SearchYour cart is currently empty!
Leila Raposo Talks Starting in BMX and Moving Past Nerves to Nail Tricks
by
Leila Raposo is a RAD BMX girl from the Toronto area—and in addition to shredding at the bike park, she’s mid-way through her yoga teacher training, making her one of the coolest girls I know, all-around. (She’s also good friends with fellow Joyride150 regulars like Desi Smith and Kierstyn Williams!)
Before we dive into her interview, if you’re in the Toronto area, make sure you’re RSVPed to the Shred Girls Launch Party on May 11, 2019, at Joyride150—$5 entry for women and tons of swag and giveaways!
When did you start riding? What got you into Joyride?
My boyfriend was a big factor in me getting into BMX. He has been riding for a good chunk of his life but I hadn’t really been on a bike since I was a kid. About a year ago, he suggested we check out Joyride 150, the indoor bike park near Toronto, and I was excited but mostly terrified! I rented a bike and rolled around the park a bunch, didn’t really have a clue what I was doing but I had fun!
When did you decide you wanted to start riding more seriously?
I didn’t really think too much about BMX until I went to X-Jam, a BMX competition in Toronto. At this point I had been to Joyride 150 a few times. I had a blast cheering on my boyfriend and watching all the pros ride, but what really stood out to me was this was the first time I saw other women riding BMX, not even just competitively, but at all! I was inspired by how awesome and rad all the riders were and it occurred to me then that this wasn’t just a sport for the guys, this was something I could get into. I bought my own bike a few weeks after that!
Favorite part about riding?
This is a hard one. I’m going to cheat a little and name two things! The first part is the confidence I’ve gained from riding. People ask me all the time why I ride BMX, why risk an injury to ride bikes!? I have the hardest time trying to explain to them the feeling that you get when you finally land a trick that has taken you hours, days, WEEKS to land, or when you encounter a quarter or a bowl that you can’t imagine possibly dropping into, but then you do it anyways! Even when I don’t land the trick or get any air, I’m still proud that I had the guts to try! It’s also rewarding to see yourself progress. Even though I still have lots to learn, when I look back on clips of myself from a year ago, there’s so much I’ve learned in the span of a year, which motivates me to see what I could accomplish in another year.
The second part is the community. As silly as it might sound, the online community (#bmxgirl) has made a huge difference in my riding. By posting pictures and videos of myself riding I’ve been able to connect with other women all around the world riding BMX, and have even had the chance to ride with a few in real life! I’m normally the only girl at my skatepark so it’s nice to connect with other girls who feel the same way! It makes my day when I get a message from a girl telling me that I’ve inspired them to try riding BMX. I’ve also received a lot of support and have received some great tips for certain tricks that I just haven’t been able to get.
Least favorite part about riding?
Falling! I’m kidding (kind of). I’ve only a had a few bad falls luckily, but I think falling is a sign that you’re trying. BMX is all about getting out of your comfort zone so I think you’re bound to wipe out from time to time, even if you’re a pro! Just remember to wear a helmet and pads before you send it!
Have you made friends through racing? (If so, any tips for talking to new people? I’m always scared of that—so is the main character in the first Shred Girls book!)
Yes!! I’ve made both real life and online friends through BMX! Meeting new friends in person can feel more difficult but I’ve been in a lot of situations where I was travelling or biking and I didn’t know anyone. It’s scary to approach people at first but I’ve learned to just remind myself that we’re all human, we’re all just figuring things out as we go, some people are just better at hiding it than others. If I see another girl at the skate park or Joyride 150, the easiest thing to do is simply to say hi. Compliment their bike or their helmet or whatever you think is cool about them! You already have something in common, your love of bikes, and chances are they might be just as nervous as you, or even if they’re a veteran biker, they’ll remember what it was like to be in your shoes. I like to ask people how long they’ve been biking, it’s an easy way to start a conversation and you’ll learn a bit about their BMX journey too! Instagram is also a great tool for meeting new friends, because of the online BMX community I’ve made friends from all over the world and have gotten to ride with some of the more local ones! I love following other girl riders and seeing their progress, it’s also great inspiration for your own riding!
Coolest trick or accomplishment you’ve had with riding?
I still consider myself a beginner so there’s still lots I’d like to learn! That being said I would have to say that a moment that stands out to me is the first time I dropped into a bowl. I was TERRIFIED. The bowl at my local skatepark is fairly deep and I sat there and stared at it for a while before I mustered up the courage to drop in. I find my brain always goes to the worst-case scenario, like ‘what if I catch my wheel and slip in’, ‘what if I go flying over the handlebars?’, and I just had to turn my brain off, put my helmet on and just go for it. I had a few friends there cheering me on so that also helped a lot! Once I dropped in, I realized it really wasn’t as bad as I made it out to be and now it’s one of my favourite things to do!
What does a week of training/riding look like for you?
Really depends on the season! In the summer I’m out riding almost every day. I cross-train with other bikes, I love cycling and mountain biking too! I also ensure to incorporate lots of yoga into my training, I’m actually currently working towards my certification to teach yoga! In the summer it’s lots of riding, cardio and yoga! In the winter it’s a bit harder for me to get out and ride, I try to make it to Joyride 150 a few times a month if I can but it’s a few hours away from me. So, my training this winter has been lots of yoga with some added strength training sessions at the gym to build up muscle.
Best tip for someone your age or younger who’d love to get started riding/racing, but doesn’t know anyone else to ride with?
I’d say just go! Try and find a club or a park, or somewhere where you know other people will be riding. It’s scary to do things alone but remember that other people will be there who are interested in the same activity as you! You already have something in common! Don’t let the fear of doing something alone scare you out of trying something new. Don’t rob yourself of that experience. I can almost guarantee if you just show up, everything else will fall into place.
Best tip for tackling a scary section in a bike park, i.e the pump track for someone super new to riding?
I’m a big worrier so this was hard for me. I’m quick to think of everything that could possibly go wrong. Take the precautions of protecting yourself in the case you do fall (wear a helmet and pads) and then instead of thinking of what could go wrong, try to picture how it would look if you got it right. Envision yourself hitting the jump or flying through the pump track, and then go for it!
Absolute favorite piece of gear?
My bike! It was love at first sight!
Follow Leila on Instagram here (and make sure you’re following Shred Girls too!)
