MEET THE RIDERS AND THEIR RIDES: RÉMY MÉTAILLER AND HIS PROPAIN TYEE
Not your average rider
Rémy Métailler and his Propain Tyee
Photos by Trevor Lyden
Rémy Métailler is not your average rider. After growing up in France, he moved to Whistler, British Columbia, in 2013. He was planning to ride mountain bikes in the summer, ski in the winter, and work in the bike industry. Unable to find a marketing job in the bike industry, he accepted an offer to become a pro mountain biker instead.
Métailler has since become one of the top freeriders in the world. When last we checked, as we were working on this article, he had 283,000 fans following him on his YouTube channel. If you get a chance, check out some of his videos there, where you can see him riding down some of the steepest and scariest lines in the Whistler/Squamish area of British Columbia, and also in Sedona, Arizona.
Rémy’s skills are so highly regarded that he has been invited to compete in the Red Bull Rampage four times so far. His best finish there was 10th place. Even though Rémy has never won Rampage, the riders that he’s beaten there at one time or another have included Brett Rheeder, Kyle Strait, Cam Zink and Brandon Semenuk—four of the greatest Rampage riders in history who have a total of eight Rampage wins in their careers so far.
Read on to learn more about Rémy and the bike that Remy says he rides the most, his Propain Tyee.
INSIDE THE PROS’ BIKES
Rémy Métailler’s Propain Tyee
Frame:
“I use the Propain Tyee the most. It’s light and fun but knows how to ride fast and down anything! I use a 29-inch frame, size medium, with an angle set to make the bike 0.5 degrees steeper. My Tyee is the carbon one (CF). I run it as a mullet [29-inch front, 27.5-inch rear tires].”
Fork: DVO Suspension Onyx SC, 180mm.
“Lots of adjustability. I can eat the small impacts like the big one!
Tires.
“I use the famous combo, 29 x 2.5-inch Assegai front and 27.5 x 2.4-inch DHR II rear from Maxxis, 3C Maxx Grip and Double Down casing front and back.”
Tire sealant: E*thirteen Plasma.
“I never top it out, and I reuse it when I change the tires.”
Rims: E*thirteen, LG1r En.
“Light and super reliable. I never have to worry about breaking one.”
Brakes: Hayes Dominion A4 with sintered pads and 203mm discs.
“Super powerful, reliable, and great modulation. I never bleed them, and they are always consistent.”
Handlebar.
“OneUp Components, 35mm rise bars, five up, eight back. Great style and comfort.”
Grips.
“Ergon GE1 Enduro, size regular with factory rubber. Perfect diameter and precision for me. I love the ergonomic shape to help with arm pump on the long downhills.”
Bottom bracket: BSA
Pedals: Time Speciale 12.
“They release easily but never by accident. The spring is very progressive, so I know when I’m about to unclip. The ATAC system also gets rid of the mud well.
Cranks: Rotor Kapic, 175mm.
Chainring: Rotor, 30t
“I use a 30t oval chainring for more traction on the technical uphills.”
Shifter: Shimano XT, 12-speed
Rear derailleur: Shimano XT, 12-speed
Cassette: e*thirteen, 9-46, Helix R
Chain: KMC 12sl.
“I usually change it once a year for safety but have never broken one.”
Chain lube.
“WD40 Bike Wet or Dry, depending on the weather.”
Saddle.
“Ergon SM Enduro with Ti rails and oil-slick finish for the style! I use the size small/medium and no chamois.”
Seatpost.
“OneUp Components, 180mm, but I use it as a 170mm on my Tyee.”
Headset: Works Components Angle Set.
Shock: DVO Topaz with 180 psi, two volume spacers.
Stem: OneUp, 35mm length.
“I run my bars pretty high for my size to help me in the steep bits or big compression.”
Extras:
“I use an e*thirteen TRS Guide and STFU chain damper system.”
Head angle: 64 degrees
Seat tube angle: 77 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 332mm (13.07”)
Wheelbase: 1230mm (48.43”)
Weight of complete bike: 14.5 kilograms (32 pounds)
Estimated value of bike: €10,000 ($10,643)
RIDERS PROFILE
Name: Rémy Métailler
Nickname: “Remdog”
Age: 31
Birthdate: November 30, 1990
Birthplace: Grasse, France
Height: 170 cm (5-foot-7)
Weight: 63 kilograms (139 pounds)
Shoe size: 41
Helmet size: S
Waist: 30
Marital status: Single
Current home: Squamish
House: One house at the bottom of the best trails in the world!
Cars: Ford F150
Started racing: 20
Turned pro: 23
Racing specialty: Freeride
Favorite course (North America): Whistler
Favorite course (Europe): Are
Favorite food: All types of food! Indian, Italian, French, Thai—everything.
Goals: Keep doing what I love for as long as I live and impact positively the people around me.
Heroes: Anyone who has been a leader in his or her field.
Favorite recording artist: Daft Punk
Favorite movie: The Untouchables
Favorite hobbies: Moto, ski
Jobs held (other than racer): Not much
Most embarrassing moment: Too many to remember just one…
Always takes on a trip: On a bike trip, all I take is my bike gear, my GoPro and some sunscreen!
What you would be if you were not a racer: I would be a skier, hopefully, or would have a job in marketing in the bike industry—or maybe a bakery.
MBA Q&A:
MBA: Where did you grow up?
Rémy: Nice, France.
MBA: What kind of work do your parents do?
Rémy: Administrative work.
MBA: Who taught you how to ride a bike?
Rémy: My dad.
MBA: When did you get your first mountain bike?
Rémy: Proper mountain bike at 11 years old.
MBA: When did you start competing on mountain bikes?
Rémy: 20 years old.
It’s not hard to see why Métailler—shown here in Sedona—was invited to ride in the Red Bull Rampage on four different occasions.
MBA: How did you finish in your first competition?
Rémy: In the dirt…
MBA: What have been your best competitive results as a pro?
Rémy: I won Urban Downhill of Taxco and Puerto Vallarta and qualified for four Red Bull Rampage [events].
MBA: Where did you go to school?
Rémy: Nice, France.
MBA: What other sports have you played or enjoyed?
Rémy: Skiing and running.
Rémy: Please tell us something interesting or unusual about yourself or your family.
Rémy: My mom hates biking.
MBA: Is there some interesting fact or trivia that people might like to know about you?
Rémy: When I first arrived in Canada, I had never imagined I would become a pro rider. I was confident with my school background, though, that I would find a job in the industry in marketing. But, despite trying hard, I never scored a job interview. My English was too bad at the time. Instead, a few brands offered me a sponsorship contract!
