Graham Agassiz's New Zealand Adventure

May 15, 2012
by Easton Cycling  

Views: 104,654    Faves: 1,645    Comments: 65


An unlikely cast of riders road trip their way through NZ's South Island. Normally freeriders and downhillers don’t mix. The two groups of riders have a mutual respect for each other, and they have a lot in common (on paper, at least), but normally they travel in different circles. We set out to change that this past winter by inviting top freerider Graham Agassiz to ride with a few of the world’s best downhill racers in the mountain bike paradise of New Zealand.

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We had a motley crew of characters on our voyage, including 10-time DH world champion, Frenchman Nicolas Vouilloz; world cup DH stars Sam Blenkinsop and Cameron Cole; Caleb Smith of Spoke Magazine; ace photographer Haruki Noguchi: as well as Dylan Dunkerton and Kyle Norbraten of the Coastal Crew. We hit some of the South island’s best destinations including Nelson and Christchurch, we did some downhilling, some trail riding and built some slopestyle-sized booters. The trip was a rare opportunity to see the contrasting styles of the best riders in mountain biking. Where Blenkinsop powers and thunders down the trail, Vouilloz is light and smooth and doesn’t look like he’s going fast. Agassiz, on the other hand, pops off of everything, slides around every turn and laughs the entire time.

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Every rider was outside their comfort zone at some point during the trip (Aggy bonked pretty hard on a six-hour trail ride), but the riders learned a ton from each other and went their separate ways with a newfound respect.

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Filmed and edited by the Coastal Crew.

www.eastoncycling.com



Posted In:
Graham Agassiz


Author Info:
EASTONcycling avatar

Member since Apr 17, 2012
8 articles

105 Comments
  • 43 1
 Aggy rocks!!! Whatta cool trip and video. Heli biking with Nico and Blenki? C'mon, how cool is that? NZ is so incredible. I snowboarded the North Island and South Island for 3 months back in the summer of '91. Trip of a lifetime. I'm jealous Aggy!!
  • 14 0
 I always knew Aggy rocks, but I didn`t know he could make you jealous.. You shredded the whole world.
  • 7 0
 i have relatives in NZ, might take advantage of this fact and stay with them, for, say, FOREVER!
  • 38 0
 It cracks me up how everyone who lives in Canada thinks NZ is paradise, and everyone living in NZ thinks Canada is paradise. Growing up in NZ, now living in Vancouver means i'm in a pretty good place to say you're both right, so don't forget to enjoy where you're at, and if you get a chance to travel - do it! Really nice vid, thanks for showing off my home(s).
  • 12 0
 yeah but i live in scotland so i get neither
  • 1 0
 ^i want to be you^
  • 6 1
 You mean Scottish?!
  • 1 0
 eh of course he does, i mean, who wouldn't?
  • 1 0
 @nzstormer, the grass is always greener on the other side bro! I agree with what you say though, both are amazing places. Been living in South Africa for the past year and a half and there's a plethora of great riding here too.
  • 2 2
 "its shite bein scottish!"
  • 1 0
 I love how it say Aggy on the back of his helmet!!
  • 6 0
 shrooms
  • 6 0
 Me and a couple of mates met them when they were filming in Christchurch, their super sick guys, they even gave us a free ride to the top of the hill!
  • 3 0
 shite? how dare you!
  • 4 1
 rather be scottish than american tbh
  • 2 1
 are you guys f*cking kidding me, i was quoting Trainspotting. you of all people should know what im talking about


www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5a_j_9AxSU&feature=fvst
  • 2 0
 haha my uncle wrote the screenplay for that movie^^^
  • 1 0
 thats dope, its a great movie
  • 1 0
 Ollie-J, so jealous of you bro. It would be so sick to meet riders of this calibre in person.
  • 32 0
 "what did you do for fun as a kid grandpa Agassiz ?. Well kids , I rode my bike all over the world and instead of trucks to
Shuttle, we just used helicopters. And world champions would follow me an take my lines !
  • 18 0
 Am I the only one who read that and did voices?.....
  • 4 0
 nope, but i did it in gandalfs voice dunno about you
  • 27 1
 aggy makes me actually want to buy a kona
  • 8 1
 in my opinion kona are the underrated perfect bike, if not why do so many manufacturers copy their linkage? I have seen a raw stinky and so many people ask is that a giant? a rocky mountain etc etc their customer service second to none, yes i have a kona and love it.....
  • 1 0
 From his riding, it seems like it has been built for any conditions... DJ/FR/AM... I'm actually considering buying a Kona for once, Aggy's doing a great job convincing people it's a good bike!
  • 1 0
 Actually Kona, Giant, and Rocky Mountain all have very very different suspension designs. Just because they look "similar" (which they don't really at all) doesn't mean they are "similar". Giant uses a virtual pivot point design utilizing four different pivots to create a single pivot point centered on the chain. Rocky Mountain uses a single pivot design that has a link that actually pulls on the shock instead of pushing. And as for Kona, well, it is basically a single pivot with an oversized main bearing.
  • 2 0
 you just criticised yourself you said they are very very different then said that kona and rocky mountain have single pivot points LOL go google it again then come back with your info
  • 1 0
 Haha funny!!
  • 15 0
 Awesome Video!!
But wait... HD-functions on Pinkbike? What kind of sorcery is this?!
  • 2 5
 idk i think its knew
  • 14 0
 what? no dubstep music? no way!
  • 11 0
 yeah how refreshing
  • 4 0
 Good old builders and the butchers
  • 8 0
 Graham + kona entourage= unstoppable
  • 3 0
 totally agree with nzstormer. Canada has more chair lifts but gorge rd trails beat the whistler dirt jump park... Cool to see Nelson tracks. Insane spots round there and people - yes Derek W i mean you Big Grin
  • 1 0
 great video, as a kiwi living in North Vancouver, it makes me a bit homesick! But on the other hand with the current weather in Vancouver and the sumer coming up there is going to be some sweet riding coming up....speaking of which I'm off to fromme.
  • 1 0
 That was a awesome edit, for those people who want to see the behind the scenes here is the link
www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/Eastons-Big-New-Zealand-Adventure,3702/Slideshow,0/sspomer,2
there is alot of commentary and it explains alot about the trip ...ride on boys!!
  • 11 7
 if only this video was two seconds shorter.........
  • 9 0
 See the alice in wonderland shroom? haha
  • 2 1
 why.. dont get it ?
  • 6 4
 Wow.... this tops the list for stupid stoner comments. So what if it were 2 seconds shorter...

@ hazer: Either you are too ripped to get it or not ripped enough.
  • 5 0
 we got lots of them up that hill
  • 1 0
 thats amanita muscaria, doesnt have psilocybin though
  • 1 0
 Ah, 4.20, cleaver one... Razz
  • 2 0
 :O what are those cute things in the water at 2:47 ? please someone tell me.

and sick riding and filming ! i want to go to NZ
  • 11 0
 Eels bro, chur aye.
  • 1 0
 thanks Smile
  • 2 0
 They taste awesome too.
  • 2 0
 that stylish corner skill, he throws down at around 3.50m... Replayed it 3-4 times just to make sure he really did it at that speed.. Amazing
  • 1 0
 That's an average one for him as well. I saw a vid where he was training and he did the entire 180 corner on the front wheel at race pace, back wheel just hanging out in space.
  • 1 0
 That's a lot of Tui and Speights ... I didn't take up mountain biking until I moved to Canada, and now I can't go wait to go home, and ride all the cool stuff that was right under my nose the entire time.
  • 3 0
 I add it to my fav...now it's time to watch Wink
  • 2 0
 Nice to see my home trails in Nelson filmed so well. Helps remind me that I live in a pretty good place for riding.
  • 3 0
 Yeah Aggy your videos are awesome !
  • 1 0
 Sick video, all these guys rip it! Can't decide if i like the new easton 35 stuff, bars almost the same size as my stations, but they make anything look good
  • 1 0
 OMG I simply love this video, the insane speed, style and amazing locations, the editing and cinematography where off the scale! Epic!
  • 2 0
 Aggy is the King of Style!
  • 2 0
 Good to see some footage of some pros on the home trails! Smile
  • 1 0
 This has got to be the most talent-packed video I've seen to date. Awesome riding!
  • 1 0
 that was awesome seeing those guys rip the shit outta my local hill. blinky wearing gloves
  • 1 0
 Sick to see aggy shredding NZ! hope he comes back would be awesome to meet him.
  • 2 0
 that endo turn at by Nico at 03:50 is awesome
  • 1 0
 Yes, awesome cornering!!! That made me watch this moment more and more! First couldn't believe in what I've seen there. Smile
  • 2 0
 My favourite type of riding, decent trails and decent edit, nicely done!
  • 1 0
 so thats where that add came from, the easton one on the homepage, hahahahahaha
  • 2 0
 That nose pivot turn was absolutely mental! Love it
  • 1 0
 Nico showing exactly how a eurohop should be done at 3.50. The only way, I might add. Epic short moive.
  • 1 0
 That was awesome but I'd like to see the extended version! Way to much going on and not enough time on each sequence!
  • 1 0
 Awesome! Nice to hear some 'Builders and the Butchers' too...
  • 1 0
 That was awesome, So Faassstttt
  • 2 0
 Heli shuttles? I'm in.
  • 1 0
 That was a nasty little palm gasher.
  • 1 0
 I also want a helicopter .....
  • 1 0
 what is the name of the song?
sick riding though.
  • 1 0
 The builders and the butchers-devil town
  • 1 0
 Blenki u wana be healty for the next WCup race! Do not do that anymore! Wink
  • 1 0
 так разогреется же)
  • 1 0
 ya that gash seemed nasty
  • 1 0
 searching for it on vimeo or youtube are there any links?
  • 1 0
 you're so damn right nzstormer!!!
  • 1 0
 3 super talented together...
  • 2 0
 Fly agaric
  • 1 0
 thats what i was thinking
  • 1 0
 Nico is a god damn demon on a bike!!
  • 1 0
 Yeaaah Graham!!

awesome Big Grin
  • 1 0
 I live in Nelson and ride whose tracks. Mint Video.
  • 1 0
 ale zajebiście skręcił w 3:50
  • 2 0
 Sick as ever!! Son
  • 1 0
 awsome, but hire a better glidecam operator... Wink
  • 2 0
 Aggy is the man!
  • 1 0
 I like this! Aggy never disappoints.
  • 1 0
 NZ id RAD, no 2 ways around it... aggy is also RAD..!
  • 1 3
 i don't wanna talk sh*t but i demoed an entourage on a few trail and downhill rides and didn't enjoy it. also i beat graham at sea otter by 2 seconds. i've been waitin to brag about that
  • 1 0
 amazing trip, so jealous! nicely put together vid too.
  • 1 0
 woooohooo
  • 1 0
 f*cking light speed :O
  • 1 0
 Nice shot
  • 1 0
 the style!
  • 1 0
 part 2, north island?
  • 1 0
 in christchurch.
  • 1 0
 i want that jersey.
  • 2 1
 Shit yea!
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