Video: A Wild Year in Review from The Flannel Crew

What a year! It's hard to find the words to describe just how rad 2018 was for the crew. We made so many good friends, had some amazing opportunities to give back and just generally had a hell of a time. Once again, we set out to make a positive difference in the local bike community. We dug, we helped out, and we gave back wherever we could.

Before we get too carried away, we'd like to thank Bow Cycle and Sports for keeping us all rolling, Santa Cruz Bicycles for getting Joey and John on new Nomads, Loam Coffee for getting us going in the morning, Three Arrows Body Company for the support, and Plaid Goat Mountain Bike Festival and B-Line Indoor Bike Park for keeping everyone around here stoked on bikes!

Check us out on Instagram at @theflannelcrew to follow along with all of our adventures!




This year we helped out with the second annual Plaid Goat Mountain Bike Festival in Canmore. We volunteered in the Moose Mountain tent and ran the bike rodeo again this year. Although the festival was faced with a torrential downpour for the first two days, the last day of the event was HUGE. The dirt dried up, festival go-ers came to test out new bikes, we got to showcase what was happening within the local mountain bike community, beer was drunk, and everyone had a good time. It was so rad to get to spread the stoke with the team and make sure everyone was having a blast while they were on the festival site!

Photo: Ryan Creary

In some of the downtime at the fest, we got to shred some bikes too.



We've been digging at Moose every year for the past 5 years. Sadly, we haven't been able to give back to some of the other riding areas around us as much. Some of them are a few hours away! This year, we made the effort to dig at a couple of the trail days at Mt. Swansea, our favourite early season riding spot. This mountain is INCREDIBLE this year. If you haven't ridden the new blue trail at the top or the new jump line "Washed Up", add it to your must ride list for 2019. Props to CVCS for all of the awesome work and Andrew the tacos! You all rule.


We were so stoked to have the opportunity to organize and run the Reverence Movie Premiere for Calgary. We got to hang out and party with Matt Macduff for a night which was awesome. Thanks to Bow Cycle sponsoring the event, we raised $3000 for the Moose Mountain Bike Trail Society! Keep your eyes on MMBTS for 2019, big things are going to be happening at our local stomping grounds and we can't wait to show the world.


Photo: Dre Visuals

We had so many rad bike trips this year. Words can't even begin to describe how much fun we had and the memories we made. Thanks to everyone that joined us for the party laps of a lifetime!

Photo: Jayme Rashelle Photography

On our way out to Whistler, we got a call from our buddy Reg. A friend of his forgot his bike in Revelstoke and needed it delivered to Whistler for a photo shoot. That bike turned out to be a prototype Yeti SB130 for Reuben Krabbe to shoot. If you want to see what came out of hauling that bike to Whistler, check out Reuben's photo epic here! Reuben was rad and gave us about three dozen beer for the dirtbag courier service. Those beers really kicked that trip into high gear. Thanks buddy!


We'd also like to give a huge thanks to the Aava Whistler Hotel for the beers and the hospitality! They played a big part in making the trip possible and made our first time in Whistler one to remember for sure. Thanks to out buddy Mountain Man Cole for the connection as well!


Austen had a banger of a season this year. Everywhere he went, he went huge and he got some banger footage and photos to go along with it! After seeing him tear up the Kamloops Bike Ranch, it's definitely on our team trip list for 2019.

Photo: Jayme Rashelle Photography

It's such a treat to ride with this legend. He's a racer, but still a freerider at heart!

Photo: Jayme Rashelle Photography

The new jump line, Contra in Fernie was a smash hit this summer. People flocked from all over to go ride the new line. It gets the Austen seal of approval!

Photo: Jayme Rashelle Photography

We set out to try some new things this year. One of the best rides we had all year was riding T4 to LSD from the top of Kicking Horse! That ride gives such an incredible view of the mountains and has some serious gnar to shred! If you're looking for one hell of a mega descent, definitely check it out. Thanks to our buddy Dre Visuals for the killer photos.


Photo: Dre Visuals


We've always been inspired by summit missions and riding in remote areas. After watching "Mining for Nugs" earlier this summer, Austen decided to head up to the summit of Paradise Mines and see what was kicking around up there. He found some pretty sweet terrain that has us all itching to get back up there. Wait until you see our plans for 2019.

Photo: Jayme Rashelle Photography

It's been incredible getting a chance to work with so many like-minded individuals this year. On of those people is our buddy Jack Fowler. Jack is a good time lovin', care-free, just send it kind of guy and it's awesome! We loved getting to camp, shred and shoot with Jack and can't wait to have even more good times with him in the years to come.


Photo: Jack Fowler / Cultivate Stoke

Austen's Girlfriend Jayme has also been amazing for all of us. She's responsible for a lot of the rad photos we put out this year and has inspired us to try new things and look at everything differently. Jayme, thank you so much for everything you've taught us about photography, content and just being awesome to be around! You're a legend and we can't wait to do more rad things with you.


Photo: Jayme Rashelle Photography

As much as it has been rad to expand our horizons and try new things, it's been awesome finding untapped potential pretty close to home as well. We went on a loam hunt around Canmore and found some lines that we can't wait to play around more with next year.


Photo: Jayme Rashelle Photography


All in all, this was an incredible year. Thanks for listening to us ramble! We have so many incredible memories from this year that it's legitimately impossible to sum them all up with one article. Thanks to everyone that made this year amazing for us and we can't wait to make more memories in 2019. If you ever need someone to show you around in our neck of the woods, we're more than happy to take you out for a ride.

Here's to an awesome 2019 for everyone!