Brandon Colker

Colker HBJM 600x600

As the CEO of Sustainable Venture Capital, Brandon Colker has consistently leveraged his entrepreneurial acumen to achieve the loftiest environmental goals through the use of sustainable and alternative energy technologies. A native of California who earned an economics degree from the University of California-Santa Barbara, Brandon has devoted his professional career to ensuring renewable energy is supported and implemented on an increasingly widespread basis. Taking advantage of his home state’s extensive trail system, Brandon is an avid mountain biker who has explored much of the Pacific Coast while expertly navigating some of the steepest ascents and descents California has to offer.

What is your hobby?

I’ve been mountain biking for as long as I can remember.

How did you get started with this hobby? What inspired you?

My friends and I were all interested in mountain biking and spent just about every weekend checking out any trail we could find.

Tell us what you love about it.

The fact that it is an activity that gets me outside and keeps me active while still feeling very much like recreation is a large part of the appeal, but ultimately it is the adrenaline rush only possible while flying down a perilously steep descent.

Are there any groups you’re a part of or events that you attend related to your hobby?

My friends and I still get together once in a while to ride as a group, but I am also a part of a local club that organizes a group ride every weekend.

Have you had to invest in equipment and if so, please share some of the things you’ve bought.

It’s been quite some time since I have had to make a sizable investment in equipment due to the fact that I have been riding for many years now, though I did just buy a Lapierre Zesty as another option for riding.

Where do you buy most of your supplies?

I’ve been going to Bicycle Bob’s in Goleta for well over a decade, and one of my favorite pastimes is to just talk shop with the staff there.

Are there any good books for beginners?

I always preferred Mountain Bike!: A Manual of Beginning to Advanced Technique, and it’s always a good idea to pick up a bike repair manual. A mountain biker has to understand how to repair their equipment wherever they happen to end up.

How has this changed your life?

I’ve seen so many places that I would not have been able to get to if not for my mountain bike, and there are few greater thrills than speeding down a mountain trail by bike.

What advice do you have for others starting out with this hobby?

There is a difference between fearlessness and recklessness, and a beginner has to understand that difference in order to thrive as a mountain biker.

Are there any other hobbies you have?

I enjoy anything that takes me outside, but sailing is a pursuit I enjoy just as much as mountain biking.