Published by SEVENSTORE
Author: Millie Throp
Cutting in and out of gridlocked traffic on his 27.5” gravel bike; causing a stir at a local skate park on his hydroformed aluminium dirt jump rendition; all-round mountain biker Leo Smith was born a rule breaker. With his barefaced stunts and skills leaving nothing to the imagination, friction cries out from the dirt and dust shrouds are kicked up as he laughs in the face of gravity. But one question remains between the lips of onlookers – “Is that Landosteezy?”
“I had that as my handle way before riding,” the 25-year-old confirms, filling us in on his now prolific Instagram alias. “If you put Leo Smith on paper, it just sounds like a White male, so, I was like, ‘why don’t I just do this instead?’” But while rhetorical, his question does have an answer – Leo is not one to flow with the state of things. Instead, he follows gut instincts like the beckon of a freshly carved trail, touring widespread locales as fortune follows in his favour.
As clear within Leo’s own narrative, social media holds the power to thrust names into the spotlight. And while inflated online egos are common, his relatability is a virtue. Smith defies cookie-cut approaches by partaking in what he coins "the conceptual side" of mountain biking. Where fluency and finesse are king, Leo pushes the limits of his two-wheeled technique, merging athletic genres. “I travel the world riding bikes,” he adds, “and am massively influenced by skateboarding and skateboard culture – how they don’t really care about anything,” referring to his dipping in and out of riding categories. “On two wheels, I have no fear,” he summarises.
As the rider sits down with SEVENSTORE between choppy runs at Farmer John’s Bike Park, it seems a blessing to have caught him between trips to global film festivals and meeting fellow multi-facets. We pick over the fringes of his upbringing and his arbitrary route into riding, obstructed by imposter syndrome but propelled by uninterrupted commitment. Sunny spells spill over our conversation, sugar-coating a pivotal time to be speaking with the new face of British mountain biking.
Growing up in Macclesfield, Leo gained nurturance from the northwest’s opposing turfs. “I can literally ride any sort of terrain. So, for me, it was a good hub to ride. Then you’ve got the countryside which is 25 minutes on the train,” he expresses. With the encouragement of a surrounding support unit, Leo quickly found the foundations for a life of thrill and firsts. “Having a mother that’s a creative, she never forced us or pushed us to do anything,” he recalls. “It’s like, ‘go find your own feet.’” Her hereditary flair blessed Leo in unison, his own artform bordering fluidity and fearlessness.
But during moments of alone time, bonding Leo to activity and exploration, his riding style remains as bracing. “I still ride at that level on my own,” he confirms, proving that social media comes secondary to his love. “I spend so many hours on my own. You have a clear vision of what your plans are when you’re in your own head for so long,” he notes. When drive and devotion come together, they make a striking combination, providing the momentum to let go of the final destination and enjoy the ride. “When you’re on a road bike or a gravel bike, you start cutting wind and you can hear it. It’s well satisfying,” he discloses, excitedly.
Currently in his third year of riding professionally, Leo showcases jerks and jumps online, turning a blind eye to the common speed-over-stunt career path in competitive racing. Landing a sponsorship with market-leading manufacturer and renowned sports team Nukeproof earlier this year, the rider aims to decipher terms to benefit future athletes in the contemporary category. “I think the conversation I had with them was, ‘I know you’re one of the biggest race teams, but I don’t ever want to race in my life,’” he recounts. “They wondered how I could fit into their layout, so I told them the masterplan and they said, ‘You know what, we mess with that.’” Now, spending days honing tricks and shooting videos aided by his photography background, he paves the way for similar marvels emerging from social media. Focusing more on recreation and experiment, he disturbs the prevalence of tournaments and time trials; he has shaken up a stable industry.
With digital content offering greater exposure to his process, Leo is unbothered by a potential fall in the face of improvement. Backed by a brand of wide recognition and a fanbase cherishing their working-class hero, he revels in the rhythm of each track. “I knew it was going to be life changing, but the way it changed my life is just mental,” he states.
Continuing on a path that is larger than himself, Leo finds purpose in giving back to budding riders. “Many days a week are spent coaching. The youngest person I coach is 4, then the oldest is 70. It’s an awesome experience. I tell kids that if you have fun, it will follow back in the long run.” And while Leo’s story is anything but linear, there is something to be said about gut instinct, reinforced with perseverance. For him, the downhill rush is compensatory to the uphill push, no stranger to relentless effort or a nose to the grindstone.
Utilising his family home as a temporary base between global projects, Leo’s biggest qualm today is whether his Mum has space for yet another bike addition. An apt space for both experimentation and grounding, he finds a launchpad in the city, looking forward to what is next. “I feel like every decision I’ve ever made in my life has been good; I’ve never regretted making a decision,” he states – no longer questioning, but solid in chance; “I feel like it’s such a Manchester thing to just do whatever you want.”
The streets are his crossroads, each a gateway to what comes next. “You can speak to anyone in Manchester and they’re just on their own journey,” he concludes of the locale in his fleeting presence. But as we get up to leave the park, Smith’s shining frame is blocked by the adoring eyes of a small child, studying a personalised sticker that reads, ‘Landosteezy’.