Jakub is a Czech enduro rider who joined our bike team last year, as well as the HF crew within bike marketing. We talked about his beginnings in fourcross, his best bike achievements in enduro, his new job position, and what it's like to be a new father. You'll definitely be hearing a lot more about Jakub within HF, so don't miss the following interview!
Hello Jakub, please introduce yourself to start with.
My name is Jakub Říha, I was born in Písek in South Bohemia, but I have been living in Prague for the last 10 years. I am 31 years old, I studied graphic design, and since last year, I have been part of the HF team both as a team rider and professionally.
What are you currently responsible for at HF from a work position perspective?
I am in charge of bike marketing since I understand cycling and know the community well. As I still ride, compete, and use HF bike products, I also contribute to the design and production of bike collections.
Now let's move on to biking. How and when did you get into it?
I got into biking when I was 7 years old. My parents had (and still have) a motorcycle shop, and biking was supposed to be my way into motorcycles. But in the end, I stuck with biking. I started on a classic BMX, then got a mountain bike, and from the age of 15, I began riding MTB. I started competing in fourcross, where I achieved my best biking results. In 2019, I finished 3rd at the World Cup, and I was the champion of Europe and the Czech Republic. Later, I also dabbled in downhill, but I found it would be challenging to combine with school at the time, so I smoothly transitioned to enduro riding. It can be trained practically anywhere and it's more diverse, so it was easier for me to balance it with school and work. And I still compete in enduro to this day.
Why did you quit fourcross when you were so successful in it?
The initial impulse for the change was, that the World Cup was discontinued in fourcross. Consequently, sponsors also started to back away, as did interest in this bike discipline. We wanted to compete at the highest possible level, so we all spread out among other bike disciplines. The guys I used to compete with in fourcross, I later competed against in downhill, and today we meet in enduro. But I think if the World Cup hadn't been discontinued in fourcross, I would still be dedicating myself to it today.
So, are you currently only focusing on enduro?
Yes, essentially, I am now only focused on enduro. A professional career might already be out of reach for me, although that can also be a matter of perspective. There are racers who are at the top even at the ages of 35-40, so age might not be an issue. However, I always put school and work first. Sport was always more of a hobby for me; I never lived off it, nor did it ever seem to be a realistic option in the near future. Maybe only when I was 17 years old and nothing else but biking interested me. It looked promising, but it was a different time; social media weren't as important, everyone only looked at the results. Brands that could have supported me then said they would wait a few years to see how things turned out. By that time, there was a boom in supporting young guns - young talents, and I, paradoxically, was already grown up. When I started, it wasn't trendy yet. I'm from the generation that had to prove their results first and then ask for support. Today, young people can create interesting content on social media and don't need to have significant results behind them to get support.
How do enduro competitions work?
Enduro is a very complex discipline. In a day, you complete five downhill runs, during which your time is measured. This time is then summed up to create your total time. If one stage doesn't go as planned, you still have a chance to catch up in the others. This is different from the downhill discipline, where one mistake can ruin the entire result. In addition, in enduro, you have to climb the hill yourself, which is physically quite demanding. Usually, without the help of a lift, you have to reach the top of a circuit that's 30 to 40 km long, meaning you are on your own. You need to take enough fluids, food, and be prepared for everything that comes your way. Physical fitness and proper distribution of energy are key. Enduro requires being a versatile rider who can handle various conditions during the race, and it's this complexity that makes enduro a challenging but interesting discipline.
What does training for enduro competitions involve?
It's definitely a combination of strength training in the gym, interval training focused on dynamics, and certainly road cycling too, because you need to have enough kilometers under your belt to handle it with your legs. These are the three basic segments you need to train to be able to compete in enduro races. Without that, it's not possible. I think most racers do this, and then it's up to each individual how they distribute their training, based on which some will excel in endurance and others in strength or dynamics.
Where is your home spot, where you usually train?
There are quite a lot of places for riding around Prague. There's also a huge community of enduro riders who ride on local trails. I often go to Točná, which is basically a forest park full of paths and trails. It's literally behind my house, so I go there most often. Then there are, for example, the hills in the Brdy mountains, which are just a bit away from Prague. There are also quite a lot of trails there, and it's not far for me.
If you had to sum it up, what has been your biggest success in enduro to date?
In 2019, I won the entire Czech enduro series, and overall it was the year when I was "unbeatable." I managed to win most of the races I entered. Last year, I finished fourth overall in the Czech enduro series, which is not too bad considering my son was born in January (last year). And then maybe I should also mention finishing 35th in the World Cup. Although it's not something that would make a mark on the world, being the best among the Czechs at that moment was also pleasing.
What do you do when it's not possible to ride? For example, during the winter.
I try to ride all year round here in the Czech Republic, and when that's not possible, I go somewhere warmer. It's important not to stop riding to not lose the control and speed you've built up on the bike. But if it's really not possible, I like to go out on a snowboard or ski mountaineering. This year will be the first time doing it with the little one on my back, so it'll be a bit different, but I'm looking forward to it. And overall, I enjoy camping and the lifestyle associated with it, so I always look forward to swapping enduro for gravel, taking the family, and going camping somewhere to enjoy the time spent together.
That sounds great! You have it a bit tougher than freestyle riders who have halls where they can train all winter. You as enduro or downhill riders basically have to either travel or simply not ride for a while, right?
Yes, or there's also the option to ride in bad weather. Riding in adverse conditions, whether it's mud or snow, is excellent training. Even though you might not feel like it at first, heading out in such conditions can be very beneficial. You never know when these experiences will come in handy because riding under ideal conditions isn't that big of a challenge, and getting used to riding in more difficult conditions can only help. Real training starts when you head out on your bike at a time when you normally wouldn't. Enduro offers a certain advantage in this regard because the physical activity of pedaling can warm you up even during colder months. It doesn't have to be all-day rides, but even two hours can provide valuable training and keep you in touch with the bike.
Since last year, you've been part of the Horsefeathers bike team. How do you evaluate this experience so far?
I perceived Horsefeathers' return to the bike scene very positively. Before I was part of the team, I followed it and was curious about what it would look like and who would be part of it. The selection of riders more or less did not surprise me, as the whole brand is oriented towards freestyle, and the composition of riders reflected that. And as for me, I feel like I'm a bit out of this line since I'm more of a racer than a freestyler. But precisely on this, I would like to work within my position at HF and slowly help expand our roster of riders. To have a bit of everything, freeride riders like Gaspi, freestyle riders like Teo Kováč, freestyle/influencers like Tomáš Zejda, and also more racers like myself. And of course, I would like to focus on young guns, young promising bike riders, because I remember growing up on events like Kozy style and similar, which Horsefeathers supported at the time, and I really enjoyed it. I'd like to bring that a bit closer to the younger bike generation. So far, I evaluate my participation in the HF team positively; I've known the other riders for a long time, and after our first joint photoshoot last year, I'm sure this collaboration will be beneficial and also bring us a lot of fun.
Last year you became a father. How do you perceive this so far? And do you think that your son will be a biker as well?
It's definitely a new stage of life and a big change. Maybe not as big as for my partner, but definitely a new perspective on things. My priorities have changed a lot, and failure at competitions is not as important anymore, compared to us being there together as a family. That compensates for it. It's something new for both of us, but we looked forward to it, and I'm glad for it. And whether he'll be a biker? I hope so, but we'll see, we'll support him in whatever he wants to do.
To wrap it up, can you share your plans for this season regarding biking?
This year, there's quite a lot on the agenda, thanks in part to everything that awaits us at HF bike events. We'll be almost everywhere, whether it's the Czech Enduro Series, Blinduro races, or the biggest bike festivals, we'll be there with a Horsefeathers booth. And I'll be racing everywhere, planning to go through the entire Czech Enduro Series, all the Blinduro races, and I'd also like to participate in the Enduro World Cup in nearby Poland.
JAKUB'S TOP BIKE PRODUCTS
Peyton jacket - I like the fit of this jacket, which doesn't restrict my movement, the hood can be pulled over a helmet, and it fulfills its function of protecting against adverse weather conditions 100%.
Fury bike T-shirt - A versatile jersey that is comfortable, and I like to wear it when riding with friends.
Stoker shorts - They are stretchy, ideal for enduro riding, and meet my expectations.
Scorpio photochromic glasses - When enduro riding, light conditions often change, frequently moving from light to shadow, and these glasses are ideal for that.
