Profile: Kieran Bennett

Recently appointed Bosch eBike Systems NZ regional technical manager, Kieran Bennett is the guy you want to call if you have any eBike questions. We sat down with him for a chat.

 

Lives: Christchurch

Title: Regional Technical Manager

Office: Marleen Wholesalers

Riding history:
2006 - 2010: racing semi-professionally in the US and World Cup downhill circuits.
2012: NZ #4,
2008: Oceania DH Champion, 2 x US National DH Round Wins,
2007: NZ National DH Champion,
2006: NZ #3,
2005: NZ Junior National DH Champion.

Favourite trails: The Sharlands Creek area in Nelson is where I grew up riding and it has developed into such a diverse playground of trails now, I love getting back there to ride.

Coffee: I’m a big fan of an Americano at the moment.

Best cafe: Zippy’s in Rotorua has always been a favourite. I recommend the Vege Zip & a Jackberry smoothie.

What is it you love about riding?

The freedom of being on a bike is so liberating and hard to compare to anything else. I love being able to get on my bike and escape outdoors. I’m a sucker for punishment too, so I actually enjoy the pain of a big climb, especially when you get rewarded with the adrenalin rush of mad descents!

What are your favourite destinations and trails to ride?

Locally it’s hard to beat the riding in my old home town of Nelson. I love it there - so much variation and just about every hill you see has at least one trail on it. Internationally, I have always enjoyed riding in Colorado USA, the terrain is spectacular and I love the dust.

What does a general weekend look like for you?

There’s no sleeping in. My two year old wakes us up pretty early.  So, it’s breakfast and hanging out before Oscar has a nap. I grab this window to jump on my bike and get out for a couple of hours around the middle of the day followed by swimming with Oscar in the afternoon. I love my free time, so I like to spend as much time outdoors as I can.

What do you like about riding an eBike? And when do you ride eBikes vs pedal?

The obvious one is how easy they are to ride and much less effort on the hills! But in reality, the best part of an eBike for me is maximising my efforts when I only have a short window to ride. I can ride double the trails in the same amount of time as my regular bike. Don’t get me wrong though I still love the pain of pedaling my regular bike up the hill.

What’s something most people might not know about eBikes?

They aren’t cheating! You still have to put the work in to get up hills, sure they’re easier, but you’ve still got to work for it.

Do you have an eBike tech top tip?

Not eBike specifically but regular maintenance will go a long way in keeping it running nicely. Lubing the chain, keeping an eye on the drive train, making sure bolts are tight and keeping it clean will help it last.