Hello MTB friends… my name is Trevor Burke and I am riding for Banshee/Trident Racing in 2011. I’d like to share a few words about the race this past weekend, BC Cup #1: Race the Ranch in Kamloops BC. Right off the bat here I’d like to mention that as I am writing this I am drinking Sangria out of my Pro Mens 1st place trophy which is a boot shaped mug just like out of the movie Beerfest... Well done to who ever thought of this for a trophy! Awesome! I also received a spanking fresh “Race the Ranch” belt buckle... STOKED!!!
At the end of summer 2010 I received an email from Zac at Trident Sports (Banshee Distribution North America) asking if I wanted to ride a Banshee Legend MkII with Dorado`s for next season. I had ridden our friend Seb Vickers’ Legend/Dorado setup in whistler over the summer and it felt amazing… so I jumped at the opportunity putting a "for sale" sign on my v10 the next day!
Trev in the Steep bit up above the road gap
After living in Whistler for 18 consecutive months and 2 months into my 2nd ski season, I was over shredding pow and needed to feel 2 wheels ripping up dirt underneath me, so I moved to North Vancouver to crash on a buddies’ floor for 4 months to save some coin and begin training for Summer and the racing season ahead…. in that 4 months I managed to do only 20 days of gym work and only a handful of mountain bike rides (on Zac’s bikes!), not quite the intensive training I was hoping on, but it was something. Lots of cheap beer and playstation got in the way I’ll admit…
Trevva prancing like a reindeerI got a lift to Kamloops with my buddy, Bart Brown (Masters PINNER!) in style! We drove up in his new Ford F350 van which can take 15 passengers and it was holding just 3 of us, so plenty of room to stretch out, also with his pimped out custom built trailer towed behind, with beds, music system and heating! Definitely the best way to go to a race! We arrived in Kamloops on Friday afternoon and went for a track walk. I had raced the track last year and knew it was pedally… this year the course had a few extra jumps and seemed like there wasn’t any more than 15 meters of track with out a jump or corner. Whilst walking the track I walked past one of the fastest guys in BC, Dean Tennant scoping lines, I knew there was going to be some tough competition for the season opener. My travel mates and I settled into a few cold ones and went to bed ready to hit the track the next day.
Junior X Member Kip Shortreed- Rumblin'
Saturday morning I was eager to get up to the top and go for my first downhill run since November. Mr. Zac Smith arrived at the race site right on time with his Legend which I would be borrowing for this race, as a couple parts for our new bikes hadn’t arrived yet…We set up our pit, I put my Alpinestars gear on, grabbed my Smith Goggles in a flash, swapped Zac’s brakes to the correct side ( front brake RIGHT mate!!! )and got a lift up to the start. First run down the course/ first downhill in 6 months/first ride on the Legend went better than expected as I hit all the big gaps on the course although there were a few corners I still had to figure out. By 2nd run I had all my lines sorted and the rest of Saturday I punched out runs all day not because I needed to practice the lines but because I was having so much fun riding the bike. I have ridden Boxxers for 6 years now and 1 day on the Dorado impressed the hell out of me, they feel so supple at high speeds through rough rock sections keeping my bars straight, instead of twitching off every other rock like other forks often seem to. I think more people need to just get on one of these forks and ride a bit… you’ll see what I mean. They aren’t just faster, they make a bike feel bloody special and I love it. After all these years of rebuilding the brand, the new folks behind Manitou really have something special going on . I’m hooked on the TPC+ damping for sure and they just look so cool! Radical.
Trev nearing the bottom of the course...
After a super fun day of riding bikes, it was time to watch the dual slalom so I headed up the course to watch the carnage with my box of cheese-its and a few viewing beers. Our teammate Dennis had a big crash in practice putting a nice little Easter egg on the side of his head just in time for Easter, but unfortunately putting him out of the competition. Dalen (Trident’s Bike Division Sales Manager) also competed in the Slalom and it looked to be a good time. Dinner and drinks and off to bed after that.
Dalen "The Momentum" Stanley rocking Slalom on his Amp
Dalen and Steve Boucher put in some solid runs in Masters, Steve taking 3rd on his Black/Green Legend looking like a million bucks. Dalen’s girlfriend Cheryl was looking good as well on her spanking fresh BLUE Legend running against the other Masters Women, team co-manager/photographer/mechanic/suspensiontech/pitboss/fleetmaster Zac Smith snapped a snazzy pic of her looking solid just after the hip jump! Good work Cheryl, having fun out on the bike in STYLE.
Cheryl Moore on the move
Kip Shortreed- About to take a dirt nap!
Race time came around for myself and the rest of the Elite field, I sat in the trailer and listened to some fast tunes on my Ipod and drank a herbal energy drink supplied to me by Bart, I filled up a water bottle and jumped into the back of Tyler Gorz’s truck to grab a lift to the start gate feeling a little nervous.While waiting for the Pro Women to finish I did few laps around the bmx track on the Legend to get my legs moving. As our class began to race I looked around at my opponents who are ALL very fast guys from BC, Tyler Gorz is always a threat, Dean Tennant, Ryan Vanderham, Tyler Allison, Jeff Bryson, Dan Skogland and Andrew Mitchell (3 time national champ!) to name a few. Quite a stacked field. Teammate JS Therrien won this race last year on the Banshee Legend so of course I knew he would do well here, if not repeat another victory… this track is practically his after all! Nobody looked faster in practice than JS. I was nervous seeing all of this intimidating talent around me but it calmed my nerves to just think of doing well regardless of results against all of these great riders.
JS Looking very fast!
A well earned brew- Cheers!
Trevor gets his first Elite win aboard the Legend MkII!!Cheers,
Trevor Burke
Team Banshee/Trident Racing
Matej Charvat - Kalnica (SP) from CharvatBros.com on Vimeo.
GoPro Headcam - Moravskoslovensky DH cup #2 - Kalnica (SP)
In February Cob and I headed down south in the X-Fusion Battle Bus with Theo and John for a seven day film trip in southern California. The video came out today on Pinkbike, and Theo killed it to say the least!
Paul Genovese/Anthony Messere on pinkbike.com
The Team Geronimo guys have been doing a photo shoot with Devon Balet whilst they road trip their way back from Sea Otter to their mountain lair in Colorado.
The guys are all enjoying riding the prime and the slightly different feel it has compared to 26ers. I asked these guys to use and abuse the frame beyond its intended purpose so that we can be double sure that there are no structural issues... it would appear that they are doing just that... and loving it!
Thanks to Devon for the great shots, and Geronimo guys for ripping it up!!
The frame was built up with a prototype fork from Manitou (the Tower 140; with 140mm of travel, tapered steerer, and stiff 20mm hex lock axle system), and a proto Sturdy front tire from Geax which both seemed to work really well and were suited to the more aggressive 29er rider (just the market the Banshee Prime is aimed at!). there were also goodies from Straitline (seriously, the chainguide is amazing, you totally forget it is there it is so quiet!), Hayes and Sun Ringle.
If you are at Sea Otter this weekend you better be at the COC area and be up on the ramp for the air bag. It is there for your pleasure, say hi to the crew and buy some discounted Straitline Pedals.
Camp loaded up with 30 or so blemished pedals for sale at a discount. Swing by and check it out.
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Free-Camp-of-Champions-Big-Air-Bag-Sessions-At-Sea-Otter.html
Thanks GREG at Straitline for writing the last part... I totally stole it off your blog!!! USAUSAUSA
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| 2011 Bennetts Babes |
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| 2011 Bennetts Babes |
GoPro from Kalnica (SVK) - Semifinal (Chainless) from CharvatBros.com on Vimeo.
"A thirst Quenching Quest" Whistler Beer Contest Entry from Justin Hannewyk on Vimeo.
On the Saturday there was quite heavy rain so I held off till about ten o’clock but the sky didn’t look like it was going to clear up so I headed up for a run to see what it was like.
The track was real good and it was nice to have a fresh lip on the quarry gap, the bottom section was quite pedally in bits so good job I’ve been working hard over the winter.
I got 6 runs in the end but I wasn’t feeling to clever on the track so I walked up after practice to check some bits out and find some fresh lines for Sundays practice.
Sunday morning I got two mega runs in, I was feeling real good on the track and I was happy to find my flow ready for the 1st run.
Out the start my run was shady as I messed up the 1st corner but after that I got some pedals in down the 1st straight and set about nailing my lines and my run was going pretty good just a few little mistakes and then on the main pedally bit I sat down! I and thought to myself what are you doing! I’m blaming the wtb devo seat it’s just so comfy I feel like I’m on the yz! Anyway I got my self into gear and got cranking before the next section which was real sick loads of turns with some little inside lines then into the finish it was pretty flat out huck thing before getting on the gas to the line. After my 1st run I was surprised to go into the lead, things were real tight which is always good for racing but I knew I could build on it for 2nd runs.
Props to Ian MacLennan for both shots... this one was brave!
Then it started to rain a little bit but it was hard to tell what damage it would do to the course. I didn’t think it would be much different as the top was wet already and the rest of the track was in dense trees, so I loaded up with some tear offs just in case things got messy.
My run felt pretty awesome few little bits where I backed off just in case things were different and they turned out to be good decisions like the last section was quite hard pack flat turns so I just got through there safe and went fastest again but 2 seconds down on my time so I was mega stoked to take the win to top off a great weekend!
This was my 2nd race with the Elka/Banshee combo and it has blown me away right about the box, mid week testing definitely paid off as it was munching!
cheers
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| Manx sidecar with Harley-Davidson 883 SuperLow |
