The Friday of Crankworx Rotorua served up a sunny Speed & Style for spectators and athletes alike. Clear skies and perfectly packed dirt on a freshly revamped Speed & Style course had the best mountain bikers on the planet challenged and inspired in the first broadcast event at Skyline Rotorua. The new Speed & Style course features an updated lower rhythm section, newly positioned jumps with a step up for big air and big tricks, ready to challenge some of the best mountain bikers on the planet. The day started with qualifiers of 13 Elite Women and 33 Elite Men. Reigning…
Author: Tomas
Another exciting day unfolded at the big 10-year anniversary of Crankworx Rotorua. The lineup drew a big crowd to Skyline Rotorua, where spectators witnessed the first training session of men and women for Sunday’s Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza, as well as the training and qualifiers for Saturday’s Crankworx Rotorua Pump Track Challenge. Putting a cherry on top of today’s busy schedule, the AirDH and the Official New Zealand Whip-Off Championships took place, where riders were whipping their tails into the scenic sunset above Lake Rotorua. Crankworx Rotorua AirDH Winning the AirDH, Ryan Gilchrist was followed by fellow…
After facing wet conditions during the track walk and training sessions on Friday, the weather was in favour of athletes and trail builders alike. Exposed to plenty of sunshine throughout the weekend, the Taniwha trail in Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa forest was in pristine condition for the first Crankworx event of the year, marking both the kickoff of the Crankworx World Tour and the exhilarating 10-year anniversary of Crankworx Rotorua. Some of the world’s top athletes gathered to compete on the iconic volcanic soil of Aotearoa. Local athletes proved to be unbeatable, with Rotorua’s own Lachie Stevens-McNab and Eliana Hulsebosch from nearby Tauranga…
fizik kicks off the Olympic year with a new shoe model dedicated to cross-country mountain biking, cyclo-cross and gravel. The Vento Proxy scores with low weight, comfort, and stability for riders of all levels, whether training or racing. The new shoes perfectly blend into the Italian brand’s signature style, with fashionable colors for off-the-beaten-track riding. fizik expands its range of Vento shoes for mountain biking. This Spring, the saddle and shoe specialists launch the Vento Proxy, ideal for cross-country, cyclo-cross and gravel. The new model’s outsole construction is inspired by the Vento Ferox, the line’s premium model. It features a…
Sitting firmly inside the top five FMB World Tour rankings, Erik Fedko is no stranger to the highest reaches of slopestyle. Starting his 2023 campaign in New Zealand, it all kicks off with a session at the famous Gorge Road dirt jump spot in Queenstown, NZ. After getting acclimatized to the South Island scene, it was time to prepare for the first FMB slopestyle event of the year – Crankworx Rotorua. Along for the Ride takes you through the highs and lows of Fedko’s slopesyle season. Far from perfect and plagued with injuries early on, this insight takes a deep dive…
Avail Optics is kicking off the 2024 season with an Emil Johansson signature goggle. The brand-new sports eyewear and goggles specialist from the UK has just announced athlete partnerships with Red Bull Rookie of the Year Jake Atkinson, Japanese freeride and trials phenom Ayato Kimura and Bikelife hero Jake100. With Emil Johansson, Baxter Maiwald, Luke Parker, Miguel Guerrero, Alejandro Bonafe and Alma Wiggberg, the riders will wear the London-based brand’s eyewear on and off the bike. Avail Optics goes big in 2024. After two years of development, the eyewear and goggles brand launches officially with a collaboration with the Crankworx…
In collaboration with Bib Creative, WTB is excited to launch its new TCS Rocket Tire Plug Kit, featuring reusable “Rocket” anchors. These anchors can be preloaded with tire plugs to ensure they’re ready for immediate use upon detecting a puncture with your tubeless set-up. With two sizes of Rocket anchors available, riders can use 1-4 plugs per repair, accommodating various puncture sizes. Unlike traditional tire plugs that may rip out under high pressure or during aggressive cornering, our reusable Rocket anchors securely hold the plug in place. This dependable solution keeps the puncture sealed until the tire is replaced, at…
Black Math Bike is a bunch of geeks with deep roots in the bike industry. We’re passionate about reimagining bicycles for a better future. Black Math Bikes focuses on innovation, sustainability, and quality in our low-key approach to cycling improvement. We introduce the precisely crafted kinematic system that allows you to change your bike from an efficient 140mm travel trail bike to a 170mm travel shred weapon on the run. How does it work? The Upturn Dropper is controlled with a regular thumb-operated lever. Still, instead of a classic telescopic seat post, it uses a set of links located at…
Get ready to mark your calendars as the excitement of the Crankworx World Tour is just around the corner, delivering details on courses, confirmed dates, and Crankworx Summer Series Canada, topped off by first ever Women’s Slopestyle World Championship coming at you with four events! Crankworx Rotorua Celebrates 10 Years In less than two weeks, the global mountain bike elite will gather on the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand for the – believe it or not – 10th anniversary of Crankworx Rotorua. Coming in hot, the festival will start off with the RockShox Taniwha Downhill in the Whakarewarewa Forest, followed…
The city of Okinawa in the eponymous prefecture in the absolute south of Japan is certainly a popular subtropical holiday destination, but has no reputation as a mountain bike Mecca. Until now! Mountain bike freerider Ayato Kimura has recognized the incredible potential of the city for urban freeride of the rougher kind and shows in his new video “Tropical Vibes – Ayato’s Way” what he imagines a summer vacation in Okinawa to be like. Ayato Kimura is known for his unique style, which combines technically demanding trials riding with raw freeride and downhill elements. “Tropical Vibes – Ayato’s Way” is…
Danny MacAskill is happiest when his friends are having fun. Which is why he invited Steve Peat up to the Isle of Skye, Danny’s homeland, to show him the fun that can be had on a ridgeline rollick. The Trotternish Ridge is an epic route that links together multiple summits starting at the Quiraing and finishing at the Old Man of Storr, two stunning geographical landmarks that bookend the plateau. But, as is common with all rides with mates, much ‘spracheling’ occurs. ‘Spracheling’, as you’ll learn in this film, is how Danny describes the kind of time-consuming detours and incidents…
The Bike Republic Sölden strengthens its partnership with the Green Hill Bikepark in Germany, with the BYND festival taking turns in the two locations. The unique event merges a wide range of MTB disciplines and joins elite athletes with everyday riders, a party up on the mountain with great contests in the valley. The festival’s highlight is the Swatch Nines MTB-Show, a six-day spectacle with the world’s best slopestyle and freeride stars showcasing their skills on a custom-built track. Plus, the “Bike Republic Sölden Festival BYND The Mountain” is packed with action-packed sports events, hosts an expo in the valley with music…
WTB is thrilled to unveil our latest lineup of grips introducing Trace, Wavelength, CZ Control, and Burr. We built on our 35 years of grip expertise with one of the top cycling biomechanics experts to define an entirely innovative approach to grips. The result was four grips for four different types of riders. Rigorously tested and fine-tuned with feedback from athletes worldwide, we’re confident you’ll find the right grip for your riding style. Extensive field research showed that most riders fit into three major categories for grip preference. Cushion, Minimal and Balanced. Cushion grips focus on the damping of bumps…
It’s official. GT Bicycles has signed Thomas Genon, aka Tommy G. The Californian bike brand, founded in 1972, will start supporting the Belgian rider for his first competition of the season, Red Bull Hardline in Tasmania, on 23 and 24 February. GT or TG. The two initials were just waiting for their partnership. The Californian bike brand now equips Thomas Genon, aka Tommy G, a freeride legend with ten consecutive Red Bull Rampage participations. The Belgian rider will ride a Fury Carbon frame, designed for downhill mountain biking. A return to his teenage years for Thomas, who fell asleep one…