Freeride Pioneer Josh Bender Launches Guiding & Shuttle Company 'Shredding With Bender

Mar 2, 2020
by Sarah Moore  
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PRESS RELEASE: Shredding With Bender

Pioneering mountain bike legend, and 2018 Mountain Biker Hall Of Fame inductee Josh Bender has opened Shredding With Bender. A rider-owned and operated cannabis-friendly company that provides a one-of-a-kind world class guided MTB experience for gravity enduro mountain bike riders in Northern California. The cost is $60 per rider for a full day of Shredding With Bender, where riders will experience one of the best gravity enduro riding locations in the continental United States.

Josh Bender

From white knuckled descents, to grueling climbs, Shredding With Bender offers a cornucopia of adrenaline-filled trails to choose from, with plenty of ice cold Guayaki Yerba Maté to enjoy. Shredding With Bender emphasizes gravity enduro riding while fostering 'Ohana in the mountain bike community. We work with USFS Georgetown Ranger District to help protect the local trails, preserve the environment, and support local businesses.

Shredding With Bender is open year around (weather permitting), and is intended for riders with intermediate to advanced bike handling skills. Recommended protective gear includes: Appropriate footwear, knee pads, gloves, eye protection, hydration pack, and helmet is required (a full-face helmet is highly recommended), 5-7inch travel enduro bike, disk brakes, dualply tires, and a wide gear range. This truly unique MTB experience rips through some of earth’s most satisfying and challenging terrain to ride.

According Shredding With Bender founder and lead guide Josh Bender"

bigquotesIt’s a high-energy outdoor experience meant to inspire, foster sustainability, and create a positive energy that embodies all aspects of 'Ohana –– supporting choice, connection, and community.Josh Bender

Shredding With Bender is Northern California's best-kept secret for gravity enduro riding... it is nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountain range of Eldorado National forest, and is conveniently located within a 2.5 hour drive from the regions 5 international airports.

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Local amenities are plentiful, with numerous local businesses, hotels, and Airbnb’s to fully enjoy time Shredding With Bender. There are numerous dispersed and free local camping sites in the area for the more adventurous travelers. The staff at USFS Georgetown Ranger Station sells local trail maps for $15.00, and they are happy to answer any questions you might have regarding the national forest land, and Rock Creek OHV areas.

Reservation and live bookings at: www.shreddingwithbender.com

Judge Bender amp Judge Spangler


Author Info:
sarahmoore avatar

Member since Mar 30, 2011
1,321 articles

79 Comments
  • 77 2
 Should read: "Recommended protective gear includes: Hockey pads. Recommended statements include: Life's too short not to go big." Fixed that for you.
  • 7 0
 put some duct tape on it, keep going big
  • 62 0
 "Cannabis Friendly". Just say, "we are going to get high as Fu*k and send some serious gaps.
  • 58 0
 Could you imagine Bender looking you in the eyes and asking, 'So, are you gonna send it?' How could you say no!?
  • 6 0
 Happened to me in Silverton years ago, quite an experience!
  • 57 0
 "A rider-owned and operated cannabis-friendly company"

LMAO 2020 marketing is wild!
  • 19 0
 "Holy $#;! I went F@#& massive on that drop. Did you see that?"..."Dude that was less than 3 feet of air, any slower and you would have rolled it" (Cannabis friendly)
  • 18 0
 The Jaw Drop needs to be re-sent. Groms are always down for that type of challenge...
  • 3 0
 Didn't a young rider plan to make an attempt a few years ago, but was shutdown by the police?
  • 1 0
 @sadfusde: sim , o gajo chamava-se norcorider na PB mas acabou por não fazer o drop .
  • 18 3
 I got to ride with Josh in Georgetown, CA last year and had a blast. He's a super nice guy, not intimidating at all and was a great guide along with the guys at California Expeditions.

Video of the experience: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYhm06pcDBM
  • 3 0
 Thank you that was a fun video!
  • 13 1
 In 2017 I spent a wonderful week with Bender creating a story for Bike Mag. It was a truly wonderful time, and left counting Josh a friend. I'm stoked to see the launch of this guiding service. Bender's storytelling, positivity, and skill on a bike are all more than enough reasons to hunt him down. Josh is a true pioneer, jump on this opportunity to ride with him as soon as you can.
  • 4 0
 Loved that article! It was such an awesome trip down memory lane as you talked about his old movie parts, but the behind the scenes stuff was the real eye opener. It was so good hearing that he not only survived but seemed to be doing really well! A huge thanks for an amazing read!
  • 13 0
 Saw the headline and was going to make a joke about weed amenities in comments (and anticipated getting downvoted)... then it's in the first line of the article. Amazing.
  • 1 0
 Its awesome how times have changed! The stigmatism is fading in certain crowds!
  • 14 0
 Ride finishes at 420 every f-ing time!
  • 12 2
 I have to make the trip. Bender is a great person and would be the most fun for a $60 shuttle day. Did a few days with him shuttling in Utah and it was epic, not just massive drops but just great riding!
  • 11 0
 Bradley Cooper could play him in American Freerider.
  • 8 0
 Not sure if the cannabis friendly part is worked into the USFS permit...
  • 2 0
 Bahahahaha oh man, he's causing a stir locally - I've got not problem with the 420 friendliness, but I have a feeling the USFS may not have signed off on that portion of the marketing deal?
  • 9 2
 Just send’r like Bender!!!
  • 4 3
 Bend it like Beckham, Send’r like Bender!
  • 7 0
 Bender - the Evil Knevil of freeride.
  • 7 0
 Does the price include the cannabis?
  • 4 0
 There is a Snoop dog option available at checkout.
  • 5 0
 Honestly that's a steal. If I wasnt sure I would end up in the hospital I'd love to do this
  • 4 0
 Been waiting my whole life to see “cannabis-friendly” front and center in a gravity sport company’s description. ‘Ohana, indeed!
  • 4 0
 I always liked this dude...a bit unorthodox, was sending it way bigger than anybody then but was super into yoga and chill lifestyle from what I remember.
  • 3 0
 I had the privilege of riding with Bender in Silverton, CO, many moons ago. To this day, he is the most personable and positively stoked mountain biker I have ever met. Buckle up!
  • 3 0
 Dude got me kicked off silverton mount because he took us on a closed trail, still a cool guy though.
  • 3 0
 Silverton was the bomb back in the day, get a chance to shuttle the mining roads across the valley?
  • 2 0
 @JarrodB: nah I never did any shuttles up there but I would love to this summer if I get back up there, living in Phoenix is not the best for the dh bike.
  • 2 0
 Awesome. Rode with Bender and June dog many times. First met him in Zion and safety trained with him. Then in Moab June dog was trying to kill me cause I left my glasses in his van. I HIGHLY recommend riding with him. Very cool and legit legend.
  • 1 0
 projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/joshua-bender-3599178909

PPP loan public info shows a new industry…..he still running the shuttle business?

Location
Garden Valley, CA
Rural
Industry
Electrical Apparatus and Equipment, Wiring Supplies, and Related Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
  • 4 4
 I know the town very well, know the locals, been riding there for years on mtb and moto. For private folks out on the trail be all the 420 friendly you want (it's your business) but when you see Bender's shuttle driver taking bong rips while he's waiting for their paying customers to come down from their ride it's a totally different story. I've been in adventure tourism for most of my life and in this day and age there are pretty clear "right" and "wrong" ways to run an operation.

As @sustainablesierra mentioned, mtb is a growing sport and has a lot of potential to improve how it's viewed and respected among communities everywhere. We have a lot of new, young bikers coming to the area who dont need to see someone getting high and riding.

While other folks are fighting for public funding to get trails improved/built and working with other trail users (hikers, equestrian, moto) to ensure we earn and maintain our rights to use trails we have someone here promoting drug use on USFS land.

Happy riding.
  • 3 0
 there is absolutely no way my travel insurance is going to cover riding with this guy haha
  • 4 0
 too bad he cant run this operation in Utah. Id be all over it.
  • 5 2
 Bender could jump off everything... he couldn't stick the landing though
  • 4 1
 I was going to say the same thing!!
He was a pioneer of :
1. Sending huge Drops
2. Crashing on every landing, Slowing down the rebound on the rear shock I assume hadn't been invented yet Wink
3. Breaking more bikes than anyone in the history or MTN Biking including Multiple Karpiel Armageddon's
4. Breaking bones

But I did meet him many many moons ago , and the guy was very genuine and had a great vibe.
  • 4 0
 Aim for the bushes

"Why'd he hit that sender? There wasn't even an awning nearby"
  • 25 0
 Something people that make these comments about Bender need to understand.. He landed plenty of huge stuff but he just wasn’t into doing shit he knew he could land over and over. It was very much a different time, different bikes.. He was the one figuring out how to go huge on a bike and crashing was part of it. He didn’t really care if it looked pretty for you, his riding was about pushing boundaries. We hear that all the time now but nobody was doing anything close to what he was at the time, and nobody is pushing boundaries at the rate he was then, today.
  • 4 0
 @emptybe-er: Hence the Word - Pioneer
  • 5 0
 @Three6ty: you should check out his interview on Vital's podcast "The inside line"

Dude can shred super hard, he really was pushing equipment to the limit and past
  • 2 1
 @William42: Do you have a link to that?.
He was an up and comer when I was really into racing 15+ years ago so I saw a lot of his footage in videos. So I was following his stunts (kind of what I would describe them back then) and man was he taking a beating. Much respect to him for trying the shit he did back then.
My Brother in law knew Jan Karpiel pretty good back in the day and I met him thru that channel.
  • 2 0
 @Three6ty: Yeah I’ve seen that, most people have. He nearly stuck it, just a bit short. Happens
  • 1 0
 I'm sure you would have been able to though...
  • 1 0
 @emptybe-er: This exactly!
  • 1 0
 Life's too short not to go big. Gotta go big.


*Drops 60 foot cliff...3 times*

Bender is rad - would live to go riding with him!
  • 2 0
 I'm so in for this. $60 to ride (presumably) killer trails and ride with an absolute legend. Sold.
  • 3 0
 I'm in!
  • 2 0
 If it's Kong laps, count me in.
  • 1 0
 Article says northern Ca.
  • 3 2
 Its about time he made a business out of his name, no one deserves it more. Go
  • 2 0
 Im taking my 12" supermonstered karpiel out for a ride .
  • 2 0
 RIP Bender, long live Bender
  • 2 0
 Break it with Bender! Please sign this 20 page indemnity or no ride.
  • 2 0
 How high do you have to be not to call the company Send'r with Bender?
  • 3 0
 Yea that's stonerduro!
  • 1 0
 As soon as finances allow I'm their
  • 3 0
 You're their what? Don't leave us hanging like that.
  • 1 1
 Should definitely be charging more. 60 bucks is less than a day pass to ride the resort!
  • 1 0
 Must have 12 inches in the rear
  • 1 0
 Cannabis friendly? Bender will swim in $100 bills in no time.
  • 1 0
 "Cannabis Friendly" only in the us lmao
  • 1 1
 Sustainability? Community?
  • 3 2
 Sounds lit
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