Bike-Minded People: Claire Buchar
“It can be a bit tricky to explain, and I suppose it depends on who’s asking,”admits Claire.“But I’m a graphic designer and a mountain bike athlete.”
In addition to the obvious professional titles that Claire Buchar may sign beside her name, she’s also a coach, dog mom, role model for young riders, and a lover of life on two wheels. With a deep love for her riding community and the natural world that surrounds her, Claire has fashioned her own version of living the mountain bike dream in Whistler, B.C.
Claire grew up in North Vancouver and spent much of her youth bouncing around between nearby locations. And although Whistler may be where she collects her mail and rests her head, it’s within the wild tangle of ocean, fresh water, forests and mountains of the Sea to Sky region where she truly feels at home.
“I’ve got deep connections and strong relationships with so many people in this region, but somehow, the forest still feels even bigger to me. These forests have taken care of me. I really mean it.”
In the Whistler community, Claire is mentor for young riders through and through.While Kovarik Racing offers a channel to provide guidance for young riders with the dreams of racing careers spinning in their heads, Claire provides care and attention for riders of all sorts. “People lean on me like I know what I’m doing. And I really appreciate that… I mean, its cool they they think of me that way, but I’m definitely still learning a lot myself.”
And although she’s mostly left her racing career in the rear view mirror, Claire feels perpetually appreciative of the experience her life between the tape provided her – especially the lessons in perseverance and learning to thrive. Those lessons are precisely what Claire hopes she can pay forward to the younger riders who look to her for guidance.“I just hope that sharing some of this knowledge I’ve collected can help other people attain the same experiences and everything I’ve been so fortunate to surround myself with.
Through all the many roles of Claire’s riding career, she finds a common thread in the simple fact that she loves expressing herself through riding.
“I just love the actual physical act of riding – adding my own style and flow, and interpreting the trail my own way,” Says Claire, with a look or wonder in her eye.
Wether it’s leading design projects at Chromag, training young athletes with Kovarik Racing, or any of her creative media opportunities with Intense and Fox, it all takes place with a rhythm that vibes to the connectivity Claire finds around riding her bikes and being in forest.
Claire’s is a long sweet ride that brings her health and healing, while allowing the chance to escape and to feel more connected all in the same.
The thriving mountain bike culture of Whistler B.C. and the Sea to Sky region in general provide an ever-expanding plethora of opportunities, and the perfect stage for Claire to grow with life on two wheels while playing with the balance of it all.
