Video: Billy Hoyes Stylishly Sends Jumps in 'Renegade'
Breaking away from the confines we find in the sport of mountain biking, rider Billy Hoyes and filmmaker Luke Appleby head out to Revolution Bike Park to create this unique visual aimed at showcasing how our sport should be, free and unique.
Truly filled with passion induced mayhem, we see Billy head for a shoot with Gnartec, only to break free from the scripted product shots and pressure on how “they" want him to ride, not how he wants to ride. This is deep in meaning, impactful and ready to get the blood flowing!
 | The creation of “Renegade" happened very organically, as the ethos of Gnartec and the outlook of Billy aligns so well. Gnartec is a brand that has come about from innovation, rider feedback, and thinking outside of the box. The products that we offer are totally unique, just like riders that we collaborate with, they all have something special, an interesting perspective and passion for mountain biking, with Billy being the perfect representation of that. It is clear to see the world of Mountain Biking has become very corporate and controlled, but the beauty and creativity of riding is found where riders are free from rules and constraints, and this is exactly the message both myself and Billy wanted to convey in this Film. |
Creating this video has brought blood, sweat and stoke to both Luke and Billy within the filming process. The first day of filming was set, Billy crashed and sprained his wrist 3 jumps into the 50to01 line at Revolution Bike Park. This put them a while ahead until they could continue filming this again, but they were determined to finish this project.
| The meaning behind this film is the biggest thing for me, the views I have of mountain-biking and the importance of keeping the sport authentic seemed to mirror Lukes and that was sick. It's cool to promote a message like this in a video. It's a rad reminder to just make sure you don't get sucked into the corporate side of the industry and remain an individual. Riding bikes is about having fun and being free, we shouldn't forget this. |
The time came to get back up the mountain and continue filming a couple months ahead after Billy had healed up.
| We gathered a majority of the edit, until the final banger came, the 540 fakie on the Vision Line step up. If we could count the failures, crashes and attempts to get this single banger clip then we would be somewhat mathematical geniuses. Man, it was a slog. That 540 was a tough one to get planted, the fakie was the one we had to nail in and it was tedious but we got there in the end. It's a funny one when you cross over BMX tricks onto the big bike, the filming process changes from getting the right looking whip a few times to just hitting the one trick over and over until you get it. MTB filmers can sometimes expect things to go quicker with what they're used to filming, but Luke is a super sick guy to work with, he's patient and gets you fired up to get it! |
This video was created with nothing but a two-man band. There was no production or film team involved. Just the rider himself and Luke, the owner of both Gnartec and Badger productions doing the camerawork to the editing. There's something special in what two people can do who have a big message to get across when hard work is put in.
| From a filming aspect the project has been a roller coaster, with Billy sustaining an injury right at the start of filming, the ever-changing weather conditions, added with some ambitious tricks that Billy wanted to achieve, the project was a huge challenge for the both of us. I say both of us, but I must thank Meg for coming along to help organise us, being our uplift and co-ordinator, as having those extra pair of eyes was so helpful, especially with the FPV drone work. |
| Billy was always super impressive, not only for his riding, but his huge commitment to the project, always pushing very hard to achieve the big tricks on two very demanding lines, I have never seen someone slam so hard and just get back up with a smile on his face, ready for another take, it has been an awesome experience and I am very grateful to be have had Billy onboard. |
There we have it! We hope this video inspires you to keep an authentic view of our ever-growing sport. This film is about rebellion, and that is what the heart of Mountain-Biking truly is. Ride Free!
Billy Hoyes Instagram
Gnartec Instagram
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40 Comments
What's the corporate equivalent of man-splaining?
I'm sorry you've lost hope for me. They're a company that sells gopro camera mounts, fork protection sleeves and hoodies; their message warning of the risks of big business and sponsorship presented through the medium of a guy riding jumps on his bike failed to resonate with me.
Firstly, you have an insane amount of spare time on your hands to post paragraphs on an edit that was simply meant for a light hearted reminder to not take everything so seriously. What are you so angry about in your own life that means you result in so passionately putting people down who just want to see a positive outcome? Go to a councillor, Pinkbike isn't an outlet for you to home come your emotions, nor does anyone take you the slightest bit seriously considering you cant even see your comments below it's threshold.
Secondly, I'm not promoting the youth to become lazy, in-fact it's a lazy way of thinking to just follow a crowd of people to chase things that you are told you want and not thinking for yourself, be it racing or 'silly lazy spins' on a bike, it goes both ways. I am actually just trying to get kids to realise that you don't need to become a pro or get sponsored to be happy and just enjoy the sport for what it is. It's just sad that there are people like you out there who are now claiming things are 'lazy'. Kids who see that who don't care about racing will now think 'I don't want to be lazy, but I don't like racing, but i need to do it else I'm 'Lazy'. Dude, just think about what you are saying?
Gasser is a way of giving kids an opportunity to feel like they are part of a family, a community of rad people who have a load of passion for the sport. It's a way of bringing kids together. We aren't big enough to give away free products to everyone so we give what we can but what we offer is a platform to come together.
Lastly, my jeans feelings are hurt. Leave them alone.
Peace x
As for the sponsorship you have no idea what the deals incorporate, you think he's getting paid, for all this? I know for a fact he has paid for his plenty of his own parts, we helped him out with forks and a few other bits, but they wasn't free.
So what your saying is anyone who can sell something’s worth sponsoring ? So if joe bloggs decides to sell a Freddo to Dave down the corner should Cadbury’s hook him up? Clearly not , although it would be nice for joe bloggs it’s not going to happen.
Your local bike shop sells some chain lube .. should they be sponsored? Clearly not .
Dave the rave sells illegal substances.. should the cartel sponsor him? Clearly not.
At the end of the day my personal opinion is these companies and businesses ( although there far superior and there marketing skills are next level ) for example get a lad with a few insta followers and some right tight jeans a bike to ride and get him to “ be the scene “ is a lot more cheaper than getting a privateer rider yet possibly the fastest in the world to a few world cups or maybe help with a personal trainer etc.
It’s easy advertising and it’s just putting pardon me if this is insulting “ talentless individuals with a following “ as role models for the younger generation .. it’s making this generation of youth lazy , why race/ compete when you can just do a few spins ?
This is the same rider whose “gasser” brand is promoting ambassadors to join him , we all know that’s a great business strategy but the only gains the the man on the books. It’s just blowing smoke up peoples twll tin, and showing this next generation that there’s no need for hard work.
Riding was good , drone work was decent but the whole message it was ment to be showing was bum
Filming was struggle, as Billy broke his hand I broke a camera lens (£2000 gone) but we continued to revisit the filming location (8 hour round trip for us both) despite filming being called off due to adverse weather, injury, and a broken lens, we kept on pushing so to create something different from the norm, which has been made for nothing but the love of Mountain Biking and in hope to entertain you shredders out there.
I also own Gnartec, and if you check us out, we are a micro business that gives back to the community and creates products for the community. We have a suggestions page where riders can submit their ideas, and if we create a product based on that idea, that person gets that product free for life.
We did not actually get a single product shot in the film dude, Billy was using some Gnartec Fork Protectors, an Ultimate Chin Mount and a Do It All Action Cam mount (fitted to his downtube) and I actively didn't get any product shots, due to the very meaning behind the film.
Being a sponsored rider is more difficult than it's ever been, riders require many sponsors just to scrap by so they can do what they love, which is riding.
Us adding the Banshee and Renthal logo to the edit is a thank you from Billy to those brands who allow him to ride exactly as he likes, with no corporate pressure, and as for the Gnartec logo, I thought it wouldn't be too much to ask after the 6 months of literal blood, sweat, and tears that I have given to the project.
I fully understand how it could look like a big sponsored video, but that couldn't be further from reality, and I hope I have explained it well :-)
Keep shredding and again, thank you for your feedback
Luke
Being a sponsored rider should be a privilege rather than a “hard life” and it isn’t just Billy it’s the masses who are claiming poverty from being a sponsored athlete .. all your doing is going and riding a bike , you ain’t racing , you ain’t fighting for championships , your just being an influencer , your replaceable , you should be doing it for free , Harry main did a very good explanation of his time as a “sponsored” athlete and possibly looking at the “gypsy tales “ on you tube could educate some people . Why should a rider be paid by these companies if all there doing is posting insta clips and edits claiming to “ not be the scene “ when it couldn’t be anymore scene , personally it would make more sense having the cast of geordie shore sponsored by a riding brand because they’d sell a lot more than these so called “ struggling athletes” .
It makes the real athletes in this sport and there family’s look like idiots putting thousands into racing to try be a top contender , to actually have something to show .probably why there ain’t as many factory riders and the real privateers have to go through hell just to be able to race on the weekend working a full time job. Perhaps this should be more directly said to those brands to support the riders who put the real effort and sacrifice in and sack all these influencers off .
I think the whole concept and write up should of been more thoroughly thought out I kind of get where it was coming from but to state how much loss you and Billy have had from this “project” just ain’t cool , none of those kids going out on weekends do it , it’s like wanting to make it look like it’s a tough life , if a kid can do it for nothing maybe funding it from his milk round , then I’m sure two adults can do it not an issue .
It’s videos like this what show why the riding industry is such a shamble and why true athletes ( not lads who can do a bar spin and a whip in some tight jeans because that’s not an athlete ) those ones going out to race and put there life on the line should be the ones claiming poverty . @Badger-Productions: