Video: Brendan Fairclough Returns to Madeira in Episode 1 of 'A Dog's Life'

Jan 16, 2020
by SCOTT Sports  

In Episode 1, Brendan heads to Madeira, Portugal which is quickly becoming one of the world’s most sought after MTB hotspots. Custom tracks, urban descents, and some backflips – “A Dog’s Life – Madeira.”

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photo Antonio Abreu

Photos: Antonio Abreu
Film: Aspect Media

Watch the full length documentary from Madeira on EDGEsport, the home of Action Sports February 1st,2020. For details on how to watch, head to @EDGEsportTV.

"A Dog's Life" is supported by @BikeonSCOTT, @MonsterEnergy, @GoPro, @Edgesporttv and @freeridemadeira.

Stay Tuned for Episode 2 of "A Dog's Life" with Brendog and Vincent Tupin in French Ski/Bike resort, Châtel!

Photo Maxime Rambaud


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79 Comments
  • 44 2
 Dont bother going to Madeira, theres no amazing trails at all, this was all filmed using CGI. Stick to Morzine eh
  • 12 0
 I just want to take my wife on that downhill urban chair thing so I can hear her scream in utter horror.
Shhhhh...don't tell her. It'll be a surprise! Big Grin
  • 3 0
 Can't believe I've booked to go yet again this year for my summer hols. What was I thinking? What a waste of money.
  • 13 0
 Madeira? Looks like a piece of cake.
  • 2 1
 The RAT did it better....... Smile

www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-US/news/1211
  • 2 0
 @elliott-20: and Im booking for late Feb, what am I thinking? I''ll get a road bike instead...
  • 5 0
 If everyone could stick to Morzine that would be great, having rode most of the rest of the alps, Italy and Spain I can confirm its defo the best*


*if you like braking bumps, yorkshire gob-shytes shouting and sausage fest night clubs
  • 1 0
 +1 I ride in Madeira this spring is nothing special about trails. but the island itself very beautiful
  • 1 0
 Brendog come home and run a summer camp in peaslake teaching locals how to ride!!!
  • 23 0
 Sorry guys. Madeira's closed. It's shit.
  • 4 8
flag DimitarDimitrov (Jan 16, 2020 at 7:58) (Below Threshold)
 what....?
  • 33 0
 @DimitarDimitrov: HE SAID: SORRY GUYS, MADEIRA'S CLOSED, IT'S SHIT.
  • 1 0
 guess ill stay in Laguna..oh wait, all the idiots been posting videoa of all then trials n getn em closed.
  • 17 3
 Stoke was high after the teaser.
Looks like just another teaser, did the editor drink too much monster?
Such great footage, but where's the story?
Not digging the movie trailer music either... "This summer...."
  • 3 0
 Agreed on the editing style but story? After watching Wibmer's thing on the ski slope, I'm not sure I can handle too much "story" in MTB videos. Stick to showing off the trails and skills IMO.
  • 5 1
 @boozed:
I don't mean a literal story. I agree those red bull vids are nauseatingly cheesy.
I guess context is a better word.
  • 8 1
 Agreed... Brendogs riding is always great to watch, but the editing and shitty music almost made me regret wasting those 3 minutes
  • 15 1
 Anyone still remember the story of up dog?
  • 11 1
 @SpaghettiShredder: Not much, what's up with you?
  • 1 0
 hur hur hur
  • 1 0
 Remember the song, Want to be you..... DOG?
  • 13 0
 Honey were going to Madeira... you will love it I promise! You will have lots of quiet alone time.
  • 1 0
 My wife likes reading on beaches. It looks like we could both be happy there.
  • 12 1
 alright I guess hes a pretty good mountain biker. haha
  • 7 0
 6th at Les Gets UCI DH
4th at Rampage
6th at Hardline

Anyone have suggestions for a more complete gravity rider?!
  • 24 0
 @Altron5000: i'll get downvoted by the Brengade for this (because we aren't allowed to relay facts these days) but doesn't Gee have a 2nd at Rampage, a 1st at Hardline and UCi podiums coming out of his ears?
  • 5 0
 @tobiusmaximum with the reality check. Gee is definitely a ridiculously accomplished gravity rider, not to mention an absolute MAN when it comes to getting back on the bike after taking a hit. But Brendog with that styyyyle!

Pretty much thought i had turned on Deathgrip2 here
  • 1 0
 @Altron5000:

So true.- All around rad dude.
  • 3 0
 @tobiusmaximum: Gee is a great call, in his prime he was definitely up there. It's been a while since his Rampage days though, was a shame he couldn't make it last year.
  • 1 0
 @alaskaskier: Agreed, they are both impressive to watch!
  • 5 0
 The editor of this piece is taking some heat in the comments but I think the problem lies with expectation. Brendog is a big personality, yet it's exactly that that was missing from this video. Calling it "A Dog's Life" is a misnomer. Where's the lifestyle? Hard to blame the editor for these decisions because you don't really know who's responsible. Especially when there is a director attached to the project.
If this was a commercial, I'd say the editing and overall style was pretty good. Although the first time I watched, I didn't know what to think, on the second time around, I thought it was dope. And I think they did a good job finding a unique look for a well worn format.
  • 1 0
 Overall the edit was interesting but there were some major mistakes made....Timing and pacing were off, the music transitions didn't work well, neither did using the same song at the start and end. speaking of the ending, I thought that was at 2:30, but after a 10-second break, the same song started again. "A Dogs Life" definitely had no context, this was just a ride, didn't show how he lived. Overall it felt like they were trying to hard to make a good edit when in reality some easy adjustments could have made this much better.
  • 5 0
 I was lucky enough to be on Madeira last Summer. It truly is amazing what kind of riding you can do there. The tiny place has basically three different vegetations (or even more) and the temperature can be at 30 degrees on the beach and 12 up top when you do the shuttle runs. Went with the Freeride Madeira guys and they are maintaining most of the trail in their stoke provoking network.

It is definitely a place you have to visit if you can and have the ambition to do some extraordinary runs in an epic place
  • 3 0
 Would agree, went with same guides and the place is amazing, only flat bits on island are the tennis courts, football field and airport!!!
  • 1 0
 @Murfdog: Yeah man the airport that was built stilts to actually fit haha. Christiano Ronaldo Airport if I recall correctly
  • 4 1
 Saw him ride my local rogate the other day, all I can say is god like status has been achieved with this one!! Man can kill a berm with just a flick of the hip... soo much style and control it's mind boggling to watch.
  • 6 0
 oh... how I sit in my office chair daydreaming I can do that for a job! Smile
  • 4 0
 or even that i had the skill to do that at any time
  • 5 0
 Brendan is such an amazing rider,every time I see him on a video I watch like a 8 years old watches cartoons.
  • 15 10
 That was some really weird video editing. Hopefully they use someone else for ep2
  • 16 0
 Personally, I liked it. Dynamic and a little abstract is always welcome around here!
  • 4 1
 @ajrogers1978: I liked the cinematography, the landscapes and of course the riding... all that hard work wasn't justified by the editing though I think. Shame! Still, a super sick video regardless.
  • 6 1
 @JamesGTi just my two cents here, but it seemed like that video was pretty sweet, and we didn't even have to pay for it! Why rag on the guy who edited it? Leave some feedback if you want, but I'm sure the current editor has plenty of ability to change the style next time if they decide it would make the series better.
  • 1 0
 Nothing wrong with weird as long as it's good...and it was.
  • 1 0
 Brendog got robbed, by the video editor.
  • 1 0
 @dpeacock: firstly, when people use the 'free video' excuse, that really grinds my gears... so what?? It's not a feature length film, it's a 3 minute video produced by one of the largest cycling companies around. Also, I'm not hating on the guy, I'm just saying it was weird video editing. I'm not sure what sort of effect the editor was trying to achieve, because there's no flow or direction to the video... just odd.
  • 6 0
 Legend
  • 3 0
 You have to bring your GoPro up out of the water so I can take a breath! Thought you weren’t coming up for a second there...
  • 3 0
 Trying to climb to the surface for a breath in a DH helmet and Five Ten's after having hit water like a banshee. I was drowning for him!
  • 1 0
 Madeira looks amazing every way I look at it! Wow...
Now, if I can channel some of your stoke & skill this year dog Ill be rockin!
And Ill be pulling heavy for you if your racing this year Dog! I would love to see you win some races this year!
  • 4 0
 This is where I NEED to retire
  • 4 2
 I expected more riding from the vid in fairness but the minute that was shown is testament to how much of a legend the dog is
  • 2 1
 Yea agreed, it was edited more than I was expecting, but he’s still the don, no argument.
  • 2 0
 Brendog was rob.... er, I guess, it doesn't look like he's doing too bad for himself!
  • 7 8
 that was very dissapointing and boring. no behind the scenes chat or messing around it was more like an advert for madeira and there was a trailer for this too? we have all seen Brendog backflip a million times before so dont want to see another slow mo one that isnt in Utah.
what am i missing?
  • 5 0
 Thanks for the feedback, @thwillis. You'll notice in the article above that a full TV show documenting the filming of this edit will be available on February 1st - plenty of chat and top bantz are on the way. @loamasaurus you'll be happy to know there is some big personality involved too ;-)
  • 1 0
 @SCOTT-Sports: I recently stumbled across EDGEsportTV in my digital TV channels, some great stuff on there so hopefully it gains momentum with original content like this
  • 1 0
 Nice riding, nice island, nice trail, nice rider and really cool editing style... it 's fun to see something different than all the movie around here!
  • 2 0
 The launch into the ocean at the end? Not sure I get it...
  • 3 0
 I shat myself... thought he was gonna hit that rock!
  • 2 0
 Terrible thing to do to a bike
  • 1 0
 @Otago: Scott: jump of the ramp into the water
brendog: what if it wrecks my bike?
(scott opens a van door showing 20 more inside)
  • 1 0
 @Otago: Bike will be OK, IT IS PLASTIC
  • 2 0
 hahahaa sea send is just pure DOGISUM
  • 1 0
 How many times are we gonna hear that same music in bike videos, it's the new Sail.
  • 1 0
 Did it even show his face?? Bizzare edit.
  • 1 0
 that Dog can do some tricks eh?
  • 1 0
 Hahaha the macaskill jump, with more suspension less height no tricks
  • 1 0
 No dogs were harmed in the making of this video!
  • 1 1
 Quite boring, montage all over the place, super annoying music. Total dissapointment, nice ending though!
  • 1 0
 Already can't wait to see episode 2! Keep them coming Scott-Sports!
  • 1 0
 dam. vink and vinny on different frames now
  • 1 0
 Brendog + Madeira = killer combo
loooovvit
  • 1 0
 wait, what?
  • 1 0
 Glove magic 1:26 - 1:28
  • 1 0
 Haha! Good eye! :-)
  • 1 0
 beautiful madeira!
  • 1 0
 The dogs stylin'







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