Video: Can You Ride A-Line Without Braking?

Nov 24, 2021
by Pinkbike Originals  


Tom Bradshaw and Matt Beer throw caution to the wind and head out into the Whistler Bike Park to answer the question no one asked: Can you ride A-Line without touching your brakes?





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105 Comments
  • 142 1
 After this video goes public I expect all braking bumps to be totally eliminated from A-line, since nobody will be braking now.
  • 75 0
 I wish I could ride A-line without DYING.
  • 78 0
 i wish i could ride A-line
  • 49 1
 @ltharris: I wish I could ride
  • 52 0
 I wish i could wish
  • 26 1
 @hbar314: I cannot wish
  • 16 1
 I watched so many videos from A-Line that I can ride it with my eles closed and at night without lights.
Soo sad, Ilive only one continent too far, but some day…who knows…
  • 9 1
 @UncleSpec: You wish
  • 13 0
 Just keep practicing. At some point you won't die anymore.
  • 2 2
 @vinay: make a wish can help u
  • 14 0
 @UncleSpec: I managed to change job and wrangle a trip, then another year left booking an Alps trip so late it was the same price to head back to Whistler!

Pro tip- if your wife says its fine, book it non refundable so when she then says that fine did not mean fine, it's too late to cancel.
  • 14 0
 @tall-martin: pro pro tip: don't ask the wife, tell her.
  • 4 0
 I wish I was a baller
  • 2 0
 @panaphonic: if only it were that easy
  • 2 1
 @jimoxbox: I wish I could die
  • 3 0
 @vinay: is this because you have already died, or got good? #justasking
  • 2 1
 @dontcoast: I wish I had a girl who looked good, I would call her
  • 1 0
 @panaphonic: I'd love to get paid to get paid : )
  • 62 1
 Waiting for the "Tom Bradshaw tackles the winning Redbull Rampage Line" video.
  • 45 0
 *on a hardtail
  • 16 0
 @danielfloyd: Vs. Blake
  • 2 0
 @pisgahgnar: hahaha yes
  • 3 0
 @danielfloyd: *on a fixie
  • 8 0
 @vinay: *without braking
  • 2 0
 @big-red: And without dying, of course.
  • 4 0
 @jmusuperman if we keep these challenges coming that's the way we're heading...... and yes @danielfloyd we should've called this "Can You Ride A Line Without Braking On a DH Bike ON A HARDTAIL!!!" - much better ring to it
  • 2 0
 @Tombrad: part of me is worried for how much you're going to have to endure in the next few months. Most of me is excited for the content I'm going to consume. We all make sacrifices.
  • 36 0
 stakes are not high enough... MUST: remove brakes and chain and duct tape feet to pedals/hands to bars.
Then - and only then - will the coliseum audience be satisfied.
  • 2 0
 And then do a barsten mid-jump!
  • 1 0
 Barspin that is.
  • 5 1
 @mtbwillems: What, can’t you do a barsten? It’s so easy. LOL
  • 1 0
 @mtbwillems: wouldn't that be a decade?
  • 30 5
 Dear PB, as someone who forgot their earbuds today, please get someone to do your close-captions!!

The auto-generated ones are good, but they do struggle with accents.

Without prior knowledge of A-line, the phrase "moon Buddha" might confuse some people.
  • 17 0
 I like Moon Buddha better but my accent is wicked bad and it just sounds right to me
  • 2 0
 @Lookinforit good call - but good luck to any close caption machine that can figure out my accent - the @thedirtyburritto has done an excellent job in the past
  • 15 0
 Remeber when the first 27.5 DH bike was released, someone got seriously butthurt in the comments saying their should be different race categories for different wheels it was going to be the end of the sport etc; and then started arguing with people which culminated in him challenging people to settle their dispute with a race down A-line.
Did anyone take him up on the offer, and if so, who won?
  • 64 5
 the guy on the 29er
  • 16 20
flag luckynugget (Nov 24, 2021 at 11:07) (Below Threshold)
 @danielfloyd: i remember the first year they dulled all the lips on Aline because everyone was on bigger wheels. It's crazy how much jumps have had to change to be dull enough for jerrys on 29ers to not complain about getting bucked off everything.
  • 30 2
 @luckynugget: I yeah, if those jerrys were riding 27.5 they’d def be boosting dirt merchant by now. Damn 29ers
  • 6 8
 @sdurant12: wasn't trying to start a debate or anything but a they'd probably learn to jump better
  • 1 0
 @luckynugget: You're thinking of Yeti. No debate to speak of.
  • 3 0
 @luckynugget: I do remember seeing a whistler opening video where they talked about making the jumps longer and mellower for bigger wheels.
  • 3 0
 @luckynugget: Limp lips for limp _____
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: That's sad. When did that happen?
  • 2 0
 @milanboez: not really, with bikes getting longer with bigger wheels you need to change the transitions to suit. Nothing worse than hitting a kicker at speed and your front wheels left the transition before your back wheels even hit it.
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: technique goes a long way, and is lacking amongst too many riders. When features are made 'safer' they are often less fun (mellow lips = less poppy) for those who can ride them. There's a big difference between a steep lip and a bucky lip. For big bikes steep lips just need to be longer and higher with a smooth transition.
  • 1 0
 @milanboez: I agree but it’s a bike park so it has to cater for the masses and cover their asses from claims so they’re going to have big long mellow take off’s into big long landings just to keep casualties down. Takes a lot of skill to be able to tackle a legit kicker at speed which most people don’t have.
  • 14 0
 I really want to know if Tom made it back to the office? That seemed like a really long ride on a DH bike.
  • 22 0
 @Pcurt27 three hours later....can confirm Matt had gone home for the day by the time I got back www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/30544632
  • 6 0
 @Tombrad: hahaha, awesome! Your a champ!
  • 4 0
 @Tombrad: BEAST
  • 2 0
 @Tombrad: I reckon you just wanted to do that ride - I'm not really sure how you lost the challenge
  • 12 4
 "Ride in control and within your ability level at all times. You must be able to stop" is literally written in the T&Cs of the bike park pass haha, I'm sure some fun police will come along in the comments.
  • 13 0
 That's probably why they didn't do an actual brakeless run (as in no brakes installed at all). Not using your brakes because you didn't need to is very different from not being able to stop because you don't have brakes or your brakes are broken/shitty.
  • 2 0
 @justinfoil: That's very true, it's like doing a run where you don't pedal vs doing an actual chainless run. Makes you ride very differently.
  • 2 1
 @justinfoil: it was literally explained at the start of the video that they originally intended to take them off but they weren't allowed to because of the bike park rules.
  • 6 0
 Tom loves the pain cave! Like a win for that mad dog. Matt’s oppo whips on point! Good work dudes!
  • 6 1
 Yeah those whips are mean!!! Good way to slow down too hahah
  • 7 0
 Matt is a psycho, he's actually death gripping the whole thing
  • 7 1
 Way more impressive on DM with brakes removed. www.pinkbike.com/news/video-whistlers-dirt-merchant-brakeless.html
  • 3 0
 Didn't Remy Morton do it on his BMX too?
  • 1 0
 And such a clean cockpit too!
  • 6 0
 @nsmithbmx: In jorts?
  • 8 1
 Love Tom’s screams, too funny. Keep’em coming!
  • 6 0
 Matt's reverse whip at 8:18 was filthy, love it.
  • 5 3
 I have doubts about making the turn at the end of the tech section, other than that it’s doable. But Aline from 10 years ago? Less so. They’ve added so many speed checks into the trail to keep Jerrys from dying that it runs a lot slower than it used ro
  • 2 0
 I was just wondering how they manage to go that slow without touching the brakes. In my memory you would go lightning fast in sections where they are barely rolling. But probably also because last time I was on A-Line it was bone dry.
  • 6 0
 Legends! The ride back to Squamish must have been a trek!
  • 9 0
 It was probably a Session
  • 4 0
 @huckbuckit shout out to Remi Gauvin for the original ride back to Squamish punishment!
  • 2 0
 Hell! No! A better questions is if I will ever let off the brakes. I will leave this up to the daredevils of the mountain biking world.
  • 11 7
 Bmx street riders- this is easy mode.
  • 4 0
 Of course I can’t lol don’t be a dick, pinkbike
  • 4 4
 A-Line is a great run, but it’s never open in its entirety. There always seems to be a section that’s closed for maintenance.

Also Dirt Merchant is no joke, the videos and photos don’t do it any justice as to just how big and crazy those jumps and features are.

I would love to get back to Whistler to ride some more of its awesomeness.
  • 1 0
 Idk dude when I was there I rode all of A line over and over and over and over. Given that was 8 years ago... Sobs
  • 3 0
 Most parts of that trail are rock hard compressed dirt in vehicle width, we call that street.
  • 1 0
 A weight-weenie's dream: no brakes, no chain, no derailleur, shortest crankset you can buy! Heck, go one step further and have a carbon seat post that's cut short enough at your desired DH ride style and send it!
  • 2 0
 Damn Matt shreds. Thought he was gonna get through tech there for a second no brakes. Wild.
  • 3 0
 My brake drag so bad that I have to pedal down A-Line.
  • 2 0
 Beer must have been involved
  • 7 0
 Of course. He was the guy in front in the vid.
  • 2 0
 I would break everything trying this.
  • 3 0
 No
  • 2 0
 Is this the one scenario when the Bright Fork is supposed to work?
  • 1 0
 Yes, the poor small bump compliance slows you down so much that you don't need brakes
  • 2 0
 Do they still do chainless races? Would love to see that again.
  • 1 0
 I ride A-line without brakes all the time. Of course, my tires are set to 8psi. Ha!
  • 2 0
 I’m on Sram Guides, so… technically brakeless?
  • 1 0
 Always a good test for a flow trail to see if you can ride it well without pedaling or breaking. It's fun stuff.
  • 1 0
 This is how A-line happened...we were no braking B-Line and scaring all the tourists.
  • 3 5
 Did I watch the video? No.

But can it be done? Probably with exception to the s-turn after the rock drop and following straight jump.

And hair pin at the end of the tech section...
  • 3 0
 And the tech section ending with the rock roll to tight berm needs a tap
  • 2 0
 No. No, I cannot.
  • 2 0
 That was really good
  • 1 0
 Yes you can. Once. And probably not till the very end.
  • 1 0
 @TomBrad epic!! what grips do you have?!
  • 1 0
 finally the answer i have always been looking for!!!!
  • 1 0
 Translation: mountain bikers ride A-Line with SRAM brakes Wink
  • 1 0
 I want to see brakeless fixed gear next, messenger style !
  • 3 5
 "throw caution to the wind"? Remove the brakes is throwing caution to the wind and the little picture preview on YouTube actually shows your fingers on the brake levers
  • 1 0
 Click bait
  • 1 2
 Too noisy
  • 1 3
 Probably easier than on dirt merchant, which has been done.
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