MTB Legend: Sue Haywood

A Q&A with One of the Great Ones

During the late 1990s and into the 2000s, the Trek East Coast Factory Racing Team, with regard to mountain biking, had one of the best teams in the world. On that team were a handful of some of the greatest athletes in U.S. mountain biking history. One of them was Sue Haywood. With multiple national championships and a world 24-hour solo championship, among numerous other notable wins, she earned her legendary status.

Some of you are maybe thinking: wasn’t she the one left off the Olympic team due to a clerical error? If you were thinking that, you are correct. USA Cycling made a mistake, admitted to it, but Sue was not on the 2004 USA Olympic team. She then sued USA Cycling and won.

Photo Credit: Brice Shirbach

A little while back, when I saw that a “Sue Haywood” signed on to follow MTBeer/Paseando MTB, I, being a fan of hers since those 1990s days, reached out and asked, “is this THE Sue Haywood …?” She graciously responded and then after a few emails, we came up with the Q&A below.

I am honored to have Sue join us. What is in her answers includes deep wisdom and a wealth of knowledge about our sport. Also, I love her no-nonsense comments about East Coast mountain biking and riding rocks, PA-born-and-raised that I am and having learned how to mountain bike in those rocky forests. I’ll add that if you’ve never been to West Virginia, put it on your list. It’s one of my favorite places in the country for outdoor adventuring.

Go get your favorite beverage for whatever time of day it is while you’re reading this, sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Q&A with Sue Haywood

1. Tell us a little about yourself ... when/how did you get into mountain biking? 

I grew up in Delaware and rode a ten speed casually as a kid. When I went to college at West Virginia University, my Dad got me a mountain bike, a Trek Antelope 820.  I started exploring with friends at Coopers Rock State Forest .  I did my first race in 1992 and did the West Virginia Mountain Bike Association (WVMBA) Series for six years straight. I learned and raced so much in those early years riding around the West Virginia.  I turned pro in 1998, got my first (of six) National Championship in 2001 and my most recent one in 2018 as a masters enduro racer!  

2. Maybe a few bullet points to "describe" the racing scene in the late 90s-into-the-2000s.

Well, they were great times for me! Everyone would wait for the Dirt Rag Magazine to come out with the schedule of races and events and then dream big.  There were a plethora of cool races and killer festivals.  At that time there were some races that the promoters were really making the effort to go big. There was great competition, challenging courses and lots of prize money like the Knobscorcher, Didi Moa, Cobun Classic, Massanutten HooHa and the Gnarly North Fork and the Tidewater Challenge.

There was a lot of pride and technical skills among the East Coast riders.  And of course, for me and a lot of us, the Trek East Coast Factory team was the shining example of regional powerhouse team with a very professional set-up. At that time there was a feeling that you would race lots, turn pro and make some money at it.

3. What are you up to now? How often do you ride?

I live in Davis, West Virginia. I work at Blackwater Bikes in the warmer months and White Grass Ski Touring Center in the winter.  I also teach some women's and kids skills clinics in my area and I am a NICA coach for our local Highlands Composite Team.  I put on the Canaan MTB Festival and am president of our local trail club, Blackwater Bicycle Association.  I have a side hobby of making salsa, called HaySue's Spicy Salsa inspired by a biking trip to Guatemala.

I usually ride 4 days a week.  The trails are right out my door and my doggie demands it!  I don't train or ride too hard, but I do ride techy rocky stuff usually. I have a mountain biking trip planned to Peru in May with Big Mountain Adventures, so I have been getting on the gravel bike more the last month.

Photo Credit: Kurt Schachner

4. Why West Virginia? (for the West Coast readers!) Where/trails we should ride in WV?

I moved to West Virginia for college and just stayed.  I love quiet towns and lots and lots of public lands. In Davis, we have tons of that, including the Monongahela National Forest, Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge, Canaan Valley Resort, Blackwater Falls State Park and the West Virginia Land Trust and two Wilderness Areas (No bikes allowed, boo!)   It's a lot of rugged, techy, muddy and even grassy riding.  Moon Rocks and Splashdam are two of my favorites.  We are just beginning to get some easy "flow" trails like the Promised Land Trail but are probably 10-15 years behind the curve for modern mountain bike trails.

Also, we have four seasons, which I love.   It keeps things exciting and real.

Right now the rest of the state is in a huge push to add and improve trails.  The Appalachian Regional Commission is funding trails.  West Virginia University has a massive endowment for improving the outdoor recreational economy and West Virginia Tourism is really pushing trails and recreation. Snowshoe and Pocahontas County are two of my favorite areas to ride which is about 2 hours from me.  It's so beautiful and challenging and uncrowded.  

Of course, there is great mountain biking all over the country, but West Virginia is one of a kind.  The mountains are rugged and worn.  It's a wet place which makes it so lush and vibrant.  The trails make you work for it , so there is a huge amount of both satisfaction and humility that comes with riding here.  People are friendly and there is a live and let live attitude here.  

Also, you can't help but feel the turning of the corner from extractive industries to ones of healthy outdoor industries. Of course, I often think about the effects Tourism can have on an area that can be both good and bad.

5. I'm guessing many mountain bikers have no idea of WV's place in MTB history. What should they know, e.g. 24 hour races, if they're interested in such history?

Yea, it's important to remember the history! And to remember so many mountain bike "things" were in motion at the same time around the country and world. Davis/Canaan were some of the very first backcountry mountain bike racing in the Mid-Atlantic.  There was a NORBA National in Davis in 1983 and there was a NORBA National in Davis in 1988 with Tinker Juarez, Max Jones, Joe and Ned Overend and Joe Murray.  Of course, it was too hard and they never came back.

The 24 Hours of Canaan was a fantastically fun team event.  Granny Gear Productions really took the team relay concept to the moon.  Those were such great times, even if at 3 am and it was your turn to go out, it really sucked.  One year the mud was so bad, the tires wouldn't even turn.  Gunnar Shogren strapped his bike to his back and ran a fast lap. 24 and 12 hour relay events were born in West Virginia.

It's been really interesting and positive to see the World Cup come to Snowshoe, West Virginia.  There were several NORBA Nationals at Snowshoe in the early 2000's that were successful.  But everyone always complained about how hard they were, how much it rained and too far away from civilization.  Ironically, the distance from cities was one of the reasons the World Cup isn't coming back next year.  I think that was  Discovery Channel's feedback.  To me, that is crazy because I love far out places.  It lets people hang out  and have the time to talk to each other.

The history is still being made though.  The Marathon World Championships will be held at Snowshoe in August 2024.  People will come from all over the world to race the slippery roots and deep mud puddles of West Virginia and I think that is fantastic for our state. The U.S. Nationals Road Championships will be in Charleston , WV for the next 5 years as well!

There really needs to be better historical account of East Coast Racing!

Photo Credit: Fat Tire Photos

6. If riders are in your neck of the woods, where/names of the local bike shop(s)?

Of course, Blackwater Bikes in Davis since 1985 along the banks of the Blackwater River.  We have lots of rentals, do service and sell different brands.  And we have the best maps, T-shirts and beta for anything you want to do locally.  Closer to Snowshoe and the Mower Tract trails is Joey's Bike Shop in Elkins.  Joey is an awesome mechanic and still races hard, so really has his finger on the pulse of bikes. 

7. Same as #6 ... where/names of local breweries?

In Davis, we have Stumptown Ales with award winning IPAs and Mountain State Brewing if you want something lighter.  We have tons of good restaurants including Hellbenders Burritos, Siriannis Pizza, Milos, The Billy, Canaan BBQ, Picnic, Big Belly Deli, and Elenders.

But anyone can message me or stop in to Blackwater Bikes and get all the local info!

Photo Credit: Bill McCarrick

8. Last word / parting thoughts / say what you want!

I'm still a super fan of mountain biking and watching racing. The Red Bull coverage has made that really easy to follow your favorite racers. Unfortunately, the coverage will never be enough to create more fans and participants... NICA is doing that!  Of course, I also look at the powers that be and still see lots of mismanagement issues and mistrust.  I had my bad experiences with USA Cycling, UCI and Trek during the height of my career with the Olympics. It was extremely traumatic at the time, but I came away with wisdom, not wounds.  I still totally love mountain biking and think it has the power to do way more good than harm in this world no matter the scars that happen along the way.

Thanks for taking an interest and Let's Ride!

Again, thank you, Sue.

—James