Social Round Up: Digging in the Desert - Red Bull Rampage 2018

Oct 22, 2018
by Aidan Oliver  

Rheeder picking away.
SOCIAL ROUND UP
RAMPAGE
DIG DAYS


The world's craziest mountain bike event, Red Bull Rampage, is back for another year. With a new site for this year, 21 of the world's best freeriders will create their own handmade lines down the mountain without the use of power tools. As a result, no two riders' paths down the near-vertical sandstone ridges will be exactly the same.

We'll have more photo coverage coming soon, but in the meantime check out some of the social media posts from riders during the line building process below! Tune in to Red Bull TV to watch the finals on Friday at 3:30 PM PDT.















Some brands have gone all out for their Rampage riders this year. Check out some of the custom bikes.











MENTIONS: @redbullbike


Posted In:
Videos Social Round Ups Red Bull Red Bull Rampage


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106 Comments
  • 133 11
 I hate to be that guy, but these guys should at least have safety glasses on when chipping those rocks. I got a shard in my eye once, eye surgery is no joke!!!!
  • 10 42
flag mkotowski1 (Oct 22, 2018 at 19:16) (Below Threshold)
 Wat
  • 32 0
 I too am legally blind in one eye and now I too am super concerned when I see others "taking for granted" having two good ones. Keep safe guys!
  • 14 0
 Agreed. Oakley M-frames should be standard saftey equip along with mullet helmets.
  • 38 2
 Randy made a rock go legally blind when it hit his eye
  • 1 0
 i concur.
  • 28 0
 I spy a Fiskars Pick 200 in Lacondaguy's hands. Excellent choice, Finland Represent.

Fibreglass for reduced trail buzz and at 2.95 kilos and approx 90cmm in length, some dirt is gunna get dug ya dig?!?
  • 16 2
 The new 90.99cm length provides extra leverage.
  • 5 1
 Fiskars are best tool ever, once you tried one of their products you don't even think of looking elsewhere
  • 4 2
 @Boardlife69: thats what she said
  • 28 1
 Carson's bike looks mean....bombs away!
  • 1 0
 that crazy headset
  • 2 0
 @esstinkay: It a mod to adjust geometry to 26" wheels
  • 17 0
 Hope they don't get their bikes dirty.
  • 1 0
 Dusty only.
  • 70 55
 Having lived in those types of areas, they're out there causing damage that won't go away. I'm amazed at the riding they do, but I wish they'd stop destroying shit to do it.
  • 31 25
 Yeah, total destruction to dirt and rocks. Look at the erosion of that place, it will all eventually erode away. Water has far more damaging effects than a few shovels. GMAFB.
  • 21 28
flag KonaTaro (Oct 22, 2018 at 16:46) (Below Threshold)
 I am surprised that the heavy destruction of landscape seems to be neglected for the sake of riding down that hill once a year.
  • 48 24
 @Brahma: it probably takes water 1000 years to do what rampage does in a matter of days. I love rampage but the dude isn't wrong.
  • 27 26
 Im sorry, but do you mountain bike on any trails outdoors? On private land or public? Carbon or Bamboo frame? Brooks saddle on your commuter bike? Does your hybrid car have a leather wrapped steering wheel? This is your beef, and this is where you post it?

@IsaacO have you ever heard of a flash flood.

Personally I'm glad all our riding is not reserved to cement skate parks, wooden jumps, and Woodward.

Everything in moderation, and I would say limited riders, and closed sections of terrain shows this event is in moderation. Want to complain, comment on how Redbull could work on bringing the first 2 localtions back to their former glory. Don't complain without a solution
  • 26 4
 @H3RESQ: idk what you're getting all hyped up at me for i didn't complain. I just said the dude isn't wrong, and hes not. I'm glad rampage exists. It's just an unfortunate cost of doing business.
  • 25 36
flag sumarongi (Oct 22, 2018 at 17:25) (Below Threshold)
 They’re not ‘destroying’ shit. They’re CREATING shit. Rad f*cking shit.

Know the difference
  • 45 8
 @H3RESQ: Desert landscape is far different from temperate zones with vegetation. PNW forest heals far faster than SW desert. Almost all other landscapes heal far faster. I'm not sure how much time you've spent in the desert SW, but damage to locations like that is pretty much permanent at the scale they're dealing in. Taking a ridge and cutting even a small path into it creates a new erosion location that erodes relatively quickly due to lack of vegetation. Add that those locations don't get ridden much outside of the event and you're destroying a lot to gain a little. Even in the places where vegetation returns it can take a decade or more to restore. There's a reason you're supposed to stay on the trail.

I'm not really sure why you're being such a dick about it to be honest.
  • 20 10
 @Explodo: Studies in parts of Utah have shown that even 1 footstep off a marked path will create irreparable damage to the plants and soil bacteria. So yeah, what these are guys are doing is definitely destroying the landscape. Couldn't agree more, but I'm pretty sure there is no stopping Redbulls deep pockets...
  • 11 1
 @Explodo: "I'm not really sure why you're being such a dick about it to be honest."

Because this is pinkbike...
  • 19 68
flag scott-townes (Oct 22, 2018 at 20:10) (Below Threshold)
 Its on private land, you jackasses. That "damage" they're causing doesn't take too long for nature to do. Quit being pussies. If you want to go that route of preserving nature, 99% of the trails you enjoy would exist. If you truly cared about nature, you wouldn't be MTBers in the first place.

I wonder how many of you environmental justice warriors have actually ridden and been in these areas year after year, especially after creating or riding an existing trail? Most of you pussies just created your accounts or post nothing about who you are or where you live. Why is that? Your posts may be ill informed but they're not provocative, probably because you know you're full of BS. I've been riding in these areas for 8 years now and your footprint disappears after a couple of years due to natural erosion. Sure a few well-built features stick around for longer but in 15-20 years? Grow up and focus on issues that matter, if you really care but I doubt you do.
  • 14 33
flag scott-townes (Oct 22, 2018 at 20:15) (Below Threshold)
 Yap. I betting you're still going to watch the event. Hypocrites.
  • 1 0
 Okeedokee
  • 6 2
 anyone seen my car keys? asking for a friend
  • 22 5
 @scott-townes: In Utah, there are lots of mormons and lots of morons. From what you wrote, I can tell in which category you fall
  • 10 1
 As a native of St. George, I can tell you the real evil isn't mountain bikers, its the people who ride texas wheelchairs and dirtbikes. They destroy.
  • 10 14
flag motosinko805 (Oct 23, 2018 at 6:46) (Below Threshold)
 @scott-townes: thousands of square miles of desert, nearly identical in landscape, and the hippies bitch about a couple mtb trails. Ugh.
  • 3 7
 @mdrrich: Most groomed bike park trails are horrible for the landscape & completely alter it. People bitch about moto riders... but our offroad trails back home were so much more raw than mountain bike trails. Even after 20 years of riding the same trails... we haven't created as big of a dent as your average mountain bike hacking up hillside, building paths into off-camber, any of the north shore wood type skinny shit, etc.

I find it ironic as mountain bikers act like dirt bikers ruin their riding. MTBs ruin the landscape more for your average* trail than a dirt biker would need to do to ride the same trail. Seen the proof for 20 years. 4-wheeler tards you're right on the money though. Don't lump moto riders w/ 4-wheeler riders - two very different breeds.
  • 6 11
flag scott-townes (Oct 23, 2018 at 7:37) (Below Threshold)
 @zede: Yeah bud, I'm not Mormon. You people are such hypocrites. Simply put, if you cared THAT much about the environment, you wouldn't participate or support the MTB industry in any shape or form.
  • 3 2
 @rideitall-bmx-dh-road-unicycle: Trail degradation studies prove otherwise. Motorized use does cause more erosion than non-motorized in reference to single track.

You can't compare 4ft. wide bike park trails to motorized single track. You have to compare single track use for each activity. Hiking - MTBing - Dirtbikes - Horses - Quads is the basic order of trail users from least to most impactful. If you wanted to be fair, you'd compared a MX track to a bike park and you know MX tracks have to be completely worked over almost every day due to the wear/tear, whereas bike park trails need certain sections worked on but only after a few days, maybe a week.

You could also go ride a trail in Sun Valley that's non-motorized and one that is and the difference is night and day. Don't get me wrong, both activities are really fun.
  • 2 1
 @zede: Utah is not just Mormons. If you do some sort of outdoors activity you should know better. Ever heard of Park City? SLC? Moab?
  • 1 1
 @scott-townes: Hey I agree with your edited response... the original response i didn't agree totally with. Using your example.... Take Trestle vs. Thunder Valley here in CO... and the bike park certainly has a bigger negative impact.
  • 3 2
 Is really sad to see all this digging. They should just pick a line and send it!
  • 1 1
 @drivereight: i suppose you want people to die and be seriously injured?
  • 1 1
 @rideitall-bmx-dh-road-unicycle: Yeahhh had to be careful with the wording, haha
  • 2 1
 Glad to see some discussion going on! Rampage, in my eyes is a massive destruction of a great landscape. Digging should be limited. It just doesn´t make sense(to me), to have these great landscape, and then these massively manicured flow-trails build into it(even if they are really steep).
  • 1 1
 @mensch-mueller: you really should redefine your definition of "massively manicured flow-trails" .. you'll find that Rampage is nothing like A-line.
  • 1 1
 @underhawk: the guy mentioned the TGR forum, so I made a TGR kind of joke. dont get offended so easily little baboon
  • 13 0
 Is Zink going to be good to compete?
  • 3 0
 After his shoulder popped out I was making myself the same question. But he is an ET. He ll probably do it anyway.
  • 8 8
 I'm hoping not.... but then again Axel Hodges competed in X-Games after dislocating his shoulder a few days before the comp. and did fine so if they tape it up right and he feels good enough, its possible.
  • 3 1
 @scott-townes: right in some respects, all depends on how it came out n how long it was out for. A couple of seconds, maybe alright. Up n back and out for minutes - an hour could be loads of time. I’ve had ever type, some I’ve popped back in within 30 seconds and continued jumping, even throwing tricks carefully, others I’ve been in hospital for 4 hours as they try to put it back...
  • 5 1
 Even in a remote location someone is sure to have some WD-40 and Duct tape to fix him up.
  • 2 0
 @cunning-linguist: If you watch the video, it wasn't for very long. I've dislocated my shoulder over 200 times resulting in the socket having to be rebuilt and one thing I learned is that it can be insanely unpredictable after popping it out, especially after doing it a number of times like Zink has. Sometimes it doesn't pop out during a hard crash, sometimes it pops out with little effort. I hope he sits this one out because the consequences are big but that's his choice to make... dat physio tape tho. I didn't have that and hear it works well.
  • 18 8
 Randy,s line is the sickest . No digging he just shows up and sends it!
  • 4 0
 Plus rides to the top to earn the descent unlike these guys.
  • 9 1
 i dont think i could walk down that sht let alone rode a bike down it
  • 56 10
 You just need to find your inner Randy and anything is possible....
  • 23 1
 I get your point but in reality alot of terrain is actually easier to ride down than walk. Even trails that us normals would ride.
  • 8 0
 @sino428: yeah walking down pretty much any reasonably steep trail is a bitch compared to riding it
  • 1 0
 How would you walk a drop? Wink
  • 9 1
 Pinkbike. Get on the ground and get some photos, vids and interviews!
  • 10 0
 They most likely aren’t allowed on site yet.
  • 4 3
 @sino428: Yeah they've been insanely strict about the "press" or official coverage ever since NBC got involved.
  • 4 1
 So who’s covering their medical bills for the one that who gets hurt this year? I hope the sponsors steps up to it! It at least they can do since the cash prizes are not even that much to live on! Their making so much money on advertising from these athletes!
  • 4 2
 I hope you realize that back in the days the prize money was far, far lower then it is now. In 2001, it was a measly 8000 dollars. In 2016, it was up to 200,000. The medical bills issue has always been the same, ever since the beginning. Still doesn't make it better, but your point of "cash prizes not being much to live on" is pretty moot.
  • 1 0
 The medical bills will be covered by each riders insurance, which they hopefully have. Everyone likes to say that redbull should cover medical expenses but that just can’t work in an event where the riders have free reign to do what they want and take as much risk as they want. As soon as the event or some third party insurer of the event were to be on the hook, they would have to have some say in what the riders do and the level of risk they take. And I don’t think the fans or riders would want that.
  • 6 0
 Hate posts full of Instagram, which is blocked for me(
  • 19 15
 So it's slopestyle again? Great reason to trash a beautiful landscape. #makefreeriderawagain
  • 15 1
 Its easily as much a trail building competition now as it is ride competition. Gotta get a little slope-style-esque with landings and take offs if they are going to survive the launch. I love watching bender hucks, but old rampage was about watching who could survive the impacts rather that who found a creative way down the mountain. I would love to see a different competition rooted more in the freeride style of James Doerfling and his big mountain monday videos. Not sure how big the area would need to be, what would suffice, or where it could exist... I dunno times change, I feel ya, but there just isn't one way to ride the mountain.
  • 1 0
 @twhart20: I get the smooth takeoffs and landings, but there should be limits. No more than 4' wide and 40' long landings, much less so for takeoffs, after that no more than a foot wide and you can't bench into an off camber. Whatever the specific numbers would be (I'm no great free rider so I don't really know what their speeds are like) could be hashed out. Otherwise it just feels like a couple Crankworks courses mashed into a small space.
  • 1 0
 @yzedf: it’s a trade off for sure. If you want to see riders buck big jumps and drops they need long strep landings to do it safely.
  • 5 0
 26aintdead
  • 3 0
 Cool that a lot of the guys are getting custom bikes!
  • 3 0
 Are sandbags allowed this year? No pre made kickers?!?
  • 1 0
 Brendog always has the most creative line that gets underscored. Didn't see a lot of semenuks line this year, stoked to see what he got.
  • 3 1
 That’s called Brotherhood right there
  • 1 0
 3.30PM? Will be a loooooooooong Friday evening here in Europe, especially with the mandatory wind-related delays.
  • 1 0
 I'd really like to see one rider finding a line without any digging!!! Gettng a 100 score with me Smile
  • 2 0
 SEMENUK!?!?!
  • 1 0
 He's on it! www.instagram.com/p/BpCodv2lq3f/?hl=de&taken-by=brandonsemenuk
  • 1 0
 Glad he is riding the event... He is our guy for progressive moves.
  • 1 0
 Rheeder wins... that fake mud paint. How epic.
  • 1 0
 where is the line choosing drama?
  • 1 0
 is there someone using carbon fiber rims?
  • 1 0
 well i know where i'll be parked this friday morning
  • 1 0
 Insanity!
  • 1 0
 Can't wait!!
  • 1 0
 I can't wait guyssss
  • 1 3
 Rampage bikes make the front of my jeans explode
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