Aaron Gwin would be the first to tell you that 2018 will not go down as the best year of his life. It marked the final season of the YT Mob's contract - the dream team that Gwin himself had assembled. Results were important. Gwin started strong, with a decisive win at the first World Cup round in Croatia and was handily in the green at Fort Bill before a crash sidelined him with a dislocated thumb, of all things. The YT Mobster then had to watch as the series overall was decided before he was cleared to race again. Literally, to add insult to injury, YT announced shortly after the World Championships that they were going to drop out of World Cup downhill competition. Gwin was informed that he didn't have a job the evening after the race.
The road that led to today's
announcement began an hour later, after Gwin shook off the disappointment, picked up his phone, and called Jeff Steber from his hotel room in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Earlier this month, Aaron and I talked about the events that led up to the new Intense Factory Racing Team, and his thoughts on the transition from racer to team owner.
How have the last few months been going? A new team, rehabbing your hand, a house under construction... You’ve got a lot going on.
Everything’s been great man. Definitely busy, but all is going really well. My thumb's all good now and it doesn’t limit me at all when I ride or workout - so that’s been sweet. That was definitely an annoying injury last year. The house is coming along great as well. I should be moved in there in the next month or so, we’ve just got a few things to finish up.
The rest of life is good, just been really enjoying hanging with my friends and family, riding, and going about my business. I’ve learned a lot in the last few months and made some big steps forward professionally as a team owner now, so that’s been exciting. I’m just working hard to dial everything in.
Before we get too far into the new team, let’s go back in time. Towards the close of the 2018 season, it appeared that you were back on form and all was good. After the Worlds, however, we heard that YT wasn’t going to have a DH team. And, now they do. What was all that craziness about?
Ya, that whole situation came as a pretty big shock to me for sure. I had been chatting and negotiating with YT for the new contract since the Croatia World Cup earlier in the year. We went back and forth a bit to find an agreement that everyone was happy with and I felt that things were going well. I was happy with where everything landed and it looked like we’d be moving forward. I even had a chat with YT as late as Friday night before Worlds. I was told everything was good - to just focus on the race. We planned to meet again Sunday after the race to get it all finalized. I had a meeting with the owner of YT after dinner that night and was surprised when I was told that they wouldn’t be moving forward with the program. They thanked me for my involvement the last three years, and that was it.
Martin Whitely was managing the YT Mob and he’s known for his sharp insight. He didn’t see the YT break coming? Did he give you a heads up of any sort?
I believe that they told him later that night after they told me. I don’t know for a fact when they began negotiating their new deal together, but a few weeks after Worlds, I got an email from Martin informing me that YT was continuing with the program and that he was going to stay with them moving forward - but without Neko or myself.
I had talked to Martin prior to that email and was already working on finding a new frame (title) sponsor to support our team, so when he dropped out, that news was pretty tough to take at first. In the end, it was more of a blessing in disguise, which resulted in this awesome program that we have now, so I’m stoked with everything.
When you formed the YT Mob, didn’t you ask Martin to run the program that you were putting together?
Well yes and no, I brought him on as a manager but allowed him to keep ownership of the team when he asked me if I wanted to own the team. At that time, I didn’t want the administrative burden and I told him I was fine with him owning the team. He agreed to be an extension of my desired team structure, management, oversight, and administration, and to manage the logistical side of running the program. I already had the YT deal lined up before I chatted with him originally and I negotiated the rest of our contracts to meet our budget.
Gwin, powerful and confident, winning the opening round of the 2018 World Cup for YT.
I’m sure you’ve read the posts. Do you think it was just about the money and a crop of fresh talent that could be acquired for a substantially smaller investment?
I was told by Martin that YT got everything out of me that they had wanted and that they didn’t need me moving forward. I suppose it was just “business” and as to their future plans, I don’t know.
By the time World Championships roll around, most teams have nailed down their key talent and major sponsors for the next season. I imagine that didn’t leave you with many options. What were your thoughts then?
Haha! It was a tough spot, for sure. I took about an hour to gather my thoughts in the hotel room that night after Worlds and then just picked up the phone and started making calls. Jeff Steber at Intense was one of the first people that I called. I also had a lot of our other sponsor deals already verbally agreed upon, so I wanted to inform them of the news. It really hit us all off guard. From there, everything got put on hold for a few months until I could find a frame sponsor and put together a new program.
Were there any other offers? When did Intense come onto your radar?
I had interest from three other main brands at that time. Intense was one of them. Jeff and I have been buddies for a long time, but the timing had just never worked out right for us to seriously discuss our options. Intense, as a brand, has been in a bit of a transitional stage this year and there are a lot of big things happening behind the scenes. A few key pieces finally fell into place for them around September and October which ended up making the timing of my availability pretty perfect for all of us.
It would be heroic if Intense could fund a World Cup DH team on its own, but I imagine there are some other sponsors in this story, who stepped up?
Primarily, it was Intense who stepped up. They saw the value and wanted to make it happen. It takes a lot of money, time and infrastructure to run a World Cup race team at the highest level, so the amount I was looking for was well worth it to them. They never questioned my value from the beginning. We’ve got a great group of co-sponsors as well, and everyone has been working together so well to support me running this program now. It’s been pretty amazing to put this all together like we have and I’m just excited to be back at the races, doing what I love and supporting our guys the best we can.
How did Jack and Neko get selected for the team?
Jack was still in the middle of his previous contract with Intense, so we agreed to bring him on to the new set up, which was awesome for all of us. Jack’s a great rider and very professional. I’m really looking forward to working with him.
I was under the impression that Charlie and Dean already had other offers and were on the move when I began talking with Intense, so that left one remaining spot open on the team. I discussed it heavily with Intense and we all agreed that Neko was the perfect fit. I’m so stoked with our group of riders. We’ve got a fun team and I think we’re gonna do some damage at the races this year.
You, Neko and Jack each have different kit sponsors. What's up with that?
I've always fought pretty hard to wear my own gear. It's caused some conflict over the years, since that's not traditionally how teams are run, but I believe that it's fitting to have. Now that I've been in a position to decide on team gear with YT, and now Intense, it's been very important to me that all of the riders are able to pursue their own gear sponsors. A rider can make a good amount of salary on a gear deal and I believe that, in most cases, the rider should be the one benefiting from those funds, not the team. There's also the image thing and I think it's fitting to allow each rider to wear what they want to wear and create their own image that they're stoked on.
I believe it’s good for the sport as a whole to have that diversity. Wearing cool kits is one of the things I've loved since I was a kid and taking that freedom away from a rider just doesn't fit on our program. There's also safety and other things to think about with helmets, which preference of shoes, pedals, and goggles. I wouldn't feel right demanding that a rider lock up all of those categories and be forced to wear something they’re not comfortable with, especially when the athlete is not being compensated additionally from the team for it. There may be a situation where I'd be open to all of our riders running the same gear, but they'd have to be completely stoked on it and I'd split the moneys up appropriately. I think it’s better to just leave it up to them to run what they want.
Being a team owner now. That’s a job in itself. How will you manage the day to day without it cutting into your performance on the track?
Proper infrastructure is really key to me. I’ve put in a lot of hours these last few months to get our foundation solid and I’ve hired some great people that I believe in to help me manage the varying responsibilities. My goal has been to dial things in super solid from the beginning so that everyone will have what they need and be set up for success in a fun, supportive atmosphere.
Todd Schumlick and Cathy Zinck are a huge part of executing my desires about how I’d like this program
to be run. When the season starts, they’ll be the ones carrying out the day to day responsibilities and I’ll be freed up to ride and to oversee the program from the background. I was already doing a lot of these things on my previous program, so this is just another step up as a racer and professional.
Sponsors you have worked with say that you play an active role in their product development. Should we anticipate Gwin-influenced bikes from Intense?
Absolutely. That was a huge draw for both Intense and myself. Jeff and I love to work on product and we’ve already got ideas and projects going to push things forward. We both got pretty excited when this whole program began to take shape because it’s kind of always been the ideal scenario. Our whole team will be in this development process together as well, so we’ll have all of the riders and mechanics involved to make these bikes as good as we possibly can.
How does Aaron Gwin today envision Aaron Gwin four years from now?
Haha! Oh man, I guess you never really know, but I am extremely happy with where I’m at right now. I’m excited about these next years with Intense in a unique kind of way. I enjoy riding my bike and racing now more than I ever have, and that passion somehow seems to keep growing by the day. I get to work with some great people and I’m just excited to be back on the track racing and hanging with our fans. I think we’re gonna have a lot of fun these next few years.
Mad respect to Aaron, dude's got a good head on his shoulders. Good luck to you guys this upcoming season!
one thing AG said that I agreed 100% is gear - it's good to see people wear what really suits them and what they really like - differentiate them all and have the riders create their own image
would love to see AG stay with YT ( it just feels right ) but things change and it's good to see things changing - and since I don't have a favorite when it comes to riders, roll on next season with a bunch of cool streams and great racing and Warner funny commentary !
Awwww there there. Dry those tears..
also, maybe he was saying more like gear - as in, when soccer players are sponsored by certain brands - speaking for myself, I know there aren't many brands I can use their gear because it simply doesn't fit - I wouldn't enjoy being stuck with a kit that doesn't feel right because the entire team is sponsored by it and so I have to make it work - I think gear should change to accommodate us, not the other way around
In the past years we saw racers deciding mid season/mid contract to quit WC racing and their teams worked around it without any drama (at least publicly).
Now the truth is more apparent to TEMPORARY blinded, it now makes all the more sense to the mass.
As a Brand, Santa Cruz bikes gets my vote for the most devoted to the sport and riders of MTB.
Is it because those bastards at YT paid him AN ABSOLUTE f*ck TON of cash for the past three years for the right to give him bikes to ride that he is allowed to sell when he's finished with them?
Where do they get off? Show him a bit of respect. It's not just about paying him AN ABSOLUTE HEAP OF CASH, No. They have a responsibility to keep paying him AN ABSOLUTE f*ckING PILE OF GREEN for as long as we, the Pinkbike readers, decide is appropriate.
Shame on you, YT.
Poor little Aaron. He only made 18 times the national average salary for the past three years. Now he's been dumped on his arse. It's enough to bring a tear to the eye.
Now you that they have those things, it was a no-brainer for the Germans to drop AG and move on with less expensive riders. It's a good and practical business move but not a good way to earn a nice reputation with a very small community and consumer-base.
to drop Aaron was the only logical thing to do here. they wanted to get the reputation that they build the best bikes and they got it. so why spent more millions on that team when its not bringing any further benefit to them?
they will surely have a team of young upcoming talents and can only win with this from a marketing perspective. they will be true to their herritage and motto to support young tallents and if one of them has success they proved again that they are building some of the best bikes out there..
with three more gwin years the risk of just burning money was really high because it would only have a positive effect when aaron will continue to dominate te wc.however with more average seasons the marketing affect of the whole program would have been somewhere around zero plus the costs of the current program were probably really high compared to a team with some younger riders..
so any decision maker with a little bit of understanding of business/marketing things trying to run a successfull business would have made this decision. and aaron seems to be a business kind of guy so he probably has more understanding for that than you guys..
the only thing that appears to be not so cool here is the timing.. they probably could have told him earlier..
but things seem to have worked out for him as well .. so whats the big deal
Try to give him some respect when you do so, cause that would probably make him more inclined to answer.
Maybe start off by asking for forgiveness for your sins.
The answers to your questions might come in ways you did not expect.
This sounds similar to my previous boss, who showed all the signs of a sociopath, no empathy (or faked empathy), just interested in money.
what for? c'mon, those schoolar-boys from PB anyway will spread their sh*t about bad YT.
The perspective that you see in the Bible is that there is a bigger picture (eternity), you or I may live here on earth for 80 years or so, but this is just a blip in our existence. What everyone wishes was that if God was real, that he would be loving and would rescue us from our pain and the mess we get into. Well guess what, that's exactly who God is. He gave us choice because he loved us, and then knowing we would mess it up (and we sure did) he made a plan to fix it, namely Jesus.
Most people who ask questions like yours don't really want an answer, and that's your choice, but in case you did, there it is.
Just take a look at how many comments Miller‘s interview got in comparison to this one ...
So there’s no truth. But I I heard god knows/is the truth. Does that mean god doesn‘t exist? Am I a monster?
"Do onto other has you would have do to you",
said the sadomasochist.
I'd like to consider myself as a positive nihilist - this is the time and resources (privileges) you have, enjoy them, make the best of them, make it meaningful, engage others in your actions, don't force them to follow your truth
That's why there is no reason to make HIM change his mind is it? He set a very good plan trillions of years ago, who am I to pray and change his mind?
Ffs
Snake in the grass???
"I don't care about dieing because I'll be with Jehovah". What do you say to that?
Ahhh never mind
Individual choice is important that's why we were created with it.
Every life is valued by God.
Knowing the choice someone is going to make does not mean it has already been made or prevents them from making it.
God created a mind in each one of us which is capable of faith.
No, God's mercy is infinite.
No, God's mercy is infinite.
No, religion is not a path to salvation, salvation is through Christ alone.
No, ethical conduct is a byproduct of living a good life, not a path to salvation, salvation is through Christ alone.
The only difference between a bad Christian and a good Atheist is that one of them has accepted Christ's sacrifice and as such has had their mistakes paid for and their relationship with God restored.
A judge is only just if he meets out true justice. However, what "damnation" as you have termed it consists of, is not entirely clear in the Bible as it is made up of a series of pictures that suggest, at their core, suffering. But most Christians I know do not believe in a an actual lake of fire, only that this is a picture of how it will feel, if with full knowledge of who God is, you choose to reject Him (choice again) and subsequently spend eternity without Him. The pain of this complete separation and the lack of anything good as you spend eternity without God is then an intense empty suffering that could be described as a consuming fire.
If God is not good in your understanding I imagine you do call him something else, but that would be because you have misunderstood God.
God is both good and holds complete power, but allows us to continue making our own choices rather than stepping in and forcing us, again you have to understand that in the bigger picture life is short, eternal life is eternal and He has acted to save us from the mistakes and the suffering of this short life so that we can enjoy the eternal.
I have not found The Bible to be inconsistent, but am happy to discuss if someone thinks they can point out an inconsistency along with references to support.
I find reality to be anything but random, but that may be down to a difference in outlook.
There is pretty solid evidence if you go looking for it.
I don't believe that the Bible teaches, or that God requires "blind faith".
Higher income and education often go hand in hand with an increased feeling of self dependency and a teaching of broader values including the targeting of faith within the education system as nothing more than a fairy story and the increased commercial message of materialism. The knock on effect of this is that people choose (there's that word again) to leave God out of their lives and then to justify that by arguing against His existence without necessarily taking the time to investigate it for themselves (wikipedia doesn't count).
No one likes people suffering, which is why almost every church in the world has missionaries in those areas to help those people. www.mercyships.org Mercy Ships is a great place for you to start making a difference - donate or volunteer, that way you can help those people as well.
We are talking about DH racing FFS, or we should be.
Well somebody thought this was godsent!
There is pretty solid evidence if you go looking for it" - this is where it ends for me. The randomness of reality is fantastic and beatiful if one only thinks about it deep enough. "Solid evidence", there is no solid evidence of any of fundations of reality, and ones looking close at human existence give a rather raw picture of it.
bladi bla Lord is merciful, really?! And what exactly did you do to require mercy? Oh someone told you that you are flawed by nature. Oh you masturbated... really? maybe you were lazy! What sort of a parent would like to hear his kids go and see him in a particular place and lick his balls by singing songs to him? Really? imagine yourself and your kids singing to you how great you are. Oh if you think God is like that, good luck! What a great opinion you have of him - an egotistic prick. Quit the church for a few years but keep talking to God - and then we can talk, until then, while you are inside of catholic bubble, rituals, patterns of behavior and thought, there is no way we can have a conversation about the nature of existence, just like itis hard to talk to many folks who never tried to reach God. You can always call yourself agnostic, if that makes you feel better.
In good concience always!
Respect. They didn’t have any for AG. And now they have lost a lot of it in the community.
Let’s hope you never get into business.
"Knowing the choice someone is going to make does not mean it has already been made or prevents them from making it." - I'm sorry but this sentence that seems to be the basis of all your other explanations is not internally logical. If god is all-knowing and all powerful than all choices have been created along with everything else. There is no randomness in the universe and no real free will. Reality is just code being executed.
If the universe contains randomness and free will than the god is not all-knowing.
The issue of damnation is indeed very unclear in Christianity, but that only shows how unclear and inconsistent the source material is. As for other inconsistencies;
GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.
GE 2:4-9 Man was created before trees were created.
The list goes on for hundreds or thousands of examples. You can wave these away blaming translation and wrong interpretation, but it not really relevant.
What is important is that there are several large and thousands of small religions that are mostly contradictory. There is no evidence showing superiority of any particular one, what you worship depends mostly on where you were born. Was it god's intention for salvation to be dependent on the post code? Why the distraction all the religions anyway? If salvation is only through Christ why not communicate this in some infallible way to 100% of the population?
Sorry, but there is no solid evidence. All religions claim various miracles, but none could stand as evidence in a modern court of law or, say be basis of proving a new drug as safe and effective.
If god does not require blind faith why did he not include any real evidence in his scriptures? Lets say describe how to avoid infections postpartum, make antibiotics, negotiate peacefully, build a fusion reactor etc. Everyone would be converted within a generation! What we have is a gory history of an ancient middle eastern tribe with instructions to stone to death for basically everything including being raped (Deuteronomy 22:23-29). If these parts "do not count" than who is to decide what counts? The popes? They, they did endorse war on occasions. If everyone decides on his own what is god's true intention than my guess on reality is as good as yours.
Ok, enough silly theology, I'm off to ride a bike
Cheers.
Don't know if you suggest Gwin being the good/evil master here, but if yes, I don't think so. It's more how the audience reads the available (very little) information.
I believe Religion declines with higher income because people who are wealthy can afford hobbies that distract them sufficiently. They don't need to spend time to think about difficult topics such as existence and life's purpose because they are thoroughly entertained each day.
Religion declines with increased secular education because it doesn't force students to critically analyze the Christian religion, by its definition of 'secular' (although I was lucky that mine did). If it did, more people would realize that the Western (Roman Catholic) Church's beliefs are rooted in Western Rational Philosophy. Rather than using philosophical thinking to examine Christian beliefs in the context of Biblical and historic sources, many educated people place a blind faith in a purely atheist interpretation of scientific creation--without actually understanding advanced physics (theoretical, quantum, or even basic Newtonian) or biology (evolution currently lacks a model that explains how complex structures such as eye's were created, for example).
I personally believe in the big bang and evolution and they cause no conflict with all but the strictest biblical interpretations. Unfortunately, I have observed that many people who dismiss Christianity outright also lack a rigorous understanding of the big bang, evolution, or most sciences that they replace religion with in their belief structure. Therefore I am not surprised if they fail to rigorously understand Christianity or any other world religion.
Best way to get down voted is to announce you are a Christian and then start preaching to us.
Coming into this conversation attacking someone's belief in God is pretty lowly and overall not appropriate in a conversation about Gwin (or any other person for that matter). The world and God work in ways that certainly not you nor most of us will ever fully understand.
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” - Revelation 21:4.
Waki's letter to Flat Sixerians 21333:4
Social blindness, which isn't a problem in a solidary tribe with strong interpersonnal bonds fighting for survival in the wild, but which becomes a serious problem when that same social blind person is force fed with egoistic or egocentric ideas in a materialistic, opulent society.
Or brainwash that social blind kid (or even one who's not social blind) with the idea that god will punish him (or as said upon, that he'll be at his side when he dies) and you get a fanatical, either fear-fueled or omnipotent, limit-less human being (replace god with money and you have a different kind of fanatic).
Or take neuro-atypical people (ADHD for instance) and force them to live in a normative society that doesn't suit them, where they'll feel like strangers all their lives without knowing their brain is wired differently, and a bunch of them will undoubtedly develop antisocial personnality disorder.
I'd venture to say that something is the mind was usefull for survival when human was still a huge monkey, but turned into a negative behaviour for some reason as man developped societies.
AFAIK there are murders among certain kind of monkeys for instance.
Good Canadian Kid
Also, here's a nice picture of burning church: i.imgur.com/y38ifZp.jpg
#Amin.... I mean, I'm in! Is that clear
Buy real bikes.
No mention of the new M29 in the interview or the comments, and not a lot of talk about the team. Mostly negative comments overall. The whole point of sponsoring a team is to promote the bike in a positive way.
Excellent interview RC.
YT really needs some clout in the EWS--it blows my mind that the bike that has won so many bike-of-the-year awards for it's enduro prowess isn't in the hands of an EWS team capable of placing it on the podium.
Take the new Jeffsy out into EWS, as well.
Tho I should't have trolled you about beliefs/-isms - sorry, here's to more positive PBing.
mbaction.com/werideforpaul-yt-industries-auction
I know this is an old post but here's a good story for you:
A man is at the barber shop and he and the barber got on the subject of God. The barber doesn't believe in God because there are so many bad things in the world. When the haircut is done the man asks the barber to follow him. He go up to a bum on the side of the street who has very long hair. The man says i don't believe in barbers, because this man has long hair. The barber is flabbergasted, I am a barber, I can't help it if this bum hasn't come to me to get his hair cut. The man explains that God doesn't help you unless you ask, and are prepared to do whatever He says.
The fact that Aaron believes in God and relies on Him, results in him being blessed. (here we go with #blessed lol)
It's sometimes very hard to take in that God allows such terrible things to happen, but it is always for the greater good of anyone that it happens to. If we all listened to Him better and were completely true to Him (self included) things like like you mention wouldn't happen. It may seem harsh, but you have to remember that God created us, and we belong to him and owe everything to him. The reason that He creates pain is to bring us to an extremity; think about someone that has a near death experience, they are often greatly affected by it because it clarifies what's really important in life. Many conversions have happened this way.
Sure God could fix all of these things, but it wouldn't fix the underlying problem which is that we aren't subject to Him like we should be.
You will probably bring up that bad things happen to Christians as well, all i can say is that any true Christian will have underlying satisfaction through anything. Sure there is moments of sadness and grief, and things won't go the way that you want them to always, but if you trust in God it will all come through good in the end.
Sorry for the rant and preaching, but i couldn't help it after seeing your post.
Also after reading through it it sounds like i'm a know-it-all, and think i'm perfect. Please believe that i'm only trying to help, and I've got a long, long way to go myself.
I don’t really believe in God per se, and I also have a biology degree so obviously I’ve spent quite a bit of time studying the theory of evolution. Still, I don’t buy into the theory of evolution 100%. I’m maybe at about 60% buy in. It’s perhaps a better explanation to me than the God explanation, but at the same time it relies on an awful lot of coincidences. I’m certainly open to the possibility that we were designed, created and put here by a higher force. It wouldn’t be an old guy with a white beard who lives in the sky though.
Personally I wonder if the podiums are worth it for a company if you are undermined at the end of the season.
It's just a symptom of the time we live in. You can't operate as a business at all if you worry about these things too much. People will take any chance to get offended and stand up for the "little guy". There are ways to handle it better than they did,but then again the pinkbike population isn't representative of the biking community at all. Most people won't ever know about this "drama" which really isn't any more than a minor footnote. YT will continue to thrive and if not this most likely has nothing to do with it.
But as I said earlier pinkbike loves controversy and it's sad that this news is followed by a bunch of people saying "f*ck YT, I'll never buy them again" and things like that. I don't want their shade cast in your direction
I didn't ditch Trek, the team owner backed out of his original agreement and tried to force me to sign a contract that wasn't what we agreed on."
However, stringing Aaron along while negotiating a new deal until the last day of the season is not the best way to handle it. Plans change and requirements shift that make certain partnerships not feasible in the future. These changes and plans with partners need to be managed well and this doesn't sound like that was the case with YT. People can say there are two sides to the story; but if Aaron is willing to make these type comments with one of the largest publications in MTB, they clearly didn't manage the change well with Aaron.
Anyway, looks like an awesome team and stoked to see Intense still going strong at the WC for the next few years
Also, really appreciate you watching out for Neko & Jack by making sure they can earn their own money within the team with gear contracts. If their stock grows, they have the ability to leverage it for better pay to match the impact their results should garner.
Not sure who your counsel is that keeps you looking big picture, but it can only help our sport. Most of us appreciate your efforts to stay true to your faith and I'm sure almost ALL of us appreciate you making sure the professionals of our sport are educated about their true worth to sponsors.
Last, I completely understand your desire to hold people accountable to their word. Too many depend on a piece of paper to form a bond that is of substance and let their tongues speak in a manner that allows them to change and morph as the need suits.
A man is only as good as the truth he speaks and holding others to that standard and letting the public know when promises spoken are not honored is of utmost importance.
Stay true.
#merica
As for the Gwin-YT split, we hear a lot Gwin talking about it and I would like to hear the other side. Especially as Gwin keeps forgetting saying he doubled his financial expectations.
Gwintense is a dream team! Can't wait for the stars and bars paint!
With you on the sunglasses - he would have Oakley Medusa Headgear in a drawer at home, I bet.
Super cool imo.
As much as I loved seeing the MadCatz train of superstars, I'd prefer to know they're getting payed what they're worth.
www.pinkbike.com/news/Did-Gwin-Breach-His-Contract-With-Trek-World-Racing.html
But seriously.......they must want to put the money into selling the bigger volume bikes like Jeffsy and Capra? If you believe people buy what they see winning then presumably we will be seeing a Jeffsy and Capra based enduro team?
There's a big difference between intentionally lying and hiding intentions and reversing a decision due to new developments.
They certainly didn't do it just to f*ck him over so how can we hold then accountable for anything more than bad timing?
Maybe their budget changed because an investor pulled out or a bank loan was refused or their manufacturing costs increased.
Maybe there was disagreement within the company the people pushing for gwin thought they had won the argument but they hadn't.
Maybe they didn't want to unsettle the rider right before world's.
The zink situation sounded shitty but he still riders for them.....
But I get it, people need to hate and now it's YT's turn for some. Would they get more love on PB if they kept Gwin and pulled the plug halfway next season?
Considering YT's customer service record and the, "YT got everything out of me that they had wanted and that they didn’t need me moving forward", it gives me (and likely others) the impression that they don't value the people who give them value, us consumers and their athletes. If people are ok with that sort of 'business' then carry on, just don't whine about the subpar customer service or inability to meet customer demand.
The fact that we have many options on brands to choose to spend our hard-earned money on, some of which do put emphasis on people who give them value and the above impressions, I don't have any reason to consider giving my thousands to YT. No hate, just not the way I see how to do "business".
But I don't see why YT or anybody has to 'come on record' to justify their business decision to us... that's just bollocks.
As a few others have commented in one form or another, waiting that late in the season after World Champs to tell your athlete (who brought your company value as mentioned above) that you won't be continuing with the program after telling them everything is "good" then renegotiating and continuing with the program anyway just without them...hrmmmm. Then consider business relationships like Ibis and Wallner and Polygon and the Hannahs. There's a way of doing things and then there's a better way of doing things. Businesses can choose to be run however they wish, doesn't matter to me because at the moment there are many brands to choose from in this industry.
The reality: YT cut their downhill team because they don’t have their shit together.
Agreed.
Yeah,it's not cool to just drop him after keeping his hopes up in negotiations, but then again Aaron himself is no stranger to this practice himself. In the end it still worked out fine for him. Personally i didn't condone the move when he pulled it back then and i don't know,but it's business and in the end new and good things resulted from it. We shouldn't get our panties in a bunch over this too much.
If Gwin gets treated that way by a company, we're all f'ed.
The Kitchin brothers were owners of animal and therefore the Animal/Orange team that gave Minnaar his big break.
Claudio was running the Scott team while racing for it.
Did Sven Martin 'own' the Honda Turner team? Seeing him in full race kit with the camera after his run looked so badass!
I can't think of anymore at the mo but Gwin is certainly not the first team owner and rider at world cup level.
YT is a business too and a clever one at that. Their whole presentation suggests that they are only out for fun and games. But never trust the bells and whistles.
As a Intense, Gwin and KTM fanboy this new team/business is tits IMO.
I’m really excited to see what the intense product range looks like for 2020.
YT got lots more:
1. Legitimacy for their brand by having the sport's best rider riding for them.
2. 2 WC Downhill championships
3. A race-winning and championship-winning "history" that they can now boast of. Even big brands like Norco and Kona don't have that.
4. A lot of Tues, Capras and Jeffsy bikes were sold because of AG.
Now, to give your rider a one-day notice that there would be no more racing then change your mind later once he's gone is not the best way to handle things.
1. Money
2. Money
3. Money
4. Money
It's not one day notice if the contract he signed three years ago has a defined end date. It's three years' notice.
1. Money
2. Money
3. Money
4. Money
And from what I understand there wasn't one days notice, there was in fact a deadline that someone ignored while they were hunting for more of points 1, 2, 3, and 4.
As a Brand, Santa Cruz bikes gets my vote for the most devoted to the sport and riders of MTB. etc. Steve Pete, the Goat ...
Shout out to Willie over at Santa Cruz bikes, love the CC orange Nomad Sir.
You go from possibly winning on any given Sunday to possibly top 20? I think YT made a very bad business decision and they will see it in sales in 2019.
BTW.. I think the Intense team is more dangerous than they YT Mob with Jack Moir. He's a serious threat..
P"
If so thats quite a partnership with Dungey's racing pedigree.
Thank-you Next.
1. YT dicked Aaron by not yelling him as early as is customary in the industry. They did this either to stop him from negotiating a great deal elsewhere or else they are just kind of flaky and don't really plan too much in advance.
Or 2. Aaron should have known YT could not produce as many bikes as he can bring buyers to a brand; therefore, he should have anticipated they wouldn't conitnue their deal, even if they didn't tell him when they should have.
But it's funny how YT is held to much higher standards than the POTUS by all the 'experts'...
The one thing that wasn't mentioned in the article, which I think played a big part on Gwin hooking up with Intense, is that they're from the same city.
I'm kinda excited about Gwin's involvement with the design of future Intense models. I hope they drop the whole gun thing with the names. Intense is a SoCal company, so go for SoCal vibes like The In-N-Out, The Unaffordable Housing, The Congested Freeway.
I hope not, as supercross has lost its personality over the past few seasons and reminds me much more of WWE than the sport I knew growing up.
Is Gwin the next Mitch Peyton or Roger DeCoster? I hope so.
Aaron: No problem
YT: That said, it is with regret that we will not be continuing the world cup program for the foreseeable future and in light of this we are unable to renew your contract
Aaron: ah man that sucks, well if you can't you can't I guess your hands are tied, thanks for being honest.
YT: Just kidding we are running a world cup team, we just don't need you anymore
Aaron: Huh
YT: Yeah, well, good luck
(PS I accidentally downvoted you, all thumbs over here sorry mate)
That's his $ not team money.
Peak Gwin.
That is all.
Bonus prediction: ~2022, AG leaves Intense for other ventures. PB: "OMG, Intense sucks! Sell, sell, sell."
YT ends contract with Gwin, bike prices stay the same= PB'ers complain
Thanks
There's also the image thing and I think it's fitting to allow each rider to wear what they want to wear and create their own image that they're stoked on.
Like in Buy/Sell world someone cares.. ))
Intense = okay, I agree "thumbs up" for Gwin
Syndicate = hhm, only if Luca and Loris keep their nerves calm. but never underestimate the G.o.a.t.
Can´t wait for the DH Game!
??
)
Capitalism > your feelings about a brand
So, selling or not?