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Mons Royale logo - represents our unique view from the bottom of the worldMons Royale logo - represents our unique view from the bottom of the world

The Nitty Gritty on Conor Macfarlane, Mons Athlete and Freeride Legend

Born in Scotland and raised in New Zealand, Conor Macfarlane has become a household name in the freeride mountain biking world and a fixture in Mons’ team of athletes for...

11 years ago, Mons Royale founder, Hamish Acland, began searching for someone to represent the brand as it started making waves in the mountain bike scene. Enter: Conor Macfarlane, at the time pulling some incredible stunts out of Queenstown (still is) and soon to be taking on the world at large freshly kitted out in Mons Merino.

Conor's love for biking came from humble beginnings - his daily school commute. "On the way, there would be a little side hit, and we’d all be hitting it. In high school, it really locked in. I had a crew of people that we’d rip around with, and the rest is history." Nowadays, Conor’s taste in riding spots has changed slightly. You’re more likely to find him up Coronet Peak after some rain, although he considers all the semi-legal tracks up Queenstown Hill the best. “Nice and steep."

Win some, lose most.

Like the man himself, Conor’s motto is straightforward and relatable - “win some, lose most”. Mountain biking, like most sports, can be humbling on the best of days, something Conor’s no stranger to. A more recent attempt at advising his mates on the finer points of flipping a suicide no-hander didn’t go quite as planned. Within 24 hours, his own advice was out the window as he ended up having a crash flipping that very same trick... in front of those very same mates. For this he labels himself as “really good at dishing advice but not so great at following it…” but it’s good to know that even the best of them can stuff it up sometimes.

Having been with Mons for the long ride, you’d expect Conor’s seen (and used) some gear. “I’ve had a pair of pants forever I call my faff pants - I think they were called the Flight pants back in the day but now, the new prototype riding pants (ssh, more on this soon) just because they’re super comfy paired with a standard Icon t-shirt. ”
Conor’s contagious passion has seen him become a staple of the freeride mountain biking community. With some exciting projects on the go and a pending appearance at Crankworx, Conor’s always one to keep tabs on as he pushes limits, innovates and helps drive the sport forward.
Check out Conor's most recent biking and advice-giving antics in MACGOOMES, a hybrid shr-edit-mentary featuring fellow Mons Royale team rider Robin Goomes.

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