Rider: Nic Zilinski
Knolly model/colour: Raw Knolly Chilcotin 167
How tall are you and what size frame do you ride? How does the bike fit you?
I'm 6ft tall and ride a size large. I'm usually between a L and XL, but I like to go a bit smaller to make jumping and tricks a bit easier. The large has been perfect and I love that I have a big bike I can still hop around the trail on.
Where do you live?
I live in Coquitlam, British Columbia
What type of trails do you ride? Describe your riding style and favourite trails/network of trails:
All kinds! But I flip flop between jump trails and awkward, janky tech as my favorite. My favorite trails would be Dirt Merchant at Whistler and Deliverance on Burke Mountain. I ride BMX a lot, it's how I started riding, so I think my mountain bike style has been pretty influenced by the little bike - I love when I find a jump that's great for tabletops.
Bike build/spec (did you source anything custom/special on your build?):
I have a GX build of the Chilcotin, but I've got a few extra parts on there. I'm running Nobl TR 37 carbon wheels laced to Onyx hubs, I've got Trail 1 bars and stem, and I've got a special star nut that will allow me to run my front brake through the steer tube for barspins.
First ride impressions (what you like about your new ride and any stand out features):
I'm loving my new bike. One thing that's really stood out to me is how quiet the bike is and how nicely damped it sounds as you ride through a rough trail. I've even had a ton of comments on my most recent riding video of people noticing how great it sounds. Along those lines, it also feels perfectly damped as well. I can ride through a rough section, having the trail smoothed nicely, but also get on the pedals right after and not feel bogged down.
Additional Fun Facts:
- I'm a biomedical engineering phd student at SFU and in two years (hopefully...) I'll be sharing an endless amount of Dr. Nick Riviera memes. I work on magnetic sensor hardware for brain imaging machines.
- I've been riding BMX for 17 years
- During my undergrad I worked as a nightclub photographer at Cowboys in Winnipeg.
