He may be only seven years old, but he rides with a confidence that even much older riders could envy. Maroško Murín aka @little_rider_maroshi, the youngest member of the Horsefeathers bike crew, loves jumps, trails, and anything that is not flat and boring. Together with his parents, Martin and Lenka, he told us about his beginnings on a balance bike, riding as a family, courage, safety, and why the most important thing is simply to enjoy it.
Maroško, could you introduce yourself to us?
Maroško: Hi, I’m Maroško, I’m from Martin, Slovakia, and I’m seven years old.
And when did you start riding a bike?
Maroško: When I was about two years old. First, I had a balance bike, then a tricycle, and after that a regular bike without training wheels. I never used those at all.
Lenka (Maroško’s mom): He got his first small balance bike when he was around one year old and gradually moved on to bigger ones as he grew. When he was about two and a half, my dad used his balance bike as a model and built him a small 12-inch bike, because even the standard 14-inch models were still too big for him. He moved on to one of those at around three years old.
So, Martin, are you the reason Maroško got into trail riding?
Martin (Maroško’s dad): That is not quite the right way to put it, because Maroško was actually the one who got me into trail riding. I had always been more of a skier and had only ridden a bike for a short time before. Maroško was a very active and often tearful child who really kept us on our toes. But when he got his first balance bike and we put him on it, he suddenly calmed down and could ride it for hours. Later, someone sent me a video of a boy on a balance bike with rear elastomer suspension, jumping and doing 360s (we only found out later that it was Jackson Goldstone). I immediately told Lenka, “That’s Maroško.” I think we visited our first bike park when he was about three years and eight months old. I met a friend with an older son who explained how they did it. They would take the lift up together, the dad runs behind his son without a bike, and whenever they reached a difficult section, he would simply carry him over it and then they would continue. So we started doing the same.
Lenka: From the very beginning, it was obvious that Maroško would never just ride normally along the pavement or a bike path. He would always ride off the curb onto the road and back again, or find a rock or root and jump over it twenty times in a row. A flat road simply did not interest him. That was when we realized that riding off-road was exactly what he would enjoy most.
We recently met at Donovaly, where you looked like the perfect biking family. Did you and Maroško’s younger sister Sárinka gradually get into riding as well, Lenka?
Lenka: Gradually, yes, although our pace is completely different from Maroško’s. I have skied and snowboarded all my life, and I also used to ride recreationally in bike parks with my parents, but I never reached any higher level. When you have children, you suddenly become more afraid for yourself too. You realize that you are responsible for them, and your mind starts holding you back in certain situations. These days, Sárinka and I join the boys at least on the easier trails. Donovaly was great in that respect. It was probably the first bike park where I felt that all four of us could stay for longer and no one would suffer. But when the boys take me riding in the woods, Maroško is always right next to me shouting, “Faster! You have to jump this!” Sometimes it is challenging, but it is great to ride together, even though we have a completely different pace and skill level.
Maroško, what do you enjoy most about biking?
Maroško: Jumps. Both the ones in the woods and the ones into the foam pit.
Lenka, as a mom, how do you feel about Maroško’s jumps?
Lenka: At first, I always looked forward to our evening screenings. Once the kids were asleep, Martin would show me what they had been up to, and I would think, “Wow, that’s great!” But gradually, the speed increased and the terrain became more and more challenging. It got to the point where some of the footage was no longer easy for me to watch. Sometimes I tell myself I would rather not see it at all, or I just quickly glance through it. I am still curious, but there is also an inner fear. At the same time, I realize that it is my fear and I have to deal with it myself. I do not want to pass it on to Maroško. Your brain keeps telling you all the things that could go wrong. But you have to stay grounded, live in the present moment, and tell yourself: He enjoys it, he knows what he is doing, and he does not just throw himself into anything. I have watched him since he was little and I can see that he understands these things. That is why I trust him. I can also see how some things need time to mature in his head. For example, he might tell me, “Mom, I didn’t do that drop today.” Then three weeks later, over breakfast, he suddenly announces, “Mom, I’m going to jump it today.” It is as if he has been processing it all that time. Then he goes and handles it without a problem. I think that in 95 percent of cases, he only goes for it when he feels sure. It is not as if he tries something recklessly and waits to see what happens.
“What truly matters is the joy of riding, the experiences with his dad, and the memories he carries in his heart. That’s how we try to talk about it with Maroško at home as well.” – Lenka Murínová
Maroško, do you have a favorite place where you like to ride?
Maroško: Malinô Brdo, Jasenská valley, and Kálnica in Slovakia.
You started sharing your riding videos on social media too, and people really enjoy them. How do you see the whole thing?
Martin: At first, we mainly wanted to save our memories. I had seen children’s riding profiles abroad and liked the idea. So I tried to make the profile international, adding English subtitles. Over time, I figured out what people enjoyed and what I enjoyed creating. I started editing the videos in a certain style and developed my own signature. One of Maroško’s coaches also explained to us that if Maroško ever decided to take the sport more seriously, it would be good for him to already have an established social media presence. In this sport, especially in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, you cannot make a living from riding alone. Visibility and everything that comes with it also matter. I really enjoy interacting with the kids who message us as well. They want to show us something, send a video, share what they have learned, ask a question, or sometimes just complain about something. I feel like we can support them through that. At the same time, we do not want it to completely take over our lives. Visibility has also brought a lot of pressure for Maroško. We saw it at Donovaly, for example, but we experience it regularly. We arrive at a pump track and kids start whispering, “That’s him.” Then they want to take photos with him. I realize that I caused this, and I cannot fully protect him from it. I still have not completely worked out what kind of impact it could have on such a young child. The autograph session with the Horsefeathers team was great, for example, but at the same time I keep wondering what it might be doing to him and whether we have already taken things too far.
Lenka: I even asked his teacher about it at school. But Maroško does not really think about it at all. He does not talk about it at school or show off. For him, it is simply riding, and he does not attach much importance to it. We also try to keep our feet on the ground. I explained to him that one day we could delete the entire Instagram account and nothing would happen. These things are temporary. What truly matters is the joy of riding, the experiences with his dad, and the memories he carries in his heart. You can lose a video, your phone can break, or everything can be deleted. But the memory, and what the experience gave you, stays with you. That is how we try to talk about it with Maroško at home too.
Maroško, how often do you go biking during the week? And what do you do when you’re not biking? Do you have any other hobbies?
Maroško: We usually go biking on weekends. I also enjoy parkour, riding a scooter, skateboarding, and snowboarding. There’s a lot.
Lenka: During the school year, it’s difficult to fit everything in. He also takes drum lessons at music school and does gymnastics at school. We try to make sure he does different activities, not just biking. The options for regular training in Martin are limited. We have a BMX track there, but after two years, he lost interest in it. We decided not to put pressure on him and to let him try anything else he wants. That’s why biking usually remains a weekend activity.
Do you have a role model in biking?
Maroško: Jackson Goldstone and Jakub Hejl from the Horsefeathers team.
How do you feel about Maroško becoming the youngest member of the Horsefeathers team?
Lenka: It felt like a really lovely honor. At the same time, it can also be motivating for other parents—it shows just how much children are capable of. I also like the fact that you think about kids within the collections at Horsefeathers and does not make compromises when it comes to them. It is genuinely well-made, functional gear, simply adapted for young riders. That is also why the whole thing made sense to me.
Martin: When we got the message saying that you wanted us on the team, I was blown away. I was incredibly excited because the brand covers practically everything we do in our sports—from biking to winter clothing for skiing and snowboarding. We are genuinely thrilled. Until now, we had never had such a major partnership, or one where we felt this comfortable. It is really nice for us to be part of the Horsefeathers team.
Do you already have any favorite HF products?
Lenka: For Maroško, it’s the kids’ Spike LS jersey – it is very comfortable and stretchy, has plenty of room for elbow pads, and looks great. Maroško loves that he and his dad have the same one. The kids’ Stoker bike shorts - they feature an easy-to-adjust ratchet closure, dry quickly, withstand rough riding and crashes in the woods, and stay in top condition even after washing. The Scorpio photochromic glasses - they fit him perfectly, don’t pinch anywhere, and have an “adjustable nose” (as Maroško calls it). He loves wearing them, enjoys how they change color, and looks amazing in them. The Mave cap - it is comfortable and breathable, fits him perfectly, and he wears it literally every day. And finally, the Vigo hoodie – this one is our pick as parents. He likes wearing it, but we’re especially thrilled with how good he looks in it. He says it’s really soft and is happy that it will last him a long time because we chose a bigger size.
Martin: For me, it’s the Stoker pants – I love the freedom of movement they give me. They stretch in every direction, fit me perfectly, and look great. The Spike LS bike jersey - it is breathable, quick-drying, and easy to combine with other clothing. Maroško and I both love that we have the same jersey, pants, and shorts, so we look like a proper team. The Peyton bike jacket - it has a well-designed fit and cleverly made sleeves, which are slightly longer for my build but do not get in the way. And the Mave cap - it looks so good on my head that I don’t even need to go to Turkey for a hair transplant when I’m unfairly going bald, haha.
Maroško, do you have any goals in biking? Is there a place you would like to visit, someone you would like to ride with, or a race you would like to win?
Maroško: Not really. I just want to enjoy riding.
What does the rest of the biking season look like for you? What are you planning?
Martin: We’ve already had our vacation, so now we’ll see what comes next. We’ve been invited to the opening of the bike park in Jasná, and we’d also like to visit Kubínska hoľa. I’m also hoping to take some time off in August and go on a family trip to the Czech Republic. We’d like to visit Heipark, Kopřivná, and maybe Kouty as well, where some friends have invited us. So there will still be plenty of biking.
Maroško, if you could give one piece of advice to kids your age who would like to start riding like you, what would you tell them?
Maroško: To wear protective gear and a helmet.
Lenka: We are really pleased that Maroško mentioned protective gear and a helmet himself. Lately, we have often seen children heading out to ride without enough protection. Even on easier trails, we wear protective gear and helmets. We try not to underestimate safety, and it gives me greater peace of mind knowing that we have done everything we can.
