Chris Albanese

Pedal Montclair: What do you ride? 

Chris: Pivot Mach 429SL – I take advantage of its versatility.  Right now I have it set up as a 27.5 PLUS and loving it, insane fun! Come race season I’ll convert to a 29er race weapon!

Pedal Montclair: Favorite places to ride? Why? 

Chris: I grew up riding Ringwood A LOT! Ringwood captures everything I love about riding…being challenged, super techy with lots of climbing.  It never disappoints!  More local to Montclair, I love riding “south of 280.”  It’s an amazing place to get good mileage in, you can string together really nice loops and you don’t feel like you’re in NJ! 

Pedal Montclair: Where would you go on your ultimate biking trip?

Chris:  I have two, BALI and SQUAMISH BRITISH COLUMBIA – BOOM!  

Pedal Montclair: Advice to any new comers? 

Chris: Get out there as much as possible and get hooked!  You’ll quickly find that mountain biking isn’t just a sport or hobby, it’s also a way of life!  If you start young, you can take the riding adventure with you your entire life.  I made the mistake of taking a hiatus when I got in to more competitive sports but I never lost the love for it!  It’s more than just a physical activity, it’s the ultimate therapy for me!

Pedal Montclair: Who's your favorite rider? 

Chris: This is a bit of a throwback – Hans Rey.  As a child I would watch his videos all night long, I was totally enamored by his ability and what he did on a bike. I wanted to be exactly like him minus the ponytail.  Trials riding was a major part of what I did as a kid, he doesn’t know it but he taught me a lot! Countless hours were spent at Montclair State University practicing, I attempted to mimic everything he did and all of it transfers over to trail riding.  Positioning on a bike, balancing and steadiness on trails. Thanks Hans!