Red Bull created a documentary film about the origins of Freeride MTB with interviews with Wade Simmons, Richie Schley, and Brett Tippe. The trailer is above and a link to the full-length film is below. I went down this rabbit hole and I was glad that I did!

https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/films/the-moment?fbclid=IwAR3enabBhb4kqfBnqfhiZT-MCR6kym4raUY98RNW0jWa8afERzoZPwl_rgE

Sram AXS

SRAM’s AXS Web Ride Analysis Tool is Live

SRAM’s AXS ecosystem becomes even more powerful with the introduction of AXS Web, a web tool designed for riders who want to better understand and improve their experience on the bike. The AXS Web dashboard is for anyone with data-enabled devices — including power meters, tire pressure sensors and electronic shifting — and will collect and display ride data uploaded through Garmin head units. Wahoo compatibility is forthcoming.

AXS Web allows riders to analyze ride files specific to shifting, gear use, power zones, and tire pressure. Ride maps are also displayed. Riders can quickly and easily learn more about how their bike is working for them and consider adjustments. Reviewing the data is as simple as linking a rider’s AXS Web account to their head unit account and uploading the files. AXS Web also sends relevant system push notifications, including low battery warnings, to the rider’s smartphone via the AXS App.

AXS Web is the third piece of the AXS ecosystem, which includes the complete range of AXS components and the AXS App. SRAM also invites riders to investigate AXS Web’s UserVoice forum where they can ask questions, share ideas and review responses. AXS Web’s UserVoice is a two-way communication tool to inform users and help SRAM better understand how people are using AXS.

“We built this site for riders as a learning tool and to show people how their bike is working for them. The data is easy to understand and is always enlightening; it’s like getting a coach for free,” said Quarq founder and SRAM’s category manager for digital integration, Jim Meyer.

To view AXS Web visit https://axs.sram.com

Teravail Tires does the Kessel Spice Run in New Galactic Record – 22 Parsecs

Teravail Introduces New Kessel Mountain Bike Tire

Bloomington, Minn. – March 26, 2020

Teravail is excited to introduce the Kessel, the most aggressive mountain bike tire in its lineup.

The Kessel is an aggressive trail, enduro, and downhill tire designed to deliver maximum traction in big, technical terrain. The tread pattern is inspired by the Teravail team’s collective experiences riding loose, rocky, and steep trails where traction is the top priority.

Tall, angular lugs, an open tread pattern, and dual-compound rubber with Teravail’s new Grip compound work together to provide exceptional grip on loose and technical terrain, while the ramped center lugs keep rolling resistance low. Wherever you ride, Kessel offers predictable performance for pushing limits.

To accommodate a variety of mountain bikes and rider preferences, we offer the Kessel in 27.5 x 2.5″ as well as 29 x 2.4″ and 2.6″. Riders have a choice between Teravail’s Durable casing or the new Ultra-Durable casing. Teravail’s 60 TPI Durable casings feature a robust woven nylon composite reinforcement between the outer rubber and the inner casing within the sidewalls to prevent tearing and abrasions and a fine nylon weave under the tread cap to prevent punctures. The 60 TPI Ultra-Durable casing provides everything from our durable construction with an additional ½ ply of 120 TPI for sidewall protection and extra puncture defense in the tread cap plus butyl inserts to further strengthen the sidewalls of the tire. The Kessel is available with a tan sidewall (Durable casing only) or standard black sidewall in both durable and ultra-durable constructions.

As with all Teravail tires, the Kessel is tubeless-ready to reduce flats and provide greater traction and ride feel at low pressures.

For more information visit – https://teravail.com/

Surly Lowside & Home Delivery

Surly released their Lowside don’t call me a Klunker in a new colorway – Stray Gray Hair and announced that during the current Covid 19 health crisis Surly Dealers can deliver their line of complete bikes directly to your door.

You have to order through your local Surly Dealer. and assemble the bike at home, but your steel bike fix is just a phone call away. If you want to spice up your mundane mountain bike lifestyle, the Lowside could be your huckleberry – #gnomesane?

Get the full Surly sales pitch at – https://surlybikes.com/

Global (online) Bike Festival – April 4 – 5pm

An online event celebrating and entertaining the bike community worldwide

• Live performance by bicycle-loving musician Ben Weaver
• An incredible collection of independent bike movies curated by Filmed by Bike Director Ayleen Crotty
• Community Global Hangout + Film Chat with bike filmmaker Manny Marquez
• An opportunity to connect with the global bike community and support working artists.
• Tickets + Details Here

NBN CONTEST!

We have four of these insulated bags from Stashers that we’ll award in the next four NBN Updates coming this spring. Each bag comes with a mini reusable ice pack and a can koozie! To enter send us your name address and anything else that you think qualifies as a multi-media example of a groovy bicycle niche. That could be a poem, photograph, folk-song, video, dance routine, comedy routine, sage wisdom or dirty limerick. Send your entry to gomez@fat-bike.com with NBN Contest in the subject line. Prizes are available to US Residents only, due to potential customs charges and the high cost of shipping to other countries. (Sorry but the boss tells me that we’re on a budget!) We’ll choose a winner from the entries that we receive and announce a winner every time that we publish a Niche Bike News Update (till we run out of bags to give away).

Check out the full line of Stashers bike bags at – https://getstashers.com/