Dirt Divas

Velcro fastened, gloves on, helmet in hand, I was halfway dressed before the final credits began to roll. Shoes tied, jacket zipped, my bike and I were on our way out the door as the screen flickered abruptly from black to static. I HAD to go riding.

Many people's first criteria for judging the quality of a bike video is complicated and technical, mine is simple - does it inspire me to go ride?

I was only introduced to the wonderful world of bike fantasy (aka biking films) this past summer. Before that, I knew the videos were out there, but I couldn't imagine why someone would want to waste perfectly good riding time watching other people play on their bikes. This attitude was the result of a personality that doesn't really like to be idle, a natural sort of bitter envy towards the riders in those films, and also, partly, because I'm a girl. Am I sexist? Probably. (Sorry boys) Watching the guys ride IS inspiring, but it doesn't hold a candle to the exhilaration I felt in finally seeing other women rip it up!

This was the first time I had ever seen women bikers featured on film, and all I could say was, "IT'S ABOUT TIME!" Dirt Divas made the fantasy of the bike video world suddenly become reality. This is not to imply that the riding skills of any of the people in the film were second rate, quite the contrary. I was baffled by the combination of hucks, steeps, and skinnies the riders had mastered.

In fact, the high level of skill and variety on the video was its strongest point. North Shore freeriding, cross-country, dual-slalom, downhill racing, jumps, and even some trials, this video showcased a wide-range of riders and abilities, including some awesome footage of the Pros from the World Cup held on Grouse Mountain this past summer. In this video, I finally found strong role models, amazing women riders that I could look up to. It got me thinking, "Wow, if they can ride like that, maybe, someday, I can too!"

Another strength of this film was the unique interview element. Often the in-between segments of bike films feel as though the filmmakers just threw in filler to extend the video length. Dirt Divas was an exception; the interviews gave the film a distinctive documentary style very different from the traditional format. Although I personally wasn't too excited about the small computer-generated animation bits; in the interviews, producers, Anne Walton and Selena Lawrie, successfully captured the spirit and passion of these incredible women. Not only did they add to the overall quality of the video, the interviews were funny, honest, and increased my respect for the riders.

There were some parts of the film I found disappointing; the soundtrack for one. As a person who almost constantly has some tune or another circulating in my brain, music is an integral part of my riding experience. This could be a matter of personal taste, but the music in the video just did not add to its overall presentation. As well, I was a little let down by the digital film quality. However, it would be unfair to compare the video directly to a big-budget 16mm creation. The filming itself was decent, although occasionally I thought the camera angles played down the difficulty of some stunts.

One aspect of the film I did really appreciate was the crash segment. (No, I don't routinely enjoy watching the pain and suffering of others.) While it's standard fare to see some spectacular bails in a bike video, I think it might be a real eye-opener for people to see the level of punishment these girls take. Also, I think it really drove home the reality that many of these top athletes are out there pushing the limits, and are not afraid to pay the price.

Compared to videos of a similar price, Dirt Divas ($22.95 on NSMB) is well worth checking out. I will definitely be watching to see how this video series evolves in the next few years, and I expect, like the North Shore Extreme series, it will only improve. I was impressed with Dirt Divas because despite its weaknesses it did what a 'good' video should do; it inspired me to get on my bike. And, in the end, isn't that what it's really all about?

Click Here to buy this video.

Trisha Petrella
02-13-02

Photos courtesy of: www.hardihood.com & www.wheelwomen.com