Harry Barret
Intro
Harry Barret’s early years saw him in an place which exposed him to easy access to riding. He fully acknowledges the value of those environments and how they’ve facilitated a path for his riding to develop into the inspiring style we see today, he’s shifted his surroundings recently again in the form of moving from the UK to Whistler, where he’s clearly loving having his environment shape further who he is.
Photos by Andy Lloyd, ChapterCreate, Brendan McClennon and Stu Costello
Describe yourself in one line:
Dayum, I'm stumped at the first question, haha. I hate trying to describe myself or big myself up. But if i had to describe myself it would be, that i always try to find happiness in anything i'm doing.
What did your early years that moulded you look like?
Man, my early years were a very mixed bag. Growing up on a farm I always wanted to be a farmer or something that involved machines of some sort, basically big toys, still applies to this day but instead of tractors it's diggers and wanting to build big jumps. I wasn’t the most popular in school and to be honest I wasn't too fussed and I had great riding mates I could meet up with on the weekends and evenings in the summer. Me and my cousin would meet up occasionally and we started riding bikes in the local woods and building little jumps. It was at this point I realised my love for riding bikes. I was very fortunate to live where I lived as I was surrounded by bikes. I had the Dirt office down the road and all the rad guys who worked there living pretty much next door. I can step out of my front door and within 5 minutes be at the start of a trail. There was no escaping it which is rad as fuck. I always remember coming home from school (even in winter when it gets dark early) getting changed into riding gear then pedalling my old DH to the top of the trails for a hero lap down then home for dinner. Over the years the bikes I chose to use to pedal got a bit nicer, but man, lugging a 40lbs DH bike to the top of your local trails will definitely make you a man. From then on I rode as much as I could and there wasn’t a free moment that didn't involve some sort of bike riding.
You have a past where you forayed into racing more so, how did those years play out for you?
I have always loved racing. The adrenaline you get out of it and being able to see mates that you don’t see every weekend is sick. For me when i'm riding i always love trying to find lines that make a section easier or harder so racing naturally falls into that category of riding. Over the years I managed to work my way up to an expert level rider. After coming back from Canada the previous time, I was put back into senior category due to not having enough points to stay in expert, which I did pretty well that year where I only missed out on one podium at every race I did. Now some people may call me a ‘sandbagger’ and all that. But hey, I didn’t make the rules, haha.
Not doing so much racing now how do you reflect back on those years? Do you have a different outlook, attitude and approach to how you previously were?
For me racing just isn’t the same as it used to be. Don’t get me wrong, I still love everything about it, but I think my mindset has changed. I will still race when I can but I’m just not as involved as I used to be. It’s a whole lotta money for a season and my mind set now is ‘Well think of the places i could go and ride with those funds’. Racing will always be a part of me and the competitive edge is there. I still have a race with other cars on the road, even if they don't know anything about it, yes I’m lame as. I know some people who are race only type of people which yes, i was one of them and i totally get it. For some people it's a career in the bike world and what a sick career it would be. I was never fast enough for that which is fine by me as my approach to riding/ racing is just purely fun, and having that attitude has actually helped improve my riding massively. Instead of going out riding and trying to ride as fast as i can at everything, I’ve ended up riding lines that look fun or challenging, even if it means taking a slow or longer line, get creative and explore new ways on your bike.
Photo by Andy Lloyd
What does biking mean to you currently?
Biking has been a part of my life for so long now that I don’t really know anything else. It’s brought me my best friends and so many adventures with it. I don’t know where I would be without it. If the world gets a bit too hectic then I know I can get on my bike and escape. As long as I’m on the bike doing things that make me smile then I’m stoked. I think a lot of people can get caught up with trying to be the best, which is cool but you can easily lose the love and reasons why you started this sport in the first place. I always remember that movie Fox made a few years ago ‘Ride Your F#%king Bike’, which those words have always stuck with me. Just go ride your fucking bike! This doesn’t mean I don’t go out and push myself, I’m always finding new sketchy ways to push myself, for example, I’ve been trying to get myself in awkward situations and seeing if i can ride out of them 90% of the time it ends in failure but hey, you’re not progressing if you’re not crashing.
Photo by ChapterCreate
How does that differ from what it may have meant to you previously?
Back when I was racing it was all about racing and being the fastest, which also resulted in me losing the love for racing. There was one point I was racing every weekend for months and its tough, god knows how the World Cup boys and girls do it! I moved to Whistler in 2017, which was so sick, but during winter it also made me not ride my bike due to the snow. At first I was bummed out that I couldn’t ride but skiing filled a void for a bit. Having a forced break from bikes taught me that sometimes It’s good to have a little break and come back with a fresh head. That is a very personal feeling towards it, i know some people who just can just keep riding and riding. But for me I like to break it up with a few days off in between if i can.
You moved to Whistler, Canada, how did that move first come about?
Bike park of course. Best place in the world in my mind. It’s always been somewhere I wanted to visit, so in 2017 I applied for my work visa and when that got accepted I made the move there.
Photo by Stu Costello
What eye openers were you exposed to in your first stint there?
Just how big the riding scene is out there. I knew from before that it was big but I wasn't expecting this. Even on the mountain alone there were so many trails that even in one season you couldn’t get to them all. There is also a vibe that is given off in Whistler which is rad, everyone is there for the same reason, to be up that mountain. The trucks people drive too, man they are big!
Any other unusual tales or stories that are shareable from that timeframe?
One morning I was super hungover/ still drunk, as I was leaving mine to go catch the bus, I opened the door, looked outside and said to myself ‘ha, that’s a pretty big dog’ . Turns out it was a massive black bear within touching distance to me. Pretty cool to be that close but also a bit worrying haha.
What was the work/life/living/riding balance like for you living in Whistler?
I managed to get it pretty dialed in. Obviously living in a resort town has its downfalls, one being the cost of living, but for me as long as I was out riding my bike and could have enough money to live and enjoy life then I was happy. Money means fuck all to me. Work was rad, I was/ still working in a shop in town called McCoos. It’s right at the base of the mountain. The owner is a rad guy and super down to earth so if I needed time off to ride my bike then I could do so. Winter was a bit tricky for riding bikes due to the amount of snowfall. Unfortunately I didn’t have a car to get away from the snow the first year, so ended up skiing all winter which filled a void between summers.
Photo by Brendan McClennon
What then made you move back to the UK?
Plain and simple, I ran out on my visa so I had to go home.
How did you find yourself getting into trail building?
I’ve always loved getting my hands dirty and getting creative. When I go out on trail rides or even driving around, I’m always looking to see what the landscape has to offer. You can create a feature or a trail and there is no greater feeling than that first ride after completing it. I was lucky enough to have a rad group of mates back home that shared the same interest. We would sometimes just go and build a few turns and play on them all day and to be honest with you, they were my favourite days riding. Out in the woods with the boys, chatting shit and building sick shit to ride.
What projects have you been involved with digging that stand out?
During the first lockdown me and my brother (Seth Barrett) were very lucky to have the opportunity to build a line at a local bike park called Redhill. Something we have never done before. It was a huge learning curve. Before we had only built with shovels and hands but this we were let loose in diggers. There were lots of going back over and doing it again to make it right. We put our heart and soul into making it right. Got to give a huge shout out to my bro who was a human wacker plate for it, he shaped everything by hand and made it look amazing while i was getting the digger stuck most of the time. We are no experts like JP Sculpt, who you featured in your last Gnarrative, just two kids wanting to build some jumps.
You’ve amassed a slew of sponsors, how did those relationships come about?
Yeah I’m super stoked that my sponsors would want to have someone like me in their brands, but hey, will take it. I think it goes back to where I live, which has such a sick biking network, so I was able to meet with all these rad people behind the brands. I’ve really tried to push my riding the past few years which I think is paying off. But just on the note of sponsors i just want to say a massive thank you to everyone that has backed me up so far, really appreciate the support.
What’s the story behind your recent return to Whistler?
Coming home last time from that dream land, I was actually looking forward to coming back, seeing old faces and reconnecting with family. I had an amazing 2019 year of racing and riding my bike, but there was something in the back of my mind that was saying this place isn’t for me anymore. The dreaded Covid hit then that was the decider, So I messaged my old boss and he was more than happy to help me out and get me back.
Photo by Brendan McClennon
How difficult was it for you to move in the midst of covid?
Dude, the worst. It took me 1.5 years to get out there. Between world wide lockdowns and all the other stuff going on with Covid, it was driving me mad. When me and my wife were able to head out we were still hit with 1000’s of obstacles, Covid tests, getting jabs quicker than expected, flights, quarantines, the list goes on. You should have seen the amount of paperwork we had to take with us to the airport, it wasn’t even funny. We spent a lot of money getting out here and I would still say, worth it.
What do you do for work now in Whistler?
I work back in McCoos, working with a rad group of guys and girls and I am stoked.
How’s the work/life/living/riding balance like now for you? Any noticeable changes since your last stint in Whistler?
We’ve settled back into the Whis life nicely now and are finding our flows. I’m loving the job I’m in as I get to meet some interesting characters. We’ve been very fortunate to find our own place located in creekside, which is a 10 minute cycle into the village. Unfortunately the park is coming to an end soon but that’s not the end of the world, as then its trail bike time which I’m really looking forward to. It’s definitely different from before as we still have Covid regulations to follow and there is a serious shortage of staff in town so lots of places are only open on set days of the week. The park has had new features since I was last here and I think they are sick. The thing about Whistler is that every season there is a new crowd of people so It’s always changing.
Photo by Brendan McClennon
What are your current vessels and how have you gone about curating those builds so they’re uniquely yours?
My current vessels are both Forbidden bikes and they are sicker than a dog's asshole. Couldn’t be more stoked to be riding for me.
My park bike is a Forbidden Dreadnought (large), I like to call it the little bike with a big personality. With only 153mm of travel in the rear but absolutely rips the park. She’s also a mullet set up which I do think is the way to go. You wouldn’t even know It’s a short travel bike riding it. She’s kitted out with Burgtec components, Crankbrothers, Sram & Rockshox, Maxxis, Mudhugger and to finish it off wrapped in RideWrap.
My trail bike is a Forbidden Druid (large), This bike still blows my mind to this day, how can it be 130mm of travel and rip!? I’ve also got it set up as a mullet bike. She too is kitted out with Burgtec and Crankbrother components but I’ve got Fox suspension and Shimano brakes and gearing.
What’s your current approach to riding?
Riding is all about fun. If you’re not out having fun on your bike then what’s the point, take up knitting. Go and fuck about in the woods with mates, do stupid shit and get roudy. Like I said before I like to push my riding in different ways, like how long can I hold this drift before I crash or, trying push myself to go as fast as i can but I now look at it instead of thinking ‘I need to be faster than everyone else’ I just think ‘I want to be faster than myself’. When it comes to crashing, It does suck but not much you can do about it, It’s a part of the sport we love to do. Just get back up, rub the dirt off and get back to it. I’m pretty stoked that my mind set on crashing is chill, I don’t want it to happen but it might and you’ve just got to accept that. I love all sorts of riding, even big days in the saddle, you asked me that a few years ago and it would have been a different answer.
What are your proudest achievements to date?
One of my proudest achievements was doing a Mercedes advert, what a rad experience. One week fully paid for to go out to Finale, Italy to shoot a video with your best bud, oh and get paid for it. It was something I'm super proud of and stoked to have been a part of it. What i would say is I’ve got more experiences i am proud of more than achievements. The experiences I’ve had over the years have been amazing. From travelling around Europe to getting married and moving to Canada. The list is endless. What I would like to say is a huge thanks to all the people along the way that have made those Experiences truly amazing and I look forward to plenty more in my lifetime.
Do you have any go too’s for inspiration for riding?
Oh yeah I do, Bryn Atkinson. The dude is unreal to watch on the bike, How does he get into those shapes and ride so fast!? I’ve also been a huge fan of Stevie Smith. His mind set on riding is so good and it's someone who has inspired my mind set for riding up to date.
Are there any people out there that have had a big influence on who and where you are today?
My mum and dad. They’ve shaped me into the person I am today and I couldn't be more grateful, big respect to them. My wife also, she’s had a wild life to put it lightly but has come out on top and is absolutely killing the bike game. Only been riding for 9 months and sending stuff that I wouldn't even dream of 9 months into riding. She’s made me realise that i need to pull my finger out and push myself more haha.
Photo by Brendan McClennon
What are your plans for the future?
Just keep enjoying my life and the people that are in it. Riding bikes and being a child at heart.
