Swobo fans rejoice - After a brief hiatus, which seemed like an eternity, the legendary clothing company from San Francisco is finally open for business.

www.swobo.com

Northwest Dirt Culture from Grubworks Media Productions is premiering in Renton, Wa at Renton Motorcycle Center's Full Throttle Cafe. Don't miss the area's most anticipated video of the year. We will be handing out swag and prizes for the raffle. Doors open at 7:00, movie at 9:00. Come early to get your spot. Only $5 to get in, raffle tickets at the door and additional tickets for only a buck. Northwest Dirt Culture DVD's for sale on site for only $15. All ages welcome.

The deity components crew is proud to announce the addition of Cameron Zink to the deity roster! Known for his ability to dominate every discipline while constantly elevating the standards that will define the sports future…Cam continues the evolution of deity and sets forth on a season of filming, racing, comps, and global podiums.

Distinction Productions announces that its latest film, Hypnosis: Visual Intensity will be premiering in January 2006. Originally slated for release late 2005, the extent of raw footage captured in the last 3 months with Worlds, World Cup Finals and post season filming with Hill, Kovarik, Havukainen and Peat has made this a near impossible task. But one worth waiting for. test

Often, there are moments of clarity when you just have to dive in, no matter how busy you are. Having developed the Hoots brand now for 8 years and culminated partnerships and friends in all parts of the world, I have had some of the greatest opportunities to discuss trails to politics on a global scale.

Yep, we have 2006 Idun clothes instock and a big restocking on many favorites too. Tino and the boys have been busy with all new graphics and new coats too. Get your new Idun hoody just in time for Christmas.

Check out the whole line up HERE.

Let me first start off by saying that I’ve never been the biggest fan of Red Bull Rampage events. After watching only 5mins of it, I usually feel like I've already seen the entire event – just looks all the same to me. It just doesn’t get me going like good balls out racing footage. I’m not dissing the event by any means, just stating my own personal opinion. I got to give it to those guys, they got bigger cajones than I will ever have - heck, I wish I had 1/4th the skills of some of the competitors.

20 companies and 400 racers attended this one-of-a-kind event.


SponsorHouse partnered up with the ODI Southridge crew to bring a new element to this year’s Southridge Challenge event. More than 20 of the industry’s leading companies were on hand to showcase their new products and meet riders personally for sponsorship consideration for their ’06 teams.

Woodward West will be hosting The Banger In The Hanger, an indoor skatepark contest open to all pro riders. There will be a practice session on Thursday Dec 1st and the morning of Friday Dec 2nd prior to the event (which starts at 11am). Each rider will get two runs which will be judged on creativity, amplitude and difficulty. The top 15 riders will move on to the finals. The runs will be tallied and the top finishers will share in the $3,000 to $5,000 pro purse.

There were a lot of first-ever’s this summer, and before we let winter creep in, we had to have one more… After a couple of postponed weekends and much excitement, 20 of the best known and most successful female riders in Canada met for an end of the year mountain bike party. What began as a ride and potluck, soon became the “Ride Hard And Tard” party…

One of the first obvious signs that a person is maturing is when they develop a sense of style; the same can be said about a sport. It used to be that the ‘best’ freeriders were the ones most willing to huck their meat off the biggest drop, and the best freeride bikes were designed to endure the most abuse.

Well, times they are a-changin’. To be ‘pro’ today means you have style, as well as cojones. It’s not enough to just go big. You need to go big, trick it out, and make it look so smooth and easy that your grandma will want to give it a try.

Kirt Voreis has re-signed with the Santa Cruz Syndicate and will be the mastermind behind the Santa Cruz Syndicate Allride Tour. Voreis has had previous success with his Allride tour and will resume the tour under the banner of Santa Cruz Bicycles and the Syndicate. He will take his talents for racing, dirt and street comps, and filming and combine his competition travels with a demo program, as he travels the nation promoting the Santa Cruz brand.

That's right, winter is rearing its head and you know you're gonna be sitting inside wishing you were ripping trails. Well now's the time to pick up a new DVD like NWD6 Unchained
and get the riding fuel stoke you'll need to keep you from getting lonely this winter. While you're at it, check out the 2006 Calendar from Cove Productions. Now you can count down the days until the snow melts on your new calendar, while watching your newest DVD and learning how it's all done.

Position:
BMX Coordinator

Reporting:
The BMX Coordinator will report, through the Technical Director or Executive Director, to the President.

The BMX Coordinator will work closely with ABA Committees, and other ABA staff, in the execution of his/her duties. The position will require significant schedule flexibility, with many weekend commitments and occasional evening commitments. The ABA BMX Coordinator must have access to a vehicle, and be willing to travel extensively in-province.

The ten finalists for the Vorb Video Competition have been announced this week. Over 1,500 votes were cast by the public to select the finalists - which will now be judged by Tony "Milkman" Mundel, Ambrose Weingart, Jarrett Craig, Jason Naran, and Warrick Patterson.

So by now, most of you out there are very much aware of Shimano’s SAINT line up of burly, Freeride components. The SAINT line up came about because of the demand for more abuse ready parts (i.e. cranks, derailleurs, brakes and hubs) for the Freeride and Downhill markets. SAINT answered the call and has been delivering for 2 seasons now. I put on a new set of 170 mm cranks and hooked up a short cage rear derailleur to my rear Deemax wheel this season and this is what the results were:

Chase Tandem: The making of.

When it comes to one-off custom bike designs and graphic kits no one does it better than Cannondale Bicycles. Recently, Aaron Chase was married to his long time girlfriend Kara Lowell. To celebrate their union, Aaron and Kara's friends at Cannondale did their part to keep the newly formed union rolling on two wheels.

Santa Cruz Syndicate rider John Waddell has re-signed to the Syndicate for 2006. Waddell, who has had a miraculous recovery from the severe head trauma suffered in a crash in 2003, has been racing and training in Australia ever since his rehab from the injury. He has focused his racing program on endurance racing and has had success in 12 hour and 24 hour races, racing solo.

Just got word from Don Hampton of DH Productions that Aaron Chases' DVD, COUNTERPARTS, is going to be part of the 2005 Freesports Film Festival in London. What is the annual Freesports Awards?

ROSSLAND: “To see it on film is inspiring. To experience the adventure first hand makes you feel truly alive.” said event organizer Brian Coulter. This year the 6th Annual Rossland Mountain Film Festival is hosting two Saturday seminars, which will showcase two world-class athletes. “Both of them are exceptional in their field, and they each have something important to offer,” Coulter said.

Wade Simmons is 32 years-old and at the top of his game. And as the crowned “godfather of freeride mountain biking”, he is one of the few making a living doing what he loves, mountain biking. And his magic has been featured in over 20 films.

Iron Horse Bicycles is proud to announce the signing of French downhill star Sabrina Jonnier to a two year agreement. Sabrina will campaign the 2006 UCI World Cup downhill and 4X schedule for Team Iron Horse/Mad Catz.

Oh yeah baby! Alex Rankin is back at it with the third installment of Earthed and today just launched Earthed3.com – a site dedicated to this upcoming release, which goes on sale December 8th. Not often do I get all giddy about new movie releases, but Earthed is one of them. Nobody knows how to capture the essence of World Cup DH racing like Alex – he just has that extra filmmaker gene that many are missing. The angles, zoom in/out, fades, panning, etc..he got it all nailed down! Like artists and their paintbrushes, Alex has come to master his camera and knows exactly what will excite your pupils!

Check it out: www.earthed3.com

Haro Bicycles announced today that they have released Australian downhiller Mick Hannah from their professional mountain bike team.

“Mick has done a great job representing Haro during the past three years he’s ridden for us,” said Jill Hamilton, Haro’s Mountain Bike Brand Manager. “We simply chose not to match an excellent offer Mick has received from another team. All of us here at Haro certainly wish Mick all the best with his future plans”.

SponsorHouse in conjunction with SouthridgeUSA are partnering up for the 14th annual Southridge Challenge. Companies that are currently set up with Sponsorhouse will be attending the event to field sponsorship questions, demo product, and meet potential riders for their programs.

SponsorHouse will be onsite signing up athletes, and helping current SponsorHouse member’s line up their 2006 deals.

Two great mid summer releases: Counterparts and Match Videozine 7. Counterparts is directed by Aaron Chase and produced by DH Productions. Match Videozine is the 7th installment by Aaron Lutze. Two entertaining flicks sure to keep you busy during those cold winter days when you can’t ride. Also perfect gift ideas for Christmas! Yeah, I can’t believe Christmas is almost upon us! Anyway, enough with me blabbing - onto the reviews.

The Red Bull Road Rage came off as one of the hippest and most unique road events of 2005. Nineteen invited athletes, including a high proportion of World and National Champions, were invited to test their descending skill on a winding 2.5 mile, 2000 ft. road descent in Malibu, CA.

When David Zimberoff, SRAM’s Global Communications Manager, commissioned Japanese artist Yasuhito ‘Yaz’ Udagawa to construct two robots from SRAM, RockShox, Avid and Truvativ parts, he was expecting a “non-traditional method of visually demonstrating the integration of all four SRAM brands,” and that, along with some really cool looking bike part robot sculptures, is exactly what he got.

Haro Bicycles officially announced today that they have signed freeride phenom Cameron Zink to ride Haro frames for the upcoming 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Zink, who is considered by many to be one of the gravity scene’s most talented and versatile riders, will participate in a full schedule of freeride events, select World Cup and NMBS (NORBA) downhill/mountain cross races, and video projects. His first race event aboard a Haro frame will be the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, CA April 6-9, 2006.

Yes, it’s true! Steve Peat, mountain biking’s favorite royal, has inked a deal with the Santa Cruz Syndicate. Rumors have been circulating for months about the move in what could be called the “Best, Worst Kept Secret,” - rivaling fellow Brits, Camilla and Charles for that title. Peaty will join the powerhouse squad of the Santa Cruz Syndicate to achieve the goal of world recognition in the gravity arena. The Syndicate alliance will support Peat for the next three years as this 2-time UCI World Cup Downhill Champion continues his royal reign.

We received a few goodies from WTB back in the spring and quickly got them to our riders to thrash test. Being a courier during the day, Fiona was an easy pick for the Laser SHE saddle. Ryan hooked up Pure V and I put some miles on the new Timberwolf tires.

That's right boys and girls, we have got all new "Caution: Rider May Fall Without Warning" shirts hot off the presses and ready to ship out the door to you.

Do you or your loved ones often find themselves embracing mother earth in all her glory for no apparent reason? If so this shirt is for you!! Pick one up in our online store today!

The Cannondale factory mountain bike team has added Pacific Northwest riders Kim Eakin and Ben Storrar to their gravity lineup for the 2006 season. They will be representing Cannondale at all the Northwest races as well as The Sea Otter Classic, Select Norba NCS races, Crankworx, and select BC Cups.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've had the opportunity to help Hoots Jay build another bike park in Richmond, BC. We had a 3 man crew with 'Mountain Bike' Mike in the Excavator, Hooty calling the shots and DB looking after the lips and transitions.

Well unofficially we have a new record for distance jumped on a bicycle. This note from Nathan Rennie's father, Bruce, says everything that is known about the jump to date. Good work Nathan!

With the season winding down for most of us, Cam McCaul and his buddies are dropping us another teaser. Highlights include Crankworx, Monster Park, Cowan's back yard and much more.

They speculative release date should be around Sea Otter '06.

Click here for the teaser.

November 4th, 5th, & 6th marks the return of the much anticipated 5th annual Bike Bash. Head on over to Norfolk, Nebraska for the Midwest’s biggest and best bike event. This year we’re adding to the excitement. Saturday afternoon there will be a huge dirt jump competition and mini-bike expo. For those of you not interested in riding the best jumps in the Midwest don’t worry. We are still having our Friday night bicycle pub crawl and Saturday night video premier featuring NWD VI Unchained, M.I.A., and All Hope is Lost.

Many of you might think Five Ten is a relatively new company. They entered the MTB market a few years ago with their high-friction Impact Shoes, which many of you seen/used under the Intense name. After a year hiatus – they are back with stronger than ever with not only a new version of this shoe, but also a plethora of other Stealth Rubber soled shoes that can be worn on or off the bike!

As a little follow up to their recent press release back in August - Alain Lavoie of Fabrication Dobermann Inc. sent me some flyers of their frame lineup, which I thought I'd share with you guys.

- Alternating Schedules for Ultimate Freeride Challenge and Ultimate XC Challenge allow Freeriders and Singletrack Junkies to Share the Spotlight -

In an effort to restore balance to the mountain biking universe, Race Face Performance Products will alternate hosting their popular Ultimate Freeride Challenge and Ultimate XC Challenge online peer-judged competitions every other year starting in 2006. Based on the success of its inaugural Ultimate XC Challenge, Race Face will host the UXC again in 2006, giving the next crop of Freeride stars time to mature until they hold the UFC V in 2007.

Looking back on last month and my first trip to Interbike, I began to think about all the cool things I saw there. Interbike was so overwhelming, but such an eye opener to our industry at the same time. From the big companies, to the little guys that are struggling to create themselves. Here are some of my pick hits from the show that you should look out for in '06:

SORBA Freeride Alliance (SoFA http://www.ridesofa.org/), the freeride chapter of Southern Off Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), in conjunction with Hcor.net announces the first ever mountain bike skatepark competition near Atlanta, GA.