Mike Ferrentino
Encyclopedia
Mike Ferrentino is a mountain bike
(MTB) journalist
.
and raised in New Zealand
.
In 1994, Ferrentino began writing a column
for a new glossy mountain bike magazine
that the publishers of Surfer
were putting together called BIKE. This column was called The Grimy Handshake, a reference to the column's bike-mechanic point of view and he came to be known as BIKE's "random juggernaut".
In 2005, with the departure of editor Ron Ige, Mike Ferrentino became the Editor in Chief of BIKE magazine. He also was guest editor for an issue of the UK
MTB magazine Singletrack
in 2005. In November 2006 Ferrentino stepped down from the editor role at Bike magazine. He has a new marketing role at Santa Cruz bikes, and continues writing his Grimy Handshake column for Bike magazine, as well as a new regular column for Singletrack magazine.
Mike Ferrentino is a mountain bike (MTB) journalist. He is known for his first-person, you-are-there style of documenting the sport, as well as admiration for writers like Hunter Thompson and Ken Kesey.
In his columns, Mike has supported the return of "old school" mountain biking. Specifically, he defines "old school" MTB as light, relatively fragile, cross-country mountain bikes, made with steel- the original, repairable, and resilient MTB frame material. He says that this heavier material means that a person must put in the effort to climb hills before enjoying the reward of riding back down and he criticizes MTB riders who take a ski lift to the top of the mountain along with a bike too heavy to be ridden to the top, then quickly enjoying the downhill before being effortlessly whisked to the top once again.
Although Mike is a celebrity in the mountain biking industry, and has been repeatedly nominated to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
, he continues to refuse to accept the nomination. He prefers instead to avoid the spotlight, living quietly and as invisibly as possible in Santa Cruz riding the local trails as much as he possibly can.
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
(MTB) journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Beginnings and career
He was born in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and raised in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
In 1994, Ferrentino began writing a column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
for a new glossy mountain bike magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
that the publishers of Surfer
Surfer (magazine)
Surfer magazine is a monthly surfing culture magazine published in San Clemente, California.The magazine was founded by John Severson in 1959 as a program to accompany his yearly surf films...
were putting together called BIKE. This column was called The Grimy Handshake, a reference to the column's bike-mechanic point of view and he came to be known as BIKE's "random juggernaut".
In 2005, with the departure of editor Ron Ige, Mike Ferrentino became the Editor in Chief of BIKE magazine. He also was guest editor for an issue of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
MTB magazine Singletrack
Singletrack Magazine
Singletrack is a UK based mountain biking magazine and web site. The magazine is aimed at more mature mountain bikers and intended to provided a counterpoint to magazines such as MBUK which are aimed at a younger audience....
in 2005. In November 2006 Ferrentino stepped down from the editor role at Bike magazine. He has a new marketing role at Santa Cruz bikes, and continues writing his Grimy Handshake column for Bike magazine, as well as a new regular column for Singletrack magazine.
Mike Ferrentino is a mountain bike (MTB) journalist. He is known for his first-person, you-are-there style of documenting the sport, as well as admiration for writers like Hunter Thompson and Ken Kesey.
In his columns, Mike has supported the return of "old school" mountain biking. Specifically, he defines "old school" MTB as light, relatively fragile, cross-country mountain bikes, made with steel- the original, repairable, and resilient MTB frame material. He says that this heavier material means that a person must put in the effort to climb hills before enjoying the reward of riding back down and he criticizes MTB riders who take a ski lift to the top of the mountain along with a bike too heavy to be ridden to the top, then quickly enjoying the downhill before being effortlessly whisked to the top once again.
Although Mike is a celebrity in the mountain biking industry, and has been repeatedly nominated to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Crested Butte Colorado. The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum was founded in 1988 to chronicle the history of mountain biking....
, he continues to refuse to accept the nomination. He prefers instead to avoid the spotlight, living quietly and as invisibly as possible in Santa Cruz riding the local trails as much as he possibly can.