THRICE: Danny Stanzl

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Words and photos by Robin Pearson

I would say that Danny Stanzl has always been a bit of a wild one, both in terms of bike riding style and general approach to life. It’s been interesting seeing how things have changed for Danny. When I first met him he was an exceptionally loose teenage rider who didn’t give a shit about anything, whereas now he’s a calculatedly loose early-twenties rider who gives a shit about loads of things!

I’ve had the pleasure of joining Danny in all kinds of situations, seeing many sides to him and learning what makes him tick. Whether it’s battling with certain tricks at a skatepark, psyching himself up to 360 off a roof, preparing his racing car for an event, or just getting wrecked at a party, it’s usually a good old time.

It had been a while since I’d seen him out on his bike so we got some sessions in recently and had a catch up.

Pocket boost during a windy morning session.

A drain’s eye view of a table air in Mile End’s skinny deep end.

PAST

What’s been going on?

Last year was a pretty pivotal in where I was heading in life. I got some really decent grades at university for my Aerospace Engineering bachelor’s degree. I also had a proper decent summer job working at a BMW dealership delivering cars and was riding my bike a lot along with racing my Formula Ford.

Danny racing at Oulton Park in his classic Formula Ford. Photo: Az Edwards

Everything was hooking up nicely but then as soon as I headed back for the final year master’s degree in September it was as if a shit storm had been brewing up. Heavy workload meant at least two of the things mentioned above had to take the back seat. It’s all back on track now though and I’m finding more of a balance with it all.

PRESENT

What’s happening now?

My least favourite place when the suns out. Want to ride bikes. #toocoolforschool #bumbaclart

A photo posted by Danny J Stanzl (@dannystanzl) on Mar 3, 2015 at 11:54am PST

I have my final exams for University and then it just gets better really. I’ll have to get a proper engineering job for the summer but for now I just plan on going back to the dealership and delivering more cars because that’s so fun I would almost do it for free (but don’t tell them that).

The lads who used to call Chertsey trails their home (until they got ploughed for insurance reasons) have now migrated to a new spot so I will try and have a pedal with them more often, they’re pretty rad people to ride with.

“I’ll just head down to a spot with some beers and send stuff that scares me.”

Nicely stretched nac-nac air at Mile End.

FUTURE

What’s next?

Ideally I want to get a design job as an Aerodynamicist. This is a job that a lot of people know of because it has such influence on the shape of all the things around us that need to move through the atmosphere efficiently, but the one thing I can safely say that studying the subject has taught me it is that air does some seriously fucked up stuff!

“I want to get a design job as an Aerodynamicist.
Air does some seriously fucked up stuff!”

Trying to break into the bubble that is Formula 1, which is where I will be headed, is extremely difficult – even for a graduate with a 1st class degree. So I will try and get on with something else that pays the bills for running the Formula Ford, then move into that sector in a few years.

Other than that… Ride my bike a lot more! I’ll just head down to a spot with some beers and send stuff that scares me.

Classic one-footed table style in the woods.

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