Bike Check interview: UCI Junior BMX World Champion Jessie Smith (NZL)

Aug 14, 2020

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 2963 times

Name: Jessie Smith
Sponsors:
Team TVE sport sponsors:
TVE sport BV, Jee-o Unique bathrooms, Shimano, Renthal, Meybo, SD components

My sponsors/support crew:
-High performance sport NZ, -Cycling NZ, -Affco NZ through Adastra foundation, -Winger MG, -Winger Hamilton, -HT components, my parents and always number 1 supporters!

Mechanic: Jan Segers

How do you like the looks of your current bike?
Jessie Smith: I love the look of my current bike! Have never really ridden a frame with much colour so the red gloss is actually a really nice change!

Is it a challenge each year to get a good racing bike together for the new season?

Jessie Smith: For myself I’m very lucky I have an amazing team in the Netherlands (Team TVE sport)and an incredible manager Frank Smulders who sorts all of the behind the scenes stuff for myself and the incredible Laura Smulders helps as well! The hardest challenge will be shipping it to NZ if I’m not in the Netherlands to collect.

What is the geometry and length of your frame?
Jessie Smith: In all honesty I don’t know off the top of my head. I just ride what I’m given and very grateful for that! All I know is it's a XXL.

Do you like Aluminium frames?
Jessie Smith: I have no problems with aluminium frames! To be honest, no problems with any frame as long as it can hold me up then we're good to roll!

Did you cut the width of your handlebars?
Jessie Smith: Nope!

Do you have something customized to make your bike more personal and perfect for you?
Jessie Smith: I don’t customise anything to personally suit me however my bike is already customised! My stem is custom from legendary mechanic Jan Segers and my back end is custom too.

Usual tire pressure?
Jessie Smith: Hahaha that’s actually a funny question. Usually I run my tire pressure really low around 50-60 not because I want to, just because I don’t check often. Come race day anywhere from 80-90psi however I don’t like really hard tires for some odd reason.

Does one bike last you a full year of riding/racing?
Jessie Smith: It sure does!

When is this bike going to see some track action next?
Jessie Smith: By the time you get this I’d say my bike has already seen the track at least 2-3 times but my bike gets on the track almost 4-5 times a week depending on weather! When will it race, I’m not too sure.

Please take us through your parts list:

Frame - Meybo

Fork - SDx components

Bars - Renthal

Grips - Renthal Ultra tacky

Stem - Jan Segers custom

Headset - SD components

Brake lever - Shimano XTR

Brake - Shimano XTR

Cranks - Shimano DXR

Pedals - HT components SX

Sprocket - Renthal

BB - Integrated into Meybo frame!

Chain - Shimano

Seat - Box

Seatpost - Box

Seatpost clamp - SD Components

Front hub - SDx Sniper

Rear hub - SDx Sniper

Front rim - SD Components

Rear rim - SD Components

Spokes - SD Components

Tires - Tioga Fastr React 1.60

Tubes - Whatever Laura Smulders supplies or whatever is at the shop!

Chain tensioners - Meybo, they are a part of the frame.

Number plate - I just ride whatever I get at the races and that’s usually a Box one but in training I don’t ride with a plate.

Weight - 8kg

Thanks to: All my sponsors but a special shout out to my parents first and foremost and also to my superstar manager Frank Smulders for having my back! Quick shout out to my whanau as well, they know who they are.

Photos provided by Jessie Smith