Owen Fields

Owen Fields got his first Strider Bike when he was 2 years old and competed in his first Strider race at the age of 3. Today, Owen holds three National titles in moto-trials and has earned two North American Trials (NAT) National titles in Bike Trials. Owen is now 10 years old and has some pretty impressive credentials under his belt, and from the sounds of it, he’s just getting started. We got the chance to interview Owen, and his mother – Angela Fields, about how learning to ride on a Strider Bike fueled Owen’s passion for biking and transformed him into the successful young rider he is today.

I know you were just 2 years old when you started riding your Strider, but do you have any core memories?

OF: I remember riding my Strider through large puddles of water after a downpour of rain at my friends’ Bob and Quinn Wentzell’s place in Benton, OH.

Did any of your friends ride Strider Bikes, as well?

OF: None of my friends had Striders or even bicycles. Some of my friends are older than me and had never ridden a bicycle before– but they all liked coming over to my house to watch me ride. I think they finally figured out that if they wanted to keep up with me, they would have to learn to ride a bicycle so they could ride with me.

AF: Owen inspired all his neighborhood friends to learn to ride a bicycle. He would loan his Strider to some of the smaller kids to learn on. Fast forward a few years, and now we have a sizable bicycle gang riding around the block together.

How has learning to ride on a Strider impacted Owen’s love of riding?

AF: The Strider Bike gave Owen the opportunity to participate in moto-trials competitions before he could even ride a trials bike. He rode in his first moto-trial competition when he was 3 years old on his Strider. Our local moto-trials club, Trials Inc., is passionate about getting kids involved and growing the sport of Moto-trials, so they added a Strider Class for any kid with a Strider or bicycle who wanted to participate in the competition.

What is your favorite trick/jump to do on a bike?

OF: Oh, that is hard. I love doing the back wheel hops, nose wheelies, and front wheel pivots.

What is your favorite place to ride and why?

OF: My favorite place to ride is the Trials Training Center (TTC) in Sequatchie, TN. They have a great practice area where I love riding my trials bicycle with my friends during the NATC East Coast Youth National. They also have a lot of trails, rock gardens and boulders–perfect for moto-trials.

How many bikes do you currently own?

OF: 2 Striders, 2 Trials bicycles, 2 Unicycles, 1 Giant STP hardtail mountain bike, 1 GT BMX race bike, 1 Extreme E-Bike, 1 Yamaha TY80 , and 1 Oset bike

If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

OF: I would love to go to Europe and compete in the UCI World Youth Cup, or spend a couple of months competing in the many trials competitions held in the UK and Scotland–and maybe run into Jack Carthy or Danny Macaskill.

What is your favorite biking snack?

OF: Cashews, Pringles, and Nerd Ropes

Why bike?

OF: To have fun. I don’t play video games like most of my friends. I enjoy spending my time outside learning new tricks on my trials bike. I also enjoy going to the garage and checking my bikes over to make sure they are in working order, and then I pick one and just go cruising around.

What piece of advice can you offer to kids learning to ride?

OF: Get a Strider or even a scooter and learn how to balance and coast first. When you’re ready to ride a pedal bike, you can ride it just like a Strider until you are ready to put your feet on the pedals.