Video: Dirt Merchant and A-Line With a Cross Bike

Aug 30, 2015
by Yoann Barelli  
Views: 162,244    Faves: 841    Comments: 50


Be ready to see Dirt Merchant and A-line like you've never seen them before.


MENTIONS: @GiantBicycleGlobal / @yoannbarelli / @Fox-Head-Inc / @SramMedia / @WhistlerMountainBikePark



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Member since Oct 31, 2014
56 articles

205 Comments
  • 422 8
 I'm not sure whether to comment on the skills of Yoann and the capability of modern cx bikes..................or the design of modern mountainbike trails.
  • 44 4
 A Line has its place for sure. I'd say you're spot on with your first two topics though.
  • 32 1
 Yoann is such a sick rider. If you've ridden Treasure Trail in Squamish, I think you'll appreciate how hard he crushes it in this vid: www.facebook.com/108002185976788/videos/645911295519205/?__mref=message_bubble
  • 54 14
 Or that trails are getting so groomed out, they can be ridden on a cx bike
  • 19 3
 He rode lower a line too a trail that has technical features his riding is amazing so smooth especially for a cx bike
  • 9 1
 I want to see him ride the goat trail
  • 13 0
 combination of the rider, bike, and the trail. i wonder if Giant would give people grief for trying to warranty broken frames from this type of riding.
  • 37 2
 I thought that the old 'groomers' thing would come up here but I think if it's fun to ride why then hell not. We're in such an awesome time in the sport atm, we have an abundance of trails to ride both groomed and natural. Variety is the spice of life, everything in moderation, etc etc
  • 107 12
 every single person on this site would punch themselves in the nuts- hard- for the chance to get to ride aline and the dirty m. these trails are icons of the sport, and a box to check in everyones life. anyone slinging shit at either of these trails have been either spoiled, lucky as hell, outright liars who have never ridden it, or f*cking one uppers who always have to say they've done better.
is aline more groomed than many of the other trails in whis? sure, but that's what that trail is for, theres a helluva lotta gnar for anyone who needs it at whistler.
in the end, this guy is a better rider than 99% of us, and that CX bike is being thrashed. period. full stop.
  • 9 1
 I quit!
  • 3 0
 Holy crap, that Treasure Trail vid! Hardest I've ever seen someone shred that - best trail in Squampton, IMO.
  • 9 7
 @obee1 I've been here all season and ridden A Line & DM the grand total of once each.

I must be missing the point,Mobutu they really aren't that interesting. Give me the tech in the park or the valley any day of the week.

I don't get the kids who come out here and just lap the same two trails for a week. Mental. The riding is so much better if you open your eyes and do some exploring.

Yo an is a bit of legend though Smile
  • 10 4
 Physician heal thyself!. Open your own eyes and give those two trails another go. You've been in whis a whole season and only ran dirty and Aline once? C'mon man, you gotta get some frequent flyer miles on you. I've ridden with some friends and know some bohemians who live in whistler that don't like Aline, but that's because they can't make the trannies, or they are scared of jumping, or they are just over it. I come up short on jumps in whistler regularly, but that hill can make you a better rider in every aspect of riding. those jumps are the best designed jumps in mtn biking, and you shouldn't avoid them. Hit up crank it up for a few, and then jump in the deep end dude. A whole season? And just tech riding? C'mon now, do some exploring. In truth, if you are still there, rent a car and go hit the interior. Get over to the okanagan and check that scene out. You won't be disappointed.
  • 3 8
flag Rider656 (Aug 30, 2015 at 22:01) (Below Threshold)
 Have him ride "Face" in San Luis Obispo aka SLO. That's the most difficult trail on all the west cost from Washington to California.
  • 1 0
 @Rider656 - got a vid?
  • 2 1
 @Rider656
AHAHA... you're joking right? Face has some rocks, some steeps, and some gaps. It's fun and gnarly, but it isn't the most difficult, not by a long shot.
  • 7 4
 Spandex should nt be allowed on Aline just out of principle.....
  • 1 1
 I ride my giant tcx on a lot of trails over here in the UK, I find riding it easier than mountain bike. As far as warranty is concerned giant have always said that they're bikes can withstand any trail and I've replaced my first frame with them and no worries. Nice strong bikes just the rider has to have confidence
  • 1 1
 I doubt Yoann's setup is UCI-legal. To be legal, your bars need to be no wider than 500mm and tires no wider than 33cm. His bar width is suspect. Impressive nonetheless.
  • 140 7
 I think it is hilarious how many big bikes I see for riders that only ride flow trails.
  • 64 4
 Cough... Trestle in Colorado... Cough.
  • 19 2
 They'll have to pry my 51 pound 2001 RM9 out of my cold dead hands! ( Charlton Heston voice-over recommended for full effect.....possibly even some thunder before and after Chuck's voice)
  • 44 1
 but bro, those brake bumps though
  • 6 0
 I will say there are trails there that warrant big bikes but rainmaker is a silly place
  • 6 0
 And I got told off for suggesting lots of people are over-biked and shorter travel bikes look like fun. Anyone who has been to A-line.. Could a regular mortal hit it happily on a slope bike? Or even a jump bike? Or is it just way too choppy for that to be fun?
  • 9 1
 just when intense make a 241mm travel bike, you see this,
  • 3 5
 Santa Cruz have made the v10 since at least 2008. Which was around that amount of travel or more.
  • 6 0
 V-10 is only 8.4 inches of travel now
  • 6 1
 That's right. The latest v10 is not ten. But only the latest one. All I'm saying is 241mm of travel is not new, it just surprises me that people even think it's a big deal. Since the most winningest dh bike ever, became so with approximately 10 inches of travel.
  • 7 1
 @tobiusmaximum I was just in Whistler and it was really dry and blown out.... from this vid it looks like the rain helped a bit, but IMHO a slope or DJ bike wouldn't be much fun. Even the blue trails will rattle your teeth on a stiff/rigid bike. The "flow" trails are a lot rougher than they look, and if you plan on doing laps all day, suspension is your friend. I ride an SX Trail with a 160mm Fox up front and it does well on all but the burliest tech trails. That said, I wouldn't have minded a Boxxer up front at the end of the day!
  • 3 1
 @andnyleswillriot Trestle is most definitely not a flow trail. Maybe rainmaker is, but not even this dude could do Trestle Downhill on a CX bike. Not implying this dude from Mexico knows more than a Colorado local, but couldn't disagree with you more on that bud.
  • 5 1
 @thrice most the dudes you see with big bikes there are not lapping trestle DH and bear arms/space ape. They're going rainmaker to no quarter over and over and over. Trust me haha
  • 3 1
 Is the camera mounted on a helmet selfie stick?
  • 3 1
 Picking up from Scott-Townes' point, an interesting fact for those of you who started MTB within the last 20 or so years is that once upon a time there were no braking bumps on trails - the braking bumps started only when suspension was introduced. The bigger the travel used on a trail, the bigger the bumps. Some engineer-type can explain it, I only know it to be true.
  • 4 0
 @andnyleswillriot fair enough, maybe I'm biased since that's all I do when I'm down there, lap trestle dh.
  • 4 0
 @iamamodel

I rode back then. I'm going with not enough bikes on trail to create braking bumps. A tire pressurized with air is after all a form of suspension.
  • 3 0
 ^ Yeah I feel its just the heavy traffic. If you live near or on dirt roads, you know bumps always appear at areas where you slow down. If it does have something to do with suspension, that would be cool to hear.
  • 2 0
 Blame mojo wheels for all the World Cup Dh sleds at winter park. Haha, insane
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes it has to do with braking, hence the name "braking bump." Cars slowing down on dirt and gravel skid, digging holes. Same goes for new riders on too much bike, grabbing brake in weird places, too late into corners, etc.
  • 1 0
 The notion that only skidding creates braking bumps is false. Tires are in a constant state of slip during braking and cornering. Find fresh dirt. Roll across it without braking. Now come at the same spot with speed and brake aggressively, but without lockup. Go look at your tracks and tell me again that only skidding makes braking bumps.
  • 1 1
 It isn't traffic. An area I ride now has less traffic than it used to have, but more bumps.
  • 1 0
 Yeahhh, I never said braking had nothing to do with it.... just responding to the guy who said suspension was the reason for the bumps. Who cares though, haha.
  • 2 1
 Ahahaha just what I was thinking.
  • 96 3
 Are you trying to tell me...it's not about the bike??
  • 21 26
flag DragRider (Aug 30, 2015 at 7:25) (Below Threshold)
 Does he rebuilt the wheels after every clip or its only me to think that Smile anyway props to the chap Smile Smile
  • 8 0
 He has carbon, so it makes him blistering fast ha
  • 10 0
 I need to get some 27.5minus tires now...
  • 85 9
 I can tell by his moves that was a mtn biker in disguise. Sometimes mtn bikers wear lycra and ride bikes with drop bars. The give away are the full finger gloves.......a true roadie wouldn't be caught dead wearing those things. Smile
  • 18 45
flag toooldtodieyoung (Aug 30, 2015 at 8:22) (Below Threshold)
 Not sure if you're being sarcastic and I missed it, but Yoann emphatically IS a mountain biker. Check his EWS results.
  • 14 39
flag dropoffsticks (Aug 30, 2015 at 8:23) (Below Threshold)
 it's Yoann Barelli, he races enduro on the Giant team
  • 82 1
 A true roadie wouldn't have lowered his seatpost.
  • 42 12
 You are confusing roadies with cx riders. Generally Roadies are worst than ebola. Cx riders are some of the coolest guys on bycicles.
  • 34 3
 Basic Roadies and Mountainbikers talk a bunch of smack and think just their own kind of riding matters.

CX riders figured out that it's not about the bike, it's about shredding and being CX'y. They usually also ride trail and road and a bunch of other bikes.

(Gross generalizations that generally hold true)

Also this video was the best thing ever.
  • 7 5
 @dontcoast you are right on the first part, but i think roadies are worst on that sense
i myself ride road bike mostly on the week too train for the races, and enduro or fh on the weekend's, so do a bit off both, but i had a few funny situations once when i was coming home on a road(i was on a enduro bike) and a roadie passed me and i sticked on his back, and was a lot of funny seeing him sprint to get away from me and he couldn't, or once where i was on my road bike and paced another roadie doing a bunny hop to a curb with a ramp, he looked at me like i was doing some kind of sin


basically MTB rider's have a bit of anti licra attitude, while most roadies really hate something that has suspension and has larger tires with knobs
  • 4 5
 As somebody with family members who race Road/TT/CX and XC my experience has Tought me one overwhelming fact. Weight is the number 1 all consuming factor as this aids speed as they ride along in a crouched aerodynamic position.

I on the other hand bounce around behind them with my 160mm of travel and a grin on my face.

That video shows some superb skill but just why?
To me CX is simply a way of making mountain biking far too serious and far more uncomfortable.
  • 2 0
 st a chalange to keep it fresh, the amnt off traing this guy's do you have to do something fun diferent than the usual
  • 5 0
 @J-McBride too serious and uncomfortable? i thought having fun on whatever ridiculous equipment you bring and learning to push your limits and see new lines was part of the fun? I can see how it's not for everyone, but for me alternating riding the same trails with a CX and AM bike keeps things way more fun and fresh.
  • 2 0
 @tiagomano

I do that too that. Is the best! I think every mountain biker should do it at least once. Sticking behind a roadie on a full suspension bike and they not being able to lose you. The look of pure hatred is golden they probably go and buy expensive parts afterwards.
  • 2 3
 Seriously, downvoted? Maybe this one person did know that Yoann is a mountain biker, but I recall a lot of the early comments being along the same lines, and this one had floated to the top. (Not sure where the other ones went.)

Unless 23 of you have do much enduro backlash rage that you dispute whether Yoann Barerelli is a mountain biker.
  • 80 3
 A piece of me died while watching this video. The piece that thought it was mountain biker.
  • 9 28
flag redfire (Aug 30, 2015 at 9:32) (Below Threshold)
 He IS a mountain biker
  • 14 0
 I'm glad there wasn't footage of him hitting the drops I would have to sell my bike and take up chess.
  • 4 1
 @metaam It did show him hitting the first one into Dirt Merchant.. Its not huge but it stops 1/2 the people who ride up to the trail head in their tracks haha
  • 1 0
 I feel ya pancake but I guess that dead part wasn't strong enough to survive anyway.
  • 1 0
 everything dies.
  • 73 1
 Does not look like a Session.
  • 68 2
 First it's six year olds now it's guys on road bikes. Man I need to get better
  • 5 1
 can't fight back against a 6-year-old trail terror! Broke a finger doing that once....
  • 6 1
 my uncle got a court date and a flaming bag of shit left at his door doing that once.....
  • 2 0
 That's what she said
  • 42 2
 He's faster than me on those trails.....and I'm on a full suspension dh bike! I suck. FML
  • 40 1
 No need to rub it in. We've got feelings out here.
  • 28 0
 This video proves if its got two wheels and your having fun on it who cares.
  • 3 1
 yep!!! just have fun and don't be a dick
  • 19 2
 I was on the chair behind Yoann yesterday and wasn't quite sure if he was being serious about doing Dirt Merchant! Rode the whole run expecting to see him in a heap somewhere! Fair play to him, he's got some skills!
  • 14 0
 He went over root sections really fast, he was carrying major speed, even if it was groomed, you could see him hit ruts in berms, making those gaps, on drop bars, so much weight on the front, leaned over, its really impressive anyway you cut it!
  • 19 3
 Now let's see Tony Martin win a time trial on a DH bike...
  • 13 2
 That guy is so rad. His riding, yes, rad...but even more so just him as a person.
  • 12 1
 I bet his wheels were just fine after the runs, John tomac style DH with drop bars.
  • 11 1
 You can actually hear the spokes screaming for help
  • 6 0
 I was always sniffy about cx back when I was a young fit roadie and raced mountain bikes, it was neither one or the other... I bought one last year when I finally admitted my back could no longer put up with road riding to replace the uber carbon road weapon...after the first ride I was grinning and felt terribly guilty when I got back to see my two full sussers looking at me with hurt in their eyes...
  • 11 2
 Bike check please!
  • 8 2
 I would have loved a close up of the guys on the big bikes' faces as he went flying past. The crash and 'that was predictable' comment was good too
  • 8 0
 All mountain bikers should own a CX bike.
  • 10 3
 Awesome! I hope to see a CX race down A-Line now guys ^^
  • 8 0
 29'', just saying...
  • 5 2
 Some of the trees in the 2nd half looked so close he almost hit his bars on narrow cross bars... how would you even fit with wide MTB bars? Never ridden the trail so it could just be the video's perspective...
  • 5 0
 Gopro Distortion can have that effect with the lens...
  • 7 0
 It is tight, but nothing too crazy. But then again, at the warp speed some people come in to that section it certainly makes it a bit more hairy!
  • 6 0
 I do that same silly laugh too.
  • 9 0
 I stopped recording rides as all you could hear was me and my riding mates giggling away like schoolkids. We're all over 30!!

Bikes, any bike = fun!
  • 2 0
 I don't think I have smiled more because of any other comments on pinkbike. Thanks guys!
  • 3 0
 Crankworx 2016 is going to be the year that all the companies start sending riders down the bike park on the most (on face value) un-park bikes ever. To prove their reliability etc. I love it!
  • 4 0
 Jeeesus :-)
I don't care how many times he may have fallen, he's got balls of awesome for pulling that off!
200% respect!!!!
  • 4 1
 Every Giant TCX I've ever seen is ridden by a 40 year old with Schwalbe Marathon Plus' on it, good to finally see its capabilities Smile
  • 6 0
 2Spooky4me
  • 5 0
 lars just got 1upped
  • 1 0
 Kind of makes you laugh(ashamed) how much BS we buy from mountain biking magazine "tests" about travel and wheel size etc.... that guy just crushed it on a fully rigid 10 speed!!!! FTW!!!!!
  • 3 0
 Lars rides a clunkier down A-line, now yoann rides a cross bike. they sure are making a lot of people feel like pussies
  • 1 0
 this is truly awesome! hahaha when he rolls through the bumps it's just nice hahaha there's an austrian rider who rode down one of the rockiest tracks in austria with his road bike! haha
  • 1 0
 French riders are so awesome. All the top EWS and World Cup DH frenchies are crazy skilled with no regard for danger. And funny too. You gotta love a fast frenchie with a stashe going down A-line on a CX bike. Smile
  • 6 2
 My hands are sweating just by watching this
  • 4 3
 Pretty impressive. Having ridden those trails on my Mach 6 I can only imagine how rough it was on a cross bike. I did not see him hit any of the gap jumps on Dirt Merchant, now that would be impressive.
  • 3 0
 I imagine a CX bike would be pretty terrible when it gets dry and the berms get chunk and brake bumps.
  • 4 0
 Arm pump would have been extreme on a rigid fork and drop bars Eek
  • 2 1
 Got a cx bike and have always said most mbt trail these days, unless real rocky could be ridden on one, but it's the fact he stays on the drops the whole time! But suppose he had to otherwise he can't brake. Awesome
  • 1 0
 Between this video and then watching all the carnage/crashes in the Vuelta yesterday and today, I have gotten my fix for the weekend, all thanks to that crazy 700c wheel size.
  • 1 0
 I think you mean 29er
  • 1 0
 yeah I got confused...isn't 700c now "29er skinny" or 29er minus.
  • 4 0
 that was so gnarly!
  • 2 0
 I think Lars Sternberg and his klunker just got one-upped! ...in for a response from Lars
  • 11 1
 First off, mad respect for Yoann! Great rider, world class talent.

For perspective on your comment, keep in mind this is one run, edited. The really big jumps and drops not included.

Lars shredded his klunker for several days during Crankworx (many runs) and repeatedly whipped the Crabapple hits during whip-offs as well as pounding laps on A-line, Dirt Merchant etc, during very rough conditions at the time.

Mad respect for Lars. Mad respect for both. I would not even attempt either bike. Serious skills!

DB@EB
  • 1 0
 Damn. I love my new 650b Wilson but this almost makes me ashamed of myself for the type of trails I mostly ride it on lol w.e at least its really fun&exciting overkill!
  • 3 1
 All I haven't seen is someone hittin crabapple on a strider bike...anyone up for the challenge?
  • 2 0
 Dude shreds!! He not even on a carbon 650b with boost! Didn't know that was possible..
  • 4 1
 Sniff sniff i suck at mtn biking.
  • 3 0
 Truth that good riders can hit the same shit on any bike!
  • 3 0
 Yeah but he has a pretty significant weight advantage right?
  • 3 0
 A Plus sized XC bike would solve his traction issues on those burms...
  • 4 1
 Im impressed
  • 2 0
 its the end of the world as I know it
  • 3 0
 major props
  • 2 1
 Disqualified for wearing skinsuit. UCI rules... Bet he can't do it with proper clothing.
  • 1 0
 Flipping Awesome and the rider is just having so much fun that it becomes a flipping flipping awesome clip!
  • 1 0
 Looks like a KillerShot GoSwivel was used to film: www.killershot.com/killershot-goswivel
  • 1 0
 completely blowed up my concept that people with tight bike shirts only ride concrete road.
  • 3 0
 Shreddin
  • 2 0
 I think I can hear spokes crying
  • 1 0
 The only thing I see could be improved is that he needs a clutch derailleur. That thing was noisy.
  • 1 0
 I always wondered if it would be possible and what it would be like. Pretty much as I imagined. Bad ass dude!
  • 1 0
 He probably wouldn't have crashed if he had 27.5's, a tapered steerer, and a 148mm wide rear axle.
  • 2 1
 hahaha awesome !!!! something wrong in is head ;-)
  • 2 1
 If he can do that on a cross bike then I'm taking my dj there
  • 1 0
 @Rustyspear55 @jbeach what the actual hell
  • 2 1
 Now take it down "ride, don't slide".
  • 2 1
 He would make a good courier.
  • 1 0
 Dirt jumps pointed down a mountain...
  • 1 0
 All excuses out the window... #humbledyetagain
  • 2 2
 I don't know him, but I hate him. Forget the bike. My pads weigh more than his bike . . .
  • 1 0
 Claudio should have done that!!!!!
  • 1 0
 700c or 650c CX bikes are going to be the new wheel debate....
  • 1 0
 a LOT of Dummys here on the floor, covered in spit....

Wonder why..... Wink
  • 1 0
 that was seriously wrong in every level...
  • 1 0
 sick, rode it in the drops the whole way too. crazy!
  • 1 0
 That's it. I'm done. I'm selling all of my bikes and taking up knitting.
  • 1 0
 so awesome! how many sketchy moments did he have on that run haha
  • 1 0
 Next step: Crabapple Hits!
  • 1 0
 That was pretty cool. Wheels on dirt.
  • 1 0
 Balls for the lycra kit on Dirty. Larger balls to rip it up!
  • 1 1
 I didn't realize Whistler bike Park was that smooth. I have never been to a bike park, but that was eye opening.
  • 1 0
 Someone better notify Lars that he has been one-up'd!
  • 1 0
 I think I just got "Served"...........
  • 1 0
 What? No crab apples? Pffff
  • 1 0
 all excuses for the rest of us now redundant
  • 1 0
 Just because its possible doesn't mean you "should".
  • 3 4
 what a nut job ! aha
  • 2 3
 What a dude
  • 1 2
 why?
  • 1 3
 Eat your heart out Charlie
  • 2 5
 pffff, childs play......
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