7 DH Bikes From Black Sage FEST

May 4, 2018 at 22:17
by Trevor Lyden  
Bas Van Steenbergen s Hyper prototype
Bas Van Steenbergen's Hyper prototype

Carson Storch s Rocky Mountain Maiden
Carson Storch's Rocky Mountain Maiden

Alex Volokov s Scott Gambler
Alex Volikov's Scott Gambler

Brendan Howey s Commencal Furious
Brendan Howey's Commencal Furious

Graham Aggasiz s Kona Operator
Graham Aggasiz's Kona Operator

Kurt Sorge s Polygon Collosus
Kurt Sorge's Polygon Collosus

Kirt Voreis s Niner Rip 9
Kirt Voreis's Niner Rip 9

Ethan Nell cruising into the sunset with his unmistakable style.
Ethan Nell - Black Sage 2018

Event details here. Stay tuned for more bike checks and full event coverage.

Author Info:
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Member since May 5, 2014
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133 Comments
  • 197 0
 Niner single crown. Ballsy.
  • 177 1
 Kirt is sending the whole course on a trailbike. So rowdy.
  • 37 1
 @brianpark: Mr. Voreis is still one of the best riders to watch ride...always gets me stoked and want to ride...
  • 8 41
flag naptime FL (May 5, 2018 at 0:32) (Below Threshold)
 must be getting a phat pay check to promote that marketing image
(not on that tweener proto we've seen???)
  • 148 1
 and a water bottle cage. New trick on its way. The 90 foot one handed rehydrate.
  • 24 0
 @T-Bot: Bernard Kerr already did that, opened the beer too
  • 9 7
 It looks like it has about five mills of travel on the front
  • 4 1
 @catweasel: Kelly Baker, FBM all time low vid
  • 4 0
 Tiny rotors too!
  • 2 0
 @bogey: barspins are good to go though!
  • 15 4
 Niner were like well sponsor you Kirt, what sort of race is it, XC? Kirt.. 'er well no its got jumps in it'. Niner 'oh ok well modify one of our bikes and stick a coil shock on it... the rest should be ok as standard.
  • 4 1
 @enduroNZ: they sell a version of that bike (RIP 9 RDO) that comes with a Push coil shock. So nothing new to see here...
  • 4 2
 looks like a Huffy
  • 5 0
 Kirt straight up sent it today on that bike!!! It was awesome!! He’s such a rad guy too! Killer event!
  • 1 0
 @T-Bot: www.pinterest.com/pin/408138784964278000
  • 2 15
flag naptime FL (May 5, 2018 at 22:16) (Below Threshold)
 Massive LOL's at every one that down voted my comment. Like you don't fckn know how the bike industry works
  • 93 4
 That Rocky Mountain is the most disproportionate thing I've ever seen and I have looked in the mirror today.
  • 17 8
 The Kona looks worse to me. The top tube and front triangle look so short, the front half is the same length as the back half.
  • 7 8
 the rocky is the most moto lookin outta the bunch. the kona would look much better without the splatter 80's hairband paint.....
  • 68 2
 Almost every one has 26" wheels. Yet you can't buy a bike with 26" wheels anymore.
  • 6 0
 or even 26 wheels in tweener frames. With what, a 1/4 inch BB drop? On bikes with super hard suss tunes an no worries of rock/pedal strikes
Flip chips are the future
  • 23 0
 The maiden was made for 26 or 27.5
  • 4 16
flag Bizznasty (May 5, 2018 at 1:16) (Below Threshold)
 @mhoshal: it's a custom made Maiden with a shorter chain stay.
  • 9 11
 The bike industry sucks right now. mOaR 29eRs
  • 25 5
 Best wheel size ever . The industry is such a mess
  • 18 17
 @cmkneeland: there is nothing wrong with 29ers
  • 24 1
 @Asmodai: your right. Nothing wrong with 29ers. Or 27.5. Or 26. I think that’s the point. Why must it be one or the other?
  • 35 0
 I'm guessing people who ride the Fest jumps aren't that big of a customer base.
  • 16 11
 Am I the only one that thinks 26" wheels look really small now?

Maybe it is just the proportions don't look right on longer bikes.
  • 26 0
 We still sell Transition TR500s in small and medium with 26” wheels. Also have a few Aurums with 26” builds.
  • 21 1
 @fartymarty: actually, i think the 26 ers are the only rides to look 'right'.............
  • 4 1
 @north-shore-bike-shop: keep the dream alive !!!
  • 2 0
 @Bizznasty: no it was actually designed around 26" and 27.5" man
  • 4 0
 @allballz: Not sure what you’re getting at.
  • 6 1
 @stacykohut: I think it depends on the size of the rider. IMO Minnaars 275 XXX V10 didn't look as good as his 29. For me the wheels have to be in proportion to the size of the bike.

Big riders need big bikes, small riders need small bikes.
  • 2 0
 @fartymarty: maybe for racing, look at Semanuck. 6ft? Mc gazza, up there with Minnar's giant size. Freeriding on 26....
  • 2 0
 @nojzilla: good point.
  • 1 0
 @nojzilla: I guess I was being general rather than specific. Danny M's new trials bike is another exception to the rule - a very specific bike for a specific job.
  • 3 0
 @Bizznasty I got 26in demo, you want it? Wink
  • 1 0
 @fartymarty: totally, like Semanuck bikes, all ally 26 despite the tickets being the only one on sale to the public
  • 1 0
 @Bikerguy13: if your giving it away I will take it. Otherwise where I live we don't have much use for DH bikes. We ride trail bikes. I just don't like wagon wheels.
  • 1 0
 @stacykohut: that's because you don't ride an xl frame.
  • 1 0
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: get a dh bike already, dude
  • 41 4
 That Hyper is hot!!
  • 3 0
 Just needs the rear brake mount repositioned - check out the hose & banjo!
  • 7 0
 But more importantly it has room for two water bottles!
  • 6 1
 About time Bas got an upgraded bike. Sadly that's also the nicest looking out of all those bikes too
  • 1 2
 Yep. It's the only nice looking frame there!
  • 28 4
 Session Session Session Session Session Session Session
  • 5 1
 I count 4 Big Grin
  • 5 1
 @Fh4n: In all fairness your right, ive been a bit harsh.
  • 1 4
 Wait a minute, the hyper prototype is a treck session too or they try to launch their OWN bike?
  • 15 0
 after 10 minutes starring at the polygon colossus i finally realised what is looking so weird; it's the saddle
  • 16 5
 Imagine a proper composite Niner DH bike..

They make great shit, just unfortunately marketed towards a really lame crowd. I think of dads/dentists/fitness geeks when I think of Niner.
  • 9 9
 Man u sound so lame..stereotype much?
  • 5 3
 @jrocksdh: I can be lame, but just calling it like I see it so I appreciate Niner broadening their horizons.
  • 6 1
 Dads are a really lame crowd? -1 wtf.
  • 5 2
 Dad here. I’d never ride a Niner.
  • 10 1
 DH bike, DH bike, DH bike, DH bike, DH bike, DH bike, AM bike.... wait what

Pinkbike should update the title of this article to "6 DH bikes and 1 AM bike from Black Sage Fest"
  • 12 1
 Love the old skool paint job on the Kona.
  • 14 3
 LOVE those tan walls
  • 5 0
 Yeh like a 1991 Diamond Back Axis, or a 1992 GT Bravado. Awesome!
  • 3 0
 @jaame: or my 89 Kona explosive!
  • 1 0
 @nojzilla: that was before my time!
  • 4 0
 @jaame: I'm Fkng OLD Frown
  • 1 0
 @nojzilla: old and wise by the look of it!
  • 1 0
 @jaame: OSB, old salty bastard
  • 9 0
 We've been seeing Hyper "prototypes" for years. Are they ever going to come out with it? what is there endgame here? sponsor riders to sell bikes but not sell the bikes?
  • 5 0
 I was just going to say the same thing. Proto DH bikes, proto slope bikes, proto whatever but they never leave the prototype stage. They haven't even sold any MTBs for years besides a jump frame.
  • 1 0
 Hyper makes all of their money off of department store sales. They only prototype bikes because they can, and because having professional riders seems to give some credibility to the brand. Also the people behind it probably just like seeing top riders rep the brand.
  • 11 2
 Power to the people! Hyper has the best looking bike of the bunch and they sell through Wal Mart.
  • 10 2
 Hyper is the best looking bike of the bunch.... Where do I find the high end bike section in Walmart?
  • 2 2
 Hyper is the only nice looking one haha.
  • 6 0
 Re: Scott Gambler - can the shock setup be even more complicated?
  • 5 0
 That Rocky Mountain is beefy as fudge.
  • 5 1
 Kirt’s gonna grenade himself. Be safe homie! I know you wanna do big things when you grow up!
  • 3 0
 He crushed it today! Absolutely nuts watching him send that stuff like the big bikes!
  • 7 2
 Hyper looks the nicest...
  • 3 0
 It's the only nice one haha.
  • 7 3
 Reminds me of the days when everyone was riding a rebranded Intense M1.
  • 1 1
 What?!! Did we saw the same photos??!
  • 3 3
 @fracasnoxteam: sorry I was referring to many of these bikes looking much the same as a session. I should have pointed out I was just being a bit sarcastic. I’m getting a bit tired of that same look. Anyway each to their own I suppose.
  • 2 2
 @Stumpy2: 3 of 7 actually don't look like a session. I agree with you, I don't like bike looking all the same, we should celebrate those who don't instead of complaining all the time. 3 of 7 is a good ratio, specially when of the 4 is a prototype and and an other 1 is a freak
  • 1 0
 Ah yes, those were the days.
  • 4 0
 I counted 6 DH bikes and 1 trail bike - I'm on to you!
  • 3 2
 I think the best looking bike in this lineup is the Scott Gambler. They really bummed me out when they debuted their Session prototype in Losinj. R.I.P.
  • 5 2
 Carson's Maiden looks classy
  • 11 10
 Am I the only one that thinks these bikes are fugly? It is 2018 and Mountain Bikes have advanced too far to look like this.
  • 4 11
flag fartymarty (May 5, 2018 at 6:55) (Below Threshold)
 Me too. Give me a big wheeled DH bike any day or even Gwins latest.
  • 2 11
flag chinaboy (May 5, 2018 at 9:50) (Below Threshold)
 Agreed. That commencal is an embarrassment.
  • 11 0
 @chinaboy: that commencal is a minimalists dream.

its a weapon in the right hands.
  • 3 0
 You guys are all on drugs... haha
  • 2 2
 This is the first contest I've seen with every rider on the same bike. Very novel approach, should be a good show!
  • 1 1
 @stacykohut: yeah fair enough. Just looks like a Santa Cruz bullit from the early 2000s. I kinda feel like if I'm paying 5-7000 grand for a bike I'm gonna be looking for some NASA technology...not retro.
  • 2 0
 Sees niner rip 9... picks jaw up off keyboard Wink
  • 2 0
 Hyper: forever a prototype
  • 1 0
 love the look of these set ups - Aggasiz's kona looking old skool
  • 1 0
 HTA on the Niner looks exciting... no doubt Voreis can rip it though.
  • 2 1
 Aggys bike is the most gangst looking bike I’ve seen in a while
  • 1 0
 Bas’ Rig looks like a Musashi , loves it I does
  • 1 0
 Is there anyone else running a single crown fork there?
  • 1 1
 That Hyper looks like a Trek Session but I guess more & of the bikes are looking that way nowadays
  • 1 0
 You don't say.
  • 1 0
 Can’t decide whether the Hyper is nice... or... It’s parts list.
  • 1 0
 Ahh. The metal chariots of the pro-gnar!
  • 1 0
 DOPE ASS water bottle holder on the Niner...
  • 1 0
 Such an awesome and fun event!
  • 1 1
 Look at all the new Kona's! I hope none of them cost less than $5k.
  • 1 2
 Is Kirt running 29" wheel at back and 27.5" at front on his Niner?
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