Throwback Thursday: Chainsmoke (1996, Full Film)

Apr 16, 2020
by Brian Park  


Fox Racing just released the full version of the classic MTB film Chainsmoke. They also release an interview with Greg Fox and Troy Adamitis, the creators of the film, below.




Author Info:
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Member since Dec 29, 2010
214 articles

84 Comments
  • 52 0
 Throwback Thursday Gold! Thanks Fox.
  • 8 0
 This was my JAM! My LBS loaned me their house copy and I made a duplicate on VHS, watched it until it was worn out.
  • 5 0
 Shaun Palmer hit the reset button on the industry. Still one of the most bad as guys to ever throw a leg over a bike.

Favorite quote: I am not here to compete...I am here to win. There is nothing else.
  • 26 1
 I still have that VHS tape. The original box was white with black and red so it looked like a package of Marlboros, but I heard Marlboro made them change it. This was the start of when I would download the songs from mountain bike movies for my pre-ride playlists. I still listen to most of the songs and can remember the scenes and riders according to the music. I'll have to show this to my 13 year old so he knows where we came from. Little wheels and narrow bars!
  • 10 1
 Glad I'm not the only with 24yr old VHS tapes. Big Grin I have a bunch of those old MTB movies. Pretty cool to see this digitized.
  • 6 0
 I still have the poster on the wall in my bike room. This is probably the only mtb movie to have a Tour de France winner as one of its featured riders from when Cadel Evans was on DBR and killing the XC scene.
  • 2 0
 @ReubenSandwich: YAAAAASSSSSSS and he was still so young! I used to lust over those DBR hardtails.
  • 4 0
 I was working at a bike shop back then and I remember playing this on the big 18” screen combo TV/VCR!I had to rewind it and hit “play” every 35 minutes!
  • 1 0
 Animal Chin skate videos.
  • 21 0
 Palmer throwing throwing MTB on its head with his punk rock, no fucks givin, all or nothing attitude.
  • 3 23
flag curendero (Apr 16, 2020 at 15:56) (Below Threshold)
 Please wear a helmet next time Palm..think about being good role model for the children...
  • 8 0
 @starblanket Same with Missy, only one speed - full out.
  • 2 1
 @h82crash: it’s so awesome to be chainsmoking spliff after spliff and watching this! Yes!
  • 12 0
 Back in the day the crew and I watched Chainsmoke that many times we wore out 3 vhs copies.
  • 13 2
 Chainsmoke is the single greatest MTB movie of all time.
  • 2 0
 Agreed. Headliners 2 is right up there as well.
  • 11 0
 Tinker looks exactly the same today.
  • 2 0
 Tinker is still winning www.outsideonline.com/2409476/tinker-juarez-mountain-biking I have a big Cannondale poster with him CAAD3 that I got after the 1995 Grundig race in Houffalize, found in the trash.
  • 7 0
 Anybody seen Palmer lately? Need to have Pinkbike do some follow up on where these riders are now and what they look like. 24 years ago, holy schnikey, where did the time go?
  • 3 0
 Warner did an interview with him a few years back. Extra funny.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgfb8qFYftY
  • 1 0
 you can see him on some of the syndicate videos. he hangs out in the pits with missy sometimes
  • 1 0
 word has it he's been furloughed from his Summer Job. Sad times. He had promise.
  • 1 0
 Palmer is Cam Zinks neighbour. They hang out occasionally and apparently he rides lots of moto.
  • 4 0
 Found a pic from like ‘97ish of me in my student bedroom and there is a Chainsmoke poster in the background with Mr napalm himself on it. Holly crap how we all rushed down the motocross shop for some Fox 180 mx rig. Awesome times. Plus the poster was like Mallbros’ and we were smashing through them back when smoking was cool and not just the past time of chavs.
  • 4 0
 Right after this, the North shore revolution exploded to the masses with the North shore extreme videos dangerous Dan, the digger, Wade Simmons...the results we are enjoying today with skinnies in every trail and mtb being what it is
  • 6 0
 F'ing yes!! Chainsmoke was on the shop tv on constant replay back in the day! \m/
  • 5 0
 The rap metal and lycra mixed with rap metal and jncos mixed with Palmer in his underwear and a full face for an interview Yep late 90s in a nutshell
  • 3 0
 It was a kinder, gentler time.
  • 5 0
 damn Telonics throwback. So old and still one of the most rad tracks in Socal
  • 1 0
 that was a trip. fresh berms near the bottom too
  • 2 0
 The backyard session with Fuzzy and Wildman is still one of the best and most progressive of its time!! Especially when you consider the bikes and geometry from back then, let alone the shitty components!
  • 5 0
 I still have all the tracks memorized in my head in order. Crazy.
  • 3 0
 To this day I still sometimes make the face Palmer has on the cover when I need to get extra aggressive with a trail. And it works. I loved this movie.
  • 1 0
 I was 11 in 96. Hucking a Garry Fisher Level Betty FH1 off of every roof with a landing. getting towed in from a mini van that was “borrowed” from a friends mum to clear a drive way jump. I also drank beer, before energy drinks were available too children. take that monster.
  • 1 0
 Chain smoke was THE game changer for me! I immediately took my XC bike and modded it for dirt jumping. I went to all the BMX trails and started learning how they rode. I broke so many parts, frames, stems, seats, cranks, bottom brackets because they weren't made to withstand the beat down. I started riding skate parks as well, Chain smoke is the reason!! Bless you Shawn Palmer!......and you too Voreis!!!
  • 2 0
 Randy Lawrence, Fuzzy, Lyons, Metz, Giove, Libor Tinker.....
  • 2 0
 Everyone is gangsta. Until some dude from the 90's rolls up on their 26 fully rigid, or subpar, front only suss'r and shows how to rip jank AF trails/fire roads. Faster then you ever could or will.....
  • 3 0
 This was the first mountain bike video I ever bought! I have it on VHS and is the single greatest MTB movie of all time.
  • 3 0
 I like disclaimer about 'carefully calculated trick' that film was rad, currently rad and will be rad
  • 4 0
 That Palmer part was a shock! Was so rad for this time!
  • 3 0
 Does anyone know of a online version of Plush the Movie - that was another classic!
  • 3 0
 I remember watching this when it came out and seeing the protruding collar bone at 26:04.
  • 3 0
 Can we get the original “Super Hero’s” up with ole Randy Spangler and Gareth Dwyer? Pleeeeeaseeee!!!
  • 2 0
 Oh god yes please.
  • 3 0
 bikes, beers, bbq, Bolly-ball...
  • 3 0
 Poppin tapes into the walkman, yeeeeeeeeeah buddy!!!!!
  • 2 0
 I still have the vhs copy! Best movie and inspired me to transition from xc style to more aggressive riding.
  • 2 0
 Ran out and bought a GT LTS 1 right away. What a piece of crap. At the time ballin!
  • 1 0
 What the f*ck is mike metzger doing in an MTB film?! pure gold.

all of this is too good. I would die instantly if I tried to ride one of those old bikes.
  • 2 0
 We used to wake up in the morning and put this on just before Ride days! Legendary!!
  • 1 0
 It looks like they dubbed the worn out copy we had running in the shop back in 97. Was that how fuzzy the footage was back then?
  • 1 0
 OMG Palmer with Downset blasting in the background. Suddenly I'm a senior in college again.
  • 1 0
 One of my favourite videos, so I made this one in 1997 called Painsmoke.
www.pinkbike.com/video/515023
[Reply]
  • 1 0
 I still have my VHS copy. Game changer for the mountain bike world. He is the King !!!
  • 3 0
 Palmer is a Beast!
  • 3 0
 Palmer vs Gwinn!!
  • 2 0
 Man that takes me back. Good years!
  • 1 0
 To this day I sing to myself "walk like tim" which is the wrong lyrics in the Palmer helicopter scene. Lol
  • 1 0
 This is awesome. I hope Fox keeps this up. Hopefully they digitally transfer/remaster Ride to the Hills soon!
  • 1 0
 I could be mistaken but I think that was just posted a couple days ago as one of the free to watch movies. I’ll see if I can find the article
  • 1 0
 @unfknblvbl: Excellent! For some reason I thought this one was poor quality, but watching it again, it looks great and just as good as the recent chainsmoke upload. I think I was confusing some youtube uploads of Ride to the Hills in previous years which were poorer quality. Thanks!
  • 2 0
 Adamtis’s Frezno Smooth is the movie you never knew you needed to see.
  • 2 0
 I was more of a Kranked guy but damn it's good to see those images again!
  • 2 0
 Great to see this again, how about Transcontinental Headliners next
  • 1 0
 kid, kid hate what ya did. I remember seeing Fuzzy Hall's backyard in this and being blown away. radness!
  • 2 0
 oh man those were the days :-)
  • 2 0
 Step one: find a fire road. Step two: friggin send it.
  • 2 0
 This shit opens with Palmer and Downset. Love it so much.
  • 1 0
 Any chance we can get chaingang?
  • 2 1
 A milestone on MTB film history.
  • 1 0
 One of the films that got me in to mtbs. Headliners was awesome too.
  • 2 0
 The year I was born
  • 1 0
 The world was black and white like the old movies...
  • 2 0
 I was 12 in 96 lol
  • 1 0
 Have a contest to name and find all the music in this movie !!!!!
  • 1 0
 Formative FKN Flick. Sick!
  • 1 0
 Oh god I still remember all the songs!!!
  • 2 0
 Striaght Faced
  • 1 0
 Chain Smoke 2 was better.
  • 1 0
 Man I hope they do Chainsmoke 2 as well. Loved that flick!
  • 2 0
 Boo ya tribe!
  • 1 0
 PALMER.







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