There seems to be a lot of confusion about where, and what Thomas Vanderham has been doing the past while. Well, we at Pinkbike.com want to serve you the best we can, and if that means sending out a 30 man search party for Thomas just to figure out what he is up to, then by all means it will get done. Luckily it wasn't that hard to track him down.
Here is what he had to say, when we asked him what was going on.Hello Bike World!
I hope everyone is having a great winter and is ready for a new bike season. Coming off one the most important seasons of my career, I am more excited than ever about 2008. My goal last year was simply to bring some attention back to the “Big Mountain” side of freeriding. I spent the majority of last summer working closely with The Collective crew on a segment for their new film SEASONS coming out in the spring of 2008. Watch for some of the photos to start showing up in your magazines soon!
2008 has also brought about a lot of changes for me, I have recently had a lot of questions about my situation with long time sponsor Rocky Mountain and I want to say we will no longer be working together. I enjoyed my time with the company very much and would like to thank Rocky for their support and growing with me as a rider to this point. Over the last seven years I worked hard to represent the company positively and remained committed to the brand until the last day of my contract. Working in product development, design, and marketing has given me valuable experience and insight into the mountain bike industry. I had many great experiences with long time teammates Wade Simmons and Richie Schley, as well as everyone within the company who I worked with.
That said I am only looking towards the future. My focus will remain on filming strong movie segments, and collaborating on photo projects with the industries top photographers. I will still compete in select slopestyles but I can’t wait until there’s a big mountain event back in the mix. The rest of my summer will be spent riding at a variety of bike events across the globe including coaching at the Summer Gravity Camps in Whistler, BC.
Over the last few months I have been working on putting together my own program and I am happy to announce the companies I will be working with for the next couple years, Marzocchi Suspension, Fox Clothing, Shimano, Oakley, WTB, FUNN, Dakine, Troy Lee Designs, EThirteen, Acros, and Maxxis.
Moving Dirt Sending Eerie At this time I am not announcing a new bike sponsor. I'll be back with an update as soon as possible.
-TV
All pics by Sterling Lorence.
That being said, Vanderham could throw down on any bike he wants to. All this "new-school" stuff is cool, but I'm kind of tired of seeing videos with 40 minutes of no-footed can-cans and 360s. And no, I can't do either of those things, but am in the process of learning.
TV, keep rockin your whips. Let em hate whilst you add up the steez.
Why don't you and the rocky vets design your own DH, FR. Rigs, 80% of the bike company have less knowlage of what really works out there, you boyz know, Hire an engineer, and tell em whatz up. Do what Holland did, for the Hardtail world, BLACK MARKET. Keep killing it T.V. KEEPING IT REAL , BIG MOUNTAIN,...................
I think people will have to start realise diffrence between DJ and FR, becouse its totally differend.!!!!
youtube.com/watch?v=qF1BwZMOgqI
2:08-2:15: Watch it son! That's not even his best whip, but lets see you try that! If you're expecting 360 whips off 50 foot drops, you're in the wrong place kevin.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SEASONS TO COME OUT ON DVD!!!
Mr. Vanderham-good luck wherever the wind blows you-hopefully it blows you toward Mountain Cycle, lol.
Props.
Tim
youtube.com/watch?v=8d6GmIMqd3o