Hot off the back of his latest video epic with Commencal, we managed to sit Kilian Bron down for a quick 5 minutes with interview.
Kilian Bron is best known for shaking up YouTube with epic videos featuring a unique blend of incredible cinematography and insane riding. His latest edit with Commencal featured the French rider shredding down the sides of active volcanoes on an Öhlins equipped Commencal Meta.
We managed to sit Kilian down for 5 minutes between shooting jaw-dropping video for a quick 5 minutes with.
Tell us who you are, what you do and why we should go for a bike ride with you…
I’m Kilian Bron, 28, from Annecy – French Alps and professional enduro mountain bike rider for Commencal. In a few words, I just like to spend time outside, in the mountains. Skiing in winter and mountain biking in summer… I’ve always enjoyed getting off the beaten track and exploring beyond usual paths and peaks. That’s why I also combine a real passion for traveling and content production.
For people who’ve never heard of you, how would you describe yourself and your riding?
About my riding, I like to combine style, precision, and speed. I’m pretty relaxing on the bike but also in my daily life. My bike is like a tool to express myself.
A typical day is simply split between a long mountain bike ride, exploring new trails around my home, and spending time with my friends.
What has been your best memory or achievement from the last year?
Throwback some months ago in Chile. I remember this fantastic trip with Yannis Pelé.
This promising, young downhill racer was a victim of a big crash during a French Cup race. Injured in numerous vertebrae, Yannis lost the use of his legs at 19 years old. The doctors’ verdict was unanimous: there was very little hope that he would walk again.
Still in rehabilitation since his accident, Yannis grew up faster than all his other friends. With unusual determination, he progressively regained feeling and stood upright once again after several months.
We invited him to join the adventure in Chile and it was one of my best memory of the last years.
You crash your bike and can only salvage one thing from it – what would it be and why?
To be purely rational, I simply keep my frame with me. It’s like the base to build a new bike.
Or maybe my handlebar to simulate I can keep riding…
If you could only ride one trail for the rest of your days – which is it?
From the glacier to the valley at the bottom, I choose the full track of the Mountain Of Hell :
4 seasons in one long track of 30 minutes, without stop, full gaz!
Everyone wants to improve, right? What would you like to do better?
I could talk about my skills on a bike but that’s not the main important subject.
I would like to work on my character. I always did what I liked the most with the same passion and energy. But I’m sometimes to focus or blinded by my projects and ideas. It’s like an obsession and I sometimes forgot the essence of life. I just need to open my eyes and enjoy the simple things.
Spending times with my friends or chilling at home are just some examples. I’m working on it to keep the same motivation and creativity in my next projects.
Which component do you break and/or swap the most?
To be honest, I don’t break a lot of components. I like to ride a lot of different trails but I think the alpine trails are the most demanding for my bikes and my body. I broke some chainrings in the next years due to some rocks and overconfidence…But nothing serious!
What is your tip to becoming a better mountain biker?
I repeat some words in this interview…But it’s not a coincidence. The passion guide me!
What one innovation has made mountain bikes better, and why?
Mountain bikes are more and more efficient but it’s not only in one-axis. Before we had specifics bikes to each specialty. It’s still true but we have now “enduro” bikes. Even if I don’t really like the term “enduro”, I just want to explain we are now lucky to ride great mountain bikes, to ride some technical and long climbs and fast or sketchy downhills. One same bike to take pleasure to ride and discover some beautiful places. It’s more than one innovation or a component on the bike.
Who do you admire most in the mountain bike world?
We have some true legends in our little community. Sam Hill for his career and charism, Danny MacAskill or Brandon Semenuk for their talent and creativity. And a lot of other fantastic pilots, always pushing the limits to the maximum level.
What are you hoping to get up to in the next 12 months?
We have some amazing projects in our heads. The idea is to do better but I want to enjoy each day or projects more than the last one. We can define travel or find some new ideas, we can’t anticipate and organize everything. We will meet some new peoples, find incredible spots and change our plans every day.
That’s the game and it’s what we like the most!
If you would like to read more 5 minutes with interviews read our 5 minutes with Rudy Cabirou, and 5 minutes with Alex Marin interviews.
