On that day in 1983, it was just the trail, the breeze, and the bike. He kicked up the crank, pushed off, and let go of everything. That was the moment Steve Blick found himself.
From that ride grew a lifetime of devotion to two wheels and the people who live for them.
Born and raised in Northern California, Blick started out in the Bay Area Skate and BMX scene. BMX pro and mentor Dave Vanderspeck grinned at Blick and said, “You want to see a new way to get rad?”. A 26-inch Slingshot mountain bike in the back of a pickup changed everything, sending Blick onto the trails around Lake Chabot and through the East Bay hills into a world of exploration that would define his life.
As a natural connector, Blick soon discovered that his role went far beyond just racing – it was about inspiring others. Guided by MTB Hall of Famer Steve Boehmke, Blick joined the legendary Shimano SKUNK Team, a small group of test riders who helped engineers translate feedback from the trail into better products. That collaboration between riders and designers shaped Blick’s entire career, where he bridges performance and storytelling with fostering community.
His professional journey began behind the counter at Castro Valley Cyclery, where John “Kos” Koslosky mentored him on how the gear he tested truly worked—and why that mattered. Together, they built a clubhouse-style shop that became a base for both local riders and world-class pros training in the San Francisco Bay Area. They hosted incredible ambassadors such as Missy Giove, Hans Rey, and Libor Karas, among others. Creating events such as Tread Weekend, featuring the premiere of Tread: The Movie, helped establish a cultural heartbeat for the growing sport.
Blick’s approach has always mixed curiosity with care. He could be found in the pits making sure a rider’s setup was dialed, at the finish line cheering on late finishers, or treating a hungry privateer to a burger and a pat on the back after coming in 49th. His dedication was as much about people as performance.
In the mid-1990s, Blick joined Marin Bikes, a Northern California brand with bold ideas. He built bikes for media, led photo rides that fueled authentic storytelling, and helped a young race team capture national championships and global attention. He proved that creativity and commitment could put even a garage-sized company on the global map.
That success led him to GT Bicycles in 1997, where he continued spreading the message of mountain biking to a wider audience. Not long after, he landed in Laguna Beach, home of the Laguna RADS, a tight crew of riders who remain family to this day. Riding with the RADS has kept him grounded and always learning—where every ride is still a classroom, and you’re only as good as your last ride.
A defining chapter followed at Oakley, where Blick became a force in connecting athletes, technology, and culture. Working with designers, product managers, and engineers, he helped develop innovations that blended performance with personality. One standout project—the Oakley Icon Sender, created with the legendary Oakley Design Team and longtime friend Todd Barber, founder of Red Bull Rampage, symbolized what happens when creativity, courage, and community converge. Inside the famous Oakley “Bunker” HQ, Blick learned to not just to think outside the box, but to not even know where the box is.
Today, as part of Shimano’s Sports Marketing team, Blick focuses on one clear mission: to build more mountain bikers. His role allows him to support athletes, foster collaborations, and ensure the next generation inherits a sport that’s healthy, inclusive, and full of possibilities. Whether working a tech pit, mentoring young riders, or connecting engineers with real-world feedback, Blick continues to fuel the cycle of innovation and inspiration for the benefit of all riders.
Four decades in, his curiosity hasn’t faded. He still rides with the same joy he found as a kid on those Bay Area trails, still believes in the power of a shared story, and still sees every turn of the crank as a chance to give back.
His daily reminders are to treat every day as the best day ever, and keep it fun.
For Steve Blick, mountain biking isn’t just what he does; it’s who he is.
