Torque Mountain Bike Video Magazine
Sean Johnson is a multi talented dude. He is a pro snowboarder riding for libtech, Vans and Iris goggles. He is also an accomplished filmmaker with 4 snowboard (whisky 1-4) and 2 skateboard (skateboard Canada video magazine) movies under his belt. More recently he's produced a couple of very fine Mountain bike videos. Torque 1 and 2 aren't your garden variety gnarly music, gnarly riding kind of vids - they are video magazines. Bored with the usual, Johnson set out to create a new genre of mtb movie which showed the riders' pesonalities, some behind the scenes stuff in the industry, race coverage and even some riding tips. In Torque 3 you'll see a couple of up and coming rider spotlights (including our own Thomas Vanderham), an interview with Rob Roskopp head man at Santa Cruz, and profiles of pro downhillers Andrew Shandro and Shaums March (you'll get to see how they get their adrenaline injections in the off season as well). There is also a piece on Ryan Leech, Hoots Jay Krantz riding the now destroyed Aftertaste, a report on the Norba finals at Mammoth and reels of great riding in digital and 16mm. Sean is planning on putting out a couple of Torques every year - one in March the other in September. I can't wait to slap in the latest installment.
Click to see Sean Johnson and a couple of bros at the Transworld Snowboarding awards.

Team Norco
Elladee Brown has a new gig. The former Canadian downhill champ and video star has ended her sponsorship relationship with K2 and has moved into the team management biz at Norco. She is reviewing all of Norco's riders, changing the strategy some and looking for new blood. The grassroots program has been rolled back a tad and the new emphasis is on riders who can do a little bit of everything. Elladee wants the sort of riders who will spend chunk of riding for videos. If they race as well that's great but it seems to have moved down the priority list. There are some sure fire returning riders. Ryan Leech - the trialsin guru is a no brainer as well as Kris Holm the one wheeled wonder. The incomparable Dave Watson will continue racing under a GT jersey - a line that Norco handles in Canada. Other names being tossed around are Darryl Steane ( a hot urban rider with a flair for air and big moves), Mr. Dirt Jump himself Dean Collingridge, Jesse Roberts and a few others. There is a lot of talent out there this year so getting good riders will be like shooting fish in a barrel.

Comin' right up
We have some big things planned for the New Year around here at nsmb.com. We have decided to move in the direction of video so you'll be able to tune in to and see some top locals ripping it up. The video camera will give us an excuse to go on some great road trips starting in the spring. We will also carry it with us to Las Vegas next year to give you the real inside poop on the industry's biggest orgy. On top of that we have a satisfyingly plump backlog of quality content that we are sifting through and getting ready to post. Pro photos, articles, interviews, more bros not pros and a few surprises.

Thanks for coming out
We thought this would be a good time to thank all of you for being regular visitors to nsmb.com. Our page views in November were well over 400,000 (4 million hits!) and we are on track for a million before long. Shit! (The amazing thing is that I remember quite clearly how blown away I was the first time we topped 4 digits) We recently passed the 10,000 post mark on the bulletin board. Our Buy 'n Sell now has a database in the engine room (the tekkies tell me that's good) and we will soon have a "today's post" feature so you can scoop the freshies. We've also got some festive new products lined up.

A special thank you to some of our sponsors, Santa Cruz, BETD, and Core Rat

brodie Contest
If you want an entry into the brodie evolution frame contest get on it: we are drawing the winner New Years day (as soon as our heads are clear).

Knobby Holidays from all of us here at nsmb.com!

Send me the scoop for 2001
cam@nsmb.com