Mountain Bike Hall of Fame 2017 Nominees

Jun 19, 2017
by Richard Cunningham  
The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, at the Marin Museum of Bicycling, has given the mountain bike community one month to vote four out of ten nominees into their history book. I admit that this is a shameless palm press for Josh Bender, but that's how I roll when such a worthy candidate is on the ballot. Other PB favorites on the list are DH legends, Steve Peat and Giovanna Bonazzi, and pioneer bike and suspension designer Brent Foes. Stan "Notubes" Koziatek is nominated as well, in addition to innovative component maker Mark Norstad, Stumpjumper designer Tim Neenan, MBUK magazine founders Tym Manley and Steve Behr, and pioneer mountain bike ultra-marathon promoter Ken Chlouber. – RC
Josh Bender
Josh Bender

Check out the official ballot and voting information from the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame below:



Nominees have been chosen for the 2017 election ballot!

The nominating committee has made their selections for the 2017 Mountain Bike Hall of Fame ballot. We are pleased to announce this year's nominees in alphabetical order. Drum roll, please…


Brent Foes
Giovanna Bonazzi
Josh Bender*
Ken Chlouber*
Mark Norstad
Stan Koziatek
Steve Peat
Tim Neenan
Tym Manley and Steve Behr (MBUK Magazine)
Wolfgang Renner*

2017 HOF
* Roll-Forwards from previous year's ballots


2017 HOF


Their ballot statements are now up on our website, be sure to check them out before voting. Even if you think you know them, you may be surprised to learn about all they have done for our sport!

The voting ballot will be open until… you guessed it—midnight July 15th.
You must be a member to vote so join or renew today!


Click to join or renew your membership
(It's cheap and you need to be a member to vote)

Read about the nominees here.
(Don't miss Josh Bender's bio.)

Click here to VOTE
(For Josh and three others)

Be sure to get your votes in on time!
Sincerely,

The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame





Author Info:
RichardCunningham avatar

Member since Mar 23, 2011
974 articles

113 Comments
  • 174 4
 Pay to vote. Lol. How about you grease my wheels for that vote. Thats how the real world works.
  • 18 2
 agree... they should have a specialized (no pun intended) jury to analyze and vote for the best next entry and also they should consider people's vote in an open global voting survey. Maybe 70% for the jury's vote and 30% of the people's choice. I mean, it is still a small sport compared to others (soccer, football, BASEBALL, etc.) and we, the fans and followers, are still a tight community. We deserve to express our preferences.

My two cents right there. Cheers.
Beer
  • 8 24
flag jclnv (Jun 19, 2017 at 17:26) (Below Threshold)
 Tony Ellsworth would get my vote.
  • 57 1
 Went to vote saw I needed to pay $30.... f*ck that!
  • 15 3
 I am the best wheel greaser in the whole world. You have never seen a better wheel greaser than me. Trust me. My wheels are always very, very greased, like lightening...........gets handed a wheel, "WTF is this?"
  • 4 0
 @smoranc: How do you have two cents? The price for the membership took mine
  • 1 2
 @scotttherider: its a donation...the only way the place exists.
  • 1 0
 Agreed, never heard of such a thing.
  • 57 0
 Peaty, Bender, Stan, and Foes.
  • 2 0
 Nailed it.
  • 3 2
 Big f'in duh if the academy can't figure this one out. If they can't then they don't deserve the right to screen votes.
  • 2 0
 That's what my vote would be.
  • 1 0
 In that order.
  • 22 0
 Im not paying to vote here but I would argue that no one has done more for mtb in the UK than MBUK. Steve Peat, Jascon Mcoy, Rob Warner, the two Martyns, Scott Beaumont, Mint Sauce, etc etc etc. All put out there and promoted to the masses in a slightly childish but colourfull and fun way at a time when tne rest of the worlds mags where just pages of text.
The mag is one of the influances of me being here today. Whilst I dont read it anymore (blame pinkbike), once it was a catalouge where you would dive in egerly to see what Chain Reaction or JE James had on offer then you would send them a cheque to buy you Judys or DX V brakes. And who could forget the free stuff on the front? You still get it now.
Sadly I am sure I remember reading that Steve Behr died of a heart attack at Aston Hill a few tears ago. I may stand corrected.
MBUK created the British mountainbiking scene in the 90's and early 2000's or at least heavily inflanced it to be the gravity and street/jump scene is known for. You would have known nothing of Steve Peat without it. Obviouly all due respect to Steve Peat!!
  • 7 0
 Well said. MBUK for the win. Their early videos like Dirt and Chainspotting were also groundbreaking stuff for their time. I bought and read it for the best part of 20 years! Without them the British mtb scene would be tiny and boring.
  • 3 0
 For sure dude, not to mention the legend that is T-Mo. Multiple world chap and EWS champ, plus all she's done for grass roots riders trying to make it as a pro. Also what put the guys from Hope, some of the best and affordable components money can buy..
  • 4 0
 yeah, MBUK make it look mundane and cool and not just another "extreme" sport for a chosen few who had fuzzy shirt colors. Hey, grab your bike and go "freeride" in your backyard, "agri stuff" with your mates. Crashing is part of the story on the monthly letters, so is some poetry and romance with Mint Sauce, these products are cool these ones are trash, nothing more to add. It was like a bible every month setting the trends and always letting you know you could trail blaze your own path. I love all the small details and small texts they left in every corner of each page. Aww nostalgia.
  • 1 0
 "Sadly I am sure I remember reading that Steve Behr died of a heart attack at Aston Hill a few tears ago. I may stand corrected"

I believe you are thinking or Steve Worland who died whilst running Ashton Court, Bristol. Steve Behr is still alive and kicking.
  • 2 0
 MBUK's wrecking crew was the best I confused so many people wearing my WC tshirt that looked like a male and female toilet signs haha still got the dog tags somewhere. Also I got into the VIP section at bike 98 and got to hang with missy giove Peaty and the whole MBUK race team
  • 2 0
 i basically signed up to say YES. £2.20 for mint sauce, justin loretz, jmc (front page the edition after he died "DIDNT HE LIVE THOUGH!") rob warner, crud, peat, team stif + bunny hop competitions. remember the first edition i read, bike jousting and a review of a Kirk Revolution. and the videos were amazing lo fi fun.

Got me and a lot of my friends into MTB. Thanks mbuk.
  • 19 0
 It is great to see Giovanna Bonazzi on the list. She won the gold in the Downhill at the second worlds in 1991 Lucca Italy, The crazy thing about the downhill in Italy was that the course was changed the morning of the race without the riders being made aware. Riders were coming across the finish line complaining that a gate had been opened allowing for a new faster line that only a few riders were able to take. Protests were lodged with the UCI, but were dismissed, how could you rerun a race? Bonazzi backed up her title a couple of years latter, and she added a couple of bronzes as well. She and Albert Iten were the start of the Euro invasion in downhill. Hopefully enough people remember her accomplishments to vote her in.
  • 21 1
 "I'm going big, what are you doing?"
  • 3 10
flag pinnityafairy (Jun 19, 2017 at 15:00) (Below Threshold)
 Going faster an bigger
  • 1 0
 exactly the quote I was going to post Smile
  • 6 1
 Are you silly? I'm still gonna send it.
  • 20 1
 $30 to vote, what church does the hall of fame belong to?
  • 2 0
 Marin County haha
  • 16 0
 Peaty.
  • 6 0
 cue Bender hate....
As much as I am a Bender fan for his habit of pushing the limits to the extreme, not to mention creating lines no one else thought of (more than 1 Rampage was won by a competitor using a Bender built/idea line). I think Peaty should take it for pure longevity and inspiration of bikers.
  • 4 0
 Props to Bender for doing his best and pushing the limits even if he wasn't the most skilled, talented or perfectionist.
  • 9 3
 If Wade Simmons isn't nominated, they don't even know what they're talking about! Simmons was skillfully pushing the limits of mountain-biking long before Bender rag-dolled himself off anything! ...And Wade is still a relevant rider today!
  • 9 0
 Wade is already in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. Bender certainly deserves to be in there along side him and the other pioneers of our sport.
  • 12 1
 @kperras: Oh....OK then...I'll shut up now
  • 6 1
 I genuinely think that despite all that Peaty did throughout his ridiculously long and brilliant career, it was just that, a nice long career we all enjoyed to watch and a guy we could all get behind, but bender changed the sport, more than anyone on that list and got the least personal gain out of it too. i'd also have a hard time nominating someone who's primary goal was to make money out of the sport, product developers should not, and to my mind never ever should be even considered for a HOF nomination.
  • 2 3
 Honest question: why do people always say "the sport" when they are referring to freeride mountain biking?
  • 4 0
 @hookso: what would you prefer, "hobby"? It's a sport....?
  • 2 0
 @hookso: Yeah thanks a lot mate, now you've mentioned it it's annoying me too!!!! Smile

Ok, change the first instance to: "The way we all looked at what's possible on a mountain bike."

And the second to: "People."

Better?
  • 1 0
 @deadmeat25: Haha! Much better! I think some guy must have used that phrase some time and it just stuck. Lets try to change that!
  • 1 0
 @trialsracer: Its the specific phrase "the sport" not "a sport" or "sport" that I was talking about. Its just a weird use of language that doesn't sound right to me.
  • 4 0
 Peaty and Foes. Stan's has fucked me too many times by not sealing the smallest of holes...and Bender...well in all due respect, Super T did land about all his insane jump lines in one day. So I vote SUPER T!!!
  • 4 0
 Nothing bums me out more than missing Super T riding. From Helltrack to the jib movies he was pulling off crazy moves on any bike. Such an amazing talent. Hall of Fame worthy all day. Glad he's happy and still in the scene though.
  • 3 0
 @kubaner: Seriously Kranked V intro and Digger movies showed how far out in front he was at the time. Then poof! Disappeared out of thin air. Glad he's still out enjoying riding and everything out of the limelight.
  • 4 0
 The skill doesn't come in copying someone's line, it's planning it out in your head with the confidence to hit it yourself not knowing the outcome. That's where Bender excelled.
  • 3 0
 Bender 4 sho, backcountry skills = hospital bills, but plenty of other riders were pushing just as hard n more talented but BENDERS VIDEO PARTS WERE INSANE in NEW WORLD DISORDER #1 thanks to Freeride Entertainment n Matchstick Productions n had most of us cross over moto/skiers/snowboarders glued to the TV! Racing downhill at that time was, wellllll, like racing always was, a bit serious and a few those old boys including Peaty n Hill (no offense but offended but love u guys lol) were seen racing in those spandex tights! The main reason most us dudes gurn'd n shun'd throwing a leg over a bike if we had to wear leotards! Free riding n dreaming of rampage lines was what opened the door for us not sooo serious baggy pant bros to jump on the band wagon n help sell a lot of products late 90s/2000s! Your welcome younger generation kidz lol
  • 6 0
 Anyone want to buy my vote?
  • 2 0
 I am asking that 29 other members send me $1 via PayPal. Include your nominations and I will cast the vote
  • 2 0
 Benderoni for sure - and get that Armageddon in there - that bike alone is lets you know why he should be there. Go and complain about this guy, while you go ride your state of the art, engineered perfectly bike- he slapped that Armageddon together himself - stick that on the ground!
  • 5 0
 Bender - this is my warm up line
  • 2 1
 Is that right without reading ts&cs that we have yo pay to vote!!!???

Yesh nice try MARINATOR!

Oh and I suppose that the monies would be to fund a much more skilled frame designer am I correct...

We'llfind out ay! Lmao
  • 5 0
 "Life's to short not to go big....gotta go BIG!"- Josh Bender
  • 4 0
 What about Tippie???? " Tequila tonight....tomorrow we ride!!!!!" C'mon, you guys!!!!
  • 1 0
 The original Fro Riders are already in the MtB Hall of Fame.
  • 1 0
 flag p-dub-4 (0 mins ago) [Edit]
It's great to see all these comments and opinions about the nominees. As a good friend and neighbor of Josh Bender, I'd like to clarify a few things with my biased opinion. First, Josh is a great guy and family man and deserves more for what he's done for modern day gravity riding. In the early days of free riding, Bender was ahead of his time and his vision created what RedBull Rampage has now become. He didn't do it for the money, personal enrichment, or the fame, he just did it because it's what he was driven to do. Just like an artist being true to himself and making art for arts sake and sacrificing whatever it takes to follow his path. What other rider on the nominee list pushed the limits to create a new genre of riding? Josh created a new "sport", entirely different than previous mountain bike activities, and it has now become the pinnacle of big mountain gravity riding. Some riders have based their careers on what Josh Bender pioneered, and a few have been financially successful beyond what anyone imagined 20 years ago. They should all thank Bender for that contribution.... and even now, Josh is a super rad, down to earth guy, and a very hard worker that puts his heart into everything he does. He's committed to Rampage, every year, building, judging, helping the riders, and getting it all done. He's committed to his friends, his community, his family, his land, his partner and his baby daughter. He's 100% a rider for life. He still shreds gnarly trails and is the guy having the most fun on a bike, while hooting and whooping and pinning it. There's also the Benduro Race Series that he and his partner, LBC, have created. In it's 2nd year, they've stayed committed to their vision of grass roots racing on gnarly, gnarly, gnar gnar trails... did I say gnarly?.... All while having a newborn and getting established on their off the grid homestead. They do it for the love of the riding and life and to give back. Anyone that wants to push themselves in a difficult enduro race should enter a Benduro Event. Josh is already on my personal hall of fame list. After I moved out to his neck of the woods, I shattered my kneecap snowboarding and Josh was there to help, drove me to my surgery and was always available if I needed anything. He's a team player, a real legend, and a well deserved Hall of Famer. Even if he doesn't get the votes he deserves, his legendary status in mountain biking has already been cemented in time anyway....
[Reply]
  • 5 1
 $30 to vote?! Yeah, no thanks... I'm good on that one.
  • 1 0
 Josh is such a legend and a down to earth perdon! Bummer the voting is the epitome of being biased(you need to pay to vote ha).
  • 3 0
 paying to vote PMSL - that's a totally meaningless award.
  • 1 2
 Not really, it insures that someone doesn't just get spam votes. They want you to become a member, and the money to fund the organization has to come from somewhere
  • 2 0
 just selective vote from people that pay to join the organisation. its pointless
  • 1 0
 RC has been in there for so long that he probably has to sweep the floors. How cool, one pedal in history and one in the future.
  • 3 0
 Bender is a classic. Total respect.
  • 1 0
 MBUK, for basically being the voice of the mountain bike scene in the UK for a very long time, and contributing significantly to its growth. Lots of fun.
  • 2 0
 What about Dave Turner or Sherwood Gibson?
  • 2 0
 I wonder what the mtb scene in Britain would be today without Steve Peat.
  • 3 0
 Probably not too bad, peaty is sick and contributes tenfold but I'm pretty certain DMR were a huge force in the early UK scene and They still do a lot of work with DJ comps n stuff
  • 2 0
 Warner and Peaty were my idols. Warner firstly mind you, but yeah, they've inspired a lot of people. DMR are very grass roots which is great too, they sponsor a lot of events and are run by riders still to this day.
  • 4 0
 It would be pretty good. I would say Steve Behr and Tym Manley have done alot more, the UK scene would not be what it is at all today without MBUK
  • 1 0
 @Captain1Eye: Agree, MBUK is all I read growing up in the 90's!
  • 1 0
 alright i think! Warner, JMC, All important, all via MBUK really. So MBUK. Plus I don't think i read another book whilst i had an mbuk subscription.
  • 2 0
 Great to see a woman in the list!
  • 2 0
 Passed over by the academy again....It's so political.
  • 2 0
 I nominate WAKIdesigns for his massive contribution to the sport.
  • 1 0
 They should paid us for our opinion !
  • 3 2
 Richard Cunynghame was a better Richard Cunninhgam
  • 2 2
 Polygon square one, for the best looking one bike that everyone wants to do dirty things with!
  • 4 3
 The Hall of Fame should be moved to Santa Cruz or BC!
  • 1 0
 sweet HOF logo #geocities #dancingspiderman
  • 2 2
 I think steve smith should be in there as he is a true legend RIP chaInsaw
  • 1 0
 Eric Crowe.
  • 1 0
 Sam Hill
  • 1 0
 Emile Hesky?
  • 2 3
 did they forget about stevie smith and aaron gwin?
  • 1 0
 Stevie Smith will be on the list soon and Aaron isn't close to being done with his career, so it's too early for him. Aaron is relatively new to mountain biking, he's a gifted rider and is making his mark but hasn't reached Hall of fame status just yet... As for Steve Smith RIP, he deserves Hall of fame status for what he accomplished in such a short career. I miss Stevie Smith.
  • 5 8
 Josh Bender blahahaha.
Peaty is in 100%
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.045564
Mobile Version of Website