treat you like you’ve been friends for years. Nothing beats that, can’t wait to go on a few more trips in the near future!

Do you think that experiencing new towns and parks with a bunch of like minded people made you even more pumped to ride/film etc.. And do you have any advice for the younger dudes who may not be able to cram into a bus, but still want to experience new things? 

Getting an opportunity to ride a new park or explore a new town definitely gets me pumped to ride & film. The window to travel with your friends is only open for so long, you don’t know if you’ll ever be there again so I feel you have to try and make the most out of the time you have riding that new spot!

DVD’s, Web Edits, Insta vids or Webisode’s?

DVDs above all, holding a physical copy of something a crew of people have worked so hard on is inspiring. If they are done right webisodes can be a really good watch too.

Following on from the previous question, what are your thoughts and future predictions on BMXers and Insta videos? Do you think its positive for quick and instantaneous recognition , or do you believe its taking away from traditional platforms such as DVD parts or web edits where riders may work on a project for months or even years? 

I don’t think the trend of people posting their best clips on the gram is going to slow down anytime soon, which is a shame. I feel it takes away from web videos and DVDs because you, the viewer, has seen it all before and it doesn’t really seem new or as exciting I guess.

As we’ve been riding together for years, at the same 3 or 4 parks every weekday afternoon, how do you find the drive to keep trying new things? Are their any riders you watch or ride with which inspire you to keep pushing yourself?

I can only put the drive to keep trying new things down to riding with my friends, learning from them and sharing experiences with them is the best. I re-watch Randy Taylors Props bio a lot, he was ahead of his time and that video has inspired me through a majority of the years I’ve spent riding my bike.

So what’s next?, any projects in the works for the near future? 

There is plenty happening it starts with a trip to Florida in March for a couple of weeks and filming videos there. Also putting in some work for a Back Bone project, so keep a look out for that!

Thanks Heaps!

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