Video: Fresh From The 'Barn - Fraser Newton

Jul 25, 2013
by artbarn  
Fraser Shredding

by artbarn
Views: 56,321    Faves: 338    Comments: 35


bigquotesWell it was the first time anyone pointed a camera at me...I just wanted to do good. - Fraser Newton (on why he went so fast into 'the mossoleum')

For our new short project we started with a simple premise, "can we make an exciting Cross Country edit"? With the rise of enduro's popularity (Ed. Note enduro is a type of race...not a riding style) came a plethora of edits featuring spandex clad guys in XC lids and goggles pinning it in the Alps. While these edits are exciting they don't really conceptualize the type of 'XC' riding that we see here in the Pacific Northwest.

Here in B.C and especially in the Sea to Sky corridor people climb so they can shred the trails that you cannot shuttle. Here 'xc' riding is much closer to what, just a few years ago, was referred to as 'freeriding'. New technologies, refinements in angles, dropper posts and suspension design allow us to climb anything, and inversely descend almost anything. The speeds you can attain on trail bikes are quick enough to really make you rethink light helmets and nylon knee pads.

photo

To accomplish our goals with this edit we needed the right rider, equally as fast climbing as descending with a penchant for pushing the limits of a 4 inch XC bike. It quickly became clear to us we needed to work with our friend, and all-around trail slayer Fraser Newton. Fraser is the epitome of soul rider, living the mountain bike lifestyle that many lust after, but never fully realize. Fraser will drop almost anything to ride, tossing a few bars into his hydration pack and filling the reservoir at the first creek. This is a guy who shuttled Della Creek in Lillooet after blowing two front tires in his truck. Constantly monitoring his MacGyver repair job of tire sealant and mountain bike tube patches, which he inflated every 5 km with a hand pump, so the boys could keep lapping the trail.

bigquotes1000 reps of a bike pump every 5km was a simple trade off to keep the ride going...air is free. - Fraser Newton

photo

Fraser 'enhancing the width' and making MacGyver proud


‘Descend almost anything’ became our framework and subsequent mantra for the edit. We wanted to tell a true story of Cross Country riding in B.C. through the perspective of Fraser, a rider who epitomizes the style. Big climbs, long distances and epic vistas are part of every XC ride here, but so are technical trails, fast chunder filled descents and the odd freeride line or two from bike films of yesteryear. These were the elements we wanted to focus on, these elements make B.C. cross country riding unique and these are the elements, which we feel, make for an interesting XC piece.

photo

bigquotesI'll never film without my sport banana in my pack again...that's how you break 3 ribs. - Fraser Newton (on why he decided to break 3 ribs on our last day of shooting)


Artbarn Film is a Squamish based, adventure film production house…constantly trying to balance work and play. Follow us on Instagram, @artbarnfilm and @artbarnpro for more behind the scenes photos.

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128 Comments
  • 107 0
 Know this- not only can Fraser ride, but he is an absolutely ACE mechanis at Corsa bikes. The guy does the late shift to get fixes done for people. Always greets you with a smile. Top that, in a famous incident last year, he chased down a bike thief and returned the ride to a customer. People like Fraser make the wheels of our world go around. Respect.
  • 11 0
 Can't agree more. Fraser is the F-ing man. The main reason I support Corsa. So many times he's taken time out of what he's doing to help me fix my ride on the cheap and fast. Great guy and mega shredder.
  • 3 0
 That is the ultimate description of Fraser! Love the guy and love riding with him. Its always a pleasure to watch him ride. So pumped to see him getting recognized on a huge scale.
  • 2 0
 Love Fraser man, we miss him in Ontario but BC deserves such a class act.
  • 2 0
 Ahhhh, thought he looked familiarSmile Sound bloke and he can definitely rideSmile
  • 3 0
 +1000
Fraser's one of my favourite guys in the industry. He's off-the-charts decent and kind, a great guy all-around, and one of the most meticulous mechanics I've ever had the pleasure to work on my ride. The kind of guy that makes the town Squawesome.

Tip o' the hat to him, Sandra and Dave and the rest of the crew at Corsa.
  • 2 0
 Go Fraser!
  • 3 0
 We just met Fraser this week - the kind words mentioned here about him are the exact representation of the vibe we got off him. Never been to Corsa before, but after hearing about a guy who climbed Nimby Fifty on a dual crown we wanted to know more. This was Fraser's response "I accidentally miss-read about the race.....I thought it said 1000ft of climbing, not 1000 meters!" lol. Great guy and would definitely drop by Corsa again. Thanks for the 'poor-man's talas' Fraser Wink
  • 15 0
 Yes it is a 6" Remedy and Yes I prob only get 4" travel, hah. Yes I would call it mountain biking and Yes all bananas are sport bananas. Yes Artbarn is farming premium products from their sick as' roots and Yes I am blushing. Yes I would like to see the look on LeeLau's face while he typed his original comment and Yes he traded me those Haven's for a twelver. Yes I shook after those lines and Yes my 10 year old neighbour rallied them after me. Thanks for the undertour Kevin and Taylor, and thanks pinkbikers for a great ride! F.
  • 1 0
 Great video Fraser, I really enjoyed it.
  • 1 0
 What size are your bars? Looked so wide
  • 1 0
 'While these edits are exciting they don't really conceptualize the type of 'XC' riding that we see here in the Pacific Northwest.' cue freeride video on freeride bike ALRIGHT M8 WHATEVA
  • 1 0
 A Trek Remedy is not a freeride bike.
  • 16 0
 Canada- Making the rest of the world look ridiculously overbiked since 1867!!
  • 9 2
 "Here in B.C and especially in the Sea to Sky corridor people climb so they can shred the trails that you cannot shuttle...." well, you make it sound like you're special, but you're not Smile
  • 2 1
 Spot on.
  • 5 0
 Spot on bro! The same type of riding and riders can be found wherever there is steep terrain, the Appalachians, elsewhere in the Rockies, central Europe, Scottland, Western Norway, NEw Zealand, PB need to shift some of their pretty unsexy localism views on biking.
What`s more interesting is the type of bikes the people (and journos) from the flatter areas bring when they com visit us here in the deep fjords, usually a from 6" and up, whereas the locals usually ride 5 to 6" bikes, and a lot of them are on hardtails.
  • 7 0
 I see this every time I ride.One mans freeride is another mans XC.It just depends on the riders skill set and fitness.Bikes are so good these days you can ride almost anything on a five inch travel bike. Excellent video.
  • 8 0
 jesus that looks like some gnarly xc!
  • 6 3
 Comment on the editor's note about enduro being a race type rather than a riding style:

Can't it be both? After all, racing is riding and the philosophy of enduro is definitely a different type of riding than traditional XC. To summarize, enduro riders fixate on bombing the downhills and not busting their balls on the uphills.

Perhaps there's some better word. However how else do we distinguish from XC riders who death grind every up hill from XC riders who go easy on the uphills and instead optimize their bike and their ride for faster downhills? I know both types of riders, the high seated XC crankers who compete with eachother on climbs, and also the XC riders who lazily chat on the climbs but then go all out on the downhills. Their bikes are different, their clothing is different, their conversations about bikes are different...

... is there a word to refer to that distinction other than enduro? (honest question)
  • 13 0
 Trailriding, or all mountain. That's what it's been called it for the last decade or so. before that, it was just called mountain biking.
  • 7 0
 If you're riding non-competitively, there's really only two types of mountain biking: trail riding (original mountain biking) and gravity riding (lifts/shuttles). There are way to many categorizations in our sport, it's all mountain biking.
  • 3 0
 @LTmtb, trail riding isn't original mountain biking, gravity riding is. Our sport started with a bunch of dudes racing each other down fire roads in California. It is known as the Repack DH. Not the Repack trail ride. Don't let the roadies who came to dirt deceive you, just because their bikes haven't evolved as much as gravity bikes have.
  • 3 1
 I would give LTmtb about 100 props for that post if I could. All Mountain is a bike type, not a riding type. Enduro is a racing format, not a riding type. If you are riding you bike and there's not mechanized "up lift" as the Brits say, that's trail riding....and it's rad.
  • 1 0
 @taldfind Maybe original wasn't the best word. I don't want to say true or pure because I love gravity riding. Maybe general or wide ranging? You get the point. I'm not trying to sound confrontational, but I'm from Marin, OK. I am well aware of the origins of mountain biking and what is now called klunking that took place in the hills overlooking my house. And don't worry about roadie deception on me, I try and get them to see the wonder of a ride down the dirt. If you looked on my profile you would see that I live in the home county of mountain biking and even made a klunking video. Looking back on the original Repack bros, I always wonder what the sport would be if Gary Fisher or people with similar mentalities came along. It would probably be f*cking awesome with cheap lifts and shuttles everywhere!
  • 3 0
 LTmtb hits it right on the head. As far as the Repack DH, trail riding and johnny come lately roadies goes, the top 3 fastest times ever on Repack are 1: Gary Fisher, 2: Joe Breeze, 3: Otis Guy. What do these guys have in common besides being mtb pioneers? All three were road racers before anybody ever uttered the word klunker, and were some of the first guys to start putting gears on their bikes so that they could ride uphill too. DH, XC, and Enduro are disciplines of mountain bike racing, not types/styles of riding. To me "Let's go for an enduro ride" sounds about as silly as "let's go dual slaloming." I gotta wonder though, did any of those early guys ever say, "It's not mountain biking, it's klunking?"
  • 1 0
 I can agree with general mtb as trail riding. And I'll admit that I am a bit trigger happy on the subject. Where i grew up, the riding scene is dominated by roadies who think that any form of biking that they don't do is a lesser, and somehow impure form of the sport. Because of this, the local trail groups and bike shops completely ignore or actively fight agianst gravity riders. So I get pissed anytime someone seems to be-little gravity riding in any way. In my mind all that does is hurt the sport.
  • 1 0
 I identify as a gravity rider more than a trail rider. I was just saying that most mountain bikers fit under the "trail riding" label.
  • 3 0
 It was a great experience being able to sponsor this video of Fraser Newton and see the Tokul XC packs in action! Art Barn Film did an awesome job on this edit and we're proud to be a part of it.
  • 3 1
 Pretty good clip.
That rock face at 2:10 is super serious!
First time I've seen a guy in baggies pin it like that on the uphills. Makes for good video, but our pace is typically 5mph or less on the climbs.
I want to live there.
  • 10 0
 Baggies don't make you slow, laziness does.
  • 13 1
 Wrong. Big bong rips make you slow.
  • 3 0
 Big bong rips make feel fast though...
  • 1 0
 Also: big bong rips make you feel lazy. So maybe Snappy is partially correct.
  • 1 0
 King Kong balls make you the faster of all though.
  • 14 12
 Ima gonna enduro the crap out of those trails on my AM bike with my 650b seatpost my trail saddle my xc shoes and my dh troy lee sweatband. Really guys. Nice trails but who gives a f*ck about labels? Just go ride a mountain bike already

EDIT - nice riding by Fraser. Rock on Corsa! Altho everyone knows Tantalus riders are faster ;>
  • 5 20
flag shootr (Jul 25, 2013 at 15:10) (Below Threshold)
 Leelau, your comment leaves the question as to why YOU seem so determined to focus on labels.... whats more, why you are so offended by the notion of what someone else is doing? I would think after watching the video, you would notice that indeed, they were ALREADY riding a mountain bike. Oh, and before you bother with the requisite "I was joking" or "can't you take a joke man"... I will dispatch that as the phrase most oft employed by narcissists who don't get the reaction they expected.

perhaps this article will be helpful to you....
www.cracked.com/blog/6-harsh-truths-that-will-make-you-better-person
  • 6 4
 I wasn't joking shootr and am not offended by the video at all.. If you are trying to get a reaction by calling me a narcissist then I will have to say that perhaps you should try elsewhere. You are trying to read something into what I said which IMO says a lot more about your lack of reading comprehension. As to my comment - I'm just reacting to a weak storyline that detracts from a otherwise visually appealing video.
  • 5 15
flag shootr (Jul 25, 2013 at 17:37) (Below Threshold)
 No, your reaction was to attempt a "commentary" about their PURPOSE with your "who gives a f*ck about labels" after specifically listing a set of product labels that were NOT in the article. Apparently you need to improve YOUR reading comprehension when I clearly stated that the "yo man jokes" trite reply is one employed by narcissists... You, instead of reading what I wrote.. read INTO it. So. Allow me to clarify. You ARE a narcissist, because your statement implies that YOUR choices are somehow superior so theirs. You CHOSE a belittling tone to emphasize that point, and you are attempting it again with your subsequent comment.
  • 5 5
 shootr - please don't take offence to this. But I'd rather go read a good book and eat a pound of nicely chilled cherries as opposed to bandying words with someone I've never met (and from your belligerent tone, would be better off not meeting). Please it must be a nice day in Calgary. Go ride your bike and get that load off your chest
  • 4 11
flag shootr (Jul 25, 2013 at 17:58) (Below Threshold)
 Oh, I'm sorry, I'm wasting your valuable time by commenting on your inflammatory statement which belittled a writer's choices. Forgive my insolence to think that it was acceptable to question your motives based on your statements? How thoughtful of you to instruct both me, and the OP what we SHOULD be doing. On behalf of the video producers, and the writer, please allow me to apologize for wasting your time.... because "really guys... who gives a f*ck".
  • 3 2
 shootr - hope you don't stress out too much over this exchange. You have the last word then
  • 7 1
 Leelau, Im sorry but I too think you're comment was a bit out of place.Had to read it a few times to try and understand where you were really going with this.Whether or not it was sarcasm, you clearly made fun of other people and that my friend is borderline narcissist...I dont even know why you even said that in the first place, totally came out of the left field with that one if you ask me.You should have just dropped it and I would have thought you simply hadn't put that much thought into your comment but trying to defend your point sorta kinda made ME feel like you weren't sarcastic and YOU actually think you're better than trends followers.I certainly dont feel like Im one of " them" but I dont feel the need either to make a post and say Im so cool cause Im not trendy ( like others) and hate labels ( like others do )... Maybe Im reading this whole thing wrong, but somehow , your first comment left a bitter taste in my month and Im not exactly sure why it did...but it did.At 36 I sure dont give a crap either about labels, I enjoy riding my bike, thats it thats all but why pissing on others like you did ?
  • 4 0
 Fight, fight, fight
  • 4 0
 To Artbarn - I just had it pointed out to me that your "enduro" comment in the PB writeup was tongue in cheek and I read it wrong. That was a good video and I'm sorry to have comment-c*nted. I cannot undo my comment but I can own it as being out of line.
  • 2 1
 well said Leelau ... too bad though , I was so pumped and ready for a good e-fight ;-)
  • 2 0
 You're such a dick lee lau. Why don't you GPS and strava yourself a way to get your head out of your ass so you can stop being such a tool all the time
  • 1 0
 Zanskar!
  • 4 0
 I'm sure he pushes the limits of a "4 inch XC bike" also... but that's a Trek Remedy, more like 6 inches of travel. Awesome video though!
  • 2 0
 Exactly what I was thinking...
  • 1 3
 the remedy is 150mm of travel which is roughly 5 inches, but whose counting
  • 10 0
 150mm is 5.9 inches and apparently we are counting...lol
  • 4 0
 25.4mm / 1 inch. 6 inches = 152.4mm. Epic fail USA math class.
  • 5 0
 lol fail on my part
  • 14 0
 But, since those are Fox products he's probably not getting full travel... =5" xc bike.
  • 3 1
 Numbers aside, no actual XC rider would call a Trek Remedy an XC bike...
  • 1 0
 Fox products don't give you full travel?
  • 1 1
 150 mm is almost exactly 6"
Just saying
  • 1 0
 @xCri - I am sure the last 3 posts about that were confusing. Thanks for clearing it up...lol
  • 1 1
 Thanks for clearing it up, that that was already cleared up.
  • 1 0
 I am there for ya man...
  • 2 0
 I see plenty of Squampsters riding Cromag hard tails. Squamish has plenty of gnar. XC is kind of rare.
Lately I have been riding everything on my 5and 5 "mini bike" When you have skill you can get away with less suspension.
Then one day I shuttle with the bro,s on my "big bike" Pin n Grin all the way!
Bottom line: The bike your on is the best bike to be riding at that moment.
  • 1 0
 that is the exact same bike as mine. the black and white paint job means it is a 2011 Remedy 8. mine came stock with afox RL in front and a fox RP22 in the back and 6"front and back. if he has a dropper post it is not stock. Fraser built my bike and it was perfect
  • 4 0
 Fraser is a shredder. Nice work homies. Makes Xc look fun like dh and god knows that's hard to do. Ha ha
  • 5 0
 Riding and camera work=Boss Sauce!
  • 2 0
 Really great video! The track looks so dry but the scenery is just so green and lush!
I would say that looks more like AM than XC riding though...
XC + DH = AM
AM is where its at for me!
Ride it up and rip it down! Wink
  • 2 0
 WHAT a refreshing video! a usual quy, not shreding every corner with drifts, not stupid wheel sizes involved, no marketing oriented,its just a good ride-day of a good rider.
  • 1 1
 It's an alright video an good riding but as for showcasing your oh so extreme xc you actually just did freeride on a freeride bike. That bike actually has more travel than a lot of the early freeride bikes and even some now. Pretty rubbish freeride as well should do peatys drop.
  • 4 0
 does anyone know the song name
  • 1 0
 Candyland & Clark Kent Vs Slow Skies - On the Shore (Original Mix)
  • 3 0
 Best video I've seen in a while! Really captured the feel of an epic day out the back door. Siiiick riding too!!!
  • 1 0
 Wow Fraser Way to go man, Everyone at Sir Sams watched this with droped jaws. Your friends back in Haliburton hope you are livinh the dream the way you wanted.
  • 1 0
 That was some really nice rideing . Really enjoy this kind of rideing head down keep pounding away then eye'swide down hill .:-)
  • 2 0
 Ha ha, little pinner wheels.

Guy can sure ride.

Welcome to Squamish/Pemberton/Whistler/North Van cross country.
  • 2 0
 Fraser is the man and clearly a badass roster, thanks for the help @ bcbr budday!
  • 2 0
 Nice to see a video in which the rider actually rides up the hill instead of pushing! Bravo!
  • 2 0
 Hey whats the song for this vid. Amazing edit though, great riding!
  • 2 3
 its a terrible song.. had to stop half way through.. couldnt take listening to that crap anymore!
  • 1 1
 Seems a bit tame in canada, those paths are so wide and smooth, doesn't really seem like mountain biking when you compare it with the uk trails.
  • 1 0
 Yeah bud. Super tame in Canada...
Just happens they filmed the walking path kind of trails.
Have you noticed we have f*cking giant mountains?
What kind of trails do you think we have in there?
All pussy walking paths?
Pretty sure you'd walk down the shit we rode the other day.
  • 1 0
 you wouldn't be able to walk down the things I ride buddy!! You hadn't noticed we have mountains too, but you don't need a particular size of mountain or hill to make a technical trail. As my comment alluded that trail was all walking path type stuff that I wouldn't consider Mountain biking or worthy of filming.
  • 3 0
 No DH bike required Wink
  • 2 2
 According to most mtn. bike publications, he shouldn't be able to ride like that without a "dropper post". Fraser says no dropper post needed.
  • 3 0
 .....look again, he has a dropper post.
  • 1 0
 I didn't see one, sorry
  • 1 0
 This is my type of riding, with a small difference because I do it on a downhill bike.
  • 2 0
 So this is XC huh? I thought all these years I was freeriding. Nice film!
  • 1 0
 It became XC as soon as we could hit it on small bikes.
  • 1 0
 really nice edit ....!!! and fraser you kill it ... you make me wanna ride ....i pass by the shop to congrats you cheers
  • 1 0
 Supercool guy and That trail looks better taken care of than the bike park I rode today. And I fucking paid for that ride!!
  • 1 0
 So rad to see him riding a Remedy. What size are those bars they look so wide! I'm looking to go wider on my Remedy.
  • 2 0
 Does anybody know who the music is by?
  • 1 0
 If only this is what XC was like everywhere
  • 1 0
 NO F'N WAY FRASER GOT A FEATURE ON PINKBIKE! HOLY F FREAKING OUT!
  • 1 0
 he earned every turn good shit
  • 1 0
 Awesome video. Were you using a dropper seatpost?
  • 1 0
 Well that was boring. mostly just fire road climbs!
  • 2 2
 Password protected? Some builders will do anything to keep their trails secret.
  • 3 0
 Fixed up and ya they will do anything haha!
  • 1 0
 What's a good fork for this style of riding?
  • 1 0
 all i can think when i see a vid like this is "you lucky lucky basturd".
  • 1 0
 Much respect for this edit ! the riding with this bike is insane
  • 1 0
 Great edit! Yeah Fraser! Slaying it!
  • 1 0
 keepin it real ...nice edit
  • 1 0
 Wow. I live in Minnesota, really wish we had trails like that here.
  • 1 0
 Really beautiful landscape. I could travel through your video. Thanks !
  • 1 0
 Awesome video, easy and comfortable style, makes me want to go ride!
  • 2 0
 SONG???
  • 1 0
 What bike is that?
  • 1 0
 looks like a 2009 Remedy 7 that's had some upgrades over the years
  • 1 0
 Yeah I though it looked like a Remedy or Fuel EX, neither of which have 4" of travel.
  • 1 0
 oops
  • 1 0
 Solid riding bottom line
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