May: Good Month or Bad Month?
After the hustle and bustle of April, a month filled with product launches centered around the Sea Otter Classic, May got off to a rather quiet start, but gathered steam as the weeks progressed. World Cup DH racing took a break, but there was still plenty of action on the Enduro World Series and World Cup XC circuits, plus high flying nuttiness from the FEST Series. A number of new bikes and components were revealed for the first time as well, providing plenty of fodder for heated online debates. What follows is a recap of the highlights and lowlights from May, 2015.
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Fans of Going Huge
FEST Series Continues to Raise the Bar
FEST Series Continues to Raise the Bar
Anyone whose idea of a good time includes watching uber-talented hucksters launch themselves off the biggest jumps imaginable had plenty to be thankful for in May. The month kicked off with Clay Porter releasing his CruzFEST highlights video, a six minute montage of nasty whips, flips, and slams, all set to a classic hip-hop track. The visual stimulation didn't end there, though, and a few weeks later images and helmet cam footage started showing up from stop two of the FEST Series, Aggy's Reunion, which was held in Kamloops, BC.
As impressive as the course built specifically for the event was, footage from a run down a partially completed trail in the same vicinity was what captured the attention of millions of viewers. In it, some of the world's best freeriders effortlessly boost over enormous gaps, capping off the run with a jump over a standing tree. It's the kind of video even a non-mountain biker can appreciate, one that puts into perspective just how talented (and slightly insane) the FEST series riders truly are.
As impressive as the course built specifically for the event was, footage from a run down a partially completed trail in the same vicinity was what captured the attention of millions of viewers. In it, some of the world's best freeriders effortlessly boost over enormous gaps, capping off the run with a jump over a standing tree. It's the kind of video even a non-mountain biker can appreciate, one that puts into perspective just how talented (and slightly insane) the FEST series riders truly are.
The Luck of the Irish
Local Favorite Wins EWS #2
Local Favorite Wins EWS #2
As round two of the Enduro World Series in Wicklow County, Ireland, got underway, all eyes were on Greg Callaghan. Racing on familiar trails, and coming off an 11th place finish in Rotorua, there was plenty of speculation that the 23-year-old Irishman had the speed and strength to take the win.
Come race day, everything seemed to fall into place, and under sunny skies and in front of hordes of cheering fans, Callaghan put the hammer down, winning three out of seven stages to finish 15 seconds ahead of second place finisher Justin Leov. There's something deeply satisfying about an underdog emerging victorious, and Callaghan's victory is especially deserved considering that he only recently signed to the Cube Action Team after spending last year's race season living out of a van as a privateer. And for anyone who doubted that Callaghan deserved to be up on the podium with the big dogs, he backed up his result with a solid third place finish in Scotland the following weekend.
Come race day, everything seemed to fall into place, and under sunny skies and in front of hordes of cheering fans, Callaghan put the hammer down, winning three out of seven stages to finish 15 seconds ahead of second place finisher Justin Leov. There's something deeply satisfying about an underdog emerging victorious, and Callaghan's victory is especially deserved considering that he only recently signed to the Cube Action Team after spending last year's race season living out of a van as a privateer. And for anyone who doubted that Callaghan deserved to be up on the podium with the big dogs, he backed up his result with a solid third place finish in Scotland the following weekend.
Matt MacDuff
Taking it to the Streets
Taking it to the Streets
Matt MacDuff was everywhere this month, stealing the show in Scott Secco's Builder movie, and then releasing a video collaboration with Kali Protectives that had street riding aficionados struggling to contain their excitement. Riding a brakeless hardtail, Maduff spins 360s into flights of stairs, jumps over handrail and tosses a barspin before landing on a concrete transition ten feet below, all while genuinely having a good time and making every trick he throws seem effortless.
Street riding and dirt jumping may exist on the fringe of mainstream mountain bike culture, but MacDuff's easygoing personality and fearless nature seem to resonate with a larger audience, attracting the attention of riders who don't typically pay heed to this niche of the sport. What's next for MacDuff? Only time will tell, but rest assured that whatever he comes up with next will be infused with his unique style and devil-may-care attitude.
Street riding and dirt jumping may exist on the fringe of mainstream mountain bike culture, but MacDuff's easygoing personality and fearless nature seem to resonate with a larger audience, attracting the attention of riders who don't typically pay heed to this niche of the sport. What's next for MacDuff? Only time will tell, but rest assured that whatever he comes up with next will be infused with his unique style and devil-may-care attitude.
Packrats
Specialized's Stumpjumper Has a Built In Storage Compartment
Specialized's Stumpjumper Has a Built In Storage Compartment
Specialized's 2016 Stumpjumper FSR lineup looks as refined as ever, with a range of wheel sizes and frame materials to fit the needs of nearly any trail rider. But it's not the revised geometry, or the addition of a 27.5+ model that caused a stir; it was the inclusion of a storage compartment in the down tube of the carbon fiber front triangle that had everyone talking. For better or worse, Specialized isn't known for holding back when it comes to bringing a new concept to market, and the SWAT compartment is a prime example of their capabilities
On paper it seems like a fairly simple idea – make a hole in the frame, and come up with a panel that can be latched on while also holding a water bottle. No big deal, right? But then consider the expense of creating new carbon frame molds, constructing that extra panel, and putting a plug in the downtube so items don't fall out of reach, all without raising the bike's final price to the stratosphere, and it becomes clear that this is an idea that could easily have been left on the drawing board simply because of the time and resources an endeavor like this requires. The fact that Specialized seem to have pulled it off makes it a good month for them, along with any mountain bikers who harbor hoarding tendencies, and don't ever want to be more than an arm's length away from their favorite snack, tool, or bag of weed.
On paper it seems like a fairly simple idea – make a hole in the frame, and come up with a panel that can be latched on while also holding a water bottle. No big deal, right? But then consider the expense of creating new carbon frame molds, constructing that extra panel, and putting a plug in the downtube so items don't fall out of reach, all without raising the bike's final price to the stratosphere, and it becomes clear that this is an idea that could easily have been left on the drawing board simply because of the time and resources an endeavor like this requires. The fact that Specialized seem to have pulled it off makes it a good month for them, along with any mountain bikers who harbor hoarding tendencies, and don't ever want to be more than an arm's length away from their favorite snack, tool, or bag of weed.
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Mountain Bikers Interested in Shimano's 1x11 XT
Single Rings Nowhere to Be Seen at Launch
Single Rings Nowhere to Be Seen at Launch
The lakeside town of Riva del Garda, Italy, served as the location for Shimano's official launch of the latest XT gruppo, a gorgeous setting surrounded by towering peaks full of steep, overhanging cliffs. The launch's timing overlapped with the Riva Bike Festival, a massive gathering of mountain bikers from all across Europe. A beautiful location, good weather, and a fleet of bikes equipped with the new product – from a distance, everything seemed to be in order. But there was one thing missing – a rideable version of Shimano's answer to SRAM's narrow-wide chainring design. There was one pre-production sample on hand, but it wasn't installed on a bike, and no one seemed to be able to answer questions about how well the design worked without a chain guide, or to explain exactly where the ring's chain retention capabilities come from.
It's understandable that Shimano doesn't want to sweep their front derailleur technology under the rug – after all, it's the result of years of refinement, and the new Side Swing technology works incredibly well – but the demand for single ring drivetrains continues to increase, and SRAM's offerings are becoming more and more affordable, which is why it seems odd that the Japanese giant still appears reluctant to promote their own 1x system.
It's understandable that Shimano doesn't want to sweep their front derailleur technology under the rug – after all, it's the result of years of refinement, and the new Side Swing technology works incredibly well – but the demand for single ring drivetrains continues to increase, and SRAM's offerings are becoming more and more affordable, which is why it seems odd that the Japanese giant still appears reluctant to promote their own 1x system.
Sunny Weather on Race Weekends
Foul Weather Causes Course Revisions
Foul Weather Causes Course Revisions
Mother Nature is fickle, especially during springtime in the mountains, and this month she decided to try and put a damper on the second round of the British Downhill series, as well as the third stop of the Enduro World Series. At the BDS event in Fort William, Scotland, high winds forced the closure of the gondola typically used to transport riders to the top of the mountain, resulting in a drastically shortened course. The weather remained poor throughout the weekend, and by the time the elite men began to drop into the course conditions were about as foul as they could get, with a cold rain pelting riders as they made their way down the hill.
Things were a little better at round three of the Enduro World Series in Scotland, but heavy rains the night before the final day of racing turned parts of the course into a soupy mess, and a forced two stages to be eliminated from the race. In both cases, racing went on as well as could be expected, but you can be sure that the spectators and participants wouldn't have minded a little more sunshine added into the mix.
Things were a little better at round three of the Enduro World Series in Scotland, but heavy rains the night before the final day of racing turned parts of the course into a soupy mess, and a forced two stages to be eliminated from the race. In both cases, racing went on as well as could be expected, but you can be sure that the spectators and participants wouldn't have minded a little more sunshine added into the mix.
Rider Safety
Red Bull Sky Gate Race Places Priority on Spectacle
Red Bull Sky Gate Race Places Priority on Spectacle
Red Bull's not one to shy away from events that are out of the ordinary, sponsoring everything from the Flutag, a homemade flying machine contest, to downhill ice skate racing, so it's not entirely surprising that a race involving sending mountain bikers down 999 stairs and off a large stepdown before crossing the finish line ended up on the calendar.
Unfortunately, the length and steepness of the stairs, combined with the fact that riders couldn't let off their brakes for even a millisecond or risk careening out of control, meant that carnage was inevitable. It wasn't long before a video of Kelly McGarry losing his brakes and suffering a brutal crash near the bottom of the stairs began making the rounds, graphically illustrating the sheer stupidity of the event. Other riders lost control after landing the final stepdown, sliding into the metal guardrails that surrounded the finish area, and further showing how unnecessarily dangerous the course was.
Unfortunately, the length and steepness of the stairs, combined with the fact that riders couldn't let off their brakes for even a millisecond or risk careening out of control, meant that carnage was inevitable. It wasn't long before a video of Kelly McGarry losing his brakes and suffering a brutal crash near the bottom of the stairs began making the rounds, graphically illustrating the sheer stupidity of the event. Other riders lost control after landing the final stepdown, sliding into the metal guardrails that surrounded the finish area, and further showing how unnecessarily dangerous the course was.
I don't blame the riders for attempting the course – after all, someone paid for them to fly all the way to China, and as professional athletes they undoubtedly had sponsors to please, but realistically, the event never should have happened in the first place. Urban mountain bike events have the potential to expose the sport to a wider audience, but in this instance it's unlikely that any onlookers will be inspired to pick up a bike after witnessing the spectacle that unfolded. Promoters need to ensure that athlete safety is their number one priority, and in this case it appears to have been well down the list.
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What they should be doin' is pourin' piles & piles of cash into FEST!
These guys are amazing athletes and deserve better - events like that just turn them into huck dolls.
Research how much Rampage competitors get when they win or place. Red Bull should be ashamed of themselves, and the athletes should demand more.
Is that a joke? Bahahahahhaha
Anyways, thanks for not saying "Amen" to Red Bull for every single sh** they come up with ! They really should focus on 1. safe, 2. aesthetic, 3. challenging events !
PS: Heal up fast Kelly !
I've ridden both the di2 and mechanical XTR single rings and as you say - dropping chains is a thing of the past! Sure I'm not a hardcore DH rider, but for XC and Enduro they work pretty darn well! Narrow/Wide is just marketing BS - sure it works (two of my bikes have it), but it's not essential compared to the cool ramping tech Shimano are using on the XT/XTR single rings...
This being said, according to TeamRobot 99% of the riders suck. These parts are being produced for the general public and they do perform well for the general public.
I know they are trying very hard to be cool and shit, but I still disagree.
BTW, you have something on your nose.
I'm just calling it as I see it - and offering a view vastly different to the majority here on Pinkbike it seems. No brown nosing here, just credit where credit is due.
As for Shimano - yes, they seriously screwed up the launch. 1x11 XT is not where they're seeing the future, being firmly in the 2x camp, having invested heavily in a better front derailleur, and hoping to steer people to electronic shifting. But in the process, they're missing out on a sizeable market segment of people who like the simplicy of a 1x setup. It looks like they finally have a competitive product; hell, if it's up to the usual XT standard, and at the prices that are thrown around for it, this will be an awesome alternative to SRAM 1x. I mean, really, would it have killed them to have it ready? There's not much new about it; they already make the single rings for XTR, so it's not like there were trying to suss out new technology - why not have the freaking single ring cranks at Garda?
...absolutely.
It is just that, those clever little gizmos that come in handy? They sell all things MTB to people.
Marketing genius that SWAT box.
Looking at it another way, where would you want the weight of your tools and bits and pieces. In your backpack, high up on your back, or down around the BB area? Marketing genius that SWAT box and has got all the journos salivating.
Seems to me they could have done the math on what kind of brake loads would be necessary first, before even getting the event on the calendar.
Red Bull does so much good for extreme sports and MTB, it's a shame this ended up the way it did. We all make mistakes, I just hope Kelly makes a full recovery.
I would like to make a suggestion: perhaps everyone on here commenting about their displeasure with the lack of safety in the event should email Redbull and make their feelings known. It certainly seems like a good number of people in the bike community are concerned and it is always best to go right to the source. You may be surprised how much big corporations listen to individuals.
As a disclaimer I do apologize if someone has suggested this previously I did not have time to read every comment.
Agree with other posters, that red bull China event was stupid but overall they put up real cool events. Who knows how much was in their control?
For everyone that got hurt in May, heal up fast!
People hate this bullshit, and they took shovels and money and crafted a rider friendly course.
I love RedBull, As a drink not a Company.
And I'm considering revamping that so both match my current opinion,
RedBull, Why Can't you be like GoPro when It comes to Sports?
Just stay out of our shit, just for now.
Let US take rampage into OUR hands for once,
FEST was right.
1) Take shovels and money
2) Craft rider friendly course.
3) Ride it with mates. Get MTB media to attend. Sell some Tees.
4) Take POV video and go huge.
and then....
5) Get paid for the POV and image rights.
Something tells me it isn't that simple!!!!!
I'm Not entirely sure its a shop or shack, Its Kind of like FMB, just without the
"HOLY $*** I NEED TO TRICK THIS ENTIRE LINE BY NOON OR MY SPONSORS WILL TAKE MY HOUSE"
I don't think the idea of fest is to make major dollar, but tell me if im wrong.
I feel some truth in @TheYetiHelpsMeDig Because names are money,
But when people ride crazy things, It helps to have built it / know that you don't have to "Kiss the Cameras".
Like going camping for a commercial as compared to rock climbing in a competition.
Four digits of stairs. Chinese stairs. That's rad. Ride your bike down it!
I am okay with being in the minority on this one. You guys are weirdos. Getting broke off happens when you're doing gnarly shit. That's how we know it's gnarly, right?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsldc1IriVU