Hello Vital MTB Visitor,
We’re conducting a survey and would appreciate your input. Your answers will help Vital and the MTB industry better understand what riders like you want. Survey results will be used to recognize top brands. Make your voice heard!
Five lucky people will be selected at random to win a Vital MTB t-shirt.
Thanks in advance,
The Vital MTB Crew
Norco had me when they revamped the Norco Race Division with finger painting portraits. Just so completely different than any other team on the circuit. Now Brage and (fingers super crossed) Tippie? Norco is killing it.
Man it’s wild how the marketing works / doesn’t and on who. No interest in those guys in the slightest, both annoy me frankly. But then a guy like greg would get me to consider buying any bike. ..well done Norco.
Obviously everyone has riders they watch and are interested in. Out of curiosity, who and what piques your interest?
For me, the Norco revamp brought some fun into things. The portraits were ridiculous (and reminded me of the Royal Tennenbaums, which I love). Just... different. Regarding Brage, I'm about as opposite from a viking as you can get (full mennonite heritage over here. Pacifism and peace and farming and all that jazz). Not into the whole black metal thing, but his riding is so head and shoulder above anyone else in the free ride space, he's absolutely one of my favourite riders.
Race team vibe im here for.
Brage just doesn’t do it for me. The metal, the vibe, the approach turns me off. Riding is mental but the style is not there for me - I’m sure I’ll get torched for this take but it’s just how I feel. Tippe is the same…we get it, you’re that guy. But to be fair I was sick of his schrik 25 years ago.
Effortless style does it for me. Maybe just coincidence but Kamloops style (Tippie aside) is my jam. Aggy, Matty Miles, Hunter Paul, Matt Hunter. Those guys ride like I imagine riding in my head.
I’m also a sucker for the professionals….they treat it like a job. Loic, Amaury, Finn. Work first…fun second is how I’d describe them….an obsession to the craft.
Just some rambling…down vote away!
Sure, but stature wise, when you're standing beside me in the parking lot between laps, I understand how all the English monks felt as the Norsemen jumped off the boats and rushed towards them.
Also always impressed my Brage, and not just riding wise, but the way he approaches projects. He doesn't do things that don't suit him, he focuses on his passions and he doesn't really seem to care about what people thing, knowing what he does will speak as loud as it needs too. He's been the next gen Rough AF since Jordie passed and he carries the torch well.
No downvoting from me. Everyone has different taste and there's nothing wrong with that!
Brage - that's fair. I think he's the right balance between lots of prep, insane riding skill and willingness to send it. I think he's far more calculating than it looks like in his riding. I think Gee is kinda similar, but I legitimately think that man needs some therapy to work out that death wish he seems to have. Lol
Tippie - can't get on board with your take. By every single person who's spent time interacting with him, living near him, riding with him, etc says it's not a schtick, but who he genuinely is. He's been through some stuff, dealt with addiction and came out the other side as the most positive, grateful, encouraging guy on a bike. Mtb would be worse off if he wasn't part of it.
Effortless Style - 100% agree. I could watch Edgar Briole, Remy Morton, Jasper Penton (is he back in jail again? lol), Alessio (@cornflakesfuture), Finley, Jesse Munden, etc. all day.
Professionals - I respect the professionals, but I like that guys like Jackson or breaking out of that a bit. Like, there is no question about his dedication to winning and he puts in the work, but I can guarantee there isn't anyone on the track who's having more fun than he is. I'd also throw him into the "effortless style" group too.
I have to believe it was a different group than the people behind that wild team portrait campaign. Holy shit. That was risky and confident, this is the laziest and most insecure route possible. Come on. I’ll let you do the Viking thing, the Slayer thing, the angsty teen flipping the bird on foggy train tracks thing, but only if it comes with a wink…this really is completely earnest. Which is hilarious.
Who’s the dork cyclist CEO who insisted on this?
The only way out is to continue with Minnaar doing this same shit. Get the quarter zip man who showers four times a day and has a personal fragrance out on those train tracks looking sad! That could save this.
Yeah actually that must be it. Gotta be.
Specialized out here making meta jokes with fake ai, no way this is the full move from Norco.
But then again this guy mentioned Tippie so yeesh I dunno
All fair.
Huh?
Me think ad no good.
Sam Hill on Moonraker
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUPH1x8Eo6q/?img_index=2&igsh=MWk3N2V0cTkwM…
Its a hook up through the Empire Cycles bike store in Perth that he has a loose sponsorship with.
Roger Moore on Mondraker
Sam Hill not even having an ambassador contract with a major company is actually shameful...
The MTB industry really is in shambles.
don‘t get me wrong sam hill is a legend, but what does he bring to a bike company these days? no content on youtube or any other social platform. should he get a ride/contract/money because he‘s sam hill? i also don‘t get the feeling that he‘s into product development either.
Came to say the same thing. Sam is a legend, however he is pretty quiet on the socials, does the odd race, man of few words, isnt proactively chasing media and doing the moto life with his sons.
Not really what a brand would be looking for in an ambassador.
Blasphemy!😁
I want to disagree, but... you're actually right. Sort of. I am just offended that the hero of my youth isn't full factory anymore.
Yea exactly. He’s the goat in my book but he’s not really a pro biker anymore.
Yawn. So tired of listening to marketing people that are overpaid just spew literal garbage out of their mouth no one cares dude Tetro had a little extra money and he is going to give you a paycheck. It’s so crazy then in the mountain bike world everybody announces when everybody gets a new job that pays $500 a month.
“Marzbomber888 parts ways with Tetro.”
ex top40-50 rider turned influencer. can ride a bike properly unlike others and is quite well known in the german speaking hemisphere
German speaking hemisphere? We managed to stop that a while ago.
lock where that got you now. now you need to queue to get in. and don't overstay!
This is so perfectly in contrast to the comments above about Hill and a sad reality of the world, ones maybe the best MTB rider ever.. won everything, not a big media guy, no endorsements. Yet somehow a 40-50 guy gets endorsement deals because he likes to talk to a camera.
i rather have such a person present products than someone who never was fast but knows how to produce click bait as most youtubers do these days. also that guy was one of the fastest germans in that era. hill can’t speak german
That's kinda how the game works.. Being a former fast guy isn't enough by itself.. You've got to be willing to put yourself out there and bring attention to your sponsor's product. Here in the states, we may not know the guy, but he may help move the needle for a brand in Germany. Look at Peter Jamison.. Not super well known, but a solid rider who can put together good videos that promote his sponsors.
Finally, it seems that Sam has no real interest in going down that road.
All true — but come on, he’s such a douche.
Image shift works both ways, and TRP definitely didn’t make a positive one for me. Not that they’d care, I know 😄
TRP shoulda signed Sam Hill.
Sam on mondraker //empire isn’t actually a surprise but the end result could be …. Unpredictable.
He’s saying it feels good to be back at it, reads like maybe we get a bit more “flat pedal thunder” and a little less “quiet moto dad” this year …..
but who knows really….
I love the guy but he's 40 years old and nowhere near up to speed...
Yeah you're miles quicker.
Post a reply to: 2026 Team Rumors