Video: 5 Custom Freeride Bikes from Red Bull Rampage 2021

Oct 12, 2021
by Pinkbike Originals  


We take a look at the Rampage rides of Jaxson Riddle, Kyle Strait, Ethan Nell, Cam Zink, and Tyler McCaul.

photo
Jaxson Riddle's Transition TR11

Details
• Frame size: small
• 27.5" front / 26" rear wheel
• Tire pressure: 36 psi w/ tubes
• 600 lb spring
• 100 psi fork, max compression and volume spacers
• 38mm rise Deity bars



photo
Kyle Strait's Commencal Furious

Details
• 27.5" wheels
• 4 tokens, 168 psi in RockShox Boxxer fork
• 245 psi in shock, custom tune
• Kenda Hellkat tires, tubes front and rear


photo
Ethan Nell's YT Tues

Details
• Size: small, custom rear end
• 27.5" front / 26" rear wheel
• Max tokens in fork, zero tokens in shock
• Michelin DH 34 / DH 22 tires with tubes
• 25mm stem

photo
Cam Zink's 2016 YT Tues

Details
• Size: medium
• 27.5" front / 26" rear wheel
• 150mm Canfield cranks
• Trickstuff Maxima brakes w/ Shimano XTR rotors
• Custom tuned Fox Float X2
• Fork pressure: 85 - 90 psi, max tokens
• Michelin tires, tube in rear. 29 psi front / 34 psi rear.

photo
Tyler McCaul's GT Fury

Details
• Size: medium
• 30mm stem
• Deity 15mm rise bar
• Maxxis Minion DHF tires w/ tubes
• 75 psi in fork w/ max volume spacers
• 250-255 psi in rear shock / max volume spacers




Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Videos Bike Checks DH Bikes Commencal GT Transition YT Industries Commencal Furious Gt Fury Transition Tr11 Yt Tues Cam Zink Christina Chappetta Jaxson Riddle Kyle Strait Tyler Mccaul Red Bull Rampage Red Bull Rampage 2021


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146 Comments
  • 295 3
 "Cam Zink's 2016 YT Tues", Not even Cam Zink can get a new frame or warranty replacement from YT!
  • 26 76
flag nateisgrate (Oct 12, 2021 at 17:26) (Below Threshold)
 Pretty sure he prefers that years frame design
  • 55 0
 @nateisgrate: yea you may be right, but good comedy has some truth to it, and this is funny!
  • 17 1
 Wasn't this generation of Tues the super progressive one (like they had to dial it back on the next generation)? Makes sense why he'd choose it for Rampage
  • 5 0
 @theshortestcharles: Yeah I reckon that would be why
  • 11 0
 @Shimanosaint0097: and yet Ethan is running his new one with no volume reducers
  • 19 0
 I thought he didn't ride for YT anymore?
  • 1 4
 @kleinblake: The leverage curve is extremely progressive, so it makes sense why he wouldn't need any volume reducers
  • 5 7
 Don’t know what kind of (midlife) crisis Cam was in last year but thank god he’s back to normal now. Really nice listening to his insights
  • 4 1
 @Bomadics: I got the joke just figured I’d give the legit answer since Cam talked about it in a video. I guess pink bike didn’t like that too much lol!
  • 1 0
 @kleinblake: that's interesting, although if I remember right Ethan isn't a very big dude
  • 2 0
 @kleinblake: it sounded like Ethan didn’t have any volume spacers to use rather than not wanting them.
  • 2 1
 Cam doesn’t have a sponsor due to a social media story he posted that wasn’t “politically correct”. Such a shame
  • 65 0
 We'll need the other 10 bikes stat
  • 19 0
 Though times out there between digging and riding for the guys but keep the eyes peeled for more Smile they’re coming!
  • 61 2
 quiet you fool look what you've done *rumbling in the distance and ground shaking* it's the 26 wheel ain't dead crowd coming out of the woodwork
  • 1 0
 @chummyweim: haha classic...
  • 33 0
 26” rear ain’t dead
  • 30 2
 @christinachappetta I really want you to ask these guys - with a straight face - what's the deal with having no space for a bottle? It's not like they're cheap bikes, and they can't even find space for it?! It's one of the main reasons I'm not riding Rampage.
  • 9 0
 Hahaha oh I’ll ask it! But not sure if it will make the final edit hahaha I’ll try
  • 32 5
 27.5/26 mullet is super attractive. Until you realize the limitations on parts and rubber for the 26.

#bring26back
  • 10 0
 26 dh tires still being made last time I checked
  • 8 0
 Had no problems getting hold of a 26" Spank Spike rim and DHR tyre for my DH bike.
  • 6 3
 can someone tell why we need 27.5 instead of 26? i read that 27.5 is the middle ground between 26 and 29 but in fact 27.5 is nearer to 26. why not just continue to use 26? i mean, for normal riding, not for rampage. why we need so many wheel size? is there really solid reasons why we need to phase out 26? just curious.
  • 3 0
 @kilazilla: it just comes down to personal preference. I stuck a 27.5 on my old DH bike (as my Marzocchi forks take 26 and 27.5). I like the rollover and bite of it over gnarly stuff but that's just from a short ride so far. No doubt I'll spend countless hours switching between the two and doing timed runs etc this coming summer.
  • 3 8
flag danstonQ (Oct 13, 2021 at 3:49) (Below Threshold)
 @kilazilla: 26+29 / 2 = 27.5, just to say, so 26 and 29 are both "nearer" to 27.5 Wink
  • 8 0
 @danstonQ:

Actually Kilazilla is right, the 27.5 we know is closer to a 26 than a 29.
Bead seat diameter is:
559mm for 26” wheel
584mm for 27.5”
622mm for 29”
  • 2 1
 @kilazilla: companies want money.....I agree should just have been 26 and 29. I ride 2 29ers and still use my 26er and its still a decently fast setup and beats the 29 and likely the 27.5 in tight turns oh and having a lighter wheel deffinetly helps with pace out if a turn when you get back on the pedals.
  • 2 0
 @Brodybro29: I measured the rim diameter in inches a while ago.
26 rim was ~22"
27 was 22 & 3/4"
29 was 25"
I'm pretty certain that's what the measurements were. 26 and 27 are very similar. 29 is the large jump up in size.
  • 15 1
 I have no pedigree/zero standing in mtb history or culture but Mr. Strait's Commencal is a sweet looking rig. Proportions, colours, minutiae...yes please.

...just so I can hang it in my living room. I have no business being on a bike of that magnitude.
  • 18 0
 My bro painted that thing! Stoked you dig the look
  • 4 0
 we will excuse your lowborn status and bend the normally strict pinkbike commenter selection criteria and allow your post, but just this once
  • 17 0
 27.5 / 26 is the mullet combo we wanted
  • 18 2
 The lack of 29ers and water bottle mounts is disgusting
  • 2 6
flag ears-in-snow (Oct 13, 2021 at 0:13) (Below Threshold)
 You, Sir, win the internet today.
  • 8 1
 It would be great to have the riders rough weight to provide a little bit more context on the suspension settings & tire pressures. It would be interesting to see how much different a 175lb pro riders suspension is set up to handle rampage sized impacts or world cup course vs an average joe using the manufacturer’s recommended spring rate(s) / settings at 175lbs.
In my mind knowing that they’re using 4 tokens and 98psi without weight doesn’t really tell me anything.
  • 59 5
 Pretty much all of them are running their suspension as stiff as possible - if you pump your fork and shock up to the maximum allowable amount and close the rebound damping your bike will be Rampage ready too.
  • 3 0
 @mikekazimer: Yea, no pogo!
  • 12 15
 @mikekazimer: sorry Mike, I tried to give you a thumbs up, but my finger slipped and hit the down button. I blame today's Vax shot for messing up my motor skills.
  • 6 0
 I’m a lady and we don’t talk weight haha but you can get a pretty good idea of their stature, compared to me, and then it’s relative. For instance, Kyle straight is one of the bigger built riders on course and from this check he runs the heaviest settings, compared to say Tyler McCaul who is closer to my stature and he ran the lightest settings from this round up.
  • 7 0
 @christinachappetta: I support your suggestion to use the [CC] as unit of weight on PB.

Still debating if [CCsi] is too much for tire pressure though…
  • 24 0
 @christinachappetta: Don't have the stats for the rest of the riders, but I remember from the last time I attended Rampage in person that Kyle Strait was 9ft tall and 600lbs.
  • 5 1
 @mobiller: you mean 4 ChristinaChapettas?! What a lad!
  • 10 0
 What is great about these 27.5/26 bikes is that the difference in wheel size is barely noticeable.
  • 4 1
 Gyroscopic effect is a lot more noticeable than the 1inch size difference
  • 8 0
 I always get excited seeing the various pro-bikes wondering if I have anything even close, and I am continually disappointed and my Huffy bike is never mentioned.
  • 8 0
 Jackson's 'Honda CR' Transition is super sexy
  • 8 1
 She is awesome at interviewing the athletes and zeroing in on prime components. Good job!!!
  • 6 0
 I wonder who zink is going to be riding for soon. He seemed super hesitant in advertising his YT.
  • 4 0
 Im super curious about, and interested in, this 150mm bike he designed
  • 3 0
 Also, building on my nil pedigree, I could be the only one who, today, learned it's YT "Too Ezz". Every time I see that I just naturally said "hey, it's a YT Tuesday".

To confirm my zero standing, I'm 5 years ahead in willful ignorance: a 2016 review from Bikemag explains, "Pronounced “two es,” and the bike’s name isn’t an abbreviation for for the day after Monday–it turns out “Tues” means “do it” in German."

(www.bikemag.com/gear/mountain-bikes/review-yt-tues-cf-comp)
  • 1 0
 You're not the only one....It was just earlier this year that I heard it said in a video and at that moment, I too, realized it was not an abbreviated form of Tuesday lol
  • 6 0
 Single speed DH bikes a proper drool material.
  • 2 0
 Is anybody riding chainless?
  • 4 0
 @DoubleCrownAddict: not that I’ve seen. Most riders need to cover a traverse at some point in their run so it helps to be able to pedal a tad, especially if the wind changes and they need to speed check. However Brandon’s crank-stopper is so stiff, I doubt he’s gonna pedal anywhere!
  • 2 0
 @DoubleCrownAddict: Remy Morten rides Fest series chainless
  • 6 1
 It may say in the video (can’t watch at the moment): why is everyone running tubes?
  • 2 0
 Apparently it’s because they want higher pressure to avoid blowing the tire of the rim
  • 9 0
 Landing those inhumane hucks sideways with a tubeless tire is an almost guaranteed way to end up kissing the ground. Tubeless setups are all about taking advantage of the enhanced traction and feel lower pressures deliver. These guys basically need their tire/rim combo to survive lateral impacts strong enough to destroy almost any wheel.
  • 3 0
 @southoftheborder: what you said! Landing a 360 with too much sauce is a good way to blow some rubber off!
  • 3 0
 No burps
  • 14 0
 I prefer the term inflatable insert
  • 1 0
 @christinachappetta: that's what she said
  • 3 0
 For all you design nerds out there who want to check out the design process for Kyle’s bike, my buddy posted this:

www.instagram.com/reel/CUq4_47AddD/?utm_medium=copy_link
  • 1 1
 @southoftheborder: broken link...
  • 6 2
 Note to bike manufactures... Someone riding a 'stock' bike at Rampage would make a good advertisement.
  • 14 0
 I see your point, but logically that shouldn't be true if that means buying a stock bike that was off-the-shelf ready to handle Rampage. It makes sense that the small amount of pros alter their bikes for the extreme conditions rather than brands building bikes for the most extreme conditions and then we all ride around our local trails on way more bike than necessary.

If one of these guys was riding my stock Transition Spire, I would feel that I'm packing around way more bike than I need to be. (I mean I already feel that, but it would be even worse!)
  • 4 3
 @BiNARYBiKE: Good point, however a 'stock' DH bike (with suspension tuned ie heavy spring and tokens etc) should be able to handle rampage.
"Show room to Rampage"
  • 1 0
 Fairclough rides his WC bike afaik, which isn’t far off the stock Gambler albeit for personal sponsors
  • 2 0
 @AntN: dh bikes are not freeride bikes
  • 3 0
 in the video for this Kyle Strait made sure to mention that you could buy/build his exact bike and there was no special manufacturing for it. Doing Commencal proud
  • 5 0
 Tec Gnar with the good work!
  • 4 2
 2021 mullets … cause the 27.5 is flickable and allows easy fun manoeuvrability and you don’t guy your butt on tire .

2021 rampage ….. need to take 27.5 off the back and put smaller wheel … cause 27.5 is TOO BIG.
  • 14 0
 Casually doing a cork 7 on my local trail loop
  • 2 0
 Cam zink isn’t riding for yt, he was seen riding a hyper at the start of the year but that deal must have not worked out. So they hooked him up with the frame. Keen to know who he’s riding for soon
  • 2 0
 He's ridden for them before, mightve been an old frame he had?
  • 1 0
 I mean the bike checks are cool (stoked to see who Zink is riding for) but what really made that video was Semenuks DH bike flip whip in the intro. I know single crowns have been ridden and bar spins have been done. I think Paul B did a tail whip at one point, but has a flip whip been done at rampage before?
  • 2 1
 Most people here have a bike that's newer than Cam Zink's, but the comparison stops there, cos the only things they can do compared to Zink is peeing and drinking beers. Wrong, I am not! Let the downvote begins. I would probably downvote myself as well, even though my specialized enduro is a 650b from 2016. But yeah, I can't ride shit! I suck!
  • 1 0
 Very specialized bikes. And all love tubes which to me was both a surprise and not a surprise. I wonder if fatty strippers would help them, but I can understand why they want to stick to what they know... Not worth injury finding out if your tire burps or not.
  • 2 0
 What is Genon on? He´s definitely not on a Sender, and it kinda looks like he´s on a Spectral with a double crown fork?? @christinachappetta would be great to get some insight into the decission!
  • 1 0
 Is it the sender aluminium? I haven’t seen it. He’s more likely to be on that or a torque than a spectral.
  • 2 0
 I’m trying!! He was mostly on the tools the last few days but hope to see more bikes out today.
  • 1 0
 @Afterschoolsports: not really, the sender (both alu and carbon) look a lot different. It really looks like a Spectral, which is very weird. Like the bike is massively playful, but for Rampage...
  • 1 0
 @christinachappetta: thanks!
  • 1 0
 That shock on zinks bike with the new resi decal and old air sleeve decal.... really old air sleeve decal. Looks like a frankenshock. Entire bike is a frankenbike. But as long as he feels comfortable on it who cares. I just want to see dude go top to bottom and land everything he's got in his head.
  • 4 0
 are they trying to hide bike info from us or give it in small doses?
  • 3 0
 the current Transition is not as glamorous as the TR450 was. I loved the aesthetics of those linkages!
  • 3 0
 Who care about what pedal they are running when the only important information is Strait's old avid brakes!!!
  • 2 0
 Is Strait running old (2011) Code levers? o.0

They are the Chrome ones I have on my 2009 Trek Session. Saw them in the YT video.
  • 1 0
 Funny how most of the bikes are "out of the box" but the YT's are either the old models and/or beefed up so they don't break in half lolololololololol
I love seeing less and less of these at bike parks.
  • 4 0
 It do be like that
  • 7 4
 I need to hear Semenuk talk me through his single crown choice.
  • 18 0
 I would guess he wants to be able to do bar spins and tail whips, eh? Can't imagine there's much more to it than that.
  • 2 0
 It’s a coming!!!
  • 1 0
 Holy sweet jesus Riddle's custom Honda moto graphics are so sick. Reminds me of a cooler version of Rob Warner's Honda painted Vitus or Bernard's Ferrari painted Pivot.
  • 2 1
 @fluidfocus Ethan Nell looks like he needs a suspension sponsor and a kashima nose ring
  • 2 0
 Video and photos...No podcast...WTF?!
  • 6 0
 It's on the way - we just finished recording it. Wink
  • 4 2
 If 29/27.5 makes a mullet, then what’s s 27.5/26? A mullette ?
  • 5 0
 Minni mullet, party up front party HARD in the back
  • 8 10
 Really pb? really? We’re gonna talk about CUSTOM freeride bikes and not talk about Brandon Semenuk’s single crown 26 27.5 session? The only bike at Rampage in at least 8 years that can do bar spins and tailwhips, that is being piloted by one the most dominant freeride and slopestyle riders of all time.
  • 55 0
 There was a whole dedicated article about it. The consensus was that it looked like a session.
  • 6 1
 We’ll try to get his in the next round!
  • 15 0
 My personal goal is to get a bike check on this one! Brandon takes no breaks and builds sun up to sun down so it’s actually quite hard to ask for the riders’ time. But for you, I’ll try my best!
  • 2 0
 Anyone know what chain tensioner is on Ethan Nell's bike?
  • 2 0
 The SB One…one
  • 1 0
 @christinachappetta: thanks. that thing is rad! a little too pricey for me though, zee derailleur it is.
  • 2 0
 It’s like freeride bikes didn’t age at all
  • 1 1
 Rampage blows up the wheel size debate again.
Tubes too...
Smaller frame sizes (like the EWS guys and Bruni)
Wait until they tell you there are not running 800 wide bars.
  • 2 0
 i mean, they're pretty specialized bikes for a specific thing.. hucking off massive cliffs and not getting bucked off like a mechanical bull... do you think they run the same set up if they're just doing bike park laps?
  • 2 0
 Two Marzocchis and a Suntour. Nice!!!!
  • 2 0
 I love Tyler’s bike. The fork has those shiver vibes.
  • 2 0
 McCaul's Fury is the first GT i have liked in almost 20 years
  • 1 0
 Thanks for doing a photo set as well as a video. Super appreciate the content guys!
  • 1 0
 I would love to see a Freeride Frame design by Cam Zink! Bring it to life!!!
  • 1 0
 Kyle Strait's brake levers though! Guess you like what you like.
  • 1 0
 Yeah I was surprised nobody mentioned the old avid codes on strait's bike.
  • 1 0
 Why not, they are great brakes. I still run the same ones.
  • 1 0
 Dayumm,,, bike looks radicalism.
  • 1 0
 I'm pretty keen to try the "kids cranks" bandwagon....
  • 1 0
 Finally asking all the right questions. Very well done.
  • 1 0
 www.pinkbike.com/photo/21394989
  • 1 0
 There was a full bike check article on PB about Szymon's bike. Sick ride.
  • 1 0
 Still boggles my mind the size of that shock on the YT Tues...
  • 1 0
 i cant believe Ethan doesnt have a fork and shock sponsor for rampage.
  • 1 0
 The Transition is a beaut.
  • 2 0
 26 ain't dead yet!
  • 1 0
 Kyle is running the old school Code silver calipers too, they look sweet.
  • 1 0
 Between Riddles’ TR11 and Nells Tues… my bike tank is full this week.
  • 1 0
 Lawd, Commencal make by far the prettiest bikes.
  • 3 5
 Very interesting that 26" wheels are clearly making a comeback of some sort. Make it 26" front and rear and it will be prefect.
  • 2 0
 26 has generally been the rule at Rampage. It's more that 650b and mulletization is gradually entering the chat, presumably just to keep you livid.
  • 1 1
 @BenPea: indeed
  • 1 0
 damn jackson, nice bike.
  • 1 1
 deleeeeeted
  • 5 7
 why is Cam on a 5 year old bike tho
  • 16 0
 He explains why in the video - he prefers the more progressive leverage ratio and the shorter geometry.
  • 8 1
 @mikekazimer: ah, im in a meeting, lol just reading atm lol
  • 5 0
 The real question is who is he testing bikes for
  • 4 0
 @yukonman: He'll probably end up on a Commenglomerate frame
  • 2 0
 @mikekazimer: thanks Kaz!
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