Kona Launches House of the Big Wheel - Episode 2

Dec 14, 2011 at 16:03

by Kona World

There are few trails in North America as radical as the Seven Summits. Built in the early 2000s as an adventure amenity to the small mountain village of Rossland, British Columbia, the IMBA Epic sanctioned Seven Summits has since become one of the most sought-after mountain bike trails on the continent. Traveling nearly 50 kilometers across seven peaks, through spectacular terrain on technical singletrack, the trail served as the ideal location to showcase Kona team riders Barry Wicks and Spencer Paxson in the second and final installment of Kona's House of the Big Wheel film shorts.

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The goal of this piece was simple: to show how the Scandium Hei Hei 29 Supreme and the all-new carbon fiber King Kahuna hardtail are designed to excel against the rigors of the Long Sweet Ride. In this case, it meant having longtime Kona Team rider Barry Wicks hammer his 3-time BC Bike Race and 2011 TransRockies winning bike of choice, the Hei Hei 29 Supreme, while, Spencer Paxson, who was recently named to the US Olympic Long Team, twisted it wide open on a freshly minted King Kahuna 29-inch wheel hardtail.

Spencer Paxson hammering up a Seven Summits sunset. Photo: Derek Frankowski

In three days of shooting we probably rode over 100 kilometers of singletrack. This was definitely the most fun, most demanding XC trail I've ever ridden. To ride it on a bike this quick and light was a dream. - Spencer Paxson

Kona Team trail shredders, Barry and Spencer. Photo: Derek Frankowski

To film XC athletes in spandex and short or no travel XC bikes just blazing high alpine singletrack at full gas from a helicopter is going to blow people away. Mountain biking is not just about getting rad on jumps, or shredding the gnar. It's about getting rad period, and I think we are showing another way to do just that. For us, it's about going out and just hammering it all the way to the floor every time, no matter what. - Barry Wicks

Spencer Paxson. Photo: Derek Frankowski

Shot over three beautiful fall days, with the first skiff of snow to hit the mountains of the Rossland Range this season, the resulting film is a look at what these bikes were both ultimately built for. No matter how technical or physically demanding the terrain, our 2012 House of the Big Wheel steeds are all about letting your inner animal run wild.

Make sure to watch Wicks and Paxson explain the bikes behind the business.

Watch House of the Big Wheel - Episode 1, the Honzo and Satori edit

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48 Comments

Score Time

+ 34

pvbkiker (Dec 15, 2011 at 0:56)

I don't care what you guys say... for an xc video, that was pretty fricken good

+ 13

leelau (Dec 15, 2011 at 10:27)

Pinkbike! Would never have believed it! Featuring full lycra and tights on the homepage. Thumbs up for all disciplines. and kudos to Kona too for the budget to make such a video and for showcasing it here for the masses consumption

Terrafire (Dec 15, 2011 at 12:10)

That rock garden riding was awesome. Hardcore.

no-ah (Dec 15, 2011 at 12:20)

woooooww a sick xc vid!

- 24

Protour (Dec 15, 2011 at 13:18) (Below Threshold) show comment

If you are riding a 29er you should be wearing spandex, but purple spandex makes it perfect. These bikes are not about fun, they are about XC performance, just like spandex. Don't forget to shave the legs, roadie-wanna-be's. 29ers are for geeks, 26ers are for fun.

leelau (Dec 15, 2011 at 13:46)

Protour - are you sure you're from Vancouver? Most Vancouverites are open-minded

sk8erstrt (Dec 15, 2011 at 15:54)

^^^ what? why would you diss such a bike? I must say, 29ers are so fun! roll over anything, ride smooth and handle well. I don't find anything wrong that haha. You should try one rip around some trails, it might change your mind

Protour (Dec 15, 2011 at 21:13)

ok, sorry, I'm still a little bent from the Niner sales guy asserting that 29ers are better for DH. I'll admit they can be fun.

deeeight Plus (Dec 27, 2011 at 18:19)

These guys are RIDING these bikes on these trails, likely for free, if not being paid to do so... if wearing purple spandex is a condition for this career... staple me into the clothes please. To the rest of you haters hiding behind your keyboards whining like the sky is falling because somehow the clothing worn by these riders who are no doubt better skilled than you also, is somehow affecting your lives... do the world a solid and die in a fire.

[Reply]

+ 16

k-towntrailryder (Dec 15, 2011 at 7:59)

To all the haters.... If you actually rode the 7 summits trail you'd know that it ends with one of the best hour long DH rides ever and the only way to access is it to pedal your ass for hours and hours over 7 mtn summits. There is nothing gay or lame about pinning your 2 wheeled machine through alpine singletrack.

- 22

Protour (Dec 15, 2011 at 13:20) (Below Threshold) show comment

Unless you are on a 29er wearing purple spandex, then it's totally gay.

PLC07 (Dec 20, 2011 at 21:44)

I've seen a lot of dh riders with pink/purple/turquoise pyjamas or dirt jumpers with rainbow colored bikes and no one called them gay while they're nowhere near as hardcore as these guys on their bikes. You might want to reconsider your definition of "gay". They're "happy" colors though, ill give you that.

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WAKIdesigns (Dec 15, 2011 at 11:11)

I think the marketing machine should hold it's 29" horses exactly in such videos on such trails. I'm 100% convinced that 29er will kick ass on long trips and can be a new true revolution in XC mountain biking. There's nothing wrong about it. But please marketing heads, stop confusing us on purpose, that 29er might be just for me, great for anything and I might not know it, just because I haven't tried it. Every kind of a bike has it's place depending on trails we ride most, whether it is a 29er, 24" street bike, an XC hardtail with rigid fork, a 6" AM bike, a DH bike.

There are no wrong bikes, there are just wrong applications. Showing a 29er on dirt jumps is as smart as taking a XC bike to DH comp.

This vid is an example of a very good trend! Show us where 29ers are truly the best!

[Reply]

scottsecco Mod Plus (Dec 15, 2011 at 0:12)

Literally the best trail I've ever ridden. Put this on your bucket list, it's worth the trip. Seriously unreal.

[Reply]

AlexMX352 (Dec 15, 2011 at 1:04)

This is some next-level shit from Kona. Nice videos with great terrain, good team of riders, and Kona bikes are looking better

Bikerhasi (Dec 15, 2011 at 7:02)

But the Jerseys still look like Shit !

[Reply]

Varaxis (Dec 16, 2011 at 21:28)

At 1:25 he was climbing up that rock garden as fast as I see some jokers riding down such terrain...

For XC style riding, these guys are really fast. I could possibly pull off that speed for a section here and there on a XC bike, but if they're keeping that up that pace... props. Never heard of their names before, but now I have 'em noted.

[Reply]

fasian Plus (Dec 15, 2011 at 18:18)

Rode that trail for the first time this fall, one word EPIC! Lotta work at the beginning but the reward at the end........so good. Trail works with both size wheels.

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kevz0r (Dec 15, 2011 at 5:56)

The seven summits trail is now on my 2012 bucket list!

pedalhound (Dec 15, 2011 at 9:14)

It is an amazing trail...so well built and LONG...even the downhills have uphills. Smile

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jumpslut (Dec 30, 2011 at 20:49)

Even as a freerider, this video makes me want to get an xc bike immedietly and go slay some rad trails like the seven summits. Great job on the video.

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epavichthesavage Plus (Dec 15, 2011 at 0:13)

I don't have nearly as much swag as these guys to successfully pull off a zip-up jersey and spandex.

That's because I don't want to
:P

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bigmike9699 (Dec 15, 2011 at 8:37)

ps: this video is pretty sweet. Barry was at BCBR this summer, and the dude is a machine!

[Reply]

infamous45 (Dec 15, 2011 at 21:16)

They Should Call it the "Seat Up the Ass" show.. good riding.. but lower that seat

[Reply]

offroadpaul (Dec 16, 2011 at 5:07)

Finally, a bike that doesn't look tiny with Barry Wicks standing over it. Wink

[Reply]

alexallan (Dec 15, 2011 at 7:28)

That video was ace! Good music, awesome scenery, good pure riding. Well produced and filmed. 29ers? still not sure Smile

[Reply]

peteg55 (Dec 17, 2011 at 4:47)

Fantastic video. If this is Frankowski's work after Life Cycles, please get on with it and make another feature film!

[Reply]

Bassonsteroids (Dec 15, 2011 at 15:09)

Those are some sick lines, WOW!!

[Reply]

ridersplayground1 (Dec 15, 2011 at 1:35)

Both very nice videos. Especially the fist one is dope.

Worm-Burner (Dec 15, 2011 at 1:41)

Yes, excellent stuff, though I don't recall a fist...!

[Reply]

punkaddic (Dec 16, 2011 at 6:46)

Btw the 7 summits is only 30 km not 50km, add another 7km with the dewdney trail

[Reply]

JesseMelamed (Dec 16, 2011 at 20:47)

anyone know the song in the new video(episode 2)?

[Reply]

bigmike9699 (Dec 15, 2011 at 8:36)

I'd watch senior citizens on electric carts on the seven summits... that'd be truly "epic"...

[Reply]

wastedqba (Dec 15, 2011 at 18:00)

Dear mom... Why I wasn't born in Canada?

[Reply]

wa2wider (Dec 15, 2011 at 4:47)

The Satori - DC Represent! Respect... (If you dont know, ask somebody.)

[Reply]

morkis (Dec 15, 2011 at 9:17)

Amazing footage, pity its two grown men in purple tights......

[Reply]

shishka (Dec 15, 2011 at 7:24)

When are they going to show us what those bikes are capable of?

WAKIdesigns (Dec 16, 2011 at 7:30)

I think they are showing it in that vid. It's a bike that will let you endure longer on an all day ride. It's a new dimension of Cross Country. Faster, longer, higher, not necessarily as fun on downhills as 26er, but i think that's not the point.

Many people ride the bike to be in the nature, they push their limits by pedalling hardship, forcing their bodies to work hard, not by fighting the clock on downhills. Not everyone looks for ripping the corners and scrubbing the hips. If you just want to get out and pedal, it doesn't mean you are boring, it would be like saying that bikeparking is childish Big Grin

shishka (Dec 20, 2011 at 8:39)

you got the boring part right

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Below threshold threads are hidden

enrico650 (Dec 15, 2011 at 7:28)

Sooooooo Lame! Who cares about 29ers and gay outfits!

tankzaclover (Dec 15, 2011 at 8:49)

with you on that one, they look like wagon wheels

[Reply]

lopez65 (Dec 15, 2011 at 7:13)

Absolut crap!, cross country 29er videos?
Whats next, Senior citizens on electric carts?
This website keeps getting worse!

playdead (Dec 15, 2011 at 8:52)

^that's pretty funny^
but, this is a mountain bike forum. That was a mountain bike video with epic footage. You would rather watch the same old dirt jump videos? That video had awesome heli footage!

[Reply]

KempeleenPoika (Dec 15, 2011 at 0:25)

So random. Why do they do bikes like that? Bikes that aren't at any cathegory. Bikes that you can ride a littlebit everything.

epavichthesavage Plus (Dec 15, 2011 at 0:32)

They look like fine bikes to me.... :/

+ 11

fraserbritton Plus (Dec 15, 2011 at 2:11)

You mean... a mountain bike?

KempeleenPoika (Dec 15, 2011 at 3:16)

Yea maby that is the cathegory of those.

mty10 (Dec 15, 2011 at 3:20)

A what? What category is that? Does that have more travel than my Trail bike? Or the same as my Downhill bike? Does it have semi-slicks or should I buy a dropper seat post like I have in my All Mountain Bike... wait, will it replace or work along side my DJ and Slopestyle bikes? I'm really confused, what do I need to buy clothing wise to ride my mountainbike, spandex or jeans or moto-gear? HELP

[Reply]