Jesse Gregory, a long-time S&M rider from Huntington Beach recently announced her departure from the iconic brand to join another. Today we’re asking Jesse some questions about her departure and her future plans with GT Bicycles.
Congratulations on making some big moves for 2023. How long were you with S&M? I’ve been part of the S&M family since I was born basically. My dad used to ride with all of them back in the day at Sheep Hills and stuff. So of course my very first bike was an all pink powder coated S&M cobra, which I still have in the garage. But them supporting me only is when I transitioned from racing to freestyle. They accepted me with open arms when I first started uploading videos on insta just having fun cruising skateparks.Â
How did riding for GT come to be? Swampfest 2022 is when Ben from GT pulled me aside and complimented my riding for BMX and MTB, and said GT will always be an open option if I change my mind about swapping sponsors. After a year I decided that moving on from S&M and working with GT would benefit my future riding plans more. So far being only a couple of weeks in, I’m already so grateful for what they’ve done.
We first got to work with Jesse Gregory when I recommended her for a shoot the marketing team was doing on the mountain bike side of the brand. I had seen her terrorizing SoCal on a GT downhill bike and with her BMX background, I thought she was perfect for the concept. Jeff Zielinski came back from the shoot with nothing but praise of how nice it was to work with Jesse. That video ended up being one of my favorite non-BMX promos from the brand. Jesse’s energy and personality shined bright and that stuck with me. Since then, Jesse has steadily grown as a rider being recognized by her peers when she was crowned The Bloom BMX 2022 Trail Rider of the Year. Don’t get it twisted…while an incredible trail rider, Jesse is an ‘all-terrain-vehicle’ and can rip anything put in front of her. GT kicked the year off with a return to its Southern California roots and I am honored to have a local join the family as we build a new future for the brand and look forward to helping Jesse realize her riding dreams. – Ben Ward / GT Bicycles
How does it feel to join such a big brand like GT? It feels amazing to join such a big bike brand like GT. A couple of years back, I did a video with Jeff Z for the upcoming bike, Aggressor Pro with Tucker Smith. It was so easy and refreshing to film with such an amazing videographer/photographer, which was the main reason I was considering switching. Working with GT so far has been amazing! I was struggling with money to get out to Swampfest and Woman’s weekend at The Wheel Mill, and they got it all covered within a few days. and I’m so grateful to be travelling, riding, and representing without worrying about finding the cheapest hotel and flights.
What’s in store for 2023? Something I have in store for 2023 is to have either a video part or my own little edit! It’s my dream to come out with a 5-10 minute video of me being me and sharing the fun and creativity I have on a bike and for everyone to get stoked to go out and ride! I also can’t wait to go travel with the GT crew and hit some new skateparks.Â
