Born on the Shore - The Banshee Bikes Blog

Forrest Riesco at Canada Cup Rd.1

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Hello,

This past weekend I placed 4th at the first round of the Canada Cup series in Quebec! I was very happy with my result as it was my first national race as an Elite.

I had a little over-the-bars crash first day of practice on Friday, and tweaked my wrist. It was an annoying little injury, but I taped it up and was able to go for two runs Saturday. I also found a Ergo grip, the ones with the extra palm support, which cushioned my wrist and made it possible to ride.

I put down a solid race run Sunday and surpassed my goal of a top five finish. My placing got me UCI points towards racing more World Cups as well as gaining me points to work towards qualifying for World Championships at the end of the season.

My new Banshee Legend was awesome the whole weekend. Had lots of good comments on the colour and how "sick" it looked.

I am off to Fort William, Scotland next week for the first round of the World Cup series, then I'm headed to Val di Sole, Italy for the second World Cup. Can't even explain how excited I am! It will be amazing to ride those WC tracks, and I am very stoked to have this opportunity.

Here is a short video by Vincent Allard of the race weekend. There are a few shots of me in it (24 sec, 1:11), including the podium at the end.www.pinkbike.com/video/313111

Team Geronimo at Ranchstyle Dual Slalom

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:20:00 +0000

The ranch is situated on private landowners property and the slope style and dual slalom are both rider built. The venue is situated about 25 minutes above Grand Junction on Little Park road and the courses are incorporated within the scrub brush high alpine desert to make both of the slope style and dual one of a kind. Once we returned to our Kelty tent city we cooked up some serious race fuel in preparation for the always exhausting slalom race to come.

Teammate Jess Pedersen joined us for the dual and between the both of us, over the past 3 years we have accumulated podium finishes every year and were looking to do that once again. The course was pretty much the same minus some minor changes, so I was pretty confident going into qualifying. The aggressive trail riding style mixed with some rhythm that makes up the course in around 50 seconds suites all of our riding styles and we were ready to give it a go, especially since the track was packed and pretty tacky compared to past years.

I was one of the first riders to line up for our 1 run qualifier that I have held top spot of the past 2 seasons and I was looking to make it a 3rd. I snapped out of the gate and navigated the tight turns and berms letting it go towards the end taking a few chances and ultimately one too many as I boxed the 2nd to last berm overcooking it and punching my hand hard into a tree. I quickly got up and finished but once I took me glove off my throbbing hand I discovered a very deep gash below my knuckle on my middle finger of my left hand. A big thanks to Jamie at Shimano for coming to rescue by playing temporary medic until the EMT's finally found me and got me cleaned up.

My day was done as I was on my way down to the ER as Jess and Michael were finishing up with qualifying. Jess set himself up well qualifying in 2nd and Michael kept it smooth but made some mistakes and qualified in the back of the pack. As the X Rays came back negative Michael got knocked out in the first run by eventual race winner and while I was getting stitched up Jess was knocking rider after rider off on his way to the final. Splinted and bandaged I arrived just in time to watch Jess roll through the finish aboard his Rampant .05 of a second from winning it all as he finished 2nd place on the day in an insanely close finish.

Overall it was another successful Ranchstyle for Team Geronimo with Jess picking up the slack and Michael representing well in my absence. I was extremely bummed to have been sidelined, but feel very fortunate that I will be returning and competing soon as the first of the NAET Enduro Series and Oregon Enduro series kicks off in Hood River next weekend. In the meantime, its time to recover, then put it into high gear and continue to improve our fitness levels as an onslaught of Enduro racing will be upon us soon.

Fire & Ice

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:11:00 +0000

Last winter was an unusally long and snowy one. Still in April all of the surrounding mountains
were covered with snow. Despite that fact Martin came up with a "good" idea:
Riding with our bikes up a well known mountain near Graz, stay for the night
in a tent and head for the downhill the next morning!
Martin H. was also crazy enough to join us. ;-)

We knew that the weather was going to be bad - about minus 2°, tense fog and snowfall ...
We were all surprised how much snow there was on this mountain (1445 m a.s.l.).
30" of snow everywhere and we had the 6th of April!

After riding up and some fooling around on a kind of ski slope we searched for a good place
to put up our tent. Martin was eager to build a igloo, so we shoveld like crazy, good thing was
it kept us warm. Meanwhile we tried to start a fire, which took us a long time because
of the snowfall. After hours of digging we compared our nearly finished igloo with our tent ...
the tent looked much more comfortably!

The night wasn´t that cold as feared (because my sleeping bag is only good for about +5°),
anyhow we got up before 6 o´clock, slipping in our cold clothes and frozen shoes.

The bikes were covered with ice, the brakes and the suspension needed some time
till they worked properly.

The downhill was great, a nice singletrack and the cold snow had a good grip.

If you ask yourself why are our backpacks so small?: There is a cablecar on this mountain,
so we transportated the big parts with it.

All in all it was a real good trip, something you will remember for a long time!

Words and pictures from Horst Gamsjäger. You should check out his blog Silly lines for some epic riding stories!

Team Geronimo at the 2013 Ranchstyle LTR Enduro

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:54:00 +0000

A week of wet and rainy weather dampened the desert dirt and made for some awesome riding this year for Ranchstyle. Grand Junction is home to some of the best trails in Colorado and I was excited to sample a classic that has somehow eluded me, The Ribbon Trail. This high speed slickrock ribbon of trail dropped us down below of Little Park Rd where we would climb up to and connect to the Gunny Loop Trail. Before the weekend even started I felt satisfied finally checking that trail off my list, but I'll be back as it was a blast.

Once Up on the Gunny Loop it was time to get into "race mode" and pay attention during our pre-ride. The track starts at the Little Park parking lot and descends 700 feet over 4 miles to the valley floor and is littered with single and double track with some seriously fun downs and lung busting uphill climbs near the finish line. I felt strong over the 11 miles of total riding for the day and looked forward to the fallowing mornings Live Train Race Enduro. It was Michael's first day back on the bike and out of the snow, so he was stoked to get the tires rolling once again and is looking forward to the season.

An early morning beckoned as we rolled up to the line for a 9am start, but the sun was shinning and all competitors were ready to ride. This event is a local, smaller regional event, but with some heavy hitting competition, this would sure be a great early season test and great training opportunity to build upon. After watching "Rad" Ross Schnell blast off in front of me I had some serious motivation to give it my all, but after sprinting off the line in 1 minute intervals I found my rear tire drifting off the trail and I came to a complete stop. After re-starting I tried to pace myself for the grueling uphill climbs that loomed near the finish, but after 13 minutes of sustained riding I didn't quite have enough towards the back stretch and faded in the last few minutes, crossing the line with a time of 16 minutes and change feeling a little out of sorts and out of shape (In comparison to Schnell who crushed the field with a sub 15 minute time), but finishing in 5th place. Michael was rolling flat pedals and still getting time in on the bike and spent the race enjoying his ride and testing bike setup as he came down in 12th place. We both thoroughly enjoyed the racing but realized that we have some room for improvement in the fitness department so we spent an additional 20 miles riding Lunch Loops with Ross as he guided us and friends around his local rides.

Team Geronimo's Brian Buell at the Enduro Cup in Moab

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Tue, 07 May 2013 01:06:00 +0000

As soon as the schedule was announced I circled the event thinking that the Enduro Cup in Moab would be a great early season test for myself and my bike. I actually committed to the full 3 race series in anticipation of the Canyons Enduro that is apart of the NAET series and another venue that is TBD. Since coming back from NZ I haven't gotten as much ride time as I would have liked due to a lengthy winter that dumped snow on me so I went into this race knowing that I may be at a slight disadvantage due to the lack of saddle time, but I would treat it as a training weekend and also a great opportunity to gauge myself against the rest of the competition.

Team Geronimo's mechanic John Hartmann and I made our way out from Carbondale Colorado to the dry, sandy desert of Moab, Utah. Moab is definitely a major mountain bike destination that I have been to a lot, but I was extremely excited to be riding trails that I have yet to explore. The race took place up Gemini Bridges Road and there was a grand looking start/finish line and rider village that greeted us Friday afternoon. I came out a day early to do a pre-ride on the different segments to see what the fallowing day had in store and after riding at a party pace I realized that it was going to be a very physical race day. The race course was broken up into 4 race stages and 9 stages in total counting transfer roads and connector trails. The course started at the Magnificent 7 trailhead and would take races along Upper and Lower Bull Run that overlooked massive canyons and slick rock playgrounds. The terrain was very undulating with a lot of steep pitchy climbs. This portion of the trail composed segment 1 and 2, section 3 was Arth's Corner that started at another small trail hub that also encompassed the start of Great Escape and segment 4. In general all timed segments were between 1.5-2 miles long, but they were extremely rough and tough on mind, body and bike.

A crack of the dawn shotgun 7:30 start saw us off and up the first transfer road to Bull Run and the first timed segment. Being from a gravity background, rubbing elbows with the likes of JHK, Ross Schnell and many other shaved legged high posters I felt a bit out of my element as we party paced in a large peloton. I knew that strategy was going to play a role in how my performance would shake out, but I wasn't set on one going into the race so I changed it on the fly depending on how I was feeling. After racing a strong first stage I shook out the legs and started stage 2 almost immediately after as I was feeling good. The second stage was more anaerobic and since racers had the choice of when they would like to go I made a full recovery before lining up for stage 3. Stage 3 was tough, but I had enough in the tank to really go for it on stage 4 and the final race segment. The majority of the trails required a strong focus on vision, looking ahead was key as trying to ride em at 100% was tough proposition. It was a balancing act for me trying to keep it pinned but still on the trail as the slickrock was flanked on both sides by tire grabbing sand. It was a very unique race and something that I've never really been apart of before. The vibe like most enduro's was very laid back, but once I heard that starting beep it was full on for around a total of 25 minutes of combined race time in just under 7 miles.

I never really found my rhythm and was still testing some bike setup, but I was incredibly consistent posting a 9th, 10th, 12th and 13th in the 4 stages for a respectable 9th Place overall in a pretty stacked field of extremely talented riders and a former Olympian.

KS link bike sag charts

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:47:00 +0000

I've had a few requests for sag charts for the KS link bikes. Most people get confused between shock sag and suspension sag... they are not the same.

It is important to set sag specifically for the frame, and not just assume that 30% shock sag = 30% suspension sag, because that is very rarely true.

Below you will find simple graphs that outline how shock compression equates to suspension sag within recommended range.

Remember to be constant when setting the sag. Next to a wall for balance get into riding position fully kitted up (pads, backpack with contents, helmet etc etc) and carefully make sure not to overcompress the suspension from this position as you get off. Then once off the bike, measure the gap between the o-ring and the shock seal to get shock compression at sag point. There is no such thing as an optimal sag for everyone, it depends on the individuals riding style and the terrain and speed that they ride at, so have fun experimenting and find what works best for you!

Briand Buell takes on New Zealand

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 17:56:00 +0000

Brian Buell has been down in New Zealand Training and testing for the better part of a month now and has just completed his first race weekend of the year. Below is his race report, it sounds like it was one for the record books:

Brian sprinting out of the start gate on stage 2

Deep in the heart of the Wairoa Gorge outside Nelson, New Zealand lies the most developed, and in my opinion the best trail system I have ever experienced yet nobody has ever heard of it. This private bike park that is in its final stages of development was opened for the first time to the public this past weekend as it was host to the Dodzy Memorial Enduro. Finding your way to the venue was half the battle, and once you arrive on the property you are greeted by some of the steepest hillsides that all converge on the Wairoa river below. It was hard to imagine building bike trails in this unforgiving landscape, however what I saw that weekend opened my eyes on what can be built if provided with the proper resources and trail building knowledge. This race was held in tribute to Dodzy, the mastermind behind this trail building operation and a prominent figure in the NZ mountain biking scene. The race sold out, but I was instructed to sign up immediately once I arrived in NZ as this was an event/experience not to miss.

Everyone was buzzing come Saturday morning as fellow riders of all levels lined up promptly, early in the morning to fetch a shuttle ride up to get their chance to sample what all of the talk was about. The shuttle ride was a fantastic adventure in itself as the Land Rover's powered riders up out of the valley floor, climbing thousands of feet to our drop off point and stunning views of the Ben Nevis region. Groups of riders had to be organized and led by a Guide. These guides are also the trail builders and without their guidance trying to navigate and find a comfortably safe pace down the trails would be a tough proposition. I cannot describe how impressed I was as a fellow trail builder with the quality of work that these builders put into this place. They went above a beyond, utilizing the great resources that they had at hand to make many of our dreams a reality. In short, these trails were the most flowy and fun works of art I have ever lied eyes on. It was all built with a purpose and every turn complemented the next while the use of steep hillside was blended together to create what felt as a giant pump track no matter what type of trail difficulty and terrain. I could gush about these trails all day and the amount of trails seemed endless, but it being a race weekend my focus was between the tape and the trails I needed to do my best to conquer.

I was in the que promptly at 8:30 and didn't stop riding until last shuttle mid afternoon. I was told by a fellow rider that I had the most massive grin on my face after my first run, however I've probably never seen so many people giggling and grinning ear to ear. The best part about New Zealand is that you cannot pinpoint exactly one type of terrain even in a small area as the landscape constantly changes between all climate spectrumes. So the trails were all varied and you had to be a true all mountain rider to really master them all without worry. I completed 4 runs on the day top to bottom and each one felt better than the rest as I latched tight on the back wheel of some insanely quick guides and did my best to learn the trails and pick out points of interest all the while riding on the limiter. I was slightly concerned for the safety of some lesser ability riders due to the dangerous and exposed pitch, but these trails proved to hold up and wear in well as only a few bumps and bruises were sustained on what was unanimously felt as the best day of riding ever! Everyone gathered later in the heart of Nelson to share a brew and exchange stories of the day, and to also come together in celebration of Dodzy's life.

The sun had yet to hit the valley floor before we were being whisked away back up the hill for our first race run of the day. The racing format consisted of 3 timed race runs and the combined provided the overall race winner. Coming into this race weekend I didn't have any big goals as I had only been on the bike for a week, but I felt like I got a solid training block in while in Queenstown and was keen to give it my all and to see what my new Banshee Prime could do. One goal that I did set for myself was to just ride rather than racing these trails as the consequences of riding off trail could be spectacular. I nearly missed my start as I was chatting with newfound friends up top and taking in the views, but once I was in the gate and pushed off I quickly found the zone. This windy, tight and rather slick track named Creamed Rice didn't leave anytime for the mind to wonder, only to react. I dove into the one steep and rooty right hander that I had highlighted and once clear, it was a blur of pine needles, rocky hardpack and one hell of a road sprint to the finish. The seeding was completely random, however the organizers tried their best to organize the fastest riders together, but being a rather unknown from the states I was slotted right into the mix and had to work my way through traffic and dust. After a stage 1 victory over a large field with world cup level riders, I was now known and once in the que for the 2nd run, riders situated themselves around me to help provide a clear path to the finish. Stage 2 started midway down the mountainside and riders quickly started moving in 30 second intervals. Holly greeted me at the start to get a shot of me sprinting out of the gate and onto a bench cut masterpiece that paralleled the steep and windy road down. The somewhat dry track called Kurtology wove between tight trees and had some incredible G outs and some sneaky line choice. My Fox Suspension absorbed every bump and the Prime accelerated like a drag racer after every pump. The trail dropped onto Quattro track, descending into the trees and valley floor while scenes of Jedi Speeder bikes ran through my head. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my racing career and I could not stop talking about it to fellow racers preparing to make their way up for their race runs. A short break to allow all riders a chance to make it down the hill and we were being shuttled back up for the third and final stage that would bring us all the way down the hill in one go. Starting on a trail named Slippery Waka(a large chicken like native bird) for its slippery and rooty nature and tough flat turns, this proved to be the hardest part of the race for me as I made numerous mistakes due to poor line choice. I was ecstatic and slightly anaerobic once I reached the flow trail of Bermed As. My quads and calfs burned as I pumped, jumped and cautiously navigated hairpin corners. The track is well ridden and fast, most likely a favorite afterwork ride by the trail builders, but it was real loose through the corners with renegade rocks just looking for a front wheel and heart to break. The end was in sight as I sprinted a blocks length of road and turned down onto Kidknappers, the 12 loosest, steepest, shall rock littered turns before the finish line sprint. My Shimano XT brakes eased my mind as I knew I could go hard into the corners without failure to slow up. The finish arena is extremely exposed, and the growing amount of spectators observing from across the road took in all of the excitement until the last rider made his way down making for a ruckus and wild atmosphere. I was extremely knackered as they say, and utilized the frosty river below the finish to relieve my screaming leg muscles, enjoy the days achievements and take in the wonderment of where my journey has led me so far.

The event was a huge success, the shuttles and timing ran like clockwork as the race promoters had all the logistics figured out. It was an honor to be apart of this event as it was inspiring to see how many people one man could bring together through his hard work and efforts in the mountain bike community. A BBQ feast ensued down by the river as riders splashed around, friends old and new told tales from their day and with the massive amount of swag available, it seemed like everyone came away with something, but everyone came away with huge ass smiles on their faces. After my first event of the year in the books I was pleased to find myself in 6th place overall, a near 5 seconds from 3rd with a combined time of 28:12. The weekend was a great success, in the midst of their summer I felt like I wasn't far of pace in my riding, however I could do to find a bit more fitness. This recaps the best race weekend of my life, wish you all could have been there, and for those that were I'll hopefully see you next year!

Results link: http://www.thetimingteam.co.nz/results/index.php?thread=1037926051

Race Coverage link: http://spokemagazine.com/2013/01/28/dodzy-memorial-enduro-epic-oh-and-results/

Thank you all for your support as we look forward to more racing adventures like this one in 2013.

Brian navigating a turn on Coronet Peak high above the river valley below and with the Remarkables in the distance

Taiwan by Storm - Vital MTB

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 06:32:00 +0000

Lee from Vital MTB and Stijn... one of the guys that works upstairs from me at the factory and also has a custom yellow Rune V2 that he was unable to build up for the ride, went for a chilly ride in the mountains of Taiwan... Lee narrates... enjoy the story

Taiwan By Storm — More Mountain Bike Photos

Fresh Perspective

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Fed up of the commercial front that often comes with reading mountain biking stories and product reviews? Then here is a new blog set up and run by riders purely for the sake of sharing their experiences, and love of the sport.

Check out themountainbikelife.com.

Here is what they have to say about their new blog.

Riders across North America share their love of

The Mountain Bike Life

A new blog is joining the blogosphere today with authors committed to sharing their love of The Mountain Bike life. More than just bike chat, this growing community will provide all original content on the many ways that mountain biking informs their lives - real cyclists posting stories of their lives.

The blogger and avid bike rider behind TheMountainBikeLife.com, Rivers Mitchell from Victoria, BC, created the site as a co-operative place for riders of all abilities and backgrounds to share their passion for mountain biking. Current authors hail from across North America and include one woman, and range from high school and university students to riders who have been in the mountain biking scene for more than 25 years, all bringing their own unique style and perspective to the blog.

Product and ride reviews are the foundations of all bike sites, but TMTBL will delve deeper, bringing the life to mountain biking. Author Shannon Whissell says “if you love a mountain biker, you learn to love the mountain bike life. One day you’re at yoga class, and the next thing you know you’re rolling down hill at at your local trails or turning your beach vacation into a trip to a bike park. As a new rider, I’ve been amazed to see how much more than a hobby this sport is.” This new site will focus on original content, honest product reviews, lifestyle and opinion pieces, enticing video and vivid photos.

We look forward to sharing The Mountain Bike Life with you and hope to see you out on the trails.

www.themountainbikelife.com

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:19:00 +0000

The 2013 Banshee Spitfire is available now...

2013 Spitfire Promo on Pinkbike

KS Link Geometry Settings

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:27:00 +0000

There are 3 different geometry settings possible on the new KS Link bikes (2013 Prime, Rune & Spitfire). The geometry is adjusted by swapping or flipping the 'flip chips' & 2 sets of chips are supplied with every frame - neutral & low/slack or high/steep. The flip chips are compatible with 135mm, 142 x 12mm, 150 x 12mm & 650B dropouts.

The following illustration explains how to orientate the chips to achieve the desired geometry setting.

Alan Hepburn in Australia

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:41:00 +0000

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Kevin Landry in the Mossoleum... Check out the full story on NSMB.com

Adison in the WBP

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 18:15:00 +0000

14 year old Banshee Factory shredder, Adison MacDonald takes us back to the summer with this Whistler Bike Park edit...

Addy and Nic on Pinkbike

Banshee Prime Leverage Curves

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 19:33:00 +0000

For those who may want to custom tune their shocks for the Prime, please see the the below leverage curve.

Have fun tinkering!

Keith

Banshee Rune/Spitfire Upgrade Program

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 15:09:00 +0000

To thank our customers for their loyalty to the brand, Banshee are currently offering an upgrade program for first generation Banshee Rune & Spitfire owners who are looking to upgrade to the new KS Link models. To find out more about the upgrade options are avaliable to you, please contact your local Banshee dealer for full details. If you do not have a local dealer, a list of distributors can be found on our website. If there's no distributor in your area, please contact us. The upgrade program is only available until 31st December 2012, so don't hang about.

Brian devours The Whole Enchilada

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Race report from Brian Buell - Team Geronimo

It was the middle of April at 7:55pm and I was preparing myself to pull the trigger on the most anticipated event of the year, I was one of the lucky 150 competitors that made the cut as the event sold out in less than 10 minutes. I knew this event was going to be something big as the race was still more than 4 months away! The reasoning for this anticipation is due to the classic venue and the trail system that the race course will be on. “The Whole Enchilada” is a combination of trails that start in the high alpine of the La Sal Mountain range and descend over 20 miles and 6,000 feet to the finish line near the bottom of the Porcupine Rim. Many will argue that this ride is one of the best EPIC rides in the country and the trails are all classic rides in the area making this event one for the ages.

After a pleasant 4 hour drive from El Jebel to Moab, Utah I was quickly whisked away by The Whole Enchilada Shuttle Company up Geyser Pass Road to the drop off at the base of the Burro pass climb. This 1,000 foot climb up the pass is short and sweet and elevates you to 11,300 feet before dropping in to a true high alpine downhill with extremely steep switchbacks and when wet like it was on this day, there are many tricky diagonal roots that are just waiting to trip you up. The descent mellows out and fallows a creek all the way down to the first climb through the brilliant gold and orange colors of the aspens just above Warner Lake. A sustained climb through some of the most picturesque and pristine aspen groves and valleys brings you too the start of Hazard County where the trail continues to climb until it levels out overlooking Castle Valley and Porcupine Rim. Many claim Hazard to be the highlight of the ride as it descends and flows through blue groove berms in an open scrub brush valley. Finally its time to rest, if you call flying down a portion of the well known Kokopelli double track trail at speeds hovering around 40mph scanning your peripheral for potential rogue cattle providing as extra trail features. The climate transforms multiple times en route to the desert and the start of Upper Porcupine Rim. The trail is full of short punchy sections and overlooks the valley below as it wanders through the technical mess of slick rock slabs, sand and juniper trees. Once past the Porcupine trail overlook the last leg is a brutal onslaught of high speed double track 90 degree rock slabs and short, technical sandy climbs. By this point the bike usually feels like a bag of bolts and hands about to fall off, luckily the finish line is right around the corner at the beginning of the Porcupine single track.

After eating a whole fish and lubing the chain I hit the hay Saturday evening with a 5:30am wake up call the fallowing morning. Every shuttle vehicle in Moab lined up and as soon as everyone’s bike was loaded it was up, up and away. The Harvest moon shone brightly as we ascended up the pass and towards the starting line. A quick pit stop later I was on the starting line for an 8am start. There was the 1,000 foot neutral climb to the top of Burro where the timed race started and many had different strategies on how they were approaching this climb. I decided to be as energy efficient as possible, so I allowed everyone to contend with each other to the top as I sat back, took in the morning light upon the glowing aspens and took it one pedal stroke at a time. Once I reached the top I clipped in and timed it so I didn’t have to wait in line to start, 30 seconds later I was descending through the shadows of Burro down, and within 5 minutes the race had taken its toll on multiple races as I cruised passed the riders scrambling to put their rides back together again. I had a good clean ride down and once I reached the first climb I had made up my mind to take it easy as it was very early in the race. My race strategy was to break the course up into 1000 mini sections and to take it one step at a time. The thought of racing this course was extremely daunting and without breaking it up and keeping my mind off the end result, I’m not sure I would have made it! Throughout the race my stoke meter would spike as I would pass another competitor and in technical sections the diehard spectators would amp you up with words and signs of encouragement. The race ultimately flew by and I had a smile upon my face the whole entire time, I really didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I had zero issues, unlike the dozen or so that I passed, tools laying about on the ground and sour faces Once I reached the finish line I was ready to go back up and do it all over again.

I might have given up a little bit of time by high fiving fellow competitors and hamming it up for the camera lens, but this is what this whole weekend was about, having fun with fellow friends and riding competitors in one of the most well known riding areas in the country. This Big Mountain Enduro Series has been extremely successful and the Enduro racing format is gaining big time popularity all over the mountain bike world. I’m extremely excited to dive head first into this world of Enduro racing and cannot wait for all of next years events. These events provide you so much bang for your buck and at the end of the weekend and the satisfaction of just finishing and not the result is what is going to keep bringing me back. What a fantastic way to wrap up the 2012 season, with a 13^th place to my name and a clean bill of health, I look forward to the winter months as I will be traveling down to New Zealand at the beginning of January for 2 months to ride in preparation for 2013.

Ride On!

Brian Buell

Eurobike Tour

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:56:00 +0000

Martin and myself are on our way to the Eurobike trade fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

We make a stop in Tirol for two rides, thanks to Thomas for shelter and guidance.

The first day we have to carry our bikes most of the time till we reach the top of

the mountain. Weather is perfect - as you can see on the photos below.

The downhill is mixture of (slick) rocks at the top and loose gravel in the midsection

of the mountain. To avoid the boring final downhill we make some extra altitude,

walking up to a smaller summit next to the main one. The reward for our effort

is a long singletrail with lots of flow down to our starting point.

This is one of the best rides I had this year!

On our second day we already start at 2000 meters above sea level. First part

was easy on a paved road, after that our bikes are mostly on our shoulders.

We are not reaching the summit, the last part is very steep and also there are to much

hikers on the trail, which is not a good thing when you are trying to ride a section

and always have to wait till the hikers have passed. (Here in Austria 99.9 % of the

trails are illegal to ride with a bike, so you always give way to a hiker)

The first 5 photos are from day one, the last 2 from the second day.

(Photos shot by Martin and myself)

-Horst

Ollie Jones lets his Legend MkII loose in Permberton, BC

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 02:34:00 +0000

Ollie Jones has become as much a Whistler Local as anyone with that accent could be (possible exception of my friend Spike Wallace!?). If you haven't seen what Ollie is capable of on a bike before, you need to look him up, but this is a example of what he can do in 7 hours in Pemberton.

Live To Ride: Ollie Jones Visual Treats on Pinkbike

Props to Nico T for the footage and editing, great vibe!

Team Geronimo at Colorado State Champs - Telluride

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:25:00 +0000

Brian Buell's Race report:

I packed up my bags, hitched the trailer up and got the wheels turning towards Telluride Mountain Resort for the 2012 Colorado State Championships. This small mountain town situated in the southwest corner of Colorado has played host to a World Cup and has been a mainstay on the Mountain States Cup circuit the past decade. The surrounding mountains tower above the historical mining town of Telluride, this place really is special and sometimes the views can even be distracting while trying to navigate down the course. The mountain has created a good system of trails in its developing bike park and the 2002 World Cup track still remains, but has seen quite a few facelifts throughout the years.

Two years have passed since I was last here and the track has since received some changes. The rocks in the landing of the road gap were to my delight removed and smooth rocks put in there place to provide an easy landing platform. Momentum Trail Concepts last year developed the bottom of the track with big berms, added track sections and time with steep chutes and tight turns. The weekend started out with some soaking rain that tacked up the riding surface creating hero dirt to end the day Friday. The rest of the weekend called for afternoon showers which could really shake things up if we were to race in the peanut butter.

There was once again a time trial Super D race that I chose to enter in for a bit of fun and practice towards the Big Mountain Enduro series later this year. There were a ton of dusty bermed turns and short sprints between to set the riders apart. It was a fun track to ride and I was excited to see if I could repeat my 1st place performance from last week. I had a great top section going and was riding well until I traversed across the open ski slope. I was looking ahead towards the entrance of the trees and then the off camber trail fell away beneath my wheels sending me sliding head first over the flesh searing rocks. After dusting myself off I hopped back on my bike with bars twisted 10 degrees to the left and rode hard the rest of the way to a 6th place finish only 4 seconds off the box and 10 from the win. As disappointing and painful as the race was I was stoked to see Teddy come across the line and finish 4th place overall less than a second off of 3rd.

Sunday morning rolled around and the aches from the previous evenings activities fallowed me up for my qualifying run. The rain had held off and the track was rough, fast and dry. I put together a clean qualifying run and ended up seeding in 2nd place .2 out of 1st. I knew I had to open it up throughout the turns and minimize mistakes for my final as I was tired from pedaling too hard out of every turn. Telluride local boy Jess rode very well in his first timed run since Angel Fire to seed 5th and Teddy who had been right on my tail seeded into 7th. With some good rides, we were looking at the possibility of 3 riders in the top 5, but first the Cat 1 15-18 junior riders were about to drop in. Both Roy and Tyler had crashed in their seeding runs and Roy was the first to cross the line and into the hot seat. He held the top position until Tyler crossed the line .05 ahead. Overall, Tyler would finish in 5th and Roy in 6th place. Congratulations to Roy who finished 2nd overall in the MSC Cat 1 15-18.

It was time to head back up the hill for my final run. In 2010 I had qualified 1st and was primed for a great finish and I ended up blowing my bead off the rim and awarded myself with an overnight stay in the Hospital. This thought had crossed my mind once or twice but I knew all I can do is ride and the rest will sort itself out. After congratulating the young junior rider who seeded 1st behind me, I set out of the gate far more focused and was riding exceptionally faster in the top section. I was riding loose, drifting past some of the spectators as I entered into the trees that took me down two years ago. I let out a little celebratory cheer as I smoothly rode past my old crash zone and blitzed into the rocks. I rode a slightly higher line than in practice and avoided many of the bigger rocks, but just as I thought I was in the clear, the all too familiar sound of the bead blowing off the tire rang true through the trees like a shotgun blast. At least this time I was still upright, body intact and ready to ride another day even though my day was done due to my rim losing the battle with a very sharp rock. Teddy had a safe run but left a little too much in the tank and finished 13th overall. Jess who had been gaining speed all weekend was looking for the podium but just fell short in 4th place overall, .8 off of the box.

It was another great weekend of riding and racing on some great tracks in arguably one of the most beautiful places in the country. There were some close calls and disappointment on my part with my DNF and fall in the Super D. The junior riders continued to impress and show their willingness to push themselves faster each weekend. Michael took this weekend off the rehab from a few bicycle get offs and to train for the upcoming Big Mountain Enduro Series races. Lear has been ripping it up in British Columbia, visiting Banshee headquarters and shredding hard in front of the camera. Thanks to all of our great sponsors for allowing us to perform at our highest potential and helping us reach our goals.

Ride On!

Brian

Banshee Prime Geometry - for production frames

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:38:00 +0000

I know that there are a lot of people out there trying to work out what size prime will be best for them. However, I'm not convinced you are all refering to the refined final geometry that will be used for the production frames. So I've attached it below for you to have a look at.
**Click to make bigger and more clear

VitalMTB - Rune V2 Exclusive first look.

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:04:00 +0000

The good guys over at Vital MTB got their grubby mits on one of our Rune V2 prototypes that we have been testing all year.... check it out.

Exclusive First Look: The All-New 2013 Banshee Rune v2 — More Mountain Bike Photos

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:05:00 +0000

Banshee Team rider Adam Brayton takes the win at BDS (British Downhill Series) #4 at Caersws on his Banshee Legend MkII.

Thats the second win in a row in the series for Adam, and he is now in 2nd overall for the series with 2 rares to go.

Blogs New look

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 03:57:00 +0000

Its been due for awhile but we have the blog back in action.
Look for the latest info here first.
We should have news on 2013 stuff up shortly so keep checking in.
BTW... that's Keith riding in his home - Scotland... looks like the sun does come out now and again.

Brian Buell's Winter Park Enduro Report

info@bansheebikes.com (Jay MacNeil) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 11:34:00 +0000

Brian's Race Report

While racing on the east coast, I was looking forward to this weekend. Before last years event I had never participated in an Enduro style event and I had some great success and couldn't wait to do it again. The weekend started off with a bang on Thursday in the Air DH where I took the top spot alongside teammate Jess who was right behind me in 2nd. I felt good as I was using this race as a warm up for the weekend, I was worried that I would still be fatigued from traveling and from the altitude, but I felt as fresh a daisy going into Friday.

The first race was chainless and very downhill oriented so I was extremely confident going into it especially since I smashed it last year. It was not going to be a repeat as I left too much on the course riding conservatively. I wanted to get off to a good start, but a few momentum killing mistakes and too much brakes left me playing catchup in 19th place after stage one.

The second stage was also very downhill oriented and once I put my chain back on I was determined to leave it all out on the track. I rode so much more aggressive and it paid off with a great 2nd place result. This moved me up from 19th place to 7th overall after the first day of racing.

Day two would be tough as the stages were getting longer with a lot more peddling. Stage three was an extremely fun track involving the air downhill course that I won on earlier in the week and finished on a freeride trail littered with jumps and drops. I once again put down a good run and was half a second off the top spot finishing 2nd again. This moved me up into 3rd place overall leading into stage four and the last of the mini stages.

Stage four had a good mixture of flow built into it but there wasn't anytime to relax. If I wasn't turning, I was churning and burning. There were two flat peddling sections including one that was named 300 yard walk, which was a road with a slight crown to crest over before bombing back down to the finish. This stage I gritted me teeth and put my head down for a well deserved 3rd place on the stage. This would move me into 2nd place overall going into the fifth and final stage.

The last stage would be a canon start, meaning that riders would start in the order of the overall and how many seconds behind each other they are. It was also going to be around a 25 minute race to the bottom with multiple climbs and slower trail conditions. The morning started with a 20 minute slog up the road from the top of the base lift, all racers had to get themselves to the top unassisted. This proved to be a nice little warm up to get the legs going before really putting them to the test. Going into the last stage I knew I had my work cut out for me in order to improve or to even stay in the top ten. I had done everything in my power to work out the fatigue 3 straight days of racing had put on my lower limbs and was going to leave it all out on the trail. Once the gun sounded I sprinted out of the gate with 3rd place behind me on my wheel. I rode hard for about 5 minutes but the momentum robbing roots and spongy conditions started to take their toll. I dropped back into 3rd place trying to pace the man in front of me but to my despair I had already hit my threshold and needed a recovery. Two more riders sprinted by me like I was standing still. In 5th place I tried desperately to find my rhythm again but it was too little too late. I had blown my legs and hit the wall and there were riders teaming up working together to get around me. My legs felt like cinder blocks as I made my way up the last climb in 8th which I would hold until a minute long road sprint towards the bottom. I gave it one final go but my 34 tooth combined with my lack of power output wasn't enough as I moved back into 10th place before the final plunge to the finish. Unlike the previous year, the last stage was extremely XC oriented suffer fest and did not bode well for me. I've been training and riding 3-5 minute World Cup downhills and I was not properly prepared to confidently ride to the best of my ability flat out for 25 minutes straight after multiple days of racing. I was still extremely pleased and proud to have put myself on the podium multiple times, scored a top 10 overall and in podium position amongst the whole North American Enduro contingency.

Ride On!

Brian Buell