Join us for an inside look at freeride mountain bike star Brandon Semenuk and his crew as we follow them on the road from World Tour Competitions to the journey back home in the coastal mountains of Canada.

In this premiere episode we check out the ultimate MTB house fully decked out with dirt jumps, slopestyle, trails, air bags, and a bear?! Lean back and enjoy some serious laughs, adventure, and of course some epic freeride mountain biking.

RockShox have just released this little video that gives an insight into what goes down when they are custom tuning a shock for a specific bike in a company’s range (in this case Rocky Mountain).

We were overwhelmed with emails for the Strength in Numbers premiere, and we’ve just collated the doorlist for Auckland’s screening tomorrow night.

If you’re not on the list, unfortunately you didn’t make the cut.

Andrew Driver 1
Michael Mcclanaghan 1
Mark Thomas 1
Broken.Ink 1
Mrs vandenbosch 1
Gary Campbell 1
Mr Byron Scott 1
Mrs Byron Scott 1
Andrew Reid 1
Robert Dethridge 1
James Madelin 1
Anne Williams 1
Clinton Williams 1
Natallia Yanachkina 1
Andrew Cozens 1
Ian Parks 1
David Whiting 1
Cornwell, George 1
John Colthorpe 1
Darryn Goble 1
Frano Kleis 1
Brent Neighbour 1
Karl Cattanach 1
Phil Hughes 1
Simon Smith 1
Amanda Piearcey 1
Glen Frost 1
Mrs Caroline.Phillips 1
Mr Caroline.Phillips 1
Scott & Cherie 1
Lucas Burn 1
Nick Grant 1
Mark Baker 1
Shaun Hardman 1
Thompson, Jane 1
Karen Chance 1
Renata Fraguas 1
Bronwyn Duurloo 1
Dylan Staples 1
Dan Gannaway 1
Sharon Fitzgerald 1
Ryan Castle 1
Howard Chaffey 1
Jonny Mitchell 1
Nathan Stirling 1
Bailee Florence 1
Ivan Kovach 1
Frank Schlaffmann 1
Matt Grant 1
Glenn Collins 1
James Ledingham 1
Christian Nicklin 1
J9 1
Megan Gray 1
Anne Burney 1
Derek Bond 1
Alice Burney 1
Malcolm Graham 1
Aidan Ormond 1
Hayman, Eddie 1
Ric Church 1
Tony Yuretich 1
Dan McLaughlin 1
Scott Picken. 1
Matt Natural 1
Gayle High 1
Jason Hockly 1
Lewis Whitworth 1
Jerome Reil 1
Nicola Ritchie 1
Simeon 1
Anna P 1
Josh Smith 1

On Thursday next week—yup, next week—Red Bull and Spoke will be putting on the first of a bunch of screenings of Anthill’s highly anticipated film Strength in Numbers (trailer below). It’s gonna be at the Academy Cinema in Auckland and Red Bull want to make it a night to remember so they have decided to buy popcorn and ice cream for everyone. Better yet, the official New Zealand premiere won’t cost you a cent. That’s right Red Bull even purchased your ticket! Catch is though, tickets are limited. If you want a seat then you’ll need to email us here (don’t change the subject line) and in no more than 50 words tell us why you should get a ticket. We’ll let everyone know by 5pm Wednesday night via email who’s going and post the door list right here on Spokemagazine.com. Simple.

Email your 50 words here.

Strength
 in
 Numbers 
is 
an 
action 
sports 
film 
that
 explores
 mountain
 bike 
culture
 through
 the
 experiences
 of
 the
 world’s
 best
 riders.
 Anthill
 Films,
 in
 co‐production
 with
 Red
 Bull
 Media
 House,
 have
 created
 a
 film
 which
 will
 change
 the
 way
 the
 world
 sees
 mountain
 biking,
 both
 on
 and
 off
 the
 screen.
 Strength
 in
 Numbers
 combines
 progressive
 action
 and
 beautiful
 cinematography
 with
 compelling
 stories
 to
 show
 how
 the
 many
 different
 sides
 of
 mountain
 biking
 are
 all
 connected.
 
 The
 filmmakers,
 who
 brought
 you
 The
 Collective,
 Roam,
 Seasons
 and
 Follow
 Me,
 travelled
 the
 globe
 to
 find
 communities
 that
 represented
 the
 many
 sides
 of
 the
 sport,
 with
 film
 shoots
 in
 British
 Columbia, Nepal, Scotland,
 Austria,
 Switzerland,
 California,
 Utah
 and 
the
 Whistler
 Mountain
 Bike
 Park.
 
 For
 the
 crew
 and
 riders,
 Strength
 in
 Numbers
 represents
 a
 way
 to
 give 
back 
and 
progress
 the 
sport.
 
 The
 movie
 features
 a
 diverse
 selection
 of
 riders
 with
 some
 of
 the
 biggest
 names
 in
 the
 sport,
 including
 Andrew
 Shandro,
 Brandon
 Semenuk,
 Cam
 McCaul,
 Gee
 Atherton,
 Graham
 Agassiz,
 Matt
 Hunter,
 Rene
 Wildhaber,
 Thomas
 Vanderham
 and
 Wade
 Simmons.
 
 The
 cast
 consists
 of
 a
 mix
 of
 established
 pros,
 up
 and
 comers
 and
 local
 riders,
 with
 Anthony
 Messere,
 Adam
 Billinghurst,
 Rachel
 Atherton,
 Ryan
 Howard
 and
 Steve
 Smith
 also
 appearing
 in
 the
 film.
 “It’s
 been
 a
 long
 time
 coming 
and 
I
 can’t
 wait 
to
 see
 what
 the
 Anthill 
boys 
have
 put
 together”,
 says
 World
 Cup
 downhill
 champion 
Gee
 Atherton.
“For
 me,
 as
 a 
rider,
 it’s
 exciting
 to
 be
 part
 of
 something
 like
 this.
 It’s
 a
 chance
 to
 help
 progress
 and
 grow
 our
 sport.”

On
 May
 24,
 Strength
 in
 Numbers
 will
 be
 available
 for
 all
 to
 experience
 with
 the
 free
 online
 premiere
 on
 redbull.com/bike
 and
 will
 be
 released
 afterwards
 on
 DVD+BluRay
 and
 iTunes
 worldwide.
 Ultimately,
 the
 film’s
 mission
 is
 to
 inspire
 and
 show 
how we
 are 
all
 part 
of 
a
 global
 community
 that 
loves 
to
 ride.
 To 
do
 this,
 a 
basic 
version
 of
 the 
entire 
film 
will
 be
 streamed 
online
 for free 
in 
autumn
 2012.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, professional freeride mountain bike athlete Paul Basagoitia can now add a natural terrain double backflip to his list of accomplishments. Taking place just outside Page, AZ, Paul has cemented himself in history by raising the bar of freeride mountain biking to the next level.

“It felt great when my wheels touched the ground because I don’t think my body could have handled another hit,” says Basagoitia. “It wasn’t easy, I knocked myself out a couple times but I finally accomplished what I’ve been trying to do for years.”

Following in the footsteps of other legendary action sports athletes such as Levi Lavalle and Travis Pastrana, accomplishing a double backflip is a major accomplishment for both the athlete and the progression of any sport.

“The double backflip isn’t the most technical trick but it takes a lot of airtime and even more commitment,” says Travis Pastrana, professional motosports athlete and extreme sports legend. “Once you leave the take-off, there is no turning back and no way to bail out. Paul has guts and it’s great to see that he’s pushing the limits.”

In celebration of Paul joining the Teva mountain bike team, Paul’s sponsors Teva and Red Bull partnered together to support his vision for this project—to put the mountain back into mountain biking.

“There are a lot of kids on mountain bikes doing the same crazy tricks that BMX guys are doing. Let’s bring that into the big mountain and showcase what a mountain bike can actually do,” says Basagoitia.

Tune in to Fuel TV’s Action Sports Plus and Teva’s Facebook page on Tuesday, May 1^st at 11/8p ET/PT for the full story.

For more information on Teva’s collection of mountain bike footwear featuring the Links, the Pinner and new styles coming June 2012 visit www.teva.com.

Teva's new Crank Mid.

Its seems that every other post these days is about Teva. The reason for this is pretty simple; they’re putting their money where their mouths are. What with amazing events, sponsoring core athletes and getting shoes on the feet of a bunch of New Zealand MTB shredders, they don’t seem to be doing too much wrong (actually they haven’t set a foot out of place!)

The Crank. There are three colourways in the Crank, not sure what will make it to New Zealand shores though.

The Crank's Spider 365 outsole

Their not screwing up has just continued with the release of three new shoes and a new colourway for the Links. First up there are two new vulcanized shoes, the Crank ($159.90) and the Crank Mid ($189.90). Both are a bit more skate inspired, but unlike riding in a pair of Lakais or Vans they feature a stiffer midsole (not as stiff as the Links) and Teva’s sticky Spider 365 rubber.

The Cam McCaul-inspired Links Mid

Then there is the new Links Mid ($249.90), which supposedly Cam McCaul asked for. Obviously it offers up a bit more support than the standard Links shoe and just may be a hit for downhillers looking for a bit more than the Links was providing. Oh and it comes in black.

The Black Links (yes they do come with a set of black laces as well)

Speaking of black, Teva have also added a new colourway to the Links lineup and that is… um… black, although there’s a little bit more going on. If you’ve been afraid of the slightly fruity colours that Teva have released so far (for the record I haven’t), this may well be the shoe for you.

Maybe if you wear Teva Links you might be able to stomp Gainers like Kelly's one at the Canyon Swing

All these shoes will be released in September and will be available through Teva’s current stockists, which coincidentally is where you can pick up a pair of the current shoes.

Oh and it appears I came back from Queenstown with a large Teva tee, that doesn’t fit me. If you want it come up with an acronym for the word “Links”. Remember, I only have one large tee up for grabs. Best answer in the comment field below by 3pm tomorrow gets it (the courier comes at 3:15 you see.)

You can get Teva’s MTB lineup at these stores. Or hassle your local bike shop to get them in!

BANKS SHOES – LOWER HUTT – WELLINGTON
THE FRONTRUNNER – NEW PLYMOUTH
McDIARMIDS (OAMARU) LTD
ELEMENT – QUEENSTOWN
THE OUTDOORSMAN HEADQUARTERS – ROTORUA
R & R SPORT – DUNEDIN
R & R SPORT – AUCKLAND
R & R SPORT – HAMILTON
R & R SPORT – QUEENSTOWN
HIKOI NEW PLYMOUTH LIMITED
GORDON’S OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT – TAUPO
R & R SPORT – WELLINGTON
M & J SHOES LIMITED – FIELDING
REYNOLDS SHOES LTD – GREY MOUTH
SOLE – (TAKAKA MARIPOSA)
TRENDZ OUTDOOR CENTRE – ALEXANDRA
VERTIGO BIKES -QUEENSTOWN
KIWIBIKES LIMITED – ROTORUA
BIKE PARKS LIMITED – WOODHILL (west AK)
THE FRONTRUNNER – DUNEDIN

Just like Marcus Lush, photographer Dave Mitchell has decided to follow up last year’s MTB guidebook South with… um… North. It’s full of Dave’s photography (which means there are lots of pictures of his partner) and also his detailed descriptions of 34 of his favourite North Island rides.

New Zealand’s North Island has a wide range of world-class mountain biking tracks and Mountain Biking North is a guide to 34 of the best of these rides. Selected by expert mountain biker and photographer Dave Mitchell, they range from straightforward and easy rides close to our urban areas, through to challenging trips deep into the wilderness.

The informative text and photographs for every trip are integrated with a 3D Bird’s Eye map from innovative Wellington mapping company Geographx, which provides a superb overview of the terrain covered.

Dave Mitchell started mountain biking in 1986 with a group of friends who became the core of the Canterbury Mountain Bike Club. His epic adventures have included a 26-day off-road traverse of the South Island, riding tracks and trails as close to the Main Divide as possible, as well as multi-day trips in many other countries.

Geographx is a Wellington-based cartographic design and mapping company with a reputation for visualising New Zealand’s wild and varied terrain in new and meaningful ways.

You can buy it online from groundeffect.co.nz for $39 or head to your local book store (and probably pay more).

Ben Stiller is a funny guy. Ben Stiller talking about night riding with his MTB buddies is funny as hell too. I just wish I could have seen it all go down.

We’ve tested a few bikes recently that have been sporting Shimano’s new XTR stoppers and we thought it was time we got a set for ourselves, albeit a set of the slightly scaled down (and with a bit more plastic) and more affordable XT ones. After getting out the company credit card (not everything we test is free) on Friday they arrived, along with some of the last Shimano ICE rotors available in New Zealand/Australia. We’ll be dropping our full review on these chaps in the Feb/March issue. In the mean time here’s a couple of photos, Spoke reviewer Leif Roy’s initial reactions are very positive but that’s just after one ride, so we’ll see if that stays the same through summer!

Joining DRD for the 2010 racing campaign will be Tomac Mountain Bikes. As the official frame supplier to DRD, Tomac’s dedication to the sport of mountain biking will help continue to relate the legendary brand’s name with true American racing. Equipped with high quality products (such as the Primer, Vanish, Snyper, Automatic & Cortez), the DRD Tomac team will without doubt be one of the most visible & recognizable teams on the North American circuit.

“I am a big fan of gravity racing, but there are so few programs that we want to be involved in,” said Tomac’s Joel Smith. “Dylan’s team is definitely the exception and we are excited & proud to be a part of it. It’s a great group of talented riders and we expect them to do some damage on the circuit this year.”

The 2010 DRD Tomac team roster includes highly successful & talented athletes such as pro riders Kieran Bennett (NZL), Robin Baloochi (USA), John Keep (USA), and junior rider Brad King (USA).

Kieran Bennett offers a competitive force and riding style which are highly visible on & off the track. As former New Zealand & Oceania Champion, Kieran will undoubtedly be a force to reckon with on the GRT circuit.

Robin Baloochi returns to competitive mountain bike racing after a small hiatus to further his schooling. Robin brings a wealth of knowledge, having been competitive on both the national & world cup circuit. Robin’s success in downhill and 4x will be a great asset to the team!

John Keep & Brad King are two young & extremely talented riders who will benefit from the experience of their teammates. John is a highly regarded downhill racer, having already accomplished his goal of California State champion in his first year as a professional. With great success at a variety of nationally recognized events, Brad will be a contender in the Junior category and make a strong bid for the US National junior downhill team.

“It’s a well balanced team,” stated Dylan Dean. “We have experienced riders, whom I have had the privilege of working with in the past, and a couple of young talents who can be developed in the perfect environment. Our focus will be here in North America, primarily the Pro Gravity Tour, where I am confident that we can perform extremely well. I look forward towards this inaugural season & working with our new sponsors!”

Official team sponsors and supporters will be announced at a later date.

The DRD Tomac team will make it’s official debut at the 2010 Sea Otter Classic, in Monterey, California. For more information on Dean Racing Development, please visit their website at www.dylan-dean.com,

For more information on Tomac Mountain Bikes, please visit their website at www.tomac.com.

So there is no denying that Bike magazine is the best MTB magazine in the world! It was the first magazine to take MTB photographers seriously and has featured some of the most creative writing ever written about riding on two knobbly wheels. And it’s no secret that early Buzz sections were what prompted me to stop shooting photos of skateboarders and take my camera on bike rides. Anyway… For December Bike has posted the Buzz section (their photo gallery) on Bikemag.com for downloading as desktop wallpapers. You can get yours here. I’m rocking a bit of Iceland at the moment.

Frankly Thursday with Peter Miller

How old are you?
23

Where do you live?
Invercargill

Who makes it possible?
Mum, Dad and Gladestone Cycles.

Wall Ride, Invercargil. Photo Caleb Smith

First bike?
Some random red and yellow BMX. I took the brakes off to make it go faster.

Who’s hot right now?
Girls – Megan Fox
Bikes – Kelly McGarry

What can you not live without?
My bike, cellphone, CDs, girlfriend and good beer.

Massive bar hop, Invercargill. Photo Caleb Smith

When you’re not riding bikes you are?
Plumbing, snowboarding, surfing or on ACC.

What are your favourite five albums?
Refused – The Shape of Punk to Come
AFI – Sing the Sorrow
Sommerset – Say What You Want
Against Me – As the Eternal Cowboy
Reel Big Fish – Our Live Album is Better Than Your Live Album

What are your favourite five video parts?
Darren Berrecloth – Kranked 5
Steve Romaniuk – The Collective
Matt Hunter – The Collective
Roam – The Whistler scene
Devun Walsh – The Resistance (old snowboard vid)

What’s wrong with mountain biking?
Riders having crap attitudes towards other riders. Councils not realising the potential for mountain biking especially  in Invercargill.

What’s right with mountain biking?
People that ride for the fun of it. The Queenstown scene.

Getting comfortable on the big line at the Frew Farm. Photo Caleb Smith

Who do you look up to?
Mat Hoffman, the crazy arse guys at X Games skating and riding the big air ramp, and anyone who’s doing what they want in life.

Ever worn Lycra?
Only under baggies for long XC rides, by itself is just offensive and should never be done by anyone (except hot girls).

What are your vices?
Expensive beers and CDs.

I just got this great e-mail from David Gordon in Hawkes Bay, where they have been night digging on a new trail inspired by Corners in Rotorua. It’s called Cannonball Lector and judging by the photos it looks like a lot of fun.

In a hope to inspire some action around the country we took some pics of the most talked about activity in the Eskdale Forest bike park—night digging.  Seems there aren’t enough hours in the weekend these days and it was getting harder and harder to rally a group of troops up to do work on our brain child—Cannonball Lector. So night digging was born. Tuesday nights every week we hand dig and/or dingo dig our track, usually a bunch of four or five volunteers and a dingo for two or three hours. Working in the dark is surprisingly similar to day digging but with the bonus of cooler temperatures, moist dirt and good times.  Just make sure you plan the track out with markers before it gets pitch black otherwise you could find yourself in the wrong gully!  And buy your lollies in bulk, you’ll need them.  Jet Planes were the best after careful trial and error.

The idea for the track itself was after a session at RotoVegas. Inspired by the track Corners, we set out over a beer and a Breakers meal to design a track that would be flowing and technical, the longest track in the park, plus be kick-ass.  Guns blazing, we set out to ask for permission to build the proposed track.  After the necessary spark tests on our machines to prevent fires, we rendezvoused with Pan Pac head staff at the proposed site and 37 days later we were bureaucratically ready to rumble and into our first dig.  Three solid Sundays later it was disappointingly and surprisingly slow going; even with a team of sometimes ten people and a dingo it was not going how we pictured it. We got to our first milestone though, confident we had pulled off an epic achievement of pure man-made ecstasy of at least 2kms of track—only to find a measly 800m on the bike speedo. Fast forward to today. After yesterday’s night dig and an absurd 500hours of combined labour hours and 50hours of machine time, we are close to linking 3kms of singletrack. Two more night digs and it’ll be done.

Thanks to the HBMTB club and Pan Pac for trusting us between the young seedling pine trees.  Thanks to all the volunteers that have helped put their mark on the track with a spade.  But thanks especially to Rotorua, where the original four guys, Chris Brownlie, Tom Clark, Kirk Smith and myself were inspired by the country’s best singletrack.  Keep up the good work and it’s harder than it looks to build tracks!

Blinky looked fast but something obviously happened and he finished in 11th. With Peaty’s flat, the overall leaderboard has changed a little and  everything is a hell of a lot tighter now, with Minnaar taking the lead from his team mate. Good to see both Justin and Sam still in the top ten!

Justin hammering it through the rock garden