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Nate Hills

Nate
Hills

Racer / Adventurer

I don't even know where to begin. After a successful full-time racing career, I have recently transitioned into full-time content creation, minoring in racing. Every athletes job at the end of the day is to inspire their audience and hopefully sell bikes, and my current path allows me to do just that without the stress of racing. If I can continue to ride my bike every day and encourage others to do the same, I call that a win.

Yeti bike of choice - why?
If I had to choose just one, It would be my SB160. This is my weapon of choice for a battle unknown. If I am traveling to ride, this bike is always in my van.
What is your first memory on a bike?
I don't know if it is actually a memory, or a story I have heard too many times and process as such, but the day I took my training wheels off and basically exploded in the front yard in front of my dad on the grass. I've been hooked, and crashing ever since.
Best feeling on a bike?
Riding a trail for the first time is the "first-kiss" equivalent in the bike world. Nothing compares.
What is your biggest source of inspiration outside of mountain biking? Why?
I like skiing. And when I say "like", I mean, I have an addiction. When I am not traveling to ride in the winter, I am ski touring. It's my escape from the bike. It keeps me fresh and motivated. Like a secret life that I rarely talk about on social media and very few actually know I participate in. I've averaged about 100 days a year for the last 25 years. I honestly like it more than cycling but you didn't hear that from me.
A word of advice to the groms
Fun first. Nothing good will ever happen if you aren't truly enjoying the process.
Speed or Style?
Speed is a lifestyle and style is speedy.
Top 3 riding destinations?
New Zealand, British Columbia, and any place I have never been.

Accolades:

  • If it's one thing I am really bad at it's telling other people how rad I am. The people with the most "accolades" don't need to tell people about them. In a nutshell, I won some bike races and am moderately famous on the internet, in bike circles, not in real life.

Nate Hills
Thomas Woodson and Nate Hills sipping coffee in tent at base camp
Nate Hills, Thomas Woodson, and Carston Oliver stand beside their bikes and take in the mountainous views
Nate Hills pedals single track on his Yeti SB5.5 with snow capped mountain peaks in the background
Nate Hills descending on the SB5.5 through narrow alpine single track
Nate Hills descends on dusty single track framed by the mountainous peaks
Nate Hills

Nate’s Kit

Nate Hills' SB130
Nate Hills' SB130
Nate Hill's SB130
Nate Hills' SB130
Nate Hills' SB130

Kit Details

Ten times a day I get asked, 'Which Yeti Should I buy?' and I always struggle to answer.

Everyone is looking for that elusive unicorn bike — one that climbs like an XC rig and descends like a downhill bike. But I think we can all agree that this unicorn will never actually exist. That said, this is the closest thing I have found that lets me experience big days on technical terrain while not having to hold back one bit on the descents. The SB130LR is my idea of the perfect trail bike. It’s got the proper geometry and a perfect blend of efficiency and capability for the terrain I enjoy riding most. The coil out back just adds to the party.

My everyday smash wagon. SB130LR.