From Rockstar Rides to Real Growth: Looking Back—and Forward

By Paul Basagoitia

Paul going big on his slopestyle bike for a shoot with Red Bull. c 2007.

When I think back to the early days of my career as a professional mountain biker, the word that comes to mind is surreal. One minute I was a kid with a bike (barely- when I was first completing in mountain bike competitions I had to borrow bikes from friends like Cam Zink) and a dream, the next thing I knew I was traveling the world, wearing a Red Bull helmet, throwing down at Crankworx, and riding for legendary sponsors like Kona Bikes and Oakley. It felt like I had strapped into a rocket ship—and I was just holding on for the ride.

Those years were wild. Bouncing around the world, contests, filming trips, magazine covers. I was young, hungry, and obsessed with progression. Everywhere I went, it felt like I was part athlete, part rockstar. We were pushing the limits of what could be done on two wheels, feeding off the energy of the crowds and each other. It was a golden era of freeride, and I was lucky to be in the heart of it.

But life doesn’t stay on that high line forever.

For me, like for many athletes, injuries brought moments of pause. Some were small setbacks, others were life-altering. They forced me to slow down, reflect, and—most importantly—adapt. There’s a certain clarity that comes when your body makes you stop. And in those moments, you start to see the bigger picture.

The truth is, as epic as those early years were, evolving beyond them is what keeps us moving forward as people. Being a pro athlete was once all about going bigger, being faster, standing on podiums. But now, it's about showing up in a different way—mentally, emotionally, even spiritually. Growth isn’t just about tricks or titles anymore; it’s about resilience, gratitude, and the drive to keep pushing in new directions.

Don’t get me wrong—I still love to ride. That feeling of flow, freedom, and fight is forever a part of who I am. But I’ve come to realize that the journey isn’t just about how high you can rise, but how deep you’re willing to go. There’s something powerful in redefining success—not as a single moment, but as a lifetime of learning and evolving.

So whether you’re just starting out or have been on your path for a while, remember this: The highlight reels are awesome—but what happens after the peak is where the real story begins.

See you on the trail,
PB