Next Exit: Bend, Oregon - Video

Dec 7, 2016
by Freehub Magazine  
Views: 8,766    Faves: 71    Comments: 1


What really sets Bend, Oregon apart from other mountain towns is its unique geological history—or rather the fact that, as Adam Craig says, “Pretty much everything around here exploded at some point.” From the trail network surrounding town to Mt. Bachelor’s lift-serviced runs to the rowdy trails on Cline Butte, Bend’s dirt and landscape provide a variety of riding, most of which is only a few minutes out the backdoor.

Beyond the riding, Bend has an outdoor culture that is ingrained into its roots. People live here because of it’s year round opportunities for all things active. The number of professional athletes (and not just bikers) who call Bend home is a testimony to the town’s draw, and the amount of effort that has been put into their trails is a reflection of the entire community’s commitment. The combination of access and opportunity make one thing certain; it’s impossible to be bored in Bend.

Lindsey Adam and Lev enjoying the tacky dirt and epic views of late season days at the Mt. Bachelor Bike Park.
Photo: Tyler Roemer

Next Exit is a series dedicated to exploring communities around North America that have embraced the mountain bike lifestyle. Small towns are dreaming big when it comes to the issues that surround our sport, from tourism to advocacy to land management. Their efforts are redefining what a mountain town can be, keeping our culture—and trails—alive and well.

Watch the rest of the Next Exit Series:
Next Exit // Sun Valley, Idaho
Next Exit // Revelstoke, British Columbia
Next Exit // Copper Harbor, Michigan

Next Exit // Bend, Oregon was produced by Freehub Magazine and Teton Gravity Research with support from Scott Bikes, 10 Barrel Brewing, Mt. Bachelor, Visit Bend and evo.


MENTIONS: @FreehubMag



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Member since Apr 28, 2009
162 articles

59 Comments
  • 79 1
 Did I just sit through a time share meeting???
  • 6 0
 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH ^this guy!
  • 4 1
 @chezotron: No......This GUY^
  • 11 6
 thanx @freehubmag for exploiting our small town.. go ahead and down vote me!!!
  • 44 1
 the fastest growing town in southern ca, bend oregon
  • 2 0
 don't bend Hood river....
  • 24 0
 I lived there twice. Lots of pedaling if that's what you're into to. And cold a lot. I prefer the trails at Black Rock, Oakridge and Hood in Oregon.
  • 8 0
 Oakridge is awesome!
  • 2 0
 @da22923. I second that emotion.
  • 3 0
 Ashland takes a fat dump on bend when it comes to trail quality. plenty of long, steep descents.
  • 21 0
 I think it's crazy when people say that 10 barrel "sold out". You're talking about a couple brothers that worked hard and made it happen for themselves and then someone offered them a ton of money so they sold. Now they can do whatever they want. How is that "selling out".
  • 11 0
 I think it's only people under the age of 25 that complain about selling out. They don't realize how stressful running a business or just working for the rest of your life can be. Once you've had to manage inventory or trudge into the same depressing office for a couple years you would happily take the chance to sell out.
  • 7 0
 @WestwardHo: My bad - I was the first poster with the 'sellout' thing, and this being the internet I now wish I hadn't. Smile Not even close to under 25 I'm afraid - in fact just about double that. For me at least ('poser-beer-snob', 'aged-hipster-wannabe', 'dumbass', whatever label you need - I'm too old to give a shit now) the issue is not that they sold, but who they sold to. I realize exactly how stressful running a business is, in fact, but it also isn't necessarily trudging into the same depressing office every day. I very much doubt that's what running 10B felt like, though I can only speculate. But hey - that's only my way of looking at things - I do believe we're still allowed to hold different values whatever our age. Never intended to start a war!
  • 1 0
 has anyone in bend discussed anything other than the sale of this brewery since it happened? you can't mention the town's name without hearing about it.
  • 13 3
 Bend sucks, don't move here.
  • 5 3
 bend sucks, don't move here.
bend sucks, don't move here.
bend sucks, don't move here.
bend sucks, don't move here.
bend sucks, don't move here.


Wink
  • 3 1
 Oregon sucks, dont move here.
  • 9 0
 How about the double take in green/grey at :36 to :37 seconds?
  • 2 0
 Ha! Yeah... Didn't escape my eye, nor the guy's with the white baseball cap on the left side of the screen.
  • 2 0
 Or the little toddler being carried by his dad, for that matter.
  • 5 0
 Trails are too flat. Volcanic "dirt" is basically sand. I wouldn't move there just for biking. If you take into account the whole package...skiing, climbing, etc. then its pretty alright...
  • 1 0
 Agreed, flat and loose, not a good combo. I rented a Bronson and the shop gave me a bike with like a 100mm steam and 800mm bars, I told them the steering sucked and they turned a good handling bike into a bad handling bike, they looked at me like I was stupid.
  • 5 1
 For the most part you can get away with a 120mm 29r. 150 or 160mm is super over kill. Bachelor might be a different story.
Sage,( get a trail bike buddy and cut your hair you hippy. )
Best beer town in the west.
  • 2 0
 Something in the 5" range is plenty. Wife and I ride a Hightower and Mojo 3 at Bachelor and I honestly wouldn't want more. The only thing you need a bigger bike for is hucking the drops on Funner, but that's one short trail and only if you hit it hard and fast taking the biggest lines. (And perhaps the short DH trails at Cline Butte). Most everything else is pretty smooth flow or jump lines. Don't get me wrong there are some decent sized jumps here, but the trails are still a bit pedally and the transitions are usually well built so unless you're prone to casing every jump you don't need a lot of travel.
  • 2 0
 Tylers traverse is a great trail in Bend I got to ride a couple years ago.. super fun, long flow trail ideal for a trail bike.. I hope I sell my business for a couple million soon so people can call me a sell out.. can't wait!
  • 4 0
 Bachelor Sucks. Such a waste of a ski lift. No reason to ride a DH bike there, you'd have more fun on a fully rigid. BRING BACK WILLAMETTE PASS
  • 1 0
 I sort of agree, but I'll give them another chance next season. Only been open 3 years hopefully they keep improving.
  • 5 4
 Goddam I am so pumped on this. The push to help women realize that gender is only biological and not a setback is amazing to me. To all the people out there pushing and opening their hearts and minds, THANK YOU. Now, I must go ride Bend!!!
  • 2 0
 Isn't the trail that Lev Stryker and crew are riding off the top of Paulina Peak closed to bikes? It looks like a lot of fun but I thought it was illegal to ride, hiking only. Did they just not care or am I mistaken?
  • 1 0
 Has anyone ever heard of a buisiness plan? This was their plan from the beginning so i would call ???? barrel a completed success also many employees still there from the beginning have lived in bend for 7 years and love riding here but also im not a lazy shuttling wannabe so please go to blackrock or hood river and stand by the road and watch real riders hit the shit you wish you could posers!
  • 1 0
 Why do they make videos like this but not tell you which trails are being shown in the video. I went there this summer and rode phils and descuttes but I want to hit the rest of trails in this video
  • 2 0
 Please, don't move here, it sucks. If you really want to see Bend, go to southern California.
  • 6 7
 Bend is pretty much freakin phenomenal. Though... 10 Barrel? Ya sold out to Bud/InBev. Too bad Crux or Boneyard couldn't have sponsored. Or maybe "Independent Breweries of Bend".
  • 4 0
 Love Crux!!
  • 7 1
 10 barrel didn't sell out. The owners worked hard to make their beer impressive and worth investing into. If anything Busch is helping the company grow. People like you with these sour opinions are what hurt Bend. We live here to be optimistic and have fun and drink lots of beer. Not to sit around and bitch about whos better. We're all in this together.
  • 2 0
 One day I will own something worth selling for a lot of money, and then move to bend do I can ride bikes and drink beer and hang out with cool people... Working SUX...
  • 2 2
 You would have done the same if you owned 10 Barrel. So, have fun working the rest of your life while they laugh from their yacht. And please, zip your lip.
  • 2 0
 23 breweries inside the city limits. Take your pick - I never go to 10 barrel. Not cause I think they "sold out" but because they're always overcrowded and they don't have a great stout.
  • 1 0
 @treekilla: OK, it seems like semantics but I'll delete 'out' and say they 'sold to Bud/InBev'. And you're right about them making impressive beer (and a great pub), and AB/InBev will help them grow. But I'd disagree with a couple things: How does my 'sour opinion' hurt Bend? You can't just throw things out there to be taken as truth without some kind of reasoning. And which part is opinion? They sold - as is completely their right - but that's not an opinion. It's also not opinion that InBev is out to eliminate or absorb all competition and are uninterested in craft. There are a lot of craft breweries that are independent and supportive of each other and value craft and quality. InBev values the bottom line. I've got friends that were at Redhook before that sale and they'd tell you the same - the place, the product, all suffered.

10B had a right to sell, I have a right to be sad about that and express my opinion, you have a right to down-vote. But if selling to InBev is the right decision when you've made great beer, we're going to run out of great beer. PBers seem to have a bent for fun, free-spiritedness, anti-corporate-BS; InBev is pretty much the opposite. I miss going to 10B, Redhook, Elysian - but I'll exercise my puny right to patronize those that love the craft.

Cheers, good riding, and good drinking!
  • 1 0
 @MtHood-G: Kinda harsh. I am part owner in a business, and we choose not to sell, though we get offers. You're right - given the offer they got I might have sold, though I personally would have tried for a different buyer, but whatever. I'll will work (part of) the rest of my life - it's not like there's something wrong with working. I'll zip my lip now, so the 10 Barrel guys can laugh at me in peace. :\
  • 1 0
 @number44: Harsh? Calling anyone a Sellout is harsh. Please understand, I am simply standing up for their right to sell a business they worked hard to create. There are many forms of keeping things real. This was theirs. There is no sense, at all, in calling them sellouts. I think they earned it.
  • 1 0
 @MtHood-G: naaaaaw, they are sell outs. We can discuss this issue further at boneyards tap room over a growler fill and tasting flight. Derp.
  • 1 0
 @DDubb: my best friend runs Boneyard. I would be happy to meet up and discuss. If you're serious, I will let you know when I ma back in Bend.
  • 1 0
 @MtHood-G: my comment was was intended to be an example of a company which refuses to be a corporate sell out, less so the date part. I probably won't show up. I stopped caring about 10barrel two years ago, and I would rather go ride my bicycle and drink not their beers. I love riding my bicycle. Bend sucks, don't come here.
  • 3 0
 trail from 2:24 to 2:56?
  • 5 0
 Cline Butte. Kinda short, but fun
  • 2 0
 How about the trail from 0:49 to 1:03?
  • 1 0
 Yes, please! I live in Bend and have no idea where this trail is. Share if you do!
  • 1 0
 @jakefish: It's the trail that drops off of Paulina Peak.
  • 1 0
 Bend is flat.Haven't been to Bachelor so I can't say the same about the bike park.
  • 1 0
 I love Bend. Favorite town to visit for riding and beer.
  • 1 0
 What's the trail at around 2:45?
  • 1 0
 Great pit stop from socal on the way to crankworx...
  • 1 0
 Thats it. I'm going to visit. When is the best time of year?
  • 2 0
 Mid April to October is best. There is snow and a lot of rain during winter.

200+ miles of single track you can access from town.
  • 1 0
 @fastlaneflyer: Thanks! We will need to plan a trip and check it out for sure. Looks like I could bring my DH bike and my DJ and find some fun stuff to ride.
  • 1 0
 @GOGRANDE: DJ bike for sure. There's slopestyle and jump
Lines at Phil's trailhead. DH bike is a little overkill for the area but still fun. There is a bike park Mt bachelor for the big bike.
Don't forget awesome beer also
  • 2 2
 frozen trails beer sucks go home.....
  • 1 0
 @:35...nice







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