Cam Zink Launches Non-Profit Trailbuilding Company
Ian Collins Photo
PRESS RELEASE: R.A.D. Trails
After years of being on the forefront of the Freeride movement as an athlete, Cameron Zink is officially introducing his trail building and development company, Sensus R.A.D. Trails.
R.A.D. Trails was set up as a U.S. registered 501c(3) non-profit, and is the next step in Sensus giving back to the mountain bike community. Like the company, the acronym, is open ended. Ride After Digging, Rebuild And Destroy, Really Awesome Dudes, take your pick!
Ian Collins Photo
Although Cam is far from finished pushing the boundaries of the sport, he is now the father of two young kids. These groms have fueled his fire to foster the next generations of riders.
 | The ethos of RAD Trails is to leave the sport a better place than we found it. |
Ian Collins Photo
| RAD Trails brings the experience of building safe and progressive trails all over the world, to public trail systems. Jumps, berms and rollers can be bigger, better, yet safer. |
The idea is to focus on building progressive bike trails, from pump tracks and dirt jumps, to flow trails and high alpine descents. RAD Trails is setting out with the idea that no project is too small or too large to take on. Teaming up with a group of riders with amazing digging and riding skills, RAD Trails wants to help develop accessible and progressive trails all over the world. Our goal is to take on projects for every level and every age of rider. No matter the project, we intend to staff and plan with the most capable and relatable builders in the industry.
We all need help digging, so Cam has created a trifecta of creative construction. Cody Wilkins has been brought on to manage RAD Trails’ projects and operations. While Ray Syron, Sensus Grips’ Operations Manager, completes the trio. That being said, we have a large community of riders and diggers ready to take on any project.
Ian Collins Photo
Beyond building, RAD Trails hopes to take on consulting projects, fundraising and keep an open-ended future that allows us to progress with the bike community at large. Don’t be surprised when you see some cool and unique projects coming out with the RAD Trails name attached to them!
Ian Collins Photo
Get your community on board
Does your community need riding trails built or improved? Hit up RAD Trails with your ideas! We’re willing to look over any project no matter how small (or large) they may be. Our goal is to make biking more accessible to the masses and the first step begins with you. We offer consulting, building, and of course marketing through our channels. Hit us up on the RAD Trails page on the Sensus site. It's a super easy survey to fill out and gets the ball rolling!
Other ways to get involved
If you would like to help and look sick while doing it, check out the Sensus R.A.D. Trails streetwear on our site. A portion of each purchase goes towards helping fund projects.
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As someone who builds trails, it would be great for RAD trails to have something like trailbuilding workshops where local trail builders come out to one of their build sites, help out, and learn the basics of building more progressive stuff. I have attended local trail days and learned a lot from that, but they weren't building things like dirt jumps/pump tracks/etc.. I'd be happy to put some sweat equity toward helping out another group's trails in order to learn how to better build my own areas.
I grew up in OC and now live in SD where we have all the same issues so I feel your pain. It doesn’t help that SoCal is so densely populated with the least amount of open land to build trails on.
The Surrey hills could do with a massive kicker off a cliff or two? Does that count? As a dad I can totally see where the desire would come from but to actually make it happen is just brilliance.
Props!
No thanks, I'll pass
At my first attendance of his hometown local 501c(3) trail advocacy group in November 2018, Mr. Zink and his cadre of sycophants attempted to usurp this long-established organization, because he felt he could work around the public and private land managers to build more "rad" trails, faster, and cheaper. There was no attempt on his part to try to work within the system and the demeanor of his clique was confrontational and condescending. In the few months since then, I have not seen him or any members of that rat pack at these meetings.
I hope his effort is fruitful, and though I still follow his amazing riding skills, my opinion of him as a public figure will need to see a more humbled person willing to work with others for the good of all.
Zink isn't showing up here talking smack about your demeanor. He's trying to create more places where the kid who doesn't fit into traditional sports gets to BE amazing and see what he's capable of. It absolutely sucks being a kid without an outlet like that.
I've gotten in front of committees and boards and so called "powers"- that-be proposing 40 - foot wall rides, massive jumps, drops, danger. And I built them with my friends. It's transformational for all of the builders. It's transformational for many riders. Even some big name pro circuit riders showed up and competed on our trails and got followed by little 8 year olds on the same track, same day.
It takes something special to be able to build something for everyone. Sometimes the system needs to be broken or bent, and often violently. This is wayyyy bigger than "established organizations" and those establishments definitely have their place. Thanks for your input but can we please learn from each other to create the greatest possibility of riding bikes?
@EeehhZink I submitted a form as well.
I miss the old nembq/Pedro's events. #fenwaydirtjumps . .