I suspect many of us wish we had found cycling a little earlier in life. The same can’t be said for the subject of our latest 60 Second Interview.
Ruby Isaac is 9 year old cyclist from Kettering whose YouTube channel and Instagram hashtag #racereporterruby have seen her garner the attention of Specialized for whom she is now an ambassador and race reporter.
Ruby has built up a loyal following on social media and is often seen rubbing shoulders with the great and the good of the cycling world.
See what Ruby had to say in our Interview with the Vamper: 60 Second chat.
Ruby, who or what inspired you to ride? How did you get into cycling?
It was definitely as a result of watching Laura Kenny riding at the Olympics. I then had the chance to meet her which was cool, she actually did my hair for me so I can say I have raced with Laura Kenny hair!
You are now an ambassador as well as a race reporter for Specialized – could you tell us how that came about ?
I made a few videos and they went on Twitter and YouTube and started doing very well. Specialized saw them and contacted me and said they were really cool. I then had the chance to go to the Tour Of California to interview some riders for Specialized as well as spending some time with Boels-Dolmans. It was at the Specialized HQ where they asked me to be a Specialized Ambassador.
How does the relationship with Specialized work – what sort of interesting things have they done with you?
Specialized are really supportive, they really just want me to have fun on my bike, which is great. It’s amazing for me to be able to show people how cool riding a bike can be. I have done some really cools things recently. A short time ago I raced at the Junior European Tour in Assen. Specialized came with me and we did some filming together. It was really cool, riding behind a car as someone filmed me on roller skates – I even had a drone flying over me which was awesome.
Would you like to be a professional rider in the future?
I really want to be a professional rider one day – I love racing on the road but also the velodrome. Recently I passed my stage 2 at Derby Velodrome which was great fun.
You have now met a lot of famous faces in the cycling world. Who has made a big impression?
Everyone I have met has been amazing. Peter Sagan was awesome, and it was brilliant fun filming with him. Helen Wyman has been brilliant, she is really supportive and I even managed to have some coaching time with her. Christine Majerus is such great fun, whenever I am with Christine I just seem to be laughing all the time. Laura Kenny was amazing when I met her and all the Boels-Dolmans riders have been so nice to me.
Are there any cyclists in particular that you look up to?
Laura Kenny is a massive inspiration, watching her was the reason I wanted to ride a bike in the first place. Christine Majerus is such a strong rider and works so hard for the team and is awesome fun. There is also a rider called Skylar Schneider from America, she has been really supportive and given me loads of great advice. She is only 19 and has been so helpful. And Peter Sagan has been great, watching him doing tricks on a bike before filming was just amazing. I also think Tao Geoghegan Hart is brilliant rider – when I met him in America he was so nice to me and often likes things I put on Twitter.
What is your favourite piece of cycling kit and why?
Well I love my bike, Specialized custom-made it for me. It has my name on it as well as Gummy Bears and full DI2. Christine Majerus gave me one of her Boels Dolmans jerseys, that is definitely my favourite top to go road racing in. In the velodrome I wear the Matrix kit that Helen Wyman gave me. It’s so cool to wear the same kit that I have seen Laura Kenny wearing!
Tell us about your current favourite place to ride: where do you like to go?
I love riding in the velodrome, it’s just such fun riding a bike with no brakes on the track. The road race in Assen was amazing, we raced on the roads with a convoy and motorcycle outriders – that was so cool!
What is next for Ruby?
I have something amazing coming up at the end of October which is just unbelievable but I’m not allowed to talk about it just yet – you will just have to keep your eyes peeled, but I can’t wait! Next year I will be going back to the Junior Tour of Assen again which was so much fun. Most of all, just carrying on having fun on my bike.
And finally, what are your three favourite music tracks to ride to?
I love SIA – Greatest, I listen to this before I race. I also like Katy Perry – Roar, and Can’t Stop The Feeling. I always listen to those tracks before I get on the bike.
I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me – of course, Specialized, but also all the people who have give me support on Twitter and all the professional riders who have been amazing.
