10 aspiring professional mountain bikers arrive in Big White, British Columbia to compete in a series of challenges for $25K and a pro contract from Orbea Bikes.
Official Location Partner of Pinkbike Academy @bikebigwhite
Tried to watch it, gave it 15 mins, cringed too hard, stopped. Honestly feel like this kind of thing just makes the sport worse not better. Makes a bunch of generally normal people come across as pretentious/desperate twats for a cheap grab at people's attention. Nobody actually cares how fast you build your bike, otherwise we'd have bike building races as well as downhill/xc/enduro races, but we don't, because the only time anyone would do that is in a situation this contrived.
@neilpritchett: yes, we do have bike races. We don't have many mechanic races though, because being GOOD at mechanic work generally doesn't mean being the fastest - do you pay your mechanic to do things thoroughly and properly, or do them as fast as they can? Because I can assure you when someone tells me they can build a wheel in 30 minutes, and a few people have, they immediately go on my "I'm never riding a wheel you've built" list.
@Socket: You seem to be huge whiner and not a very winning attitude towards people who truly enjoy the sport and putting themselves out there and trying to do things outside their comfort zone to eventually win a sweet prize and experience on the way. You are the twat...
Can we just acknowledge how lucky they are for not having to cut their own steer tube after watching that?
Admittedly - all better riders than me, but man, we can benefit from the challenge taking apart something at a young age merely to put it back together.
@curendero: I think you've misunderstood, I'm not criticising the actual participants or even the concept, it's the format and presentation (and the way the participants are made to react in order to dramatise things) that are contrived, cringeworthy and frankly fake as hell. No different from any other reality TV in that regard unfortunately. But if you wanna continue throwing insults, go right ahead.
@woodlandplayer: I'm not really the one to ask how to do it right, I'm just a typical internet commentator who excels at pointing out everyone else's flaws whilst conveniently ignoring my own, but the best comparison I can think of is that documentary from a couple of years ago about the Crossfit games which was pretty good and not actually super cheesy.
@Socket: it wasn’t a race to build a bike it was overall how well it was built how fast it was done and helping others. If you were a World Cup mechanic you don’t have weeks to build a bike you have about a day while everyone is doing the track walk.
@Socket: if you take longer then a half hour to build a wheel you're a Joey!!! You missed the whole point of if you need to put your bike together you better be able to which some people here showed they can't. Why so negative over something that doesn't affect you in the slightest. You just sound like a pretentious whiner to me...
@mhoshal: nah, if you take longer than half an hour to build a wheel (which includes truing, tensioning, spoke prepping, rim taping) it's because you're actually doing it thoroughly - I like my wheels to not fall apart on the first day riding them. "Why so negative over something that doesn't affect you in the slightest" - I can only assume my post did indeed affect you somehow then. But you just keep going with the childish insults, they're cute.
@Socket: naw it must be your first wheel if you take longer then a half hour bud. You'd make a piss poor line worker in a factory if it takes you that long to do a simple task. It's not rocket science to build and true a wheel lol.
@mhoshal: The slower and more evenly tension is built, the stronger the wheel. Cheap factory made wheels aren’t as strong because they just use drills on opposite spokes and bring up the tension super fast. If you are completing the entire process in less than 30 minutes it’s hard to believe that enough time was spent on tensioning much less all the other steps.
I rode my e-bike through some mud on my last ride and admit that I did feel a bit dirty. After a shower I was ready to self-shuttle some DH runs again.
They've successfully copied the MTV reality TV show model with 99% of the people being unwatchable. Especially someone who comes off as the biggest douche ever. Way to go Pinkbike, you went from a great show with the Privateer to having a Kardashian/Bachelor type show.
This.
From warm and comfy story about clumsy Adam Price to this low tier trash. I know, you need to experiment, but this one smells like a dead cat from the basement.
I really was not thinking this would be that interesting; thankfully, Pinkbike’s editors know me better than I know myself! I am really looking forward to more. Great work on a really novel concept for online MTB content.
Glad there’s almost more stuff to watch and Pinkbike has such high quality stuff for being a FREE website. But I’m not sure about this. Still thanks for more stuff!
@monkeybizz: it’s so cheap just don’t buy any 4 packs of fancy microbrew IPA (I don’t care how hazy it is) for the next couple weeks and it’s paid for.
@monkeybizz: I prefer make trailforks accurate again, so much useless/incorrect info on it. Wasting your day going to a crap trail isn't much better than spending the day lost without a map
I feel like there should be a break every two minutes of the show for political ads where politicians are degrading to their counterparty. Oh, sorry, that is already on regular television so often I have gotten used to it. LOL
@thegoodflow: Wow, didn't notice that until now. Hold on, let me go sew my mouth shut or my fingers together so I don't say such controversial things anymore
@thegoodflow: in all fairness, it’s well worth the few bucks a month. Especially for anyone that travels around road tripping and riding. It’s a service that materializes more so than Netflix etc.
@juicybrownie: it wasn't my comment they deleted, and I wouldn't necessarily disagree with you on your point... moreso just pointing out that they're deleting reasonable comments that happen to be critical of their business model.
@juicybrownie: it was my comment. I actually bought their subscription I was just being a goofball because of the initial comment and then PB goes and takes it so personally. There goes your freedom of speech, there’s censorship everywhere these days. If you aren’t a sheep then you’re not welcome apparently.
@monkeybizz: to be fair, pinkbike has no obligation to offer you a venue for free speech.... it's a private entity. That said, your comment was funny and reasonable and it's tacky AF for them to have removed it.
When I saw the ads, I thought it was as spoof, but sadly no, it is as cheesy as the preview... BUT, look past the style and the substance is pretty good to be fair. A bit of racial diversity would have been nice, although I understand Covid hampered travel posdibilities.
Yeah it was abit were do you live? Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Canada. Somewhere in Russia.
No need to be naysayers. It's pretty easy not to press the play button on the video. I've never watched a full reality tv series, but I'm excited to do it for this one!
I already gave up after 6 minutes. I'm not into this reality TV show crap but I'm certain some people will love it. The production value seems pretty damned good.
You will only need to watch this one. Because all reality tv shows (American ones at least) are exactly like this except the network ones use the challenges to try to create human drama and get the conrestants to have sex with each other.
@scott-townes: Yeah wound up skipping through to the end after 5 mins also. Hopefully the riding related challenges will prove more interesting (to me personally).
"It's annoying having my bike unbuilt" How did this guy get on the show? I'm pretty sure every biker is a bit of a wrencher at heart. It makes me happy when I can tell people I built my bike myself.
A good many of the fastest riders in the world cannot change their own tire. A guy like Aaron Chase though... He always had to change his own tires and fix the stuff he was breaking.
@adrian-montgomery: Honestly if you're sponsored and you're that fast, good on them I wouldn't care to learn either. They've earned their spot! (unless doing enduro). But until then everyone should get to wrenching a bit
@monkeybizz: It's more like when you're that fast, younhave a team around you to help you focus on winning. That means someone is changing your tires for you, setting the psi, etc while you're warming up, doing a lap on a different set of tires, doing your part... riding the bike to the limit. I'm mostly talking about DH here, but Slopestyle riders also travel without mechanics to venues and need to be able to do fundamental maintenance to compete.
Maybe his bike was built before for some b-reel shots prior to this episode and then he got there and he was like "what the heck I just built this thing like 2 days ago"
@Ben00: you have to take it with a grain of salt. Not everything that happens is real or 100% accurate. It's a tv show. They might ask participants to act a certain way. Seems entertaining.
Actually pretty entertaining! Well done, Pinkbike crew.
The first part though...."Yea, I'm actually pretty annoyed that I had to know stuff about bikes to win a bike competition" for real? But then after watching the whole episode I just realized he's a tool himself. Keeping those LBSs in business I suppose.
Big ups to the producers, a lot of effort was clearly put into this, and it shows. I think less of the formulaic reality TV show and more wacky ass bike fun would expand the audience a tad
This is great. In order to grow, the sport needs to appeal to the masses - this 'Survivor' or 'Bachelor' style does exactly that. Well done Pinkbike, I wouldn't worry about the haters here.
I'd be all good with the sport growing if the number of trails grew at the same speed. Sadly that isn't the case in many areas and those financially benefiting from the growth seem to put little back into growing trails.
Everybody is complaining about how cheesy this is, but I think that is what make sit awesome! It reminds me of watching Real World Road Rules after school back in the day. haha love it!
@brianpark: Nah, it’s tacky through and through. I think it’s smart to take a proven reality model and use it for yourselves. It should definitely expand your audience beyond core pinkbikers. I suppose I was hoping to see 10 different Ben Cathros (men and women) compete against each-other. Something about the creative direction makes the athletes feel like a bunch of posers, more interested in being on the show than riding their bike. Probably not the truth but I think that’s what happens when MTV’s “the real world” Meets Pinkbike.
Who will Vlad hook up with first? Will Angie hide the cone wrench and what will the other contestant do when they find out?? Tune in next week as the contestants battle it out in the mud in their quest to change their live forever by winning a FREE BIKE!
Ben Wallace's satirical sunglasses alter-ego is hilarious.. but overall that was a bit shit! I skipped all the drama bits just to find out the backgrounds of the riders. Probably won't waste 25 mins on the next ones.
Liked 1st episode, looking forward to see 2nd one. Although I was surprised that simple bike build was so complicated for most of the competitors. Imagine what would happend with brakes bleeding or stereer tube cutting. I now that timing and general competition makes it stresfull but still...
I watched this with an open mind, I wanted to like it... but the tacky US style reality format is just awful. I'm out. Kinda disturbed that PinkBike decided to go in this direction to be honest... :/
Next year should be a challenge where they take people who are more like weekend warriors and give them all the support/ training regiment to see how far they can get racing competitively ( just let me quit my job to try to race bikes lol)
I think I'm the only one who doesn't want the sport to grow mainstream.....This was horrible, cheesy,and filled with fake personality. This sport is about personal battles with fear and confidence...not this crap. I'm almost done with pinkbike and this mtb community. It's hard to let go because it's been a big part of my life...but it seems like guys like Tippie, Voreis, Cam, etc... are just being pushed aside for this corporate watered down version of life...but that seems to be the trend now-a-days. Good luck everyone---you'll all be back when you're so stressed out from trying to be THE BEST not YOUR BEST.
I don't think any network reality tv program has ever made something popular. Thye had a boxing one several years ago and boxing is still dying its slow death. Its not like island survival vacations are super popular. Nor is eating maggots.
The good thging about MTB at teh end of the day is that if yo don't have the skill, you don't have it. There is no way to fake it on the trail. much like lifting I guess, there are tons of douches who like to act big and talk big game, but at the end of the day all the really really really strong guys are generally down to earth and willing to help beginners.
@kymtb0420: the Kardashians did nothing to make Wal-Mart popular, nor did the Houswives make wine popular. This reality show will not make mtb any more popular than it already is, not least of which is because it runs on a mtb website, so everyone who would watch it is already into mtb.
@Rubberelli: You're the typical 1 layer thinker....or just a troll as I am a researcher by trade and have read some on your previous comments....and I quote from your own words
"To each their own. As for me, I come to PB for the rad raw shredits. I got four tv networks to watch lame shit all day if I want. "
@kymtb0420: how in the world am I trolling since it seems my quote you use appears to be the popular opinion on PB( and even close to your own opinion of the show!)? But since these are responses to your own trashing of the show and my comments were merely in reaction to your fears that this show will make mtb more mainstresm, then by all means let us know how it will do that given it is not broadcast on TV or anywhere else outside of PB to my knowlege.
@Rubberelli: Then it seems you like to argue just to argue....I ain't got time nor the motivation to write out my thesis on how reality TV effects the social construct of society in the pinkbike comment section. This show was garbage...the little dude from IFHT needs to work on his inflection of words...
It is not what I want people to see when they are trying to get into biking. It shows nothing of mountain bike culture. That's my end statement and I say good day to you sir....Good day.
@Rubberelli: no...your analysation of the Wal Mart Kardashians is your single layer thought process...your propensity to argue over "similar" opinions is the troll behavior...
I didn't realize there would be so many grumps in these comments so I just want to say that this was totally entertaining. Fun parody/adaptation of the reality TV genre. I don't care at all if the winner is or isn't the best rider. No competition is a perfect measurement of "best", so this might as well be goofy and weird.
Loving when someone hates on the show because it's not their thing...maybe it's a good show, but, you know, not your thing...
i know, let's read another article about how a pro biker sets up his/her suspension at 31 instead of 30 percent, get stoked and tell our homie joey about why you find that one percent necessarily radical.
Then lets have an argument in the comments where we take a unique setup a pro has, and use it as an example to say all other setups and bikes are wrong.
that was awful. i mean, i appreciate it was free -- but i feel dirty and dumber for having watched it. so much new content being tried at pinkbike, which is great. hopefully you guys can appreciate when something doesn't work
Love! that you started with building the bike. I couldn't believe the "let down" at not having a completed bike when the blindfolds came off. Then the first kid said he was "pretty disappointed" to not have a complete bike. That's about as much building as you'd need to do from a bike bag after a flight and having dragged it across the train platforms and up some tiny stairway at your team hotel. But you know what? Instantly I knew that guy, and I've helped young riders like that learn to respect and love the equipment because if you don't know how your bike works, chances are you're no going to be fast on it.
Hmm I forced myself to watch the whole thing, set my teeth on edge like someone drawing their fingernails down a blackboard. I guess its not aimed at me anyway, I can't bear the whole reality TV genre. As many others have said on here its really not I associate with what I love about MTB. Yeesh.
Not too sure about all the hate... maybe a bit cheesy, but fun and entertaining , which I am pretty sure was the goal. Really impressed by the production quality and looking foward to the next episodes. Thanks PB!
Watchable. Wallace has killer race experience and won the bike build contest plus his character is actually entertaining (can you tell he's joking?), I think he'll win it easily. Bike build contest shows how long you've been travelling with your bike and been working on it, which I'd say correlates with long term riding experience. But I gotta say I'm pretty disappointed that the only riding in the first episode is fireroad climbing, and the pump being limited? Come on we know they can inflate a tire. You should have had them bleed brakes!
Kinda agree with the naysayers on this. Its yet more commercialization of something that should (at least for me), be about just riding bikes in the wild (or bikepark). It smells slightly of the x factor, the voice and the rest of that shxt.
Even though it’s in the template of everything I hate about reality shows - the music, the editing, the douchey personalities - I’ll likely watch the whole series because it’s about one of my favorite hobbies. Great job to everyone on and off camera!
Hang in there folks, they gave us some snippets of the awesome riding they’re about to deliver! Ignore the drama and enjoy the epic riding and fantastic crashes (maybe). I’m looking forward to episode deux.
Not another reality sh*t show - and with belowed MTB in the main role Please don't do that ever. Again.
Please work on quality (as you always did), not quantity - we don't need reality show zombie viewers to survive, it's going just fine without them. And clearly you don't want to convert PB fans to reality show mentality - once converted they will deflect to Kardashians in no time
You tried, it failed. Admit, learn a lesson, go on
I've never seen people pump up their tires like these guys. Putting on the stem cap while the bike is on the stand with the front wheel off the ground?
I enjoyed it. more like Chopped on the food network then it is like a cheesy reality show on MTV. You have to have different types of personalities, from the modest to the cocky.
Good mix, looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
Thanks guys for the "free" content but you could have made it less cheesy with the same people. It is just the way it was produce, like any other reality tv show that doesn't make me watch to see another episode. You can even tell by their face of the presenters that they don't seem to be having fun.
The girl who lost because her bike would have been "a catastrophic failure", bitching that the girl who took too long should have lost pissed me off. Did anyone ask her which bike she would have rather ridden? I know the answer for me...Ben's.
Putting a bike together is cute and all that, but until they’ve completed 190km on the North Shore without gloves and chamois Tom’s in a different league.
All reality TV conventions fully applied here, I feel like we should have been warned in order to be properly stoned for the first episode. Hilarious.I hope that after the Covid I can get a local bar to show it so we call all shout at the screen while watching.
So wait, you sent someone home without even hosting an on the bike challenge? I mean, get the sponsor and product challenge out of the way, maybe give them a penalty, but kick them before they ride? Okay..
I can't believe I heard a guy complaining about build (partially) his bike. Try to put me blindfolded in front of that orbea with great XT goodies and bling bling kashima everywhere. I can build it, after I stop jump like an horse for the happiness!
@Pinkbike How do you plan to release the remainder of the series? Episode weekly? I think it’s a great concept and was fun to watch ???? Looking forward to more! #pinkbikeoriginalsftw
Is it a bad sign I've watched Lucas in so many video skits now that I instantly knew it was him in the mirrored goggles and full face helmet prancing up the hill with the ice spike ?
Yes, that's how you narrow down who the best rider is. Nailed it. World cups ought to be decided in the same fashion, bike assembly that is. Because obviously all the best riders are all ace mechanics. Which is why none of the pros travel with any kind of support teams and manufacturers don't follow the tour around with tech crews to tune, service or swap components.
This show is legendary. Love it.
So Christina is introduced with her first descriptor as being "lovely?" Come on PB--stop reminding young woman that the world sees their most important attribute is their attractiveness. Get with the program.
Lovely can also mean kind, endearing, sweet, easy-going, etc. It's more of a blanket term of she's a f**king great human being all around. That's how I see it anyways, not sure if that's the correct assumption or not
@milestogo: I would never personally interpret "lovely" as anything to do with attractiveness. My landlady is lovely, and she's about 900 years old with a face like a Babylonian handbag.
@milestogo: Ere mate, come up to Yorkshire and everyone will be calling you love. Whether you're a lad or a lass. Go into the chippy and the person behind the counter will go, "EY up love, ars it goin? What can I be gettin yer?". No one gets too offended.
Can we just acknowledge how lucky they are for not having to cut their own steer tube after watching that?
Admittedly - all better riders than me, but man, we can benefit from the challenge taking apart something at a young age merely to put it back together.
Somewhere in Canada.
Somewhere in Canada.
Somewhere in Canada.
Somewhere in Canada.
Somewhere in Canada.
Somewhere in Canada.
Somewhere in Canada.
Somewhere in Canada.
Somewhere in Russia.
The series is so Canadian that no one is voted out, they split the winnings and the judges apologize.
Does it make me want to ride my bike? No
Does it make me feel better? No
Does it entertain me? Not really doesn’t matter how good you cut it 20 minutes of someone pumping their tyres up is boring.
The first part though...."Yea, I'm actually pretty annoyed that I had to know stuff about bikes to win a bike competition" for real? But then after watching the whole episode I just realized he's a tool himself. Keeping those LBSs in business I suppose.
nsmb.com/articles/ben-wallace-born-on-the-shore
Kinda disturbed that PinkBike decided to go in this direction to be honest... :/
"To each their own. As for me, I come to PB for the rad raw shredits. I got four tv networks to watch lame shit all day if I want. "
It is not what I want people to see when they are trying to get into biking. It shows nothing of mountain bike culture. That's my end statement and I say good day to you sir....Good day.
i know, let's read another article about how a pro biker sets up his/her suspension at 31 instead of 30 percent, get stoked and tell our homie joey about why you find that one percent necessarily radical.
props to pink so far.
With that said 1 episode in it’s already better than The Privateer IMHO
Production quality is amazing too
Excited for episode two!
Perhaps after the next Grim Donut video drops?
The privateer series was brilliant, I came here thinking this would be the same.
Bike reviews, field tests - All amazing content that keeps getting better.
20 odd mins of reality TV of riders racing to build a bike? What's next week's challenge? Who can put their pads/gloves/shoes on and clip in first?
Please work on quality (as you always did), not quantity - we don't need reality show zombie viewers to survive, it's going just fine without them. And clearly you don't want to convert PB fans to reality show mentality - once converted they will deflect to Kardashians in no time
You tried, it failed. Admit, learn a lesson, go on
The Great BC Bike-off
m.pinkbike.com/news/everesting-the-north-shore-no-chamois-no-gloves-no-worries2.html
I found this watchable to my surprise, I still expect Jason to start singing though.
Feel dirty and ashamed, love it.
This will be great if they make sure they don’t take themselves too seriously..
I do have a Pro license though and do not know anyone I ride with that could do this in under 10 minutes, probably around 5 minutes TBH.
That’s ok. I work on bike Sam Pilgrim style anyway.
I'll go back to some 50/01 content
Get with the program.