Profile Team Legacy — Alexis Desolneux
To kick off Profile’s 55th anniversary (1968 – 2023), we wanted to begin the celebration by highlighting those riders who’ve been with our brand for over 15 years.
Over the course of January, we’ll feature each of those 11 riders in a comprehensive retrospective – looking back, ruminating on today, and looking forward.
This is our family.
Thanks to each of these riders for years of support.
Eighth up, Alexis Desolneux.
Alexis D., and a DIY ethos.
M: What year did you start riding for Profile?
A: I would say 2004 or 2005.
Early aughts with a Profile Flywheel Sprocket. Pic by Manu Sanz.
M: And I remember Jeff Harrington flowing you some stuff in like 99’/00′. I believe it was cranks and gas pedals?
Curious as to whatever happened to those?
A: Both cranks and pedals were grinded to (near) death, I was learning crankslides and did a lot of trial and error with these cranks, they held up but were too grinded down to be safe anymore.
Early D-grind. 2001 by Manu Sanz.
M: Speaking of, what’s been your favorite Profile component?
A: Hard to pick one! Matte black Acoustic stem or Spline Drive sprocket.
Pitted via Manu Sanz.
M: Seems like some riders are absolutely die hard fans of the Acoustic stem. Why do you like it so much?
A: I like its slimmed down design, and although it hasn’t been designed for that purpose I use it upside down and get the perfect height on top of my 7.5mm dust cap (about 1 third of an inch high).
Orlando pop up session…
M: What’s the single Profile component you’ve ridden the longest?
A: Front Elite hub or a 19mm crankset.
Tampa Bay, November 2022.
M: What’s been your Favorite Profile related Roadtrip?
A: That pool and unique spots road trip around LA/San Diego in 2016.
9:30am session, Gulfport.
M: I can’t believe that was 6 years ago…What a wild trip.
I remember asking you if I could snap a photo of some whiplashes with a desert mountain in the background.
That was probably old hat to you, but for me it was one of my most favorite photos I’ve shot.
Of all those iconic spots we rode, which one really made an impression?
A: Actually I had always wanted to whiplash down a desert or mountain road in America so that was not old hat at all. And the iconic spots… I would say San Diego’s Home Ave ditch.
Tooth Grind, Bagel Bowl.
M: What’s your best memory from a Profile Roadtrip?
A: Riding my first pool in Las Vegas, even though it was a very hard one.
Long gone Tampa spot on one of many trips to Florida.
M: Was that the one with Mike Meister? That old abandoned house right outside the strip? That house looked like it was a remnant of the dust bowl era.
A: Yes it was, it was creepy and the pool was hard to figure out haha. But that was so much fun.
D-grind; over 20 years after its inception.
M: Profile Team rider who you enjoyed travelling with the most?
A: My Floridian Croissant.
Winter time Sojourn.
M: I even beat out Gervais? I’ll see what he has to say about that. Ha!
I appreciate our friendship! Thanks for years of support, Alexis.
Gervais Rousseau and Alexis, France.
A: I also want to thank Profile for all these years of support.
And for road trips Gervais is right up there with you !