lol - don't get defensive people, the skating reference was to the scoring, in that they are marked on similar things to skaters, style, difficulty, lines, tricks etc etc - i can see all you muddy macho riders suddenly grabbing beers and red bulls and grunting so people know you are nothing like skating pansies in Lycra and sequins lol
seriously look at all those Americans wanting attention in the back ground, you would think they would have something better to do with their time than poach camera time from a news show although it was nice to see Mountain Biking being more widely recognized & reported
I love how she said they travelled the world looking for the best lines. British Columbia, Argentina, Nepal, China. She never said that BC was home to those guys. I wonder also, if the americans know that British Columbia is in Canada, and not part of either the country of Columbia or DC. Mainstream americans, not mountain biking americans.
@Angryham - if this is NYC, then I doubt the locals give a rats arse about getting attention on the tv. So it's probably tourists - and being that NYC is well, NYC, those attention hoarders could be from ANYwhere, even (ohmygosh) Scottland...
it is like figure skating. The same way classical music is like death metal. Both require skills, taste, bravery and creativity along with dedication. You cats are dissing skating cause you are homophobes
How many of you lot can do a 720+ on freaking ice skates? None, that's how many. I'm not a fan of figure skating, but it deserves some respect for the athleticism and dedication at the very least.
you people who are complaining need to remember that 99.9% of the audience doesn't have a clue what freeriding or dh is, so really they were just putting everything simply.
why all the neg props??? My american cousins, my comment is not without merit. Goto youtube and search "rick mercer talks to americans". Statistically speaking, americans dont know much about the world outside of their borders. Three Columbias could be confusing. one a district, one british and one in south america, a long long ways away.
Listen dont get your knickers in a knot. As a peace gesture, I invite all americans to the annual Saskachewan seal hunt where we can all get pissed up and kill some baby seals!!!!
@chickenlassi: you are proving inadvertently that Canadians are just as ignorant. Colombia is the country. Note the spelling. You were already schooled once and didn't even realize it.
Chickenlassi most Americans know where BC is its not like Canadians are smarter. Hell when I was there I had to explain to a few people were Houston was and that we arnt all cowboys!
Respect to figure skating, maybe it looks a bit girly with all the costumes and stuff, but it's a sport where you have to work as hard as in any other sport to be good.
I think Today did a good job on this piece. Props to them. Props to Claw. Too many people in the world know bikes & ride bikes to be in the dark about how awesome they can really be.
chickenlassi, you're as dumb as any Americ*nt. I don't see any Canadian TV shows representing us to as many people as the Today show did. Your comments have nothing to do with the video. The video is not about stupid Americans, the video was about some of the smart ones representing us.
socal, looks like you're one of the dumb ones. You ever tried it? Intelligent people can see how much harder figure skating would be than hockey, people like you should grab some experience 'cuz you're too dumb to know better.
Bro I play ice hockey. Just cuz ur canadian doesnt make u know more about hockey or figure skating. FR and DH is alot more difficult and way more dangerous then figureskating.
Wow. You guys all miss the point. Let me spell it out for you all of you, regardless of what country you're from.
Comparing the rampage to figure skating is accurate because they ate both scored by difficulty and artistic interpretation. Follow me so far? What makes it FUNNY is that in ALL other aspects, the two sports are REALLY different. That's what makes it funny - it's true... But not really. It's ironic. If you don't get that, i can't help you out.
this video makes me smile all the way through it! because this just shows how far the sport i love has come in the world of publicity.. Now maybe when i ask my friends if they know what mountain biking is, they won't say "oh you mean that thing where you ride on gravel on a flat trail?"
I liked the part where the guy tried to make fun of the Jenna's attempt on a bike and she threw out how she'd take him, to show how much he'd be crying afterwards. Thought I would be more annoyed with a mainstream media corespondent's report but she was alright and actually worked to dispel the idea (her colleagues probably have) about how it's just a bunch of reckless daredevils out there.
Totally cool! Surprised that such a mainstream show would depict it in such a correct way not to make us look like bunch of adrenaline junkie psychos on bicycles. (even though a bit of all of us are inside)
They should totally add freeriding into figure skating. Would be awesome to see someone triple lutz a 20 ft gap. Crashed Ice with trick scores!! AWESOME!!!
NBC has tried to take some risks and has developed a new channel.. NBC Sports. They also signed RedBull Media House to a 20hr deal to bring RedBull's signature series to the American Masses. Since Jan 2012 they've been featuring multi styles of action sports. I've been able to catch alot of RedBull X fighters and Snow Boarding. Now the DH/FR gets it's spotlight on Dec 8th primetime with the Rampage. I can't think of a better event to highlight the sport. After 15 years of watching our sport evolve I am thinking to myself... "FINALLY !!" I know you Brits and Canadians are light years ahead when it comes to Bike Sports Action coverage, but NBC is at the top of the media food chain in the US, and this is probably going to be the best TV produced on piece on mtbing to date. If the only price we have to pay is to put up with these spoon fed, milky white segments on what Freeriding is to hype the Rampage coverage, then I am grateful!!!
I think that sets him apart in terms of TV is that he is a very well spoken rider. That and he's a super nice down to earth guy. At least from what i've seen of him.
Like Abe said.. I think he was the best for the show not only because of all he has done for the sport, but he is probably the best representative of the sport, he is good at public speaking and "dumbing" the explanations down so that average people understand it.. And he is very well spoken and down to earth..
Darren is definitely the best embassador for the sport , keeps pushing the limits and has that aura that kids gravitate to and want to be like. no one better!!!
Couldnt agree more, i was smiling through the entire video seeing all the publicity this sport has gotten, Im at the point were i could not live without dh anymore. Its kinda cool to think that in 20 years there might be the next claw on tv saying he started cause he saw this on the today show when he was a kid.
Love seeing the happiness on new riders faces once they try the sport. She was so stoked to do her run, and that is just a little taste of the awesome feeling we get everyday!
I literally laughed-out-loud when he said "ya, no thanks." I was like, what a f'n sissy! So many people miss out on the amazing adrenaline rush you get when riding because they think it's too dangerous. Silly!
That was a great spot, and was pretty rad to see she even tried riding down the path, and how stoked she was. These 'mainstream' things always have the tendency to come out super cheese, but they represented well, nice job to NBC, this journalist, redbull, and Claw. Hell, this journo chick was more genuinely enthusiastic and interested in what MTB is, than Sal!
It's funny as adults we forget the things that use to bring us so much joy! I hear it from people all the time, that I am too old to be doing what I am doing on a bike! There's something about grabbing onto a bar, and putting the feet on a pedals, that makes me feel like a kid again! Way to go Darren!
Darren is such a legend. She was incredibly annoying but cool to see how pumped she was for making it down. Serious mtb love going down at NBC. Great promotion for such an awesome sport
This is the same reporter that interviewed Travis Rice for RedBull's supernatural. I think she does a very good job with covering action sports based on the two pieces I've seen.
check out 2:22. She's willing to take chances. Sure it was in to waist deep pow but that was at least 15-20'. Much respect to her and Today Show/NBC featuring this stuff.
This was really a nice surprise. The figure skating reference was obviously drawing parallels regarding judging and what aspects will affect the awarding of points. I thought Darren did a great job of just being himself. Respect to the Today Show reporter for doing a bit of riding with Darren. Pretty impressed by this segment.
Great to see mnt. biking getting exposure through the BIG networks, and to top it off the "MAN" is from B.C. CANADA. Think about it....how many people watched the coverage, had no idea such a thing existed ,saw a woman get on a mnt. bike, thought about, and then went out and bought a mnt. bike.............COOL !!!
Bikes were made for adventurers and enthusiasts! Look at how far they've come and the people who operate them! This gets me stoked to ride even as we speak. Get out there and ride to your hearts content!
Crackers reporting on a sport that the youth only know how to describe lol. Ladies and Gents this is not sking in aspen. U will never understand it till u do it for years. its just funny cuz DHand FR is mainstream to me and my family. But not to half of the world.
What a well spoken ambassador to our sport Darren Berrecloth is. It also looks like he created a new convert. The host seemed to genuinely enjoy herself.
great segment really liked how he justifies his actions and assures reporter that he knows exactly what hes doin .pulling huge arials off massive structures.
Liked the shot of them sitting on ledge of take off,the fact the lady rode the bike down was ultra cool that bercloth got her on a bike .
Agree. You can tell Darren spent some time really talking to her about how he (we) want the general public to visualize the sport before they shot it. In some ways I think it was good they kept some of the bigger gnar out of it. It made it a little more public friendly. Chill music was a good call too. Props to him for doing this and the reporter for the honest portrayal.
I think considering the audience that is probably watching "The Today Show" it was a pretty good spot. I mean it isn't like 18-30 year old males are sitting at home in the morning watching "The Today Show" for the latest extreme sport news.
Yeah, like my mom who is 60+ watches the Today Show. Old ladies are their main audience. Keep it simple, colorful, and relatable (old ladies LOVE figure skating). That being said, my mom called me to tell me one of those crazy bikers was on TV. She says she still doesn't understand why I like this "dangerous" sport but got a better idea of what it is at least. I assured her I am not doing anything like Rampage... expect in my dreams!
Is mainstream what we really want for this sport that we love though? Are we making it better or are be killing it? Yes money and sponsorships are great for the sport but when is enough enough? Building an empire not a way of life!
I like how you bring up a legitimate argument and every just downvotes. Mainstream Exposure is good. but it's not really needed on the levels people want. I see no point in trying to pander to 30 year old women watching the Today show. If people want to ride, they'll go out and do it on their own accord. It's not like MTB is freakin' underground. It's everywhere, you just have to walk into a bike shop. I want riders who actually want to ride because they love and respect it, not because it's the new cool "trend". I've seen enough scene kids in my life time. That's a slippery slope.
Exposure is healthy?, so exposing the average person to Extreme FR as a representation of MTB, is like introducing someone to sex with porn. Why cant anyone understand this?
Cant get through the f*&king disney ads. Why is everyone so excited that Extreme freeride goes mainstream? That is not a good thing. The general public will only view this as a freak show. Hell most of the bike industry does already. Think it through people.
Because reports like this dispel that notion. And how does most of the bike industry think that since almost all the major MTB brands make dh and freeride bikes? People would only think its a freakshow because they know nothing about it or have never been exposed to it. And for every 1000 people that see it for the first time maybe 1 or 2 will give it a go. How on earth is that a bad thing?
I don't think this segment will get the show's core audience to get into MTBing, or watching competitions. It's better to look at this as a way to explain to the mainstream why their young relatives pursue an expensive sport, and the rewards they enjoy despite considerable risks. The mainstream will never be extreme, that is an oxymoron. Our community needs mainstream acceptance and support, and this video was helpful towards that, I hope. "Don't worry, Granny, it's good clean fun! Now go buy your grandson a V10c."
Hmmm, if you need the Today show to validate your activities, well then maybe you need to check your riding integrity meter. The last thing you want is people like this mainstream sporto aerobic instructor reporter "giving it a go" and smearing themselves all over the canyon, eventually closing access to these kind of places (and bikeparks) due to the masses injuring themselves. Why does our community need mainstream acceptance? As stated this minute percentage of the cycling industry is doing fine, and niche sponsors like RedBull have it covered. I dont see the value of it, it only makes it a spectacle that will sell more energy drinks, oh umm wait a sec.....
I find it very funny that you say about "validating our activities" as that is the very thing i though of about you when I initially read your post. You are the one who seems concerned that it will be viewed as a freakshow after all. But i dont think your concerns about people smearing themselves all over bike parks are valid either since according to you these people just view it as a freakshow. Doesnt exactly sound like they will be queuing up to try it if that is the case. And the people who think its cool and do want to try it have every much right as you did to try it for the first time.
Oh yeah and as someone who lives in a country (not Canada) that is very restrictive about what bikers can build I can tell you most certainly that having more bikers IS a very good thing for trail building. When its only a tiny niche of people that makes it almost impossible to make progress. So yes mainstream acceptance like they have in the pacific northwest is hugely beneficial for Mountain biking of all varieties.
If you want more people to get into the sport of MTB, you dont start with the tip of the iceberg. (extreme FR is just that) 1% of the picture. You need to have shows on the travel channel showing multiday off road tours to adventure. This will not incite that. So it will remain what it is: A spectacle. Like Kneivel was. A muse for the viewers. Waiting to see the big miss. Luckily everyone will get to watch Cam overgap the canyon. That is all they are playing on. A bunch of network aholes were dragged into a room to watch that footage, they were sold. Lets put it on, this will get great 18-30yr old male ratings. ! !
Great job on the PR Darren ,the freeride ambassador!
