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The nsmb 2005 year-end retrospective 12 months of content in words and pictures... |
It's the end of another year for us here at nsmb.com. We're going to take some time off to hang out with friends and family, eat a lot of food, celebrate the holidays, and hopefully get in some rides.
So while we're out doing all that fun stuff, we thought we'd have a look back at the past year and see what happened. Cam McRae, Corey Anderson, and I have compiled some treats for you, so sit back and enjoy.
Gear 2005
Words by Stuart Kernaghan
We started the year off with nsmb's most experienced tester Scott 'Faja' Dorrett on a Transition DirtBag. Transition is run by two lads who live just over the border in Seattle, and in the Faja's opinion, they've hit the nail on the head when it comes to making a 6" / 7" freeride frame that won't break the bank.
Kyle Young, one half of the Transition team, going large on the Groovula gap
Faja wasn't the only one riding bikes, though. Steak Sauce and the folks at Norco hooked Corey up with a Team DH and I rode a Six. And in a tip of the hat to our Canadian brothers from the east, we put a Devinci Wilson through its paces.
Stepping it up on the Freight Train at Whistler. Photo - Ron Gosney
There were also new bikes on the horizon - bikes that we didn't get to test. Bikes that we were teased with. Bikes like the new Treks and Gary Fishers, and the 2006 Specialized bikes.
The '06 SX Trail II, with Fox suspension on the front and rear. And yes, it does only have one front ring
The award for the best application of new technology had to go to Giant, with the launch of its top-to-bottom Maestro platform - especially on the Glory DH bike.
A close-up of the Maestro linkage and the low shock position on the Glory
Bikes weren't they only thing that was dangled in front of us. Cam had to go all the way to Austria to be tormented with the *cough* new Marzocchi forks *cough*.
This year's Marzocchi girls were equipped with cosmetic factory upgrades but the internals have been downgraded.
In March, I headed down to California to check out new gear from SRAM, Truvativ, and RockShox and Avid. I came away with two things: an appreciation for the canopy of a good coniferous forest, and a near-insatiable lust for carbon fiber.
The new SRAM X-0 trigger shifter for 2006
It wasn't all about bikes, though. There was clothing from Specialized, a new pack from Dakine (and one that didn't fare so well), and the floating brake kit from Brake Therapy.
The Deviant helmets - black fiber glass and a two-tone carbon fiber. Both have chromed mouth pieces.
And then there were those special events. Sea Otter is usually the first big roll-out of the year, and 2005 didn't disappoint. Cam got one of the first looks at the new Yeti 303 and the Fox DHX Air, as well as the new Travis forks from Manitou.
The heart of the Yeti 303DH
Interestingly, Crankworx seems to have officially made its way onto the new-product roll-out schedule as well. People checking out the freeride extravaganza up at Whistler saw new stuff from Hayes, Camelbak, and Rocky bikes with fancy linkages and colours.
The very exclusive chrome El Camino caliper - to go with the chrome master cylinder, of course
But nothing can hold a candle to the mother of all product expos - Interbike. The painted whore of the bike industry opened her loving Vegas arms to Cam and I, first out in Bootleg Canyon and after that, at the Sands Convention Center. For three days of fun, Canadian content, and oversized tubing.
Bender, who was seen riding an Ellsworth - was eyeing up a 100 foot vertical drop.
Vegas can get a bit stale after a couple of years, so we thought we'd mix up the trip this year by bringing something that you don't normally see in Sin City - a virgin.
While that may seem like a lot of gear, that isn't all of it. Not by a long shot. And speaking of shots, scroll down to the bottom of the latest Gear Shots feature for a look at the rest of the stuff we rode and tested this past year.
News 2005
Words by Stuart Kernaghan
2005 was a relatively busy news year for mountain biking in, on, and around the Shore, but in our little corner of the universe, there was no bigger news than the crowning of a second AIRprentice. Neil Meier took home a pair of bloody elbows along with the honour of joining the nsmb freeride team.
Only Neil Meier made it through more than two of the six huge
doubles - on a borrowed hardtail.
The other big news for the summer (as if anything could really compete with AIRprentice) was Crankworx. It was also year two for Crankworx, as well as for AIRprentice. A coincidence? I wonder... Anyway, there were plenty of reports from the event. And one rather long-winded wrap-up.
The world's craziest step-up (and the only time anyone has ever pulled this trick at Slopestyle) || Photo: Peter Mozola
As we moved into fall, the big news was all about signings. Aaron Chase, Paul Bas, Kyle Ebbett, Cam Zink, and most notably Peaty, all inked deals. Peaty's move was especially interesting because of his long-term association with Orange, even though it was the worst kept secret on the Internet. And in spite of the fact that Cam pooh-poohed it when I saw Peaty coming out of the Santa Cruz deal room at Interbike. But I'm not going to say I told you so, or anything like that because that would be petty...
The temperatures dropped and we got some good news on the local front, with mountain bike-friendly Richard Walton elected as mayor for the District of North Vancouver. There was also some bad news about a friend of ours. Bender stacked. Hard.
Bender on Monday November 14th, 2005. He had to eject just before the landing. Photo ~ Simeon Schatz
Thankfully, we can close out the year with a positive update - Bender is up and moving. And he knows he dodged a bullet. Hang in there, Bender. We're all pulling for you. Bender's medical bills may require an even longer recovery. Josh has some medical insurance but he'll likely owe hundreds of thousands of dollars over and above what they will cover. Josh is currenly up in Alaska. If you'd like to contribute just send him some cash, a cheque - whatever amount you can. Bender's given a lot to this community - it's for us to band together and help a brother out. 'Tis the season after all. Josh's address in Alaska is below.
Josh Bender
PO Box 57338
North Pole, Alaska
99705
So there you have it. A year condensed into (quite) a few sentences. If you're looking for all the headlines from the last 365 days, the best place to go for all the tears, cheers, and jeers is the main news page.
While you're waiting for breaking 2006 news, enjoy the holiday, check out some of the older stuff on the site, and then get off your damn computer and go for a ride. Maybe we'll see you on the trails. Cam and I will be the ones who don't smell like turkey.
Corey, well, that guy will definitely smell like turkey.
Videos 2005
Words by Corey Anderson
2005 flew by. Lucky for you, we've immortalized the most significant parts of it for you to kick back and shift through (pun intended).
The Videos segment of this website is a platform for the filmers to share their film teasers, and footage of events that they have compiled to bring the action to your desktop, and to direct you to the finished product to add to your collection.
I don't know a single rider who doesn't appreciate a good bike film. They are the blood, sweat and gears of dedicated filmers, builders and riders who sacrifice countless rolls of film, time, limbs and nails. They are the product of thousands of kilometres of driving, kilometres of hiking, and piles of digging to bring us the finest 45 minutes of the best shots possible. They constantly convince us of what is possible on two wheels, and constantly push the sport beyond what we already thought was next to impossible.
| 2005 was no exception. While the number of films released throughout the year wasn't as large as it has been in the past, the quality and creative drive continued to grow. Things kicked off with something that strayed from what was becoming the norm with Jeremy Levin's "No More Heroes" . Even though it was released in the winter of 04, it is a top contender when talking about 2005 material as it came at just the right time to pour gas in every rider's tank for the New Year to come. No More Heroes features footage of some of the world's best riders from NSMB.com's own Ryan Newman to the top of the World Cup'ers. Footage brings you BC's best, some fabulous 2004 Crankworx footage, and the season opener Sea Otter event at the end of 2004. We've got a taste of the action for you right here. |  Small package, big action |
I missed the 2005 NSMB.com Airprentice 2 in June as I was out of town checking up on my Christmas turkey. This is arguably NSMB.com's largest event where we hand pick from a sample of some of the best up and comer's around, and then let them loose at Whistler, BC to strut their stuff and earn a spot on the NSMB.com Freeride team. I chose Whistler Action Film's footage as one of my top picks, because it is the best supplement for those of us that missed it. It captures the talent and passion of the riders, and the great vibe that got the competitors through the weekend and into the hot seat. Check out the video to warp back to the weekend that crowned the 2005 Airprentice.
 Who's First? - Photo by David Furguson |
It almost wouldn't feel like a complete year without the latest and greatest from Freeride Entertainment. The hype that builds for these films just doesn't seem to fade, and keeps most of us itching to get our hands on the first copy available. The teaser for New World Disorder 6 "Unchained" keeps that hype rolling for what was to be the biggest film of the year. The budget for this production keeps growing and is a healthy sign for the direction of the sport. Not only that, it brings you to some of the most exotic places on earth to watch the world's best re-define what can be done on two wheels.
People 2005
Words by Corey Anderson
There is always something going on behind the scenes in the bike world. We try to keep an ear to the ground to get the latest scoop, and we try to get to people in the bike world that you want to hear from and share it in People segment of the site. We always welcome nominations for people you want to hear from, and encourage our readers from all over to send us a note if there's someone out there you think we should hear from. Have a look at some of the stories and people we've brought you in the previous years.
| NSMB.com also hosts a massive, thriving on-line community, full of people and news that lets you zero on the day-to-day happenings with fellow riders and bike events. The (LINK) Forums host over 6500 fellow riders from every corner of the world. Plan your rides and bike trips or find a guide in the Ride Planning forum, read up on the latest Shore News, help to fight bike theft on our Stolen forum, ask questions or help a fellow rider out in the Gear forum, learn about trail maintenance and the latest trail into in the Trail News forum, and dive into the thousands of pictures in the all-new Photo |  Caution - Addicitve |
Community 2005
Words by Corey Anderson
The local scene is thriving. New events are popping up almost monthly and its getting easier and easier to be a part of some of the most fun and creative bike events around. 2005 started with the annual BC Outdoor Show. There were some huge milestones achieved by the North Shore Mountain Bike Association, such as the District of North Van working with the mountain bikers on trail maintenance and access. The there was the spirited Ripper series, and we have brought you Ripper 1, Ripper 2, Ripper 3 and Ripper 4.
 The Ripper Series is taken very seriously by all competitors. Photo by Cam "No Way" McRae |
Like Bikecross? Check out the Cove Bikercross series and decide if you want a piece of the action. New events like the Norco VPS Fest are travelling across Canada giving you a little something back and a good reason to go shred with a few hundred other riders rocking the same kind of bike.
Some big political events rocked the local mountain bike world in North Vancouver. All of the hard work and the collective voices of the riding community have swayed what at first seemed unswayable. Things wrapped up with a positive outlook for the future of mountain biking in North Vancouver thanks to articulated voices of those that know best. It's a few steps of many to come, but they are steps in a very positive direction.
 Mountain Biking is alive and well. Photo by Cam McRae |
All of that is going to keep you busy for a few hours. It's going to make you want to go ride your bike, and it's going to make you look forward to another year of life on two wheels. Get some rides in over the holidays and put a few extra PSI into your shocks and forks to support the cheer and turkey for the weeks to come. We'll be out there flatting out from being overloaded, enjoying the time away from the computer for a few days recharging for another year.
Stu had a great idea in describing how to spot us on the trails, but left out some details. He'll be easy to find as he's probably the only 7-footer shredding the Shore, and the bladder in his pack will be full of Winter Ale.
Cam. Well Cam's easy to spot. He's got a soft spot for home-made eggnog. He's ditching the pack for a giant punch bowl and a few glass mugs to dip into it on the trail side. Ask him for a drink!
Merry Christmas,
Corey Anderson
Trail Tales 2005
Cam McRae
We like to think that our Trail Tales section keeps us ahead of the pack.
TT is where we put timeless articles - pieces that aren't tied to a specific
period, place, rider or bicycle. Click on an article from June 2000 -
just after we launched this little enterprise - and it should read almost as
fresh as it did back then. Picking favourites in here is tricky because
there's a lot of gold in there - but I'll give it a try anyway. I'll post
chronoligically started with the most reccent.
nsmb team rider Jerry Willows and a large rock.
Riley McIntosh is a young writer with a bright future ahead of him. Seat High or Low is a riff about the way his riding has changed and how tackling tough terrain with his saddle jacked urges his mind to wander back to his XC roots. Bruce Robertson added the illustrations and the collaboration produced fantastic results.
Illustration by Bruce Robertson
Before his Trail Tales entry Mark Steinebach had written about gear and about the process of recovering from a serious injury. Are Freeride Icons Freeloaders? is a response to the next wave of riders and their seeming lack of respect for the godfathers of the sport. This article got an amazing email response from our readers as well as on our bulletin boards. It seems most of you agreed with Mark.
Wade Simmons - does it look to you like he's washed? Photo ~ Cam McRae
I could go on all day describing each article but instead I'll let you fish
for yourself in our Trail Tales index.
This is also a good time for me to say thanks. The first thanks goes to
all of you who continue to tune in to what we have to offer here at nsmb.
We'd be nothing without you. Everyone who contributes to our bulletin
boards, our new photo gallery and
sells their bike on our buy
and sell makes a big contribution. Thanks for the great content.
I also need to thank the fantastic people on the inside who keep the chain oiled
and the tires full of air around here. We'd be dead in the water without
all of the mods on our bulletin boards, our contributing writers, photographers
and artists as well as the technical gurus who check under the hood when things
aren't running smoothly. This is a team effort and we're lucky to have
the best roster in the league. There are too many of you to list but please
know that I appreciate every one of you.
Speaking of team I'd like to tip my hat to the riders who have been ripping
it up wearing our jerseys and the sponsors who have made it possible for us
to have such a great 2005. Expect an even bigger splash in 2006.
As you can imagine nsmb isn't powered by goodwill alone. Our piggy bank
would be empty without the advertisers who keep renewing their contracts and
people like you who have purchased something from the nsmb
store in the past year. Thanks very much for help making this possible.
See you in 2006 and have a great holiday.
Cam McRae
