Rider: Ian Morrison
Location: Whistler Mountain Bike Park
Frame rate: 1,000 fps
Live online premiere: May 24th 12:00pm PST – redbull.com/bike

Strength in Numbers is a rally call to connect all mountain bikers, regardless of location or language or discipline. The film captures a true way of life, from the world’s best pros to those who are just learning to love the sport. Shot over two years in some of mountain biking’s most iconic locations, Anthill’s signature style combines compelling stories with core action to create a shared experience that unites all riders. Come join us!

anthillfilms.com/strengthinnumbers

The Renovo Badash 29er wooden bike. Arguably the only wooden bike we have seen at Bike198 that actually looks like it can shred trail and Renovo sent one over for us to throw a leg over. These past few weeks…that is what I have done, so we need to take a look at how this unique bike performs on the trail. Does it ride as good as it looks?

Renovo is pretty unique. While other bike companies have gone the bamboo route, Renovo uses a series of hardwoods to build their bikes which include everything from time trial rigs to this 29er HT. This particular Badash 29er came out of the Red Stag series of frames made of New Zealand Radiata pine and hickory.

The craftsmanship is nothing short of amazing. The amount of work that goes into making sure this frame is as much of a work of art as it is a mountain bike is mind blowing. As soon as I took it out of the box, I knew it was something special. With a 5.5 pound frame weight and a $2,550 price tag, you would expect this to be a high end, boutique piece, but it over produces on the wow factor. From the way the wood is constructed and joined together to the internal cable routing, every inch of this frame is thought out and executed to perfection.

Honestly…it is almost annoying at times. You would think I pulled up to the trail in a bright orange Lamborghini Aventador the way other riders have to come up and see the bike. If you are going to ride one of these at the trail, get used to talking about it a lot.

The bike came spec’ed with SRAM X.9, Manitou fork and some Sun Ringle wheels. The SRAM X.9 package is rock solid and while the wheels are nothing to write home about…they would get the job done. The difficult part is the Manitou fork who’s performance can’t seem get into the 2000′s. The 20mm TA was good for my riding style but the action on the fork and the extreme annoyance of the 5 bolt process of the front axle makes me hate the fork.

Taking a look at the geometry, the Badash has a HT angle of 71 degrees. This falls right in line with most 29er hardtails in the industry, but with the supplied fork…we would measure this closer to the 70 to 69.5 degree end given the longer travel. This is noticeably slacker than more race inspired 29er hard tail frames that are closer to 71 to 72 degrees. While a shorter travel fork would help the tight handling of the bike, I believe this is the right setup as the 5.5 pound frame weight is going to keep this bike from ever being a light race inspired 29er. If you are not going to be a race bike, make the bike more capable on the downs without completely sacrificing the ups.

I wasn’t really sure what to think the first time I threw a leg over the Badash 29er. Was it going to ride like a steel frame? Was it still going to be stiff enough? My guess was that the wood would deaden small bumps making the bike vertically compliant but laterally stiff, but there was only one real way to tell…get it dirty.

My initial suspicions were correct. The wooden frame did a great job of softening stutter bumps in the trail. While the frame did not feel as dead as I thought it would, it behaved a little bit softer than steel. It was almost as if the hardwood was absorbing vibrations so I didn’t feel it in the saddle and grips. Normally this deadening comes at a price, but the bike did not feel loose either. The rear end tracked very well keeping traction through g-outs and off camber turns. The stiffness of the frame in hard load situations was there as much as a steel frame but not quite as much as aluminum. If I had to compare apples to apples…it was almost like a well built carbon frame from that aspect.

While the bike was not overly heavy, it was not as nimble on the climbing end as a typical light hardtail. The frame characteristics described above did a great job of keeping grip, but when you stand up to hammer…that lunging forward feeling wasn’t quite there. Honestly, I do not see anyone seriously racing this frame, so that is not as much of an issue. But, it is something to be prepared for as you hit the trail.

When you get headed downhill, the bike really comes alive for a 29er hardtail. I was able to take this bike off of drops, jumps and through technical downhills with ease. The vibration damping characteristics of the frame made it almost seem like there was an inch of rear wheel travel aiding during the run. Like I mentioned before, this did not come at the cost of lateral stiffness either. The bike tracked very well and was even comfortable in the air with flatter landings. This bike can really take a beating and I was not expecting that at all. Normally I hate running hardtails on DH runs but I slammed the seat down and shredded it. Was I as fast as my suspension bikes? No, but I wasn’t itching to get back to XC trail either.

Overall: The Renovo Badash 29er Wood Bike

This bike is obviously not for everyone. If you are looking for something truly unique that still can be pushed like a real mountain bike should, the Renovo Badash 29er is exactly that. As you can tell with my Wolfhound, I am a sucker for works of art that can also be ridden out on the trail. When you roll up with a Badash 29er, you get a lot of comments like “I wouldn’t even ride that it is so nice” and “Is that seriously made out of wood?!”. It truly is a unique piece of art that can take a beating on the trail. It will not be a race bike or a brillant climber, but it will be an incredibly fun bike that you can not see anywhere else.

Bikes are made to be ridden and I had a great time with the Badash 29er from Renovo during the period it graced our stable. It is truly the only wooden mountain bike I have ever ridden that I actually enjoyed riding as much as staring at it. The hardwoods do a great job of absorbing vibrations that rattle your teeth loose on aluminum frames and the bike is surprising capable on the downhills (as we had to record on video below as proof).

For more information on the Renovo Badash…check out RenovoBikes.com.

As part of the evenings festivities, we typically head back to a small DH/FR area and session for most of the night. We get in some great climbing while getting the added benefit of a big payoff on the way down. After about a dozen or so runs (the DH run only takes 43 seconds if you are pinning it), we finish out the XC loops and head to a great Mexican restaurant afterwards.

Last Tuesday, I decided I was going to go for broke. Thanks to Strava, we have a segment on the gully run of the downhill, so it is always a battle for the top spot. I held it for a long time but a friend of mine came back and dropped me by a second. It was time to drop the hammer and put down a hot run to reclaim the top spot.

The bike felt great on the climb up so I decided to make the first run of the day my Strava segment crusher. Those of you that have been riding for more than 5 minutes already know that the first or last run of the day is the last run you ever want to make a balls out timed hammer. I went against my better judgement and came manualing across the start line at full tilt ready to show everyone how incredibly awesome I am after my upload and subsequent post to Facebook that night.

The first turn hit and it was much looser than previous days. The hot days of Atlanta have settled in a grip was at a minimum. The front end of the bike completely left me and it was yard sale city. When the dust settled, I had a completely road rashed arm, chunk out of my hip, bruised up legs and a broken brake lever on the bike. My night was over before it even started and I officially had my first SIW (Strava Induced Wreck). I packed up my ego and headed home with mangled bike and body.

That weekend…

So…instead of resting like I should, I decided to grab another bike and head out to Stanley Gap on Saturday for a ride we had planned for awhile. I wasn’t quite 100% yet obviously but what the hell…I wasn’t missing out on my favorite area to ride in GA. The day started off badly. An unknown mechanical wasted half of my energy up the first climb and I was quickly realizing that my body might not be ready for several thousand feet of elevation gain on the day.

I ended up cutting most of the ride short in preparation for the last downhill to try to at least salvage something out of the day. The last 7+ minute downhill finally came and again I was ready to hit it at full tilt. My legs were trashed but I was still managing to keep some speed down the hill and through the technical sections.

About 3/4 of the way down the hill…it happened…

Right calf cramp in an off camber, washed out corner, at speed. I hit the ground fast. When the dust finally settled on that wreck, I was left with a broken rear spoke and saddle but I appeared to be fine other than my glasses and helmet visor far away from me. Then I finally got home and realized that my elbow was sollen up and my face had bruises. Both sides of my body were beat but no hospital trips so that is a win (funny how we try to make wrecks positive…that means I can ride right?!)!

Now…with two broken bikes and some time off the bike…that 5 day stretch is leaving me feeling like I just went rounds with Tyson. For some odd reason, my brain is actually telling me it is ok to ride even though commonsense is stepping in with the reality that if I push myself now…the 3rd one is going to be a hospital trip.

Why do wrecks come in series?

For as long as I can remember riding (seriously riding since the early 90′s), my wrecks have always come in series. I’ll have months of worry free shredding to come across a week or several weeks of doing nothing but hitting the ground. Sometimes they are bad and end up in hospital visits. Other times it is just an annoying set of seemingly lost rhythm that can not be shaken. Either way, it ends up coming then going away with no real reason why.

Does the first wreck start a mental breakdown that causes the second? Is my body just not ready and I push it too hard? Is there an uncontrollable force in the biking world that creates this phenomenon? Have I lost “the force”?

At first, I thought it was just me, but if you ask riders across the world, they will tell you the same thing. Wrecks breed wrecks and it takes several solid, wreck free runs to get out of the cycle.

Whatever causes it, I am in the uphill battle of getting out of the rut and getting the focus to clean runs that keep the rubber side down. That might require me to slow down a bit which is my hardest hurdle in life. Either way…I have to quit hitting dirt.

Wreck image by milton1055 from the Bike198 Flickr Group

Busy day in and day out throughout the winter, Projekt Roam held on to their Silver Star film footage. Now, in the clutches of spring fever, Projekt Roam has put together their Silver Star Bike Park edit in hopes of getting fellow riders amped for summer biking season. Silver Star offers lift accessed, progressive trails, no crowds, crisp, alpine-scented air, expansive views; what more could a rider ask for?
For more info, please visit gravityrideguide.com

Sit back, relax and enjoy dreaming away with this clip. It is worth every second.

This video features my good friend Jeremy VanSchoonhoven. He was a finalist last year on America’s Got Talent! He is a professional Trial Bike rider.

He performs all over the world. And you can book him for an event through his manager. Here is her contact info.

monica.warnockmoore@gmail.com

Stephen Anderson wrote the score specifically for this video. You can download the song on iTunes in the link below.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/moab-single/id472783907

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-game-single/id467424860

You can also contact him here.

http://www.stephenjanderson.com

Film was made by Devin Graham

I’m on facebook now!! https://www.facebook.com/devinsupertrampyoutube
And don’t forget to add my Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/devinsupertramp

We filmed this in Moab. Over the course of 4 days.

Shot on a Canon 5D Mark II.

As far as making the camera look like it was “flying”, I used a glidecam 2000 HD for all those shots. You can check out the exact model on their official website below where you can also buy them, and I don’t get paid to say that

http://www.glidecam.com/

I also go over a lot of camera questions I get asked in my blog right below in case you have more questions

http://devingraham.blogspot.com/

For BUSINESS ENQUIRERS ONLY, you can contact me at this email.
devinsupertramp@gmail.com

On a side note…it is really cool to see the trials side of mountain biking start to pick up steam again.

Shot 100% on the GoPro HD Hero2

Riding clip from my trip to France, shot in Grenoble.

Follow my fan page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mikesteidley

Hit the gear on the bottom right of the video to change it to 1080p HD.

Ironically, during this time I was actually going through physical therapy for my back. I have degenerative disc desease and it had gotten bad enough at the time that I was off the bike completely and going to PT twice a week. During physical therapy, we were working on getting what was left of my discs set back to where they are supposed to be then started working on my core strength so it would act like a back brace keeping everything together. Part of the treatment was exercises and the other part was electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) on the muscles in my lower back.

I receive the package from Contour and what is the ab belt actually made of? Gel pads that are nothing but the same EMS technology I was getting at physical therapy. What started off as a joke got serious really quick as I started looking into ways I could use the Contour Ab belt to get me back on the bike quicker. A quick call into Contour and they sent off their back accessory to use with the kit. I now had the one part of physical therapy I could not do at home…at home.

What is EMS?

The impulses are generated by a device and delivered through electrodes on the skin in direct proximity to the muscles to be stimulated. The impulses mimic the action potential coming from the central nervous system, causing the muscles to contract. The electrodes are generally pads that adhere to the skin. EMS is cited by renown sport scientists as complementary technique for sport training, and published research is available on the results obtained.

The ab belt came with a host of videos and instructions. Most of this information was centered around exercise and proper diet which we all know is the real secret that is combined with exercise to increase muscle strength and burn fat. All of these people that order this thing with the hope they can sit on the couch eating potato chips and ice cream and still have 6 pack abs are going to be sorely disappointed as Contour basically tells them you can’t get results without changing your life.

Of course, I wasn’t really looking for 6 pack abs (even though my wife wishes that would be my goal). I needed to get back on the bike and my little experiment might actually help me get there faster.

Using the Contour Ab Belt is weird. If you have ever had EMS treatment before, you know exactly what I am talking about. The entire process feels unnatural and if you turn up the juice enough it actually hurts (No pain no gain right? Sorry…couldn’t help it). The contractions in your muscles are supposed to help strengthen those areas. As mentioned above, it is a simple process that has actually seen results in labs and on the field. I hooked myself up per the instructions and kept to a routine.

Included with the kit is a preprogramed controller that also adjusts the intensity of the unit. In the instruction manual, there are plans laid out with specific programs attached so you can work your way through the system and start off easy before turning up the juice and program later. All of it is easy to figure out and use with the manual and the LCD screen on the controller unit itself.

Did I get 6 pack abs?

No…not yet. My diet needs to change first as I am still a sucker for ice cream and cheeseburgers. I am just lucky enough to have a metabolism that burns that crap off fast enough to keep me at a healthy weight.

However, the ability to keep my therapy consistent was key in me getting back on the bike faster. I was actually able to stop PT a little bit early and start pushing myself because I was able to continue this treatment at home. For that, the Contour Ab Belt (I just call it my at home physical therapy) was invaluable and I am glad I took on this review in part as a joke. It does help strengthen your core muscles as described. You aren’t going to end up like the guy or girl you see in their promotional videos without some serious work in other areas, but if you goals are defined and realistic…I do believe it has value. It definitely did to me given my situation at the time.

I will be continuing to use it when I have soreness and flareups to try to prevent being on the bike for prolonged periods of time again. After all, if the technology is good enough in a PT office…why shouldn’t I use it at home as well?

Where can you get yours? Click here.

Yesterday we featured some XC riding…so we might as well hit up the opposite this morning. Darren Berrecloth did this short for Degree (so…yes…you will see a promo at the end and it does seem really scripted) on some insane terrain in Cameron, Arizona.

I can’t even really fathom hitting up this area and riding it. Knowing that video flattens terrain, this area must be insanely steep and loose. He even looks like he is skiing down half the hill.

What first struck me as unique about the Funkier Hawk was the length of the short. While there are definitely other short manufacturers that have released longer shorts for the mountain biking community, the way the Funkier Hawk tapered and catered to those riders looking for something a little bit longer is just about dead on.

For riders like me that have crazy long femurs, many of the baggies that come to market can seem a little bit short…not the case with the Funkier Hawks that came to my kneecap will riding. The lower portion of the shorts are actually even sewed so they fall in line with your knees as you ride. The bottoms also feature velcro to adjust the width of the opening at the bottom which I basically just left alone. One issue I did have with the lower leg opening was that is isn’t quite wide enough to go over larger knee pads like the Kyle Strait’s from 661. They should be find over the EVO’s and other lower profile pads.

The outer shorts are made out of 100% nylon which makes for a light and durable shell. Through wrecks, slides and general trail beating, the shorts still look like new every time I grab them out of the wash. The construction of the outer shell is also not bulky or overly thick, so movement while riding is not inhibited. There are also two zippered front vents that allow for air passage if you are riding on a really hot day. The back of the knee sections are even vented which helps with a short that is 3/4 length like this.

Overall, there are 6 total pockets (2 back, 2 cargo, 2 side) that will hold more than you probably want to carry while riding out on the trail. That many pockets does give you the ability to pick where you want to put gear but I would never fill them all up with anything. The front button is secure and there was a draw string on the inside for adjustment…until it fell out in the wash…with elastic built into the waistband. If I really needed more adjustment there are belt loops but the shorts fit fine as is.

The review set came in with Funkier’s BS622 E2 Boxer Shorts internals. The lower leg grips kept them stable while there were also attachement points at the top fo the shorts to the shell to keep the Hawks from riding low while on the bike. The chamois on this set actually felt HUGE at first. I can remember putting them on for the first time thinking I really didn’t even want to walk in them, but after a couple of rides they broke in and were more comfortable. I found them capable for really long rides but a little bit too much padding for just a quick spin in the woods. The material itself dried quickly on warmer days which did aid in the overall comfort.

When I look for a mountain bike baggie that I want to wear…there are basically several features that need to be in place. They need to be light enough so I don’t overheat in the southeast US during the summer. They need to fit my style. And they need to be comfortable enough for multiple styles of riding. After being on the Funkier Hawk 3/4 mountain bike shorts for awhile, I can see why they have won multiple Eurobike awards. They hit all three of those for me with the only downside that the leg openings are a little small for big pads. They are also great for riders like me that have long femurs and need a little bit longer short.

However, that does come at a price. The Hawk’s retail for $94.95 which does price them out of the market for a lot of riders. Every year I run across one mountain bike apparel item that I want to wear on every ride. This year…the Hawk’s have been the pair of shorts I do not want to ride without.

To pick up yours…hit up FunkierBikeUSA.com.