Professional mountain bike athletes are basically rolling billboards for brands on course or in front of the lens. Contracts come and go, but some riders stick with a certain company for years in which case their name becomes synonymous with a frame, component, or apparel logo. Riders are even referred to by the equipment they use, for example, Brandon Semenuk is a "Trek rider." How much value does that hold for said company? Well, when you're as dominant in your discipline, or disciplines for that matter, as Semenuk is, it carries a massive gain for Trek.
Pinkbike has some eagle-eyed readers that spot prototype parts, but there were an unusually high number of comments geared towards the tires that the Specialized Gravity Team were running at the first stop of the World Cup DH series in Lourdes a couple weeks ago. Now, they certainly haven't been the first team to use another tire brand and sharpie out the logos, but they landed two riders on the podium with the yet-to-be-released Cannibal tire. That carries forward a ton of clout for Specialized. It's one thing for a rider to shoot some photos or even a video on less-preferred equipment, but to make it onto the box at a World Cup is the arguably one of the best marketing flags you can wave.
Our sharp shooter photographers have been sniping away at both the XC and DH World Cup races this season and caught numerous sponsor changes. On the freeride scene and in the Enduro World Series, there have been equally polarizing moves from some heavy hitters. We'd like to see if you can identify brands that each team or rider is using for the 2022 season without calling out to Siri or checking any Instagram pages. The answers are posted below the list of questions in the article, so make sure to answer the questions before scrolling to the comments.
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1. What helmets do the Orbea Fox Enduro Team wear?
Bluegrass2. What handlebar and stem does the Specialized Gravity Team use?
Renthal3. What brakes do the Commencal Muc-Off team run?
TRP4. What tire brand sponsors Nino Schurter and Kate Courtenay run?
Maxxis5. What apparel company sponsors Greg Minnaar?
Fox6. What helmet does Finn Iles wear?
Specialized7. Intense Factory Racing team is running which tires this year?
Vee Tire Co.8. What wheels does the GT Factory Team opt for?
Stan's NoTubes9. What suspension does the Rockrider Racing Team have mounted to their cross-country bikes?
Manitou10. What wheels does Pauline Ferrand Prevot run?
Duke Racing Wheels11. What frames is Carson Storch riding?
Propain Bikes12. Name the suspension brand that Bas Van Steenbergen runs?
Marzocchi13. How about Tom Van Steenbergen?
X Fusion14. What goggles does Brandon Semenuk wear?
Smith Optics15. What handlebar and stem does the Yeti / Fox Factory Team choose?
OneUp Components16. Brett Rheeder rides which brand of bike?
Commencal17. What bike frames does Fabio Wibmer use for his trials moves?
Canyon18. What tire company sponsors Thomas Vanderham?
Schwalbe Tires19. And what about Remy Metailler?
Maxxis Tires20. What helmets do the Trek Factory DH Team wear?
100%21. And the Trek Factory XC Team?
Bontrager
Don’t read article > read comments > make informed opinion about article.
Tbh I don’t give a fcuk who is sponsored by whom. There are certain brands I like and other I avoid, and no Rachybox/minnar/manon_gop will change that...
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
'which suspension does this freeride-" FOX
We can just promote our favorite brands here, Pinkbike. Same as you
Don’t you all just get tired of this silliness?
Who the eff are you all, why do you get off playing this game?
All this posting is just for attention, clearly you enjoy up or down voting people; not their ideas.
It’s all a load of crap, served warm on an advertising cracker, topped off with a dollop of me too.
I really wonder how all this is gonna end, badly I’m sure.
I don’t want to speak for others but silliness is what I come to the comments for.
And passing the time while I do my morning business
Like right now
Answer is Marzocchi but choices are Ohlins, Fox Racing Shox, DVO, RockShox, SR Suntour and Manitou.
Question #13: How about Tom Van Steenbergen?
Answer is X Fusion but choices are Ohlins, Fox Racing Shox, DVO, RockShox, SR Suntour and Manitou.
Something went wrong here...
O Outside
O Satan
O Apple
O Google
O Meta
I think a couple of those are related, though I hate to give Satan a bad name
□ Chap Stick
□ Burt's Bees
□ Maybelline
□ Blistex
If you don't like it don't do it. Pretty easy
www.outside.io
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
Now I'm not so sure. Truly satire & reality are now one.
Neko might be the closest to "unsponsored" pro out there but even he had to build a program out of brands willing to pay him.
This wouldn't pass muster at a high school stats level, let alone a lifestyle site with some of the best engagement numbers in the industry. Please, leave the market research and design to people who have studied how to design useful polls. The PB crew are great writers, photographers, and videographers, they don't need to be pulling double duty for the sales and marketing dep't.
www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/PIT-BITS-4-Lourdes-World-Cup-Downhill,13626/Specialized-Cannibal-Tire,149948/sspomer,2
They're interested in team + rider moves when they happen, yet ultimately no-one seems to care about the products they use.
We don't care because the riders seldom choose and pay for them like we do, they get paid partly from the money we pay as their sponsor contracts are part subsidised by inflated prices.
It begs the question, if we don't know or care in significant numbers who rides what, why bother sponsoring riders?
Personally, not once have I bought or used a biking product because X rider used it.
If a brand cuts sponsoring riders/teams, the brand will vanish from people's radar and their sales will most likely drop.
i tend to watch the riding not the brands?
who cares
I think it goes without saying, esp since Outside bought em.
That's not even one of your poll questions. Bravo.
Which pedal has reversed thread and how can you id one from the other
(Besides looking at the threads )
Your loss.