Alex Bond: Short Travel - Video and Photos

Apr 9, 2012 at 12:30
by Jacob Gibbins  
Alex Bond is one of the new crop of young UK racers who has big things ahead for him, especially after being a total privateer last season and taking the UK BDS overall title in elite - CRC/Nukeproof picked him up for this season and rightly so. He broke his collarbone only a month ago out in California while training with the Athertons, but raced the South Africa World Cup on it, in some pain, but is now pretty much back to full speed as you can see in this edit of him shredding his short travel Nukeproof around some amazing tracks in North Wales.

Alex Bond - Short Travel

by jacobgibbins
Views: 17,165    Faves: 252    Comments: 7



Title image for the new Alex Bond edit dropping very soon. Full interview and photos in the next www.wideopenmag.co.uk https www.facebook.com JacobGibbinsPhotography

Few photos to go up with the new Alex Bond Short travel edit I did for wideopenmag.co.uk https www.facebook.com JacobGibbinsPhotography
Alex on top of some huge mountains with his truck.

Few photos to go up with the new Alex Bond Short travel edit I did for wideopenmag.co.uk https www.facebook.com JacobGibbinsPhotography
Al getting a bit loose in the loam aboard his Nukeproof.

Few photos to go up with the new Alex Bond Short travel edit I did for wideopenmag.co.uk https www.facebook.com JacobGibbinsPhotography
A month ago he had a broken collar bone, now he's shredding hard.

Few photos to go up with the new Alex Bond Short travel edit I did for wideopenmag.co.uk https www.facebook.com JacobGibbinsPhotography
At home on the farm in North Wales.

Video is to go with the full interview with him in the next issue of http://wideopenmag.co.uk/

Check out Jacob Gibbin's blog to see the behind the scenes of the video, or his Facebook page to keep up on his latest efforts.

Author Info:
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Member since Feb 23, 2007
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77 Comments
  • 80 1
 Cool Trails and vid but i'd hardly call a 160mm Bike short travel?
  • 7 46
flag Horizon123 (Apr 9, 2012 at 13:33) (Below Threshold)
 180mm is the biggest you can get for a XC bike so I agree 100%
  • 30 0
 what xc bikes do you know that have 180mm?

I guess its short travel relative to his usual DH bike
  • 29 0
 in that case call it alex bond .. slightly less travel
  • 3 12
flag RaleighVoid (Apr 9, 2012 at 14:25) (Below Threshold)
 scott genius LT has 180 all round, kona coilair has 200mm out back!! Razz
  • 4 0
 but i agree, i was expecting 'trail bikes'
  • 7 1
 Does the LT on the Scott genius stand for long travel? Also you seem to define xc as anything not DH. The coilair is at least an AM bike. This should have been Alex Bond All Mountain.
  • 3 5
 nothing you say is untrue, but don't forget the artistic licence...
  • 16 0
 I remember when 5+ was considered freeride/downhill... lol!
  • 9 0
 5+ is still freeride/dh?

Who says more is better?
  • 6 28
flag cyfa89 (Apr 9, 2012 at 15:14) (Below Threshold)
 @taletotell, this is pinkbike where the only disciplines followed are dh/dj.

And in true pinkbike form i would follow that with 'so if you dont like it bugger off'.

Which i do bugger off quite often, for some variety instead of the mundane, same old same old stuff pinkbike follows.
  • 2 1
 The Mega is 150mm
  • 3 0
 Short travel.... lol.

I do like the idea of 140/150mm travel hard core bikes designed for 150-170mm fork. It just makes sense.

From the Nukeproof website.

MEGA FRAME
Inspired by the explosion in Megavalanche-style Enduro DH events and evolved from a prototype that placed highly in the 2009 run of the actual event, the Mega frame is built to take the unique combinations of challenges thrown up by Enduro-style DH events and general All-Mountain adventure.

Offering 150mm rear travel and designed to match with 150-170mm forks up front the Mega is a versatile frame that combines plush descending prowess with pedalling efficiency.
Suspension-wise, the Mega uses our 'Erosion' linkage giving a smooth progressive action with a well controlled mid-stroke to avoid wallowing under pedal loads.
  • 2 1
 200mm?! the hell LOL that's a XC?
  • 11 2
 Cyfa..you're a tool.
  • 2 5
 "Short travel" bikes should be anything with under 130mm of rear suspension and under 1500mm of travel in the front. These are all mountain bikes.
  • 2 1
 For those interested in short travel ripping: www.pinkbike.com/news/Sprung-2-Classic-MTB-Film-Now-Online.html
  • 4 5
 ^^ I run a bike with 1600mm travel up front for xc. Don't see the problem with that.
  • 12 1
 I assume you meant to say 160mm travel. otherwise...dang son. on travel: it's not how deep you fish, it's how you wiggle the worm.
  • 4 2
 Heading is mis-leading. His Bike is definitely not short Travel.
  • 2 1
 Who cares? I own a mega myself and its good to see a video showing its capabilities. It's only a title...
  • 3 2
 He is a downhill racer, so 150 or 160mm of travel is short for him.
  • 9 0
 This topic is pathetic. Its a bike, we all like to ride them.
  • 5 0
 Welcome to pinkbike....
  • 1 0
 HandleOfScience - thats mor elike it, back when riding was real. The sprung series is great. People have lost track of what it is about mostly.
  • 1 0
 It was a sarcastic reply to the comment above that said short travel should be under 1500mm of travel in the front.
  • 2 0
 It's all these DH's hating on XC. 180mm is massive fork for a XC NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY. If you have anything bigger on a XC frame, it's an enduro.
  • 5 0
 Can we all just hold hands and love each other?
  • 1 0
 Andy-M: No XC bike comes with a stock 180mm, but you install a 180mm if you feel he need to. My Scott is only 110mm.
  • 1 0
 All comes down to nomenclature. I like call what I do AM because it is more aggressive than what the xc riders I have seen do, but nothing next to the FR guys at the park. It makes me feel lame when it gets called xc. Plus I run 6+ inches so I am cool by pink bike standards right?
  • 1 0
 it was a cool vid showing us cool gear, a cool trail, ridden well by a skilled rider. can we leave it at that?
  • 3 2
 The bike Dosnt really matter. He could still thrash most of us lot on a halfords £200 special. It's 80-90% rider and 10-20% bike. My opinion anyway.
  • 2 0
 JRoe, this thread has nothing to do with how fast he is, it is to do with the relevance of the title. Keep things on topic.
  • 1 0
 What I was saying is travel doesn't matter, the nuke proof mega has a lot less travell than the dh bike youd see him on normally. So I don't have a problem with the title. the amount of people you see at trail centres on 160 travel bikes when you can ride the trails on a hard tail. I was just simply making the point.
  • 8 1
 Beautiful videography, awesome riding.. This is the epitome of mountain biking.. Unadulterated action. I'd like to ask all of you to take a short moment to compare mtb'ing to road biking now.. And next, ask yourself.. How can they have a magazine called road biking action? Isn't that an oxymoron??
  • 10 0
 Wales is awesome
  • 5 0
 +1
  • 4 0
 Theres so many variations these days!
I always go with...
100-120mm XC,
120-140mm Trail/Aggressive Trail,
160-180mm All Mountain,
and above that is pure DH...
Simple enough to me... Wink
  • 4 0
 Yeah I'm with you on those ranges!!! That said really, you can ride any trail with any bike. Didn't say it'd be fun tho..
  • 2 0
 and 150 mm???
  • 1 0
 Well now your being crazy! LOL! Big Grin
Let's just say 120mm and below is a short travel trail bike...
And a 140mm and above is long travel trail bike...
  • 1 0
 What about freeride?
160-180mm Freeride/ All Mountain
200mm Downhill/ Big Mountain FR
  • 3 0
 Ok lets revise this then...

80-120mm XC Cross County,
120-150mm Trail/Aggressive Trail,
160-180mm Freeride/All Mountain,
200mm Downhill/Big Mountain FR

All bases covered? Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Sounds good to me Smile
  • 1 1
 Free ride is dead!
  • 1 0
 Why do people keep saying this shit?
  • 1 0
 Its a joke
  • 1 0
 I was joking too. Watch this and understand:
www.pinkbike.com/video/205985
  • 2 0
 Oh right, that was a quote, from the video I was referring to. I knew that *smacks self upside the head* ...
  • 5 0
 Gees Al did you forget the sun cream in Cali and South Africa!! Defo caught the sun did'nt ye!
  • 5 1
 NICE!!!!!!!!! Pump up the interview audio a little and shes perfect. love the montage aswell.
  • 2 0
 Even if it is a short travel bike doesn't mean you can't beat the $hit out of it.
  • 1 0
 I've been eyeing the Mega for quite a while now. Would love to see some reviews that are more in-depth than what' currently available. Great vid.
  • 2 0
 That little sod pump track section looked so sick. Time to find me a golf course to rip after hours!
  • 5 1
 Bond... Alex Bond
  • 3 0
 so if 160mm is short travel, what would my 80mm be considered?
  • 6 0
 Damn near rigid
  • 2 1
 I ride Xc/trail with Nomad, but with Lyrik set to somwhere under 130mm. But this isn't a XC bike by any means, I do it because I like the extra fun on downhills while I roll kinda nonefficiently on ups.

In the certain terrain it makes sense to ride xc with such a bulldozer but honestly? Most people say 160 bike is xc bike to tell you how gnarly sht they seem to ride Smile
  • 2 1
 At the same time lots of ppl ride xc with 140+ because they don't want to pick up their lazy asses from the saddle when pedalling on rough bits and bike forgives more mistakes on downhills. I ride a hardtail from time to time to conserve skills, big bikes kill skills if ridden in too easy terrain
  • 1 0
 It doesnt matter, up there ^ is a video of Bond riding a bike..just watch it
  • 1 0
 O-RLY?
  • 1 0
 I went out straight away and threw my leg over my Cannondale moto and went for a excellent rip. This vid has power over my impulse to shred
  • 1 1
 My XC bike has 160mm of travel . I think it's just relative to what you ride more often or prefer riding for XC riders 160mm would be a DH bike . Might look into the mega when it's time to change little bikes
  • 2 0
 Good little vid . Who cares what is perceived as long or short travel ,just ride the bloody thing as much as ya can.
  • 1 0
 great to see a vid od the Mega... wish someone would post a decent review... heard they only warrant the frame for a year though..
  • 2 1
 Beautiful and so climatic trails! Riding on the high level too, such a fun... great video!
  • 1 0
 Cool vids,those trails are only 20 minutes from me,local to Al Bonds neck of the woods.
  • 1 0
 al is such a beast! good luck to him in all the world cup rounds!
  • 1 0
 jacob gibbins is making a huge name for himself Razz good on him
  • 1 0
 Get in gotta love the mega. Nice video!
  • 2 1
 Wow! Those trails look great!!! Alex is ripping 'em up too! Enjoyed that.
  • 1 0
 Love it.
  • 1 0
 nice flow in ridingstyle
  • 1 0
 wow great work!
  • 1 0
 Yea dirt scooters!
  • 2 2
 Loving the retro helmet!







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