Why I've Quit Mountain Biking 

Classically there are things I've missed: - When I mentioned the last 3 sponsors in Giant, Shimano and Kenda, what I meant to include were that those marketing people really understood the value of what I was doing and how they would benefit. - I didn't thank Republic Bikes in Squamish and specifically Nate, that whenever they made a video with me (out of their comfort zone) it would end up being very popular

I'm a complete loner with advanced riding skills. No friends or anything, I ride all over the country without speaking a word to anyone. You don't have to ride in a group, you don't have to lookout for others. Just do you. I couldn't be happier.

Onward and upward! You've built something incredible from scratch and I have no doubt you'll keep building cool stuff! I'll always remember our ride on Mr. Toad's, one of the best ever!

Your “lack of skills” is what attracted me to your channel in the first place, felt more relatable than others. Especially your videos learning new things with Tracy or Casper. Will miss your videos. But take care of your physical and mental health, more important than anything else!

Change can be really hard and pretty scary. It takes a lot of courage to be able to embrace it, especially under your specific circumstances, so I say props to you my dude for having the awareness and not shying away from a change that surely sounds like has already made you happier. Cheers and thanks for the vids Paul!

Love ya buddy! Can’t believe our next colab is gonna be on a golf course 🤘

You spoke a lot of truth once you got into the negatives. Most folks will never understand that side of it. Appreciate that level of realness from you. Best of luck on your journey.

I’m truly honored you mentioned me in your thanks! At the end of the day I think it’s best to focus on the positive aspects of what mountain biking did for you. I can understand the reasons you stated that made you lose interest. That’s totally ok. It’s your life. You should 100% do what makes you happy. And when it doesn’t make you happy. Stop. It’s pretty simple and it seems that you’ve got that figured out. That’s a perspective that a lot of people don’t have. It was fun riding, having beers, or chatting online and at the B1KER Bar. Late night drunken push-up contests were some good times. Either way, I’m stoked for you to move into the next chapter of your life and wish you the best. I would hope that if you are ever driving through Sacramento you don’t hesitate to hit me up. Whether you are a mountain biker or not, I’ll still call you a friend.

I literally had the same story happen to me this year. Lost passion. I hated that people kept saying it was burnout because it wasn't. I'm glad to hear your diagnosis and medication is helping you turn it around. Your passion will return at some point, mountain biking or not. Good luck in your endeavors.

Thanks for the advice you’ve given us from your knowledge and experience on the MTB RU-vid side! We wish you continued success with your golf channel. Maybe you can teach us how to golf, since we both know absolutely nothing about it and top golf is about to open here. So it would be fun to be able to go there with a little knowledge haha -April

So sorry you went through all that. I always really appreciated your honesty and the fact that you were not an elite mountain biker made your videos more relatable for me. Thanks for all the inspiration.

Do what makes you happy Paul! Life is too short to do anything that doesn't truly bring you joy anymore. Thanks for the years of entertainment.

I'm 54 and I get it. In 1984 I stopped moto cold turkey and right when things were on the verge of taking off for me professionally. I've self examined why I made that decision for decades and still can't come up with the answer.... I just fell out of love with it I guess. I've been riding some form of 2 wheels since before I can even remember existing and it is still a part of me, and always will be. You're a young dude and if I had to bet, you'll be riding your MTB again, but it will just be different. You'll do it for your health, you'll do it on fun flowy trails and you'll do it alone with just your thoughts each ride to help keep you sane. You won't give 2 shits about strava times, how fast you used to be, or how gnarly the gnar is that you are riding compared to YT videos... You'll just ride and have fun. How do I know? 1st hand experience. Good luck in whatever you do Paul.

I loved your channel because of your relationship with your fellow riders and your personality. Thank you for everything Paul, I’ll miss your videos!

Thank you Paul. For the effort, honesty and entertainment you have provided us all with. Best of luck in your next chapter!

I've really enjoyed your down to earth style over the years. At 55 years old I am pretty reserved with my mountain biking. I go for mountain biking because it's fun and have no problem walking something if I'm just not feeling confident that day. For me riding has been a my mental health salvation. Thank you for the last 6 years. I wish you well.

Thank you Paul for the reverse mention at 16:55, it has been a pleasure getting to know you over the years. Best of luck in the future.

For the last 14 years I used to produce electronic music. It used to be my passion, but the later years I ended up making less and less and feeling bad about it. Then I just learned to move on and my new passion since 2020 is mountain biking. It's an eternal cycle for us passionates.

I used to own a recording studio and have travelled all over the world working with bands, making records. Long story short, I left that life about 8 years ago and it has made a significant impact on my sense of wellbeing and happiness. I have hobbies now (mountain biking, hiking) that I never used to have time for. Most importantly, I have time with my family now. I totally understand where you're coming from and wish you the best in the future. I'll miss your biking videos but I feel so happy for you that you're going to be able to make such an impactful shift in your life the way I did. Cheers Punter!

Please don't delete your awesome mountain biking videos Paul. All the best for you! #thankyoupaulthepunter

Paul, your comments about injury hit home with me. Was riding once and came across a guy who hit a drop he didn't know was there and broke his neck. His life is forever changed now. As we were waiting for 911to get there I was holding my phone for him as he called his wife. Tough conversation to listen to. And then last summer took a bad OTB and messed up my neck, 17 months later and its finally feeling OK. I have to tell myself to relax and enjoy the ride now, its not a race. PR's don't really matter, what matters is I make it home after each ride. Good luck in your future endeavors!

Hey, not usually one to comment but I feel sort of compelled to. I've been getting in to mountain biking in the last few years and it's been an awesome vehicle to get outside more with my friends and challenge myself. Channels like yours and Kara Beal's have been so valuable to me to see people who aren't pros or the best of the best. I find it really important to see people trying and failing and getting better gradually and having fun while doing it. I really resonate with the idea of falling out of love with a sport and the top of those industries not seeing value in grassroots participation in the sport- climbing is super guilty of causing animosity towards "noobs" or "gumbies". At the end of the day, most of us are out here trying to have a good time and we know we're not going to be the world's best but we are still the ones making up a large share of their revenue. I really appreciate all the videos you have made and there will be plenty more new riders who find them in years to come. Wishing you all the best!

Hey man. So I’m 50, my first mtb was in 1990, and I walked away from the sport for about 15 years, so I’ll tell you a little bit of my story and I hope you can take it for what it’s worth and take anything from it that you may. Mtbed from 1990 to 1998 or 99?(the exact date is lost in a fog in my brain). Loved it. Was totally into it. Raced amateur races. Tinkered with bikes. Etc. Had a bad accident and compound fractured my forearm but still came back. But late 90s I was in law school (graduated 99), was living with my then girlfriend now wife, and was getting involved seriously with Rugby. And mtbing was becoming, quite frankly, a pain in the butt. Getting geared up, loading the bike, having to drive to a trail, and then all that in reverse. My wife didn’t do it (well she would come along once in a while on a mellow ride just being a good significant other and supporting me, but it really wasn’t her thing) and every ride was time away from her. And I was really starting to get into Rugby and enjoying that more, which also took up a lot of my time. Finally my bike got stolen and that was it- I didn’t mtb (or ride a bike for that matter as I’ve never been a cyclist, just an mtber) for 15 years. Between my marriage and home life and job as a lawyer which I was always trying to take the next step in my career in, and now Rugby being my primary recreational activity, mtbing just didnt fit in. Well fast forward 15 years and Rugby was coming to an end. I bought a cheap dept store mtb like object- a Diamondback and I have to say for what it was it went above and beyond- simply so I could stop running one offseason of Rugby in order to heal an Achilles injury but stay in shape, and guess what? The bug bit me again. Yup, I was full on loving mtbing, just as I was going through what you just talked about in this vid with Rugby. So after maybe a year or two of doing both, I finally hung up the Rugby boots and got back into mtbing full time. First got a (what seemed to me like a stupid expensive) XC hardtail, pushed that to its limits, started realizing that I still ride like I’m that 15 yo bmx kid I was at one point in my life and needed a bike better suited to that style riding so spent a year demoing bikes and finally bought my current rig, and am still loving it to this day. But here’s the thing- my outlook on it now had changed. It was purely recreational now. I mean sure I still love talking about the technical aspects of our bikes, and talking about trails etc with people, but that whole mtb world thing I just wasn’t into and didn’t care about. I wasn’t interested in massive group rides. I wasn’t interested in progressing anymore other than what I personally wanted to do. I put a limiter on myself for the first time in my life and was totally content with it. I’m not working my way up to massive jumps or drops anymore. I wanted to progress to be able to do the typical stuff we find on typical trails- the 2-5 foot drops and jumps, wanted to be able to hit the steeper lipped jumps (not the huge ones mind you) that we find at parks that I like to go to a few times a year, but that was it. I wanted to progress to the point that it made riding fun because I could handle the typical stuff on trails, but wasn’t interested in seeking out those trails with crazy insane stuff. When it came to rides, I wanted tk ride solo much more, as it is a much more personal enjoyment, mind clearing thing now. If I do ride, I want to ride with maybe one or two close friends; I’m nit interested with big group rides now for the most part. Mtbing like that can become a bit like social media- you have a huge number of “friends” but none of them are real friends. When ai do ride with my close friends, it’s more about being together and hanging out while doing something we enjoy. We’re often all at different levels but it doesn’t matter, we stop and wait for each other, we’ll limit what we ride to the lest skilled rider (or maybe hit a trail alone and then meet up again a few mins later), and, while we encourage each other, we also walk stuff we don’t feel like we can do. And that limiter thing I was talking about- it’s not just about progression. Sometimes on a ride there is a feature I have hit before and can do, but that day maybe Im just not feeling it. Or I have a jury trial starting the next day or in a few days. And you know what I do, I walk or ride around it. And it doesn’t bother me. I don’t worry about. Because ultimately I’m just out to have fun and decompress, and that is not dependent on whether I hit some feature, or have some KOM, or whatever that day. What gives me the fun and the mental destressing is simply the being on the bike, on a trail. The freedom it gives me. The pleasure of whipping down a trail (again whether it is actually fast or just seems fast to me doesnt mater, it’s the feeling of speed I love). The being out in nature (as I’ll sometimes tell my friend I ride with that I am quite a bit faster than- don’t worry about me stopping and waiting for you, bc when I am I am just enjoying being in a woods). The feel when the bike leaves our planet Earth, even just for a few seconds, and the silence as the hum of the tires stop while they rotate through the air. And finally the mental freedom I get of not thinking about anything else- when we’re on our steeds zipping down some trail we have to be totally focused. There is no time for my mind ti wander about work, or my financial portfolio, or personal or family issues. It is just focus on the task at hand, and that task is giving me joy. And the last thing I’ll talk about are your comments about the risk, and the wondering if the risk is worth it, and the watching other people go beyond their skill level into risky behavior. First, it is why I shy away from big festivals and gatherings. I just dont want to get wrapped up into that mentality that other people are in. And second, welcome to getting older!! Lol you do start to think about this stuff more as you get older. We have more responsibility and more people that are dependent on us. So it would be irresponsible to not consider those things and those people. Plus, I think as we get older we have more experience when we look at something of understanding how it could go wrong and our brain says to us- hey you made it this long why don’t you skip this so you can make it a while longer. Lol. They say kids are fearless and this is often why- ignorance is sometimes bliss and it is sometimes easier to send it when you don’t really know the consequences. In sum, mtbing is no longer a sport to me, but rather a personal hobby that clears my mind and helps keep me fit. I dont pay attention to a lot of the “sport of mtbing” stuff- you know- the blingiest components, the commercialization and consumerism of it, the festivals, the pro race results, the biggest sends. If I don’t want to ride, I don’t and I dont worry about it. My little channel is for me and a way to pay it back- basically just try to provide vid footage of trails so people that want to ride it but check it out first can, and then some vids on things I think might help others in the same spot I was in. But I dont look at the stats of my channel, and I dont care if a vid gets 1 view or 1 million. It’s for me, just like my riding. So don’t fret it. Do what you feel. You might come back to it, you might not. But if you do feel that urge, or maybe swing a leg over a bike some time and get bit by that bug, don’t fret over that either. It’s ok. You can come back to it. And you can do it on different terms, and on your terms. So go live, enjoy all aspects of life, enjoy having the ADHD recognized and controlled (my son has it so I somewhat understand) but also know that your vids have helped a lot of people and that it’s always there if you find your way back to it. Just do me one favor- if you’re hiking on the trail and I come along and ring my bell, like do, and then call out like I do if I don’t see a response to my bell, and then slow down to a courteous speed like I do, don’t do the exaggerated production of leaping off the trail in fear as if I was just about to run you over. Please, please, don’t be one of them. Lol. 🤙 and good luck my man.

Thanks for sharing, Paul. I really appreciate your honesty throughout the video. It was really disappointing to hear about your bad experiences at 19:00 though. I've never understood that part of mountain bike culture and it's sad to see things escalate to that point.

Thanks for the vid. Enjoy all the golf. As a bike RU-vidr there are a lot of echoes. We aren’t athletes in the gravel/bikepacking space and are constantly passed over for any brand support. The bike industry is just stuck in its ways in throwing money at athletes and events thinking that is the only effective way to reach people which is asinine in 2022. Thankfully we’ve been able to grow the Patreon. I feel you on the skill caste/system culture. There is def lots of trickle down from road racing into gravel and even touring. Anyway. Have enjoyed your vids even though we don’t mountain bike. And good for you for moving on!

Thanks for all the cool vids and pointers. You really where an inspiration to all of us and showed that anyone with dedication can achieve alot in MTB. It will be sad to see you go, but happy that you're moving on to other projects and not stopping due to injury etc.

I certainly get where you're coming from as a 52 year old who picked up MTB 5 years ago. I also know a lot of people who've had back, shoulder, wrist and knee surgeries from golf and other "safe" sports. Good luck on your next adventure!

Cheers buddy!! Thanks for being you.

Paul, I'm happy you have come to this realization. So few people actually have that sort of enlightenment when they are doing something they think makes them happy. Mad respect for you sir. I started mountain biking when I was in my early 20's in the early 2k's. I got really into it and spent all my money on gear and was trying to get into competitive racing, etc. When I was 27 I had a bad crash and broke my wrist... distal radius fracture but in this one the bone had been severely damaged. I had to have surgery on it and had cadaver bone put in there along with 18 screws and 2 titanium plates. As I'm typing this the tips of my fingers are numb... side effects from the wrist injury. I also had another crash on a downhill where the bike chain came off and my the back of my lover calve got pinned under the front chain ring. When I got up the chain ring had cut 2 inches deep into the back of my leg and my foot nearly bled out. It tore up my Achilles pretty good and I had nerve damage that lasted 9 months. Anyway, after those two injuries I too fell out of love with mountain biking. It just wasn't worth the risk anymore. I stayed off the bike for a decade but eventually got a new bike when my son was born. Its funny cuz I have a $5k Yeti and the vast majority of my riding is done around the neighborhood with my kid lol. Anyway, times change and so do people. Do what makes you happy. For me I got into long range shooting. I really enjoy it and for a while I had a channel on RU-vid with a few thousand subs. The comment sections were full of douchebags of course. Most people don't realize how much work and $ is involved in making a video. Anyway, I took my page down cuz again it wasn't worthwhile. I was happier just doing what I loved when time and money permitted. So in short, you're not the only one who's ever gone through some sort of change like this so keep your head up and do what makes you happy. Again, much respect to you sir and for being true to yourself. Good luck in your future endeavors!

Good luck with your future endeavours and thanks for the mtb content you provided over the years 👍

I remember playing music for 8 years in 3 different bands, listening for +20 years, wondering what would be the next step...strangely the next would be growing tired of it, without any apparent reason, then I moved back to my first love which was mountain biking. People change, life change, it's really weird stop doing something you did for such a long time, but it's necessary to grow as a person, do what is meaningful to you at the moment and good luck in everything Paul, best regards

Second: thank you for addressing the carelessness and disregard for safety that as a community became lost in the shuffle of “fun.” I miss riding my bike for fun, but I feel trails are built for the purpose of building skill and I’d like some that are just fun and I don’t have to worry about keeping friends or kids safe - hard to come by here in GJ. The progression of skill can keep you safe on the trails, but some features are simply a gamble every time.

First: thank you for your description of adhd. Thank you for normalizing something that has the potential to improve a lot of people’s lives❤

The honesty and your personality is always what has made your videos entertaining to me, so best of luck on this next chapter. I think I found some peace realizing I'd never do that crazy stuff on a bike, despite having spent so many hours of my life on bikes. Now it is definitely about spending time with my dog or friends, and keeping my heart healthy.

As someone with ADHD who only got diagnosed and medicated in the last few years, you're change of hart probably has something to do with no longer needing mountain biking to maintain a "flow state", which may have been part of what got you into it to begin with. I always used to need something like that to actually focus on anything and even getting just an hour of that real focus while riding made my whole day better. I used to compulsively video game for the same reason before I got into MTB, but with medication, you can reach that state doing just about anything (like a normal person) and some of those old hobbies just kind of fade away. In my case I got more into mountain biking (because I'd actually have the focus/patience to train), but I can see how in your life it just wasn't something you needed anymore and you moved on. All that said, don't sell all your bikes! Keep one! You don't have to be hardcore to enjoy going out for a casual ride with friends. And I think that MTB culture varies a lot depending on where you go, but I can see Squamish and the top tier riding areas being pretty toxic. Riding around our local trails here in Kansas City (which are probably better than you expect but still no BC or anything) everyone is extremely supportive and friendly with just the occasional dickhead. Anyway I hope you enjoy whatever comes next, I really enjoyed the videos when I was getting started and am genuinely happy for you.

Goodluck on another journey Paul! I gotta say you did inspire me to create my own mountain biking Channel! And im just learning new a skill with each Upload! Once again thanks!

Mad respect brother. Not everyone can be this honest about anything that they are doing in their lives and walk away. I enjoyed watching all of your videos. I wish you the best and enjoy your new adventures brother.

You know you brought up a really good point about RU-vidrs bringing people into the sport. I for one really don’t watch pro biking at all, but on RU-vid I watch a lot of the guys you mentioned, because I can relate to them, RU-vidrs are bringing a lot more people into the sport then sponsors think. Biking in particular over traditional sports, tennis, golf, basketball, football, etc. there getting prime time coverage, but biking doesn’t and while it’s fun to watch pros do crazy jumps, i myself won’t do it, it’s just to dangerous and I think that’s the appeal to watching average joes on RU-vid.

Paul thank you for all the content you’ve delivered over the years to your fans, it will be missed! Your candour is appreciated and refreshing. The world of social media can be so toxic and I’m sorry it has impacted you so. I started mountain biking pre-internet and the reasons I still ride have not changed - connecting with nature, having adventures and hopefully experiencing those things with some good friends. Maybe one day you’ll go for a ride again without the camera and find these things too. Good luck and Godspeed!

I'm with you on the risk aspect. I get a lot of crap from the local endurobros for being an XC guy. There is so much more to this sport than going fast down a hill.

This video reminds me why I usually ride by myself. I treat it more like a meditation, personal and alone, not a social thing.

13 years of skiing-burned out, 13 years of rock climbing-burned out, 35 years of mountain biking not burned out because I ride alone, I ride with friends, I ride alot, then ride very little, but it always clears my head !!

Man, diagnosed at 37. It was enlightening at first. After a couple years of the meds, things got worse than they were without. Hope your stuff keeps working, and do whatever you want. Peace

What an incredible journey you've had! Your progression, your growth in all that you do...fantastic. Wishing you success and happiness in all your future endeavors. Thanks for your content.

I quit golfing to ride my bike :) GL! What’s fun for you is what’s important.

Paul! It's so good to hear from you and simultaneously so sad, that you have lost the passion for what probably most of us would consider the most amazing thing. Whatever the future may hold, whatever your next chapter, I hope it will fullfil you and I hope this won't be the last we've heard from you. And of course I hope that one day you'll rediscover mountain biking for yourself as a fun recreational activity that doesn't come with an external pressure of any kind.

I've only just found your videos and been loving the honest cornering tutoring as the reality of learning these skills is not as easy as it is portrayed in most MTB videos, especially if you are in your 40's as I am! Just watching this and again I am struck by your genuine, open explanation on a difficult decision. I hope you find happiness and you can still find some enjoyment from riding a bike in the future without the pressure of doing it as a way to fit in. All the best!

its good to have a variety of hobbies, ive found if you focus on just one its easy to burn out, especially if you're obsessed with progression. best of luck

You seem a bit bitter. don't leave a sport and highlight the dangers after just bc you felt it wasn't for you anymore. You followed your heart. I salute you for honesty EMotional entanglement in a video is what happens. There is a life to be lived. Best of luck mate

Thank you so much for sharing this honest and whole hearted reflection. It's a brave and worthy end to a chapter. I've had much joy and inspiration following your work over the years - because you didn't come at it from an angle of an elitist or "core" (if you will), which was relatable for a mid 30's casual weekend warrior without ambitions of realising every inch of potential. And for that, your perspective and contribution will be missed. I wish you all the best in what ever the future holds for you! Cheers!

What you’ve done by stepping away takes an ultimate level of self awareness! Well done for everything you achieved with your channel, good luck with the next chapter 👏

Cheers to you Paul! Thank you for your candor and taking the time to put this together. I think you have a great attitude about the entire thing, and that's going to be the catalyst for a very happy, and meaningful life. Your comments about the mtb community hit home for me, and I've seen it both on the most popular forum, and out on the local trails. Even down to what a person rides, and what they wear. The cult locally are out at night, building double jumps on the hiking trails. The jumps are steep and dangerous, span the width of the trails so riders have to ride over them, whether good enough to jump or not, and the jumps literally pop up over night. So a person may think they know a trail, and know where they can ride faster, etc, and the next time they ride, SURPRISE, there's a set of jumps. On top of that, these are trails that have been for walking/hiking/running for decades. Suddenly the local cult comes through, and "nope, these are for us, and we ride double blue to double black." I ride solo everywhere, because I don't want to be a part of any of it.

Your video with Tracey Hannah is still one of my favourite videos! Thanks for taking us for the ride Paul!🎉

Lol, I still remember the time when the fun in mountain biking was riding up a mountain instead of hiking up. Rolling down was fun too, but mostly on a forrest road. I never understood this whole off road, full speed downhill + jumping crap. I don't want to crash, like ever.

Thanks for taking the time to tell us what’s up. Thanks for all the great info over the years. Good luck in your next adventure

Your whole brand - the thing that was unique to your channel (and that inspired several copy cat channels who are now doing well) is being honest about your skill (or lackthereof) and embracing it; Embracing the journey of learning and challenging yourself and enjoying the activity on those terms. That's how most of us will enjoy these activities, as the consumers who support all of these past times are rarely going to approach professional levels of acumen. There are people who don't get that, and who were jealous/envious. Hell, I was envious - though I was aware of it and wasn't going to hold it against you. I bumped into you once on Squamish trails and gave you a bright 'hey Paul!', and you kind of sheepishly said 'hi' back. I feel bad that your natural interactions out on the trails could have been tainted by some of the vitriol you received due to your youtube work. I kind of got that sense just from that brief interaction. I'm sorry people can be shit. :( On the danger/group ride side of things: I get that there's some clique/tier-ing going on, but it's certainly not everywhere. I often ride with varied skill levels, and our approach has always been *don't * just send it. Always go with your gut, and only try features that you're really feeling. The best riders in the world get to where they are because they've been methodical about risk management. If you're hurt, you can't ride, and if you can't ride, you can't get better. So yeah, you push yourself, but within an envelope. There's definitely the "just send it" crowd, but there are also lots of us who understand the smart approach and live by it. All that said, I think you should feel confident to go after what makes you happy. If it's no longer mountain biking, so be it!

I started mountain biking in 1990. I get what you're saying about it being a tiered hobby. It didn't begin that way. That doesn't bother me as much as the increasing number of "new standards" that makes things obsolete and the outrageous cost of things relative to the complexity. Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate suspension, disc brakes, dropper posts, bigger wheels and better geometry. It's the ever changing bottom bracket, headset, axles, handlebar sizing that are, at best, incremental improvements that phase out existing parts and the tools needed. I find it interesting that all of the manufacturing processes and waste from outdated parts, "damage to the environment" doesn't seem to occur in the minds of the industry/community. While I still occasionally pedal, I'm finding my current 21 year old dirt bike and my local riding community more fun and much less elitist. Keeping up with others on newer KTMs, Huskys, etc is a blast and no one seems to care about what I'm riding.

Sometimes we just fall out of sports and that’s kinda just that. It happened to me with parkour, I got pretty good at it, doing it for 9 years and even getting paid to teach. Then I found MTB and slowly stopped wanting to do flips. And it’s a crappy feeling, like I’m so good at this and it use to be fun and now I don’t want to do it at all. All that work and effort to get better, all the friends I barely see anymore cause I’m not training. It took over a year to just accept I don’t want to do it anymore and I just wanna ride bikes, and that’s okay. Maybe sometime a new hobby will come and take over MTB, but now I know it’s okay to give up on a hobby if I really just rather do something new.

I've been mountain bike riding since the late 1980's. 1.95" tires. No suspension. Like everybody else, I went over the handlebars on almost every descent. But I loved it. I learned about using a helmet only when I began racing cross country (around 89-90). I still enjoy the sport almost as much now as I did back then. Although in a different way. Certainly much better equipment now. I build and maintain local trails with a local group weekly in the summer. I still love epic rides. Traveling to new areas to ride. From smooth singletrack to technical climbs and descents. To me it is mostly a way to enjoy the amazing nearly wild places that surround where I live. I admit that I never got into the man-made-structures theme park style of riding that many enjoy. Where average enthusiasts feel compelled to do things where they may be injured and lose their ability to earn a living. If that is all mountain biking had to offer, then I might also lose interest. Anyhow, my other favorite sports like skiing and whitewater kayaking have gone this extreme-jackass route too. Hell, even playing the guitar has become an extreme sport.

I really wish you would have just said hey I am not really into mtb and that's okay. It's not for me instead of shitting on everyone else who enjoys it. That story you told about being fearful of an accident sounds like anxiety, lack of control in your own life. Can the send it attitude of mtb push too far, sure, but also taking risk and plunging into new things all have risk, and an element of the unknown. Individual's choices are largely their own and your experience in that situation shows more about you then it does those other people.

Thx for the channel and content. You've been entertaining and I appreciate you contribution to the sport. The singing while riding downhill to make you better was one of the best moments on RU-vid in history IMO. Thank you and Cheers!

A. Saw this coming for well over a year. 2. Cautionary tale for all those who believe and preach "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life". Perhaps it's more "Do what you love as a business, you'll grind it out of your heart". And at 27:00 - the main reason my girlfriend and I started watching you was BECAUSE you weren't a top 10% rider. You were WAY more relatable (something my beginner girlfriend needed) to the average rider.

You’ll come back when you’re ready. It’s always there. Seems like it became more than an outlet with all the videos etc. good luck! Happy adventures.

Thank you for keeping it 100 with hs paul you have inspired so so many of us and continue to do so! We will always support you no matter where your adventures take you 🤙

Paul, I can honestly say I’ve loved your vids. The down to earth and “Everyman” journey is what brought me to your channel and I can totally relate. Good luck with everything in the future and let us know if you have a new channel on the new hobby 👍👏🏼

Thank you Paul. Thank you for making content that I really connected with and appreciated because you were different and more relatable than most others. I really looked forward to seeing what you were up to. I am sorry it became a struggle. I was wondering what was up and I really appreciate you taking the time to express yourself and open up about the reasons. I wish you the best and I look forward to seeing what you create in the future but I will miss seeing you. You are one of the few YTers I hoped to run into on the trails somewhere. Take good care.

Bye Paul, thanks for all the content. Wishing you all the best in the future

I started MTB in 2017 ish and have been following the channel since then . Even bought the T shirt:) Thank you so much for everything you have provided the MTB community. It was always refreshing to watch videos from someone I could relate to. I used to push hard on the bike seal out bigger features but ever since I watched a close friend break his neck I have had to dial it back and change my relationship to the sport.

The risk-taking in the sport has become too much. BCPOV is always getting hurt. Yuka damn near paralyzed herself. Seth and Alex have been injured a lot. Remy fractured 3 vertebrae. One of the only riders left standing is BKXC, who keeps it safe.

The "Power of the Crowd" at 30:56 about cost me everything. I am 57 years old. My buddy who is close to my age wanted to do a trail that was not suited for my ability and I went along because of the pressure to do so and not wanting to back down. He gave me the choice to just wait until he did this more difficult loop. I waited for a bit and then just went for it. So my fault. In the first week of June 2023 the person I was mountain biking with stopped for some reason on a steep incline on a narrow trail. When I started back up, I promptly lost my balance and went off a 45 degree cliff and smashed onto big rocks. It was awesome!!! Severely injured my right ankle and left knee. The buddy just blames me because "I didn't have to go". But that group think/power of the crowd makes you feel otherwise. This happened a few years before where I was on a long difficult trail I should not have been on and coming down a steep trail and caught my pedal and flew off the bike and was severely injured. It took me about 8 weeks to walk again and heal after this incident in June 2023 and still my knee is not 100%. My buddy could really give a shit less about it also. I bike alone now on trails/roads that fit my ability. The "Power of the Crowd" can severely injure or even kill you.

Next month; Why I am starting mountain biking again...

I can 100% relate to this video. Especially the part about the send it culture. It can be scary, and no one ever talks about it. I do still mountain bike, but I have reframed my goals around it. I think it takes a lot of courage to walk away from something like Paul has. I wish him luck moving forward and thanks for some really fun entertainment about something I love deeply!!!

Im 60 ill never quit mt bike tell I die

If I was gonna quit. I’d just quit for a day or 2. We all have those days where we feel like shit. There are a lot of ways to make money but I would never recommend insurance fraud.

ADHD IS NOT a disiease! It is something you born with and you have to learn how to handle it on your own. Medication just destroys your true persona, your connection with your soul. Ialso have ADHD, I will be 40 next year and MTB helps me in this crazy world to relax.

That's why it's good to get multiple hobbies. When one stops being fun, discard and allow for a new hobby to enter your life. To each their own.

I feel kind of sorry for people who think that they are mountain biking when they are "sending it", or that they feel that they have to ride "trails" with colours and card symbol designations. I wish they realised that mountain biking can be the equivalent of hiking on steroids, just riding to see what's out there, and to be alone. I feel privileged that I'd lived at places where after a busy day I could hop on my bike, take 20 mins to the local hills and get lost in the forest for an hour. No "sending it", no colours, no trails even. Just nature, fresh air and some wildlife if you are watching carefully. I truly feel sorry for anyone who has not experienced this. (And at the same time, I have no problem with bikeparks and group rides - they are just not for me I guess, most of the time.)

I ride by myself 99% of the time. In fact I do most things by myself. Once you get used to being by yourself, you quickly learn what is truly important to you, and you also get a new perspective on how much actual pressure exists within groups and even countercultures to conform to the group's standards and values. One of the things you learn is that it is not a sin to say "no" to the pressure to take on a challenge you don't think is worth the risk. The irony is that for most people, it takes far more guts to say no and risk expulsion from the herd.

Yes safety 1st but I don’t understand completely quitting unless you never liked it to begin with…

Class act. We always enjoyed your videos and your self depreciating authenticity. Thanks for making this video as opposed to just vanishing from RU-vid. We agree with all you've said here and it's another reminder to us to keep mountain biking fun and not take unnecessary risks. And, when it isn't fun it's time to move on. You will be missed. Best wishes on your future endeavors. Cheers - Karl, Brenda & Pepper.

I just happen to be wearing my Team Slow and Awkward shirt today. I fully understand and support your decision and really commend you for your bravery in opening up to us. I have had many passions over the years and have gone through similar realizations that I was doing something because I thought I should rather than because I wanted to. As an older, not super skilled rider I have really enjoyed your content over the years and wish you all the best in whatever you chose to do in the future.

Hate to hear that you are stopping. I have enjoyed your videos, and wished I could ride as well as you (I am currently recovering from broken left arm. Crashed on a basic simple creek crossing). Best of luck in the future. 1 suggestion, Ignore the haters, they can't stand to be ignored.

I’m not a frequent commenter on RU-vid videos but really feel the need to say a few things. Firstly - Thank you! I have really enjoyed your videos. They are the most relatable mtb videos on RU-vid and the focus on growth from whatever level a rider is at has always been refreshing, honest and more entertaining than most of the shreddits out there. Secondly - Good to hear that you have had the ADHD diagnosed (it was pretty obvious 😉 and I say that as someone with some professional knowledge) but please remember your ADHD was probably responsible for loads of your productivity and was part of what makes your channel special! Finally - do whatever makes you happy. I’ll really miss your videos but wish you all the best wherever you go next.

I think that your friend passing away affected you more than you realize. I had the same experience when a friend passed and suddenly all the things we used to do seemed pointless to do alone. Part of it was memories, part of it was depression. I told myself that I was just too old for those activities now, but I really just missed doing them with my friend.

I recognize a lot of issues you mention here. I started riding when I moved to Canada in 2020. I wanted to be on my bike constantly, even hitting my local trails nearly every day. I don’t feel that anymore for sure, and sometimes get huge mental blocks with features of moves even if I have done them before. But I do ride with a good group of friends; all of which are better than I am. Maybe I’ll catch up someday, maybe I won’t. But I have no issues riding around something I don’t like the look of. I think I like the riding part of biking the least of the whole culture- the bikes, being outside, being with friends- I think I value more. Best of luck to you.

Thank you for all the killer mtb adventures. You and several other youtubers have entertained me, and inspired me. Much luck and happiness in your new ventures

Very surprising to hear your thoughts on the MTB community. My experience has been quite the opposite with people helping me improve and pushing me just enough that I will improve without hurting myself. Everyone I have ran into and talked to on the trails has always been encouraging and helpful if I've had any issue / question about the trail etc. One guy even guided me through a trail system I was new to. It sounds more like the online / RU-vid community brought you down which sucks. There will always be haters on social media, no matter the sport / activity / etc. Anyway I wish you luck in the future, nothing wrong with finding something new that you enjoy more.

People hating on others because of their success blows my mind. You build something special Paul and I wish you all the best in your future pursuits!

I can relate to a lot of this. I had ADHD as a kid and probably still do, but am not currently medicated. I feel like a lot of the reason I mountain bike is because the thrill switches my brain on. I can also relate to the slow drift between hobbies. I was into hobby pyrotechnics for the longest time (something much easier to do in the states!). Got ATF licensed and bought a farm house so I could pursue it seriously. Gradually shifted over to mountain biking and I can't even relate to the old hobby anymore. Part of it was politics (lots of people with 'interesting' views in the world of fireworks...) but mostly, it was just love for mountain biking, and not really having enough room in my brain for both passions. I'm sure something else will take its place someday. Between the two, I can say MTB is definitely more dangerous! I've only singed my eyebrows doing pyro. I've broken bones doing MTB.

I understand. This happened to me with something in the past. Eventually, I found mountain biking. I've always enjoyed your channel and I wish you the best in your new endeavor. The Thrill Is Gone - B.B. King

What is the point of totally quitting something like mountain biking? Life doesn't have to be all or nothing. If you are not feeling it, take a break for a while. It could be months or years even, take the time you need. Too many times people just make this type short sighted "oh I quit" decision as a knee jerk response and that mentality can really mess with your mental health.

Don't know if you'll see this, but thanks for all your work and I'm glad you've made the choice to be happy. Sorry that there were haters, you approached the sport like an everyday person and that's what made your videos so helpful and enjoyable.

I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD till adulthood myself. With medication and counseling life was so much more enjoyable. The best MTB videos are of real people MTB not the pros so much. See others struggle is way more inspirational. Wish you the best on your future endeavors.

Thanks for all the great vids over the years Paul. As others have said there is no point doing something for fun if you don’t enjoy it, find whatever makes you happy & enjoy your life.

Life's too short to not enjoy things you do, if you can make a change for the better then fair play to you! 👏🏼

MATEEEEEEEEEEEE, I was wondering earlier this week how I haven't seen you in ages! Whatever makes you happy and gets you going, I will really miss your videos and personality. You've done something that many of us dream of doing and you made a lot of people happy with your videos something I hope one day, I can emulate. Big Love PTP

I feel like hardcore mountain biking naturally loses it's luster as you get older. No reason to give up bikes and more XC orientated riding for the fun of it :D

This is incredibly relatable. I was recently diagnosed with ADHD as well - the diagnosis and treatment has been absolutely life-changing. I am an optometrist, and I think the analogy of “putting glasses on for the first time” is spot on accurate. Thank you for sharing.

Why cant you admit that you're scared instead of pleading moral superiority?

Thanks for the update. I really enjoyed the video's you made. I will miss your down to earth and keeping it real style. You unpacked a lot of stuff in this video and put a lot of thought into your decision. I wish you all the best on your next chapter in life.