After 10 years together, Josh Bryceland and Santa Cruz Bicycles are parting ways in 2019, although the Rat will continue to ride Santa Cruz's Reserve wheels.
| We’ve been working with Josh since ’08, when he won Junior World Champs, and it’s been a great decade since. We’ve been with him through World Cup wins, shattered ankles, and the growth of 50:01 and their new approach to riding mountain bikes. Josh has always been an individual, and this is just the next chapter for him—we wish him nothing but the best. We have great memories of Josh riding Santa Cruz bikes, and we’re stoked that he’ll be continuing to love back wheel on Santa Cruz Reserves.—Brian Bernard, Santa Cruz Marketing Manager |
Who will Ratboy ride for next year?Nothing is confirmed, but anonymous sources and professional internet speculators alike are floating Cannondale’s name as a place for the Rat to land. Apparently, they have a “green initiative” (no, not that kind) and Josh is a part of that. It may seem like a strange fit, but the Connecticut brand has started working with several other young UK guys over the last year. Does Cannondale have a bike for him? Is it all a bunch of misdirection? Time will tell. Wherever he lands, we salute the partnership that was Ratboy and Santa Cruz, and here’s to many more years of his playful riding and good times.
It has been freaking light years away in technical view...
Cannondale has been XC/Enduro focused...
Josh is one of the few pros (or ex?) who actually continues to send the message of just ride the f*cker (JRTF). We all started riding to have fun and this kid knows how to. He wants a greener future for the world too (in many ways) but i like that, its an important message we should all listen too.
Lets watch this space eh?
Totally wrong.
"Cannondale has always focused on XC oriented bikes."
Mostly wrong.
"failed miserably when creating a "true" DH bike" mostly right bit I would had "for customers". Note that one of their dh bike won a rampage.
Well then it has to be Pole.
He will compete in the first UTI DH bike polo underwater bong championship
Trust me, my sources are 50:01% reliable
#TEAMRUMORS
From the surface they are loosing a rider that for the most part adds and embodies the spirit/soul of the brand, im sure they will carry on fine and do their best to keep that energy rolling forward but thats does'nt change the fact that its a bummer and changes the brands image in my eyes.
Regardless of the conditions for him leaving the result is that the brands image has further shifted in my eyes.
Such as if your cooking your favorite dish and leave out a key ingredient, its not going to taste like the same dish, and I guess that's my take away, its starting to taste a bit like a different dish and that's okay, its the reality of the situation.
It's hard to imagine a smaller brand supporting a rider that doesn't compete in any world cup events.
Haibike?
They're literally named "young talent" but insist on sponsoring all these guys who have been around for years and twist the words to make it fit. It's bull. And just cuz the bikes are affordable doesn't make them the best thing ever.
That said, their model shifted considerably from what it was when it started. Every model was offered in one build. It was basically "This bike is good enough to compete so shut up and just go ride the hell out of it." As this was the situation young riders are in. Competitive bikes were too expensive. This model allowed them to take advantage of the economies of scale, to order large quantities of components from the OEM suppliers and negotiate for the lowest price. And also to be able to shift to another supplier if the initial supplier isn't able to deliver. With all the differentiation between models nowadays, they can't do that anymore and it has become more like what the other companies are doing. Seems to work well for them. That said, I'd be interested to see what their bike would cost if they'd have stuck with the original business model. 'Cause at the end of the day I believe at that level, skill matters more than carbon bars or an X0 rear mech over a GX mech.
In the end it’s the threaded BB, less pivot bearings and warranty that made up my mind to get a SC.
Josh rides to have fun like the rest of us.
Makes sense that Cannondale would pick them up due to the support they have received from Fabric.
Just saying. Sad to see the Rat leave SC though, glad he'll still be "loving back wheel" Reserve style.
If there wasn't enough sarcasm in the above, please know you could not be more wrong. He's living life his way, f*ck off with your holistic attitude until you get to half his level.
Hyper bikes?
Why would Santa Cruz ditch such an inspirational individual?
www.instagram.com/p/BoH0UWIBfw_/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1v8uwrhwo5xnr
#juststartingrumors
Hyper bikes?
Hyper bikes?
Hyper bikes?
Hyper bikes?