Kenneth Banico

At 22 years young, Kenneth Banico has raced so much that he can’t even remember exactly how many races it’s been since he started in 2017. Winning multiple overall titles in enduro and downhill leagues and age categories, graduating to the Elite group, and now a rider for global mountain biking brand Kona.

Ken sits with us to talk about how he got here and where he wants to go, while we drool at his Kona Operator CR– one of only a few being ridden professionally in the world. It’s a Kona DH Carbon w/ 6061 Aluminum Chain Stays 195mm Travel (205mm in 27.5) running a Rockshox shock in the mack and an MRP fork. Let’s stare at it first:

SO MANY RACES, SO LITTLE TIME

“I started riding in 2017, with friends,” Kenneth tells us, “we’d just go around the city and that was it, we’d ride around…until one of my friends brought me to Heroes Trail in Taguig.” And the rest, as they say, was mountain biking history. “Two friends of mine, Neil (Buena) and Jeff Verano, pushed me to join my first gravity race, I raced it on a hardtail,” he laughs, “and I placed well enough that they lent me a better bike for the next race!”

That bike was a pretty souped-up Santa Cruz, which according to Kenneth was easily upwards of half-a-million pesos. With THAT bike, he started to place higher and higher, leading up to winning his first overall championship in Enduro Alliance, and well, that was just the beginning.

KEEPING IT GOING

“I continued to ride with the help and support of friends and mentors,” Ken tells us, “and it was Jay Lagoc who really took me under his wing — race after race, he supported me, North to South, anywhere and everywhere we’d race. In a year, we’d race so much that I couldn’t keep track anymore.” Kenneth has raced in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, so many places that it’s not hard to believe that he can’t remember them all. “All those races, I’d give my extreme best, my ultimate. For everyone that supports me, it’s my best way, my only way, to try and repay their kindness.”

Kenneth tells us that despite all the challenges, especially during the pandemic, there have always been people who have helped him out along the way. During the lockdown, a fellow rider Ryan Solinap, helped Kenneth get a job in a bike shop that not only helped him work-wise, but also gave him in-depth training and knowledge in setting up and maintaining bikes– a valuable advantage.

SIGNING WITH KONA

Make no mistake, Kenneth Banico is a CHAMPION. Multiple times over and he’s just getting started. International MTB brand Kona recognizes not only his championship pedigree, but also his character as well. Hard-working, humble, and committed, Kenneth is that rare combination of intention, talent, and story. “I don’t come from a well-off background, so it’s been a challenge for me,” he shares, “but when Kona came on board, it’s a blessing. They’re been the best ever so far, Sir Rixon and Ma’am Chiarra Gagalac from TwelveBikes, full-on support and they’re all so nice. I didn’t expect it but now that it’s there I’ll give it my all, I’ll give it my best. So that in my own way, I can honor their kindness.”

Kenneth tells us that he didn’t expect the sponsorship, that he was set on just keeping his head down and working this year. “The bike arrived the week leading up to the race,” Kenneth recalls, laughing, “so I had a little bit of time to get to know the bike and the track, it was tight.” That race was the 1st MMF Gravity Race, where Kenneth finished in the TOP 5, Elite Category. Not bad for a tight schedule. But, if there’s anything we know about Kenneth Banico, is that anything less than his best is not gonna happen. “I’ll always give my best, no matter what the situation or circumstance, I want them all to know, that I know, I deserve it.” We can’t argue with that.