Matt Woodruff is a member of KÜHL's Pro/Elite Cycling Team. He lives in Boise, Idaho with his wife and two daughters. While they may think mountain biking is his life, he tells us that it's his family that completes him.
How did you get into cycling?
I've always loved bicycles, but in 1986/87 mountain bikes showed up in Lander, WY and I was hooked. I first started riding for the adventure and as an excuse to miss classes while I was attending the University of Wyoming. While in Laramie I had lots of friends who tried to get me out to the races, but I wasn’t really interested in the cross country scene at that time. I thought mountain biking was just about the adventure and drinking beer afterwards. In the late 90’s a few of my friends started the Laramie Range Enduro. The race interested me because it covered a lot of my favorite trails around Laramie, and I knew how hard it would be for me to finish. After completing the Enduro I found myself searching for more endurance events. I never looked back.
What do you love about the sport?
That’s a great question. I've been asked that question year after year while I’m out on my bike in the cold of the winter and again in the heat of the summer. It’s what I do. I love where my bike takes me and the thrills I experience along the way. I love fast and flowy single track and the ruggedness of backcountry trails. I love to challenge myself both physically and mentally, and cycling definitely does that for me.
What makes you a KÜHL Kid?How do you live the Mountain Culture?
I think a KÜHL Kid is someone who never loses that childlike feeling of exploration and adventure. There is seriousness when it comes to things we do in the “mountain culture," but at the end of the day we do it because of the pureness and joy, just like a kid would.
What's your most memorable adventure?
My first mountain bike race. I decided to race the Laramie Range Enduro and had to race the final 35 miles with a broken hand.
If you could adventure anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would try to connect with all the different people I've met from around the country and ride their favorite trails.
Who inspires you?
People who cross the finish line hours after the winners.
What is your favorite piece of gear?
Today, that would be between my Salsa Warbird and my Stages power meters.
What's your worst habit?
Being kind of OCD. Ask my wife!
What's your favorite food and drink after an adventure?
Burritos and super hoppy beer.
What's hot/what's not?
Hot: KÜHL men's clothing, Breck Epic Stage Race
Not: Whiners
Do you have any pets? Do you take them on your adventures?
I have two dogs: A very old Golden Retriever, Grady and a busy Jack Russell, Deni
What's the worst injury you sustained from adventuring, and how did you recover?
IT Band syndrome because it never really goes away.
What the fastest speed you’ve ever gone under your own power, assisted by gravity?
My wife and I hit 64 mph once on our tandem on a very steep hill in Oregon.
Genie grants you three wishes and you have five minutes to decide all three. What are they?
Free bikes
Free beer
A bank that gives more time
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?To understand and reason with teenage girls so I can help my wife keep her sanity in the next few years.What’s your favorite thing about KÜHL?
My favorite thing about KÜHL is that they make men's clothing that works for me. I can wear it to work and also depend on it being durable enough for everything else I do.
What’s your favorite piece of KÜHL clothing?
My favorite piece of KÜHL clothing lately has been my Spyfire Hoody. I love that jacket!
If your best friend already had your favorite piece of KÜHL gear, what would you recommend to him that functions just as well playing outside as it does in the bar at the end of the day?Another favorite of mine is the Radikl Short and Radikl Pants. They definitely can handle playing outside all day, and it's stylish enough to wear to the bar.
