Selected by Colin Meagher - " It's exciting to ride steeps and drop into lines without scouting them first. it gets the blood pumping! Romo and Bueler had just dropped a couple gnarly lines and then I found this line originally scouted by Doerfling. I won't lie, I was a little OC (Outta Control) " -Mike Kinrade
True, but if he wouldn't have tried it first it would have been a long time before someone else worked up the courage to try it. Then our sport would not have evolved so quickly.
I respect what hes done.
So thank you Bender.
at one point i liked him as a rider but looking back on it there is way better freeriders out there that have way more style and steeze to their riding in which bender doesnt come close. this is my opinion though, agree or disagree, i dont really care.
People who say that Bender has no skill, haven't ever ridden with him. All though I haven't myself, I am friends with somebody who has ridden with him down in southern Utah a number of times, trust me, Josh Bender is very skilled on two wheels. He crashed a ton in competition, but at the same time, he was going way bigger than anybody at the time too, and he wasn't playing it safe by sticking to his comfort zone. Our sport owes a lot to him, as well as many others including Mike Kinrade.
You can't hold it against Bender that he had no style... Style wasn't even invented back then! Even if you don't like him- his balls influenced some awesome bikes being built and I think we should all be grateful for his part in our sport.
No disrespect to Bender what so ever, but I'm going to have to say that he really doesn't have a whole lot of skill on a bike. However, what he does have is a nice mixture of bravery and stupidity. That being said, his "mixture" really did push the limits of the sport. My 2 cents.
Bender is the man. I'd like to see all you haters huck anything even a quarter of the size of this, let alone go back up and do it again and again and again.
You all know what the rule is: Do something better, Film it, Post it, THEN complain. But until then, nut up or shut up.
need a "bender would go" tee. his karpeil was a crazy rig. he brought progression thru his attitude. i think what you see now is refinement of that attitude with skill and technology that allows style to come out.
I dont think he WAS the most talented back in the day, but if there was no bender who would inspired all those people to go bigger and bigger and bigger.... He had massive balls to do that stuff at anytime not to mention 15 years ago! Hes a big reason this sport is what it is today. Agreed with 'fullbug' surfers have 'eddie would go' we need ' bender would go' stuff...
every time this drop comes up on pb everyone starts the "bender wasnt that good" argument. can you lot get a life and go and ride instead of winning on the internet about a guy 1000 times better than you
Woah calm down guys, that 1st comment had a hint of sarcasm in it. Truth be told bender has skill. I just think there was better guys during that time when bender was big but freeride world deffinately not be the same without him. I didn't mean to start world war 3. Sorry.
Bender was a state champion downhill rider. Seems that being a mediocre racer wasn't as fun or got you as much coverage as hucking yourself off of big things. Props to him for being skilled, and also props for choosing to grow the biggest sack known to the mountain bike community and progressing things in a huge way.
every time the topic of Bender comes up, these exact comments arise. its now just funny to me. he had such an impact on our sport that he is now a household name. even seeing an exposed cliff face or random photo can bring his name to mind for most. If thats not success, and worthy of respect in the bike world. then i dont know what would be.
just wanna point out: benders bike was probably around 60 lbs compared to semenuk's 30 ish pound equivalent. I think that is going to make a big difference in how flat your table is.
Reply to bamfbmx/ dude you are a dumb ass! First let me see you do any of the shit bender did! Second, sounds to me that you are just repeating something you heard on a show just cause its cool! Wrong! Third, we all owe to bender and all those nuts from the 90s. They are why we have our sport today! Dumb ass!
I don't want to say that PODs in last couple of months don't deserve this award. Of course they do. Though today's POD is that I've been waiting for a very very long time and finally it is ! I am soooo stoked about this
hey everyone, after first and second reviews this is not the JAH-DROP...not even close...but still a sick line...first you can't even think about rolling or riding the cliff...cause it's a cliff not a very steep face...and yes only bender would have thought ...Hey man i hope my bike holds up on this one! Ohmy Bender! any how still a sick line/photo...and remember...Life's too short not to go big...gotta go BIG! Keep sending it people Loopy Loo!
Wow! I'm amazed - Every sport has it's god father - Bender is ours to free riding. Didn't have style? Style evolves - he had plenty in his day. Just dropped in and hoped for the best? Absolutely! What kind of set up do you think he rode? Technology evolves. His bike/suspension wasn't up for the shit he was trying to pull off with it. Don't criticize him - you have better bikes, do the tricks that someone had done before you and still you need Bender Balls to match his courage.
Awesome line! im not trying to defend anyone here.. bender was the evolution of what freeriding is today. He may not be the most skillful of riders, but he went big...Too big most of the time. Hes just out there enjoying the ride, as all of us do. Im not about to try riding the line posted let alone drop off of it.. Mega props to kinrade for nailing it, and mega props to bender for attempting to air the drop!
i think this would be considered down hill correct?BUT MAN ITS A GOOD THING ONE OF THEM DIDNT WIPE OUT THE REST WOULD BE SCREWED.must have all got free shirts in the parking lot or something good hit right here this dudes straight up gansta thats a nasty drop
Who rode the lines down the center to the right of him. Done some straight down stuff but not to the magnitude that is. Huge props and pics like this are well worth looking at and getting excited to ride.
Great pic!
I drive by the jaw drop once and and a while on the way to Harper Mtn, and the landing is indeed too flat. Tippie (my other half) actually filmed Bender doing the Jaw Drop for NWD. It has a very flat landing and were trying to tell Josh that - he wound up in the hospital, but made MTB history in the process!