Video: R-Dog Is As Stylish as Ever in 'Lyrics'

Aug 2, 2022

by RockShox

Everyone has that song. That song that makes you pick up and go. Move your body and start singing with the car windows down. Lyrics may be catchy, they might strike a chord, but whatever they are, they paint the backdrop for finding yourself in your own set. Where you’re the hero and this is your anthem.

When asked what would be his song, any song, Ryan Howard smiled and said, “Run Horse Run”.

Road tripping vibes.

Driving across the Golden Gate State Bridge and seven hours north, Ryan Howard put on his newly downloaded Charley Crockett album on repeat—“Run Horse Run” was the second song. “Halfway through the trip, we were like, ‘This is the song.’”

I think that’s something a rider and filmer look for in a song—lots of cuts, fast sections, slow sections—where it can complement the riding.

R-Dog uses the lyrics and the vibe to articulate the ride. When it’s time to “Giddyup” and go, his Trek Fuel EXe gets him back up to the top for another run down.

From trail builder to trail boss.

R-Dog may be a legend but knows the unspoken rules of taking care of your friends’ trails. “It’s a nice trade. You learn different techniques of building and appreciate their hard work and vision. I would have never seen the same lines.”

There is everything you could ask for in on top-to-bottom trail—there’s rough sections, steep sections, there’s jumps. It’s the perfect trail for the Lyrik. It showcases how playful the bike is, but you can ride over rough stuff.

When you’re shooting for the golden hour, weather can quickly put a damper on things. But with the right crew and attitude, a day off the bike becomes the place where the best ideas are hatched.

Is it a mountain bike? Is it an E-MTB?

The Trek Fuel EXe quietly assists you when you want it and disappears under you when you don’t.

“I've been running a coil rear shock for the last handful of years. It’s heavier but to me, it feels more responsive and I know exactly what my bike's going to feel like every time. With an air shock, it takes more dialing in to get the right pressure and compression. With this new Super Deluxe Ultimate, it felt ‘coily’ — very responsive, especially on a smaller 140mm travel bike. I felt right at home and don’t plan on changing it any time soon.”

You’ve heard all the rage on ButterCups and Charger 3. What does R-Dog have to say?

“I enjoy the suppleness off the top of Charger 3. It helps keep my speed, it’s not too stiff and I’m not bottoming out in bigger compressions. I also enjoy the suppleness off the top of ButterCups. It doesn’t feel too stagey.”

Having confidence is everything.

“When it comes to riding and filming on new trails, having confidence is everything. Every jump is going to ride different, but when you trust your bike and know exactly what it is going to do, you can do anything. When you put in the work, your confidence grows and with trust in your filmers, you can go for tricks that you would only want to pull off once or twice.”