Bike Check: Brendan Fairclough's Unridden Red Bull Rampage Bike

Oct 27, 2021
by James Smurthwaite  

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BIKE CHECK
Brendan Fairclough's
Scott Gambler
Photography by Ryan Franklin

Brendan Fairclough's Rampage runs are some of the most anticipated every year but unfortunately, a leg injury and subsequent infections meant that he didn't feel 100% to ride at the event in 2021 and instead gave his place to one of the reserves. This left Brendan with an unridden bike that was destined to rip down the mesas of Virgin but will now be sitting on display at MB Cyclery for the time being - Brendan is probably right when he calls this the luckiest bike in the world.

It seems a shame to not shine a spotlight on this bike regardless though as it looks absolutely stunning. Take a look at all the details below:

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Scott Gambler Spec
Frame: Scott Gambler Tuned, size large
Shock: Fox DHX2, max compression
Fork: Fox 40, +20psi to standard set up
Wheels: Enve M9 rims, Chris King hubs
Tires: Maxxis Minion DHR II - 30psi, 29x2.4" front, 25 psi 27.5x2.4" rear
Drivetrain: TRP G Spec DH7, DMR Axe crankset
Brakes: TRP DHR Evo Gold
Cockpit: Deity BF 800 (785mm), DMR Deathgrips
More info: scott-sports.com

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Although the Fat Creations paint job is pristine, the bike does have some imperfections. Brendan didn't want to build it with a load of brand new kit for a one-off event so instead recycled the frame, fork and cranks that had already seen some action on the World Cup circuit.

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We've previously seen Brendan running an air shock on freeride bikes, such as his F**k Corona model from Audi Nines 2020, but he would have stuck with a coil for the rugged terrain at Rampage. Compared to his racing set up, the dials for high and low speed compression are clicked to max.

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A lot of Rampage riders were using the 27.5" / 26" mullet configuration for 2021 but a racier 29" / 27.5" would have been the selection of choice for freeracer Brendan. He's also opted for a size large rather than downsizing to a more trickable frame.

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The bike is packed with personalized touches.

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Fairclough would have run his forks with 20psi more than normal to eliminate bottom outs and to help with pop.

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Brendan's bike features signature bars from Deity cut down to 785mm and grips from DMR.

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The bike was built up by Brendan's local shop, MB Cyclery. As it was never ridden in Utah, the bike is currently on display there for riders to take a look at while Brendan decides what he will do with it next.

For more information and to watch the bike being built, click here.

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Bike Checks DH Bikes Scott Scott Gambler Brendan Fairclough Red Bull Rampage 2021


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104 Comments
  • 157 14
 Well lucky for ENVE, i mean we all know what coulda, woulda, CRACKALAKINDEMPOPIN-shoulda
  • 11 2
 How quickly things are forgotten.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEAHyJa0_WM
  • 21 34
flag Thegnarberries (Oct 27, 2021 at 8:50) (Below Threshold)
 If ENVE rims sucked as much as yall say then they wouldnt be in business and selling rims left/right. Theyre solid.
  • 36 4
 2 times the world cup overall came to the last race, the enve wheel cracked, and changed the outcome.
  • 8 0
 @racecase: Sounds like the start of a conspiracy
  • 17 7
 @racecase: and the 2 times it happened definitely outshines the other times their rims have been ridden at races, freeride events, as well as thousands of cyclists who ride their rims, right?. If I recall correctly Jackson Goldstone ran ENVEs at audi, fest events, and races in recent years. Things happen, people catch bad luck streaks, other guys have blown out rims or other parts too. You can't judge the quality of a product based on single events like that, it's about overall performance for the market as a whole.
  • 7 3
 @racecase: If you only look at one variable and don't at the system its easy to point the blame. Tires, tire pressure, inserts, spoke choice, tension and rim all play a part in this. Teams are playing with all of these variables well outside of what the rims were tested and designed too. Every rider is pushing products to the extremes. Oh and don't forget that most of these riders and teams are running prototype parts that have not been 100%% validated. So to say that its 100% the ENVE wheel that failed is just not correct if you dont know the whole story.
  • 22 2
 @Thegnarberries: I’m not disagreeing but your example is a small child lol
  • 5 7
 @nvranka: hes like a young adult now and he rides hard and goes big. He smashes jumps and reaches speeds few of us ever will, thats my point.
  • 18 0
 @Thegnarberries: I’m just being an ass
  • 6 0
 @Thegnarberries: The two times it did happen is telling. Other rims dont seem to explode catastrophically at WC finals. Also the Paul aston review where the quality awful, and they cracked. You cant ignore that and call them good, the signs are there.
  • 2 5
 @zyoungson: every single company on the planet has inefficiencies in manufacturing and defective products make it into the hands of consumers, athletes, etc. Again, how many more rims are being ridden by consumer as a whole that haven't failed? Way more than the culprits in question from your comment. People say i9 bearings were bad in their hubs and blow out. does that mean i9 makes bad hubs? no. So some ENVE rims have blown apart(as any failed carbon part will do), does that mean their rims are bad? no. Now if 99% of their rims exploded then yes, there'd be a problem.
  • 2 0
 @zyoungson: you ever walk through the pits at a WC race? Rims are being replaced in almost every tent.

Go back and read the Paul Aston review. He was looking for any carbon manufacturer to jump on his soapbox and make and example of. Also that review was almost 4 years ago, right? I'm betting ENVE has taken that feedback and improved the product, the process and the customer experience.
  • 69 7
 "...while Brendan decides what he will do with it next." I have a suggestion. Auction it and give the proceeds to TVS for medical bills.
  • 56 19
 Or just keep it for his own medical bills. Is crippling debt for medical bills only an American thing?
  • 151 1
 @GBeard: mostly yes
  • 74 0
 @Alexanderskh: Well, in the UK we do have to pay £7.23 for a prescription, so if you just imagine the decimal place isn't there then it's probably half what Americans pay.
  • 134 1
 @GBeard: Yes. It's like the old saying, "get sick, lose your house". It's what Jesus would have wanted.
  • 48 0
 @bigtim: *England. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales, and NI.
  • 19 91
flag whatsstinky (Oct 27, 2021 at 2:17) (Below Threshold)
 If you can't pay your own medical bills, don't enter Red Bull Rampage
  • 17 3
 @Welshazam: Ah dammit. Looks like I'll be spending £40 on fuel to go to a chemist in Wales from now on so I can save £7.23 .
  • 11 0
 @bigtim: they are £9.50 now. Damn you inflation. Damn you
  • 1 1
 @bigtim: Not in Scotland and Wales I believe, only the English
  • 7 7
 @bigtim: It really depends on the script. If you have a decent plan your coverage can be pretty good.
  • 18 1
 @BikesBoatsNJeeps: That's the whole thing...not everybody has a plan.
  • 17 1
 @GBeard: We have a national health service, so Brendog wouldn't be on the position Americans find themselves in.
  • 10 60
flag wda1wustl (Oct 27, 2021 at 6:51) (Below Threshold)
 @greener1: That’s the thing, not everyone is willing to work.
  • 30 0
 @wda1wustl: @wda1wustl: Also makes no sense in the international conversation. Many people work 2-3 jobs and still don't have any sort of reasonable coverage, or any coverage at all.
  • 5 11
flag sanchofula (Oct 27, 2021 at 7:36) (Below Threshold)
 I feel for folks who get hurt and don’t have insurance, but there’s no reason these athletes shouldn’t have insurance, so it’s probably a mute point.

No one wants to get hurt and certainly we don’t want to be unable to work after being injured, but what a professional athlete chooses to do is their choice.

They should probably have some sort of short or long term disability, but truly the long term plan should be to get a job he can do until he’s retirement age.

Let’s not be unrealistic, these are athletes, they are not done average Joe who was injured at work while doing a normal job.

This is the price you pay when you push limits with your body.
  • 24 7
 @pdxkid: exactly my point AND this is the reason the USA should have socialized medicine.

As a medical provider I support this message.
  • 8 0
 @whatsstinky: what a stupid thing to say
  • 2 0
 Calm down gents TVS has health insurance, even an American peasant like me wouldn’t pay that much because of something like that
  • 1 0
 @Kimbers: Question, he got hurt in Switzerland. How's that work with being airlifted and emergency service in a swiss hospital? Does he carry international insurance, pay first and submit to NHS? Genuinely interested.
  • 3 0
 @pisgahgnar: there is no way he doesn't have insurance. Heck, I buy additional insurance any time I travel internationally for riding or climbing. If you are traveling for professional racing, you HAVE to have it I would think? Probably even some insurance baked into whatever fees they have to pay to race? I would think if you are traveling and racing at a professional level, good insurance would be a fixture in your budget.
  • 7 7
 @nurseben: sounds like communism to me /s
  • 11 0
 @GBeard: I just got an MRI done for the grand total of $0, what is my price in freedom units?
  • 2 4
 @bbmbc: $10 copay, or if you met your deductible from all your shredding then $0
  • 2 1
 @mariomtblt: copays generally don't count towards deductible but do count towards out of pocket max. Regardless, your service provider at the time of rendering care is unlikely to know you have met your out of pocket max and may demand your $10 copay which will then be refunded when they submit to your insurance. Totally not complicated and shitty at all!
  • 1 3
 @pisgahgnar: ok well I'm not crying over 10 bucks lol
  • 6 1
 @mariomtblt: yeah there’s no way an MRI costs $10, an online appt to get a measly prescription is five times that.
  • 15 0
 @GBeard: this is why Breaking Bad could only have been written in the USA
In most developed countries he would've been diagnosed with cancer,
His healthcare costs met by the state and he'd never have needed to get into cooking meth!
  • 2 4
 @Pmars88: Im actually fully covered for MRIs, and yeah I actually had a $30 copay for antibiotics once, its weird like that. Idk if its uninsured Americans downvoting me or Euro-Bros who believe the "Americans get charges thousands for medical care" meme.

I will concede that for orthodontic work I'm only 50% covered.
  • 7 1
 @mariomtblt: Well consider yourself lucky. You must have the Cadillac of health plans. I have what most would consider "good" insurance and I think the last time I went to the heart doctor my bill was over $250 after insurance covered their portion.

For you it might not be true but for most Americans get charged thousands for medical care.
  • 6 1
 @Henary: Socialism, actually.

The staples for a healthy and thriving society are often paid for by tax base. Publicly funded, via government tax revenue. Publicly funded roadways and education must register to you as communism too?
  • 1 1
 It’s a good job our taxes subsidise your free prescriptions.
It’s also a good job that the Scottish Referendum voted to stay.
@Welshazam:
  • 1 0
 @BikesBoatsNJeeps: don’t even try to defend the US Health Care system. There are some things I love about the US but also a lot of things I don’t.
  • 3 0
 @bbmbc: not a MRI, but I just got my bill for a CT. The CT was done at the hospital ER so I’m sure it’s way high because of that.

$23,437.

I’m luck though, I have good insurance and only owe 2,500. I did also get an MRI, but haven’t seen the bill yet.
  • 4 0
 @ahamby: Holy shit that's a lot of money for a single procedure.
  • 2 0
 @CustardCountry: Tbf in England prescriptions are free if you are:
On benefits/unemployed, Under 18, pregnant or an OAP, that makes up the vast bulk of all prescriptions.
The cost to government of making them free to all would actually be relatively small.
  • 60 0
 > Gets signature bars named 'BF 800'
> Cuts them down
  • 40 0
 785mm as well, what mad man cuts them to an odd number
  • 2 0
 @toad321: that's what length raceface atlas 31.8mm bars are. It's near as damn it 31 inches. And also what I would cut a bar to if it was longer than that.
  • 16 0
 @toad321: I think the half mm was invented specifically for this purpose.
  • 11 0
 "BF choice cut" at 780 written on the bar
  • 9 0
 www.deitycomponents.com/uploads/1/6/0/8/16089364/deity-bf800-brendog-detail-2_orig.jpg
  • 63 0
 @toad321: It's easy... just cut 15 mm of one side.
  • 15 0
 @toad321: *777mm bars sweats profusely*
  • 29 5
 French rifle, brand new, never used, except thrown on the ground once.
  • 3 2
 underrated comment here hahahaha
  • 4 1
 did you know french tanks had 1 gear forward, 5 reverse?
  • 14 0
 Grey Fox 40's are back... now we're talking!
  • 12 1
 Did anyone win that fork from the Rampage contest? Who’s the Nostradamus who picked both Sorge and Reed to podium?
  • 4 0
 I picked the right lineup, but I haven't been contacted about the fork. A quick search showed at least 10 other people who guessed correctly, so my chances still aren't that good. I'm sure the winner has already been contacted and they're just finishing up details before they announce it.
  • 2 0
 @reindeln: That's good to hear, well I wish you the best of luck.
  • 8 0
 He's running higher pressure in his front tire (30 psi) than his rear tire (25 psi), and his front tire is larger (29er) than his rear tire (27.5). Is it just me or does this seem to be the opposite of what most people would do? I typically run lower pressures up front, and also lower pressures for larger tires. Is this a rampage-specific pressure setup or have I been doing it wrong all this time?
  • 4 0
 I was wondering the same thing. Wonder if that was a mistake? I've never heard of doing that.
  • 1 0
 Yeah super weird. His DH setup has him running the same pressure in spite of different wheelsize!
  • 7 0
 I like it that the Dog just rocks up on a bike you would ride at any park. Not some size small or modified for this event only. Just a sweet dh whip.
  • 6 1
 I really admire Brendan Fairclough, great to see him recovered and so fast so soon. Check out the video of him and Bernard Kerr. Great stuff.
  • 4 1
 King Hubs would be on my shopping list, if they didn’t only make them in centrelock. I don’t mind CL if it comes on a bike, but I’m not going out of my way to get them. I like 220mm discs, there aren’t any options for them on CL iirc.
  • 1 0
 220 centerlock rotors are coming soon. I see three options on QBP right now, granted they’re out of stock
  • 1 0
 CL just released this year so you missed your chance. Who knows though, a shop may have a pair of 6 bolt hubs. Id imagine you can run any rotor with a CL adapter though, but not sure about 220mm. I run 203mm on my v10 and its fine with an adaptor.
  • 3 0
 I have some 6 bolt CK hubs in stock. You know. If you are looking Wink
  • 1 0
 @Thegnarberries: The DT Swiss adapter for 12 mm thru axle hubs has a max rotor size of 160 mm (yikes!)
  • 3 0
 Not to get existential but... would a bike that isn't used for what it's built for consider itself lucky?!?

From what I saw the bikes took less damage than the riders. If that bike could talk it would probably tell you it was sad.
  • 4 0
 I suggest once recovered, take the bike to Utah and send it big for a sick edit. It was this bikes destiny!
  • 1 0
 If they have to run max compression on these, why aren't they asking for a 220 mm fork and rear suspension? Sounds like they just need more travel for the kind of riding they're doing. Or is it a dirt jumping thing where heavy compression feels better?
  • 1 0
 can yall please get some detailed shots of rims/hubs with however these bike check images are sourced?
  • 1 0
 I wonder what line he would have been on had he been there? Maybe teaming up with the viking?
  • 1 0
 Hoping B dog will bring that out for a proper "what you missed" video sesh somewhere!
  • 1 0
 Brendog, please, Put the bike up for auction to benefit Royal Alexandra Childrens Hospital
  • 1 0
 feel bad for bren for not getting to shred that thing in utah. such a sick bike though
  • 1 0
 If he's not using it them I'll take it...
  • 1 0
 30 psi in the front and 25 in the back?
  • 1 0
 Ohhhhhh that is Hot! Damn
  • 2 0
 Raffle it Smile
  • 1 0
 for charity
  • 1 0
 That purple colour is phat!
  • 1 0
 sooo can we rip it down the hill then?
  • 1 0
 Every bike dies; not every bike really lives.
  • 1 0
 looks like a session
  • 1 1
 He should auction it off for charity!
  • 1 1
 Do these Rampage riders pay for their bikes?
  • 1 1
 man there is something very Big Hit/Demo about that Scott build...
  • 1 2
 One day soon it will be a broken fad
  • 3 4
 Enve wheels at rampage?
  • 46 4
 Well, you do get an extra 13.75 or 14.5 inches of one time travel when it catastrophically fails on a landing. #SafetyFirst
  • 2 2
 They would have switched those quietly, at the same time when switching the Fox decals for Marzocchi.
  • 4 0
 Been there many times. Most notable with 2 years ago when Fairclough cased the crap out of his canyon gap and the M930 took it like a champ.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEAHyJa0_WM
  • 5 8
 Has anyone noticed the cleft of the fork crown?
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