6 DH Bikes & 6 Instagrams from Formation - Women's Freeride Progression Sessions

Oct 15, 2019
by Brian Park  
Vinny Armstrong & her Trek Session

Photo by Paris Gore Red Bull
A bike that's won Rampage before isn't a bad choice for the desert.





Hannah Bergemann & her Kona Operator

Photo by Paris Gore Red Bull
Looks smooth.

Slide 3 is a sick POV of her line.




Vaea Verbeeck & her Rocky Mountain Maiden

Photo by Paris Gore Red Bull
Definitely freeride-ready.

Check her stories for video of her line.




Veronique Sandler & her ????

Photo by Paris Gore Red Bull
She rides for Marin, but uses an older, blacked out Nukeproof Pulse as a DH bike. Marin doesn't currently offer a DH bike.





Tahnee Seagrave & her Transition TR11

Photo by Paris Gore Red Bull
We did a full bike check on her TR11 earlier this year.





Micayla Gatto & her Diamondback DB4L

Photo by Paris Gore Red Bull
Pretty sure the DB4L came out in 2014. Would love to see them take another crack at an affordable DH bike!





More to come from the desert!

Photos: Paris Gore / Red Bull

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Posted In:
Racing and Events Reviews and Tech Bike Checks Social Round Ups DH Bikes Diamondback Kona Marin Rocky Mountain Transition Trek Hannah Bergemann Micayla Gatto Tahnee Seagrave Vaea Verbeeck Veronique Sandler Vinny Armstrong PBWMN Formation


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90 Comments
  • 225 7
 Vinny whips better than 99% of the guys at my local bike park!
  • 82 11
 That was 90 degrees right there and the come back was perfect. No forcing with hips, she pulls that front wheel to point behind her like a killer - amazing fluid movement. You can post that to Wikipedia as exemplary whip. I bet she can do some good flat pancakes on a nice hip too.
  • 38 1
 Her whips are legit Whip-Off comp level. It would be rad if they started a women's group in Rampage.
  • 19 1
 @mackster23: Cant see Casey having much of a chance winning Whip-Off at Crankworx if Vinny keeps whipping like that
  • 31 1
 Seeing women’s mtbing grow and seeing women become better at the sport is one of the best things happening in Mtb. I would love to see it as big as the men’s sport one day
  • 2 0
 You should check out ming gets. She’s on another level with whips. Crazy she isn’t a house hold name in women’s freeride yet
  • 8 4
 Not everybody at highland can be a pro my guy
  • 1 0
 @freeridejerk888: IG?
  • 1 0
 I’m pretty sure it’s just ming gets. @anchoricex:
  • 1 0
 Not sure I get what you mean @Kimura:
  • 4 0
 @freeridejerk888: ming goetz
  • 2 0
 @WolfRidge08: Vinny has beaten Casey a few times already.
  • 1 0
 @freeridejerk888: She is a household name is every house hold I go to. Also she was helping dig out there. Looks like she just had to leave a little early.
  • 54 2
 Good on Red Bull for getting these all-star athletes out there and showing what they've got. Hopefully before long we'll have a women's group at Rampage.
  • 24 0
 Well I am all for the womens rampage but I would hope it's a different day to be fair to everyone. That contest is constantly under pressure of wind coming in before everyone can run. Adding more riders would be a disservice to everyone there to compete.
  • 32 0
 Hannah B's #1. Boss
  • 33 1
 Tahnee seat-grabs
  • 9 0
 yes! i love a steazy toboggan.
  • 26 0
 Holy crap that line by Hannah was as exposed as it could be. Awesome job!!!
  • 9 0
 Hannah’s line looks insane!! I thought she was gonna go on the top of the ridge for a while but no, take the rugged line!!! Rad!
  • 18 2
 Damn I forgot about Diamondback's DH bike. Must be getting on at this point, I'd absolutely LOVE to see them come out with an updated one now that they are seriously getting their shit together.
  • 7 86
flag owl-X (Oct 14, 2019 at 14:00) (Below Threshold)
 NOT SURE WHAT NEWS TIM HORTONS IS PLAYING ON THEIR SCREENS BUT YOUR INFORMATION IS BIZARRO MAYBE I NEED TO HEAD OVER TO CANADIAN TIRE AND CHECK THE DB PRODUCT LINE
  • 28 0
 @owl-X: stop shouting.
  • 6 78
flag owl-X (Oct 14, 2019 at 15:36) (Below Threshold)
 @stumpymidget: WHY FOR? TELLING THIS CANUCK WHASSUP. STAY TYPING AFTERHOURS IF YOU WANT BUT THIS IS NORTH AMERICAN SO SLOWE THINE ROLLE AND / OR ASK MORE NICERLY AND / OR PLAESE 2 BREXIT TOOT SWEET

DIAMONDBACK IS ONCE AGAIN ROASTED, THIS TIME MOST LIKELY PERMANENTLY.
ACCELL MADE A CASH GRAB BY SELLING CANADIAN TIRE THEIR NAMING RIGHTS BEFORE DUMPING THEM TO A MEGA CORP, SO LOOK FOR 250 DOLLAR SHITBIKES NAMED MISSION THERE SHORTLY.

IT IS A DAMN SHAME. ALL AROUND. AND IT IS WORTH BEING ALLCAPPS ABOUT.
  • 4 51
flag owl-X (Oct 14, 2019 at 15:37) (Below Threshold)
 @stumpymidget: AND YOUR NAME IS V GROSS
  • 31 1
 @owl-X: shut the f*ck up you pillock
  • 26 0
 @owl-X: why is my name gross? I am 5 feet tall, so if I want to call myself Stumpymidget, I will and it's none of your f*cking business, twat.
  • 5 44
flag owl-X (Oct 14, 2019 at 16:41) (Below Threshold)
 @shredthegnar79: PLZ HOLD GOOGLEING PILLOCK

SOON...
  • 5 45
flag owl-X (Oct 14, 2019 at 16:42) (Below Threshold)
 @stumpymidget: AINT NOBODY SAY THAT WORD IN 2019.
  • 12 1
 @owl-X: dude. chill out on the ambien. or spice. or fentanyl. or whatever made u type those words.
  • 29 0
 @owl-X: your troll level is (Fat middle aged man who lives in his grandparents basement, who eats nothing but Cheeto’s and drinks Coke like it’s water). Quit giving the world reason to hate Americans and conduct yourself like a human.
  • 2 0
 They still had 2014 stock of DB8 on their website for sale in 2018. There are enough affordable DH bikes in the direct to consumer market, and DH is niche as it is. They probably decided to not lose money on it.
  • 19 1
 This is a breath of fresh air!
Now, excuse me, I’m gonna go ride... hopefully like any of these girls. Lol
  • 15 0
 This is everything Ive ever wanted and more. As a female who loves freeriding and digging, and who has watched Rampage for years, I've always just wanted to see someone like me out there. The fact that they not only put on the Formation but Pinkbike is also doing a bike roll call post for them, is such an inspiration. Words cannot express how inspiring this is. Women who ride bikes need heros too!
  • 11 0
 Maybe this will convince my wife to let me buy a place in Virgin. "There's nothing for me to do there" she says
  • 12 0
 YOOOO VINNYS WHIP!!!!! That's like... R-dog caliber back to straight!
  • 7 0
 Great to see Micayla enjoying her riding again. Kinda realise how artificial the whole MTB race scene is and for her and Manon to take time off and come back more in line with the spirit of the sport is interesting.
  • 6 0
 The more exposure that gets given to the women out there shredding in MTB, the better. That's what it needs to get more girls out on the trails and they couldn't ask for better riders to inspire them. As someone who counts as many girls as guys amongst my biking mates, with many of those girls doing way bigger stuff than me, or racing nationals and world cups, or organising events aimed at getting girls into riding and racing, it's great to see more of this kind of stuff.
  • 6 0
 Something difficult or scary can seem impossible, until you see someone who you can identify with do it first. The backflip on a moto was considered impossible at one point. Then years later Travis Pastrana did a double. Young girls watching this are going, "Rad! I think can do this!" The lines between what men and women are capable of doing in a variety of sports are becoming blurred. Progression is a wonderful thing. Trailblazers, these women are.
  • 9 0
 Some style on display in those clips, more please
  • 9 1
 Forget Rampage. Formation should be its own annual event for women!
  • 7 0
 I won't be offended anymore if someone says I ride like a girl.
  • 5 0
 A Kona with coil/Marzocchi and a DB4L at Rampage(ish)... this makes me happy. Big Grin
  • 2 0
 And the Kona's aluminum! Fab
  • 6 0
 Love this, thank you!!
  • 4 0
 Dang, these girls are legit. When I mountain bike it has and never will look like this.
  • 4 0
 Veronique Sandler and her nukeproof that she wants to be a marin
  • 1 0
 I thought Marin is owned by Polygone! So why not use a Polygone DH frame?
  • 4 0
 Yo these ladies are sending it!!
  • 2 0
 SO good. Hopefully this will expand and progress into something bigger each year. Maybe freeride women events throughout the world and year.
  • 2 0
 Way to kill it out there ladies! Love to see this type of progression and support for one another. It's what MTB is all about!
  • 1 0
 Amazing to see all those ladies take a spin on Rampage. Please more if this! As we can see here they also have alot of style on board. The whip, tobogan and tuckie were awesome3
  • 2 0
 "She's tagging Marin on IG, but that's an older Nukeproof Pulse"
Same reason Matt Jones turned up to hardline with a trail bike i suppose...Can't ride what they don't make!
  • 2 2
 Is it just me, or does it seem like Vital MTB and @Pinkbike have been slacking mega on the rampage coverage leading up to the event? From my observation, it has been getting worse and worse each year... Other than this "Foundation" event, the only coverage has been reposts of other riders Instagram accounts.. Get your shit going Pinkbike... Send a damn photographer/videographer out to Utah and get some DAMN content!!!
  • 3 0
 There is limited access on site, and we're still a little ways off. Our whole crew is on their way down this next weekend. Smile
  • 1 0
 Literally today is Dig Day 1 of Rampage. What is there to report on if the event hasn't started yet? I find it the same every year, Vital has the immediate meh content, and then PB blows is out of the water in the last half a week to a week after the event.
  • 2 0
 I love this idea, can't wait to see the Women's freeride competition grow. Plus, new lines at the old Rampage site this year!
  • 6 4
 More women on bikes +100000. If we have more women on bikes maybe I can actually get a gf that rides.
  • 3 0
 I wish I could ride like a girl...
  • 3 0
 Formation is SICK! Love this.
  • 1 0
 Did Tahnee crash at that last jump? She couldn't grab the handlebars as it seemed. Great stuff from these ladies, more please!
  • 1 0
 Katie Holden mentioned in another article that there were no crashes - which is not usual for this type of event by the way. Probably everyone was super careful.
"It was particularly impressive to me that not one girl crashed or even looked sketchy."
  • 4 0
 FerdaGirls
  • 2 0
 Disappointing that there won't be like a Redbull vid on this, its pretty dam cool
  • 3 0
 YASSSSS!!! These Women just Slaying it!
  • 2 0
 Bikes aside, those are some LARGE scary lines. Gulped and leaned back from the monitor a bit lol
  • 3 0
 LEGENDS
  • 2 0
 that first whip was freaking awesome - Firaaaaaaaa!
  • 3 0
 Casey Brown !?
  • 8 0
 Injured. She is there but not riding
  • 2 0
 Veronique’s bike may be unknown but Zocchi is pure rampage legend
  • 3 0
 it is a nukeproof
  • 3 0
 So Rad!
  • 3 0
 Those girls are legit
  • 2 0
 These mega rippers are opening a lot of doors!
  • 2 0
 Really great stuff! Go on!
  • 3 1
 lovely!
  • 4 3
 Yes,Yes,Yes.....a million times Yes! More ladies on bikes!
  • 4 7
 Was anyone else slightly disappointed with the end result?They were in and out of there like a flash, like less than a week. They built one line and it tbh it wasn't exactly mindblowing, I was under the impression the girls were going to be there for next week and sticking around for Rampage.

Getting the girls out there to the old rampage site was such a great idea and the opportunities are endless there. There's endless choices of old lines, drops and kickers that are left from previous builds. Why did they not stay longer??

Oh btw, I've rode at the old rampage site, last April to be precise. I know exactly what's on offer there and how gnarly everything is in person.
  • 2 0
 @dro-cfr: thought Red Bull would pay for most of it.
  • 2 0
 Yew !!!
  • 2 1
 I want to see girls at RedBull Rampage
  • 1 0
 Veronique.. my heart goes boom!
  • 3 2
 I like whole milk
  • 1 2
 An old bike with new foxzocchi suspension?I thought foxzocchi only have metric????
  • 1 0
 It's same as McGazza bike which he destroyed at Rampage over canyon jump. If you talking about DB
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