Trailpro based in Auckland offers professional mountain bike trail building services in the upper north island. The company founded by Byron Scott was conceived off the back of the construction and opening of Four Forty Mountain Bike Park. Trailpro is pleased to announce the expansion of the business in partnership with Cam Cole. Cam is a professional mountain biker with numerous national and continental titles to his name across a range of off road cycling disciplines as well as 2006 junior downhill mountain bike world champion. The timing of the expansion fits well with where the company’s growth is heading as one of New Zealand’s premiere mountain bike trail construction names. This partnership will substantially increase the capacity of Trailpro allowing the group to take on more work across more of New Zealand while maintaining business efficiencies and the quality of trail construction the brand is known for. Read on to find out more (in Cams words) about Byron and Cams back-stories, the companies approach to trail building and the foundations the business is built on.
"Each trail building project I am involved in adds to the story that started with a dream to build a bike park. I want to leave a lasting impression on the sport of mountain biking in New Zealand." – Byron Scott
Byron and Fourforty Mountain Bike Park
Byron started his professional trail building journey in 2008 when he travelled to Chile and Portugal to build mountain bike trails. Returning from a stint of international trail building in 2009 Byron was motivated to contribute to the New Zealand trail network under his own brand. With his previous experience and can do attitude he set out to build a commercial gravity bike park. The Four Forty (440) Mountain Bike Park was born, opening in 2014 with 25 kilometres of trail 1 hour from Auckland CBD. The trails at 440 demonstrate Byron’s foresight, big picture thinking and his vast amount of experience constructing trails in a variety of terrain using a range of construction techniques. Byron’s ability to achieve year on year growth at the commercial bike park comes from his strong understanding of where and how trail users of all abilities experience value in a trail network. Each trail constructed at the park is specifically designed and constructed in a way that enhances the intended users experience thus allowing Byron to successfully operate the park commercially. The link between 440 Mountain Bike Park and Trailpro bolsters both businesses brands, while creating opportunities to leverage the names due to reputations built on quality mountain bike trail. Fast forward to 2018, and Byron’s Trailpro business has several large trail construction contracts under its belt across the north island, to go along with numerous bikes in schools projects and is well on its way to becoming a dominant name in trail planning and construction in New Zealand.
“My ambition is to take my unique international experiences and apply them in my profession. I want locals and international visitors of all ages and skill levels to experience the increasing quality of mountain bike trails in New Zealand.”- Cam Cole
Cam’s Transition from Professional Athlete to Business Owner
The first time I really remember Byron was when he said to me “you're a fast bugger now aren’t you” – I took that as a complement and the next year went on to become junior men’s downhill world champion. Ispent the next 9 years chasing the UCI downhill world cup circuit and sampling gravity trails all over the world. I raced for numerous professional mountain bike teams in the USA and France. In 2014 my life converged with Byron’s once again when my sponsors at the time had a media and ride day planned at Byron’s season old bike park. We shared bike related stories of our most recent years, of our general interests in business and he provided me advice based on his most recent entrepreneurial ventures. From here I went on to complete undergrad marketing and international business studies at Victoria University in Wellington.
Though my studies helped stimulate my passion for business, the employment prospects in generic type marketing roles ultimately steered me away from a status quo entry into a professional business career. As I considered other prospects Byron picked up a contract to build 6km of mountain bike trails in the forest where I rode my first ever mountain bike in 1998. I joined his team to see what it really was he was getting up to. He noticed I had a passion for the work and knack for sculpting dirt shapes so he invited me back to complete multiple Bikes in Schools jobs in Auckland during the 2018 summer. During this period my studies came to a close and I began thinking about how I could manage a transition back into the mountain bike industry. This then lead to joining him full time to build 6km of trail in Palmerston North at the Arapuke Mountain Bike Park. While this project was being undertaken Byron spotted an opportunity to begin expanding the Trailpro brand across New Zealand. He then offered me the lower North Island arm of the Trailpro business, an opportunity I couldn’t refuse. This opportunity to help contribute to New Zealand’s ever-expanding trail network matches my diverse experience in the mountain bike industry with my passion for business. 12 months after first picking up a Trailpro spade I have my own and we are ready and excited to announce the partnership. I look forward to representing the Trailpro brand alongside Byron with equal energy.