Throwback Thursday: 22 Freeride Bikes From Past Darkfests

Apr 14, 2022
by Ed Spratt  
With Darkfest kicking off this week we have looked back through the archives for some of the freeride bikes from past years, check out some classic bikes below or see some of this year's custom rides here.


photo
Bienvenido Aguado's 2020 YT Tues // Photo: Saskia Dugon

K2000 on his Trek Session
Kade Edwards' 2021 Trek Session

photo
Nico Vink's 2020 Transition TR11 // Photo: Saskia Dugon

Bikes of DarkFEST Eric Palmer
Sam Reynolds' 2017 Polygon DH9 // Photo: Eric Palmer

L Reb on his Canondale prototype
Louis Reboul's 2021 Cannondale prototype

William Robert on his Norco Shore
William Robert's 2021 Norco Shore

Bikes of DarkFEST Eric Palmer
Graham Agassiz's 2017 Kona Operator // Photo: Eric Palmer

photo
Brage Vestavik's 2020 GT Fury // Photo: Saskia Dugon

Vinny T on his Scott Gambler
Vinny T's 2021 Scott Gambler

Bikes of DarkFEST Eric Palmer
Kurt Sorge's 2017 Polygon DH9 // Photo: Eric Palmer

Tay-Tay on his Commencal Furious
Theo Erlangsen's 2021 Commencal Furious

Godzi on his NS Fuzz
Szymon Godziek's 2021 NS Fuzz

Bikes of DarkFEST Eric Palmer
Adolf Silva's 2017 YT Tues // Photo: Eric Palmer

Bikes of DarkFEST Eric Palmer
Clemens Kaudela's 2017 Merida Freeride // Photo: Eric Palmer

Kaos on his Canyon Sender with spicy pink tiger custom paintwork
Kaos Seagrave's 2021 Canyon Sender

Bikes of DarkFEST Eric Palmer
Nico Vink's 2017 Scott Gambler // Photo: Eric Palmer

photo
Kaos Seagraves 2020 Canyon Sender // Photo: Saskia Dugon

Renzi boy on his NS Fuzz
Sam Reynolds' 2021 NS Fuzz

photo
Brendan Fairclough's 2020 Scott Gambler // Photo: Saskia Dugon

Bikes of DarkFEST Eric Palmer
Kyle Jameson's 2017 Scott Voltage FR // Photo: Eric Palmer

CJ on her Commencal Supreme
CJ Selig's 2021 Commencal Supreme

C-dog on his Propain Rage
Clemens Kaudela's 2021 Propain Rage


Which is your favorite?





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Racing and Events Reviews and Tech Throwback Thursday Darkfest


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37 Comments
  • 29 0
 I really like the one with the dual-crown on it.
  • 11 19
flag DoubleCrownAddict (Apr 14, 2022 at 13:10) (Below Threshold)
 Nobody loves dual crown bikes more than me. But every time I see a mountain bike with a rear derailleur I vomit a little bit in my mouth. By the time I finished looting at these bikes I was in full purge mode. Only had a short reprieve when I saw the NS.
  • 8 2
 @DoubleCrownAddict:

Your Inquisition Against Derailleurs is getting old and tired like the rest of your schtick.
  • 3 3
 @suspended-flesh: to be fair I wish dérailleurs and chains would disappear too... when riding without one the bike is so much quite and you really can notice the suspension work a better better regardless what people say about the hub being disengaged...probably because the heavy chain isn't flapping about...I'm not buying another bike until gearboxes become mainstream...I don't want any more lower slacker nonsense.
  • 6 13
flag DoubleCrownAddict (Apr 14, 2022 at 14:16) (Below Threshold)
 @suspended-flesh: Get used to it, cause derailleurs are not going to belong in the future of mountain biking, and rear derailleur sell outs like you are going to look like fools for defending the utterly heinous contraptions. You can block me if you don't want to learn about progression, but I don't have the option of a rear derailleur filter to get these awful looking bikes out of my feed. I'm doubling down my derailleur hate and now I'm gonna hate twice as hard!
  • 3 2
 @DoubleCrownAddict: I never said DERAILLEURS RULE! - I said I was annoyed by you and your never-ending blowhard MISSION TO INFLUENCE. Let the people ride and ride what they want. THE FUTURE will happen (but is not guaranteed) regardless of your ranting.
  • 1 1
 @Danzzz88: I hear you - they will def disappear one day but ranting on PB about it is not gonna do anything (DCA - not you). I ride a SS DJ as my primary bike around town. I love not having a derailleur hanging off the back but you need horizontal drops and a tension screw. No need for a (proprietary, early-gen, expensive, fiddly) gearbox there.
  • 15 0
 Bikes from last year are "throwbacks?" Put down the pipe...
  • 11 0
 I was just going through some old photo albums, reminiscing about some of the great stuff I did last week.
  • 8 0
 Gotta be Kaos. 2021. A bike with loads of personality to match a rider with loads of style. I'd personally never run a rig like that, but that's what makes it so special. Dude is enjoying every bit of the ride.
  • 10 0
 Vinny T's is so clean. I think the simplicity makes it beautiful
  • 8 0
 why the fuck did they call this shit throwback thursday they are literally like max 5 years old and graham agassiz was the sickest
  • 9 1
 That Gambler is better looking than any of the latest generation DH bikes and probably performs every bit as good.
  • 5 0
 Vink's TR11 is just too god damn good. Real shame about the drama, always a treat to watch that dude ride some massive jumps.
  • 6 0
 nico vink's transition is just oozing with sexy
  • 3 0
 Sex ooze
  • 5 0
 The scott voltage is one of those bikes I always dreamed of owning.
  • 2 1
 Same here, before I rode it
  • 1 0
 getting educated about what topics and opinions are "ALLOWED" on PB :
1. bike prices - yes
2. rer de - NOOOOO
3. suspension type -yes
4. rear der - NOOOO
5. wheel material - yes (and be a D bout it)
6. Front der ???

Does anyone know where this guy who holds opinions about rear der work so we can cancel him, get him fired and ruin his life for holding such dangerous mean and offensive opinions ?! (sarcasm..)
  • 1 0
 whoa, i didn't think i'd be picking the most popular one. tbh in most of these pics the bikes are backlit and you can't even see them.
  • 3 0
 The correct answer is gambler. Don't let Brendan get robbed again.
  • 1 1
 Seriously ? Best looking bike for most is a single color bike with no graphics and a quite "standard" layout ?
And after that we make jokes because it looks like a session lol... Talk about irony
  • 1 0
 Pretty sure Aggy's Operator is a 2014 being ridden in 2017 because those were incredible bikes. still to this day am i sad I sold mine to pay my student debt...
  • 1 0
 Kaudela's Merida with dated geometry, clamp stem, seatclamp with quick release, non-matching rims and sketchy USD fork, obviously.
  • 1 0
 poor tom isted still rocking a 2018 GT Fury in 2022. Someone get the lad a bike sponsor!
  • 1 0
 Kaos' 2020 Sender for the sticker alone
  • 3 2
 ...any chance of a quick video overview?
  • 1 0
 5000 psi in all the shocks and forks
  • 1 0
 All I know is, those rux look great!
  • 1 0
 Today I learned a throwback can be from 1 year ago
  • 1 0
 nah... by 2022 standards these bike are absolute and unrideable Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Fairclaw gambler dope af
  • 1 0
 Adolf silva is brakeless
  • 1 0
 Furious YYDS
  • 1 1
 snd nds
  • 2 0
 Send nads?
  • 1 0
 Sand nerds?







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