Wednesday, December 31, 2008

January's Featured Rider: Darian Harvey

Darian Harvey is the current National Mountain Bike Series Downhill Champion and represented the USA at the 2007 World Downhill Championships. She's fast on the downhill bike and aggressive on the 4x course. Darian has a Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in photography, and she's an ace bike mechanic as well. She's current training in California, and will return to Durango, CO to skate ski and snowboard until the mountains thaw enough for her to start riding bikes again. --FF

Name: Darian Harvey
Home: Durango, CO
Age: 26
Favorite type of riding: Fast, flowy DH tracks with wide-open, drifty corners.
Why you ride: I ride because I love it. I love that no matter what happens to me on a ride, I can come home with a smile on my face. I can get a flat tire, go over the bars, or just ride poorly--the bottom line is that I had a chance to ride my bike, and for that I am happy.
Sponsors: SoBe-Cannondale Team (SoBe, Cannondale, Fox, Shimano, Mavic, Michelin, E-13, Thomson, Smith, Bear Naked, Marmot, Hydrapak, Teva, Pedro, Thule ), Six Six One, Royal, and Sunline
Website: MySpace.com/DarianHarvey

When I was 10 years old, my cousin bought his first mountain bike. He let me ride it a couple of times and I was hooked. I knew that I had to have a mountain bike of my own, so I started working odd jobs and saving money. I subscribed to Mountain Bike Action for about five years before I could afford to buy my own bike.

In those magazines, it always appeared that the gravity riders had more fun. The cross country riders always had these painful grimaces on their faces, while the gravity riders looked like they were having a blast. I would see pictures of legends like Missy Giove, John Tomac, Shawn Palmer, Anne-Caroline Chausson, and I would think, "I want to do that!" So the first bike I bought was a typical hardtail, but I always dreamed of racing on a downhill bike of my own. After several more years of saving, my dream came true. I bought my first DH bike, and have been racing ever since.

One of my big goals for 2009 is something that I have struggled with for a long time. My goal is to become proficient at jumping. Anyone that has ever watched me race 4X or dual slalom knows that jumping is my Achilles heel and my inability to jump doubles has cost me races. I intend to change that for 2009 and I am actually moving to California for part of the winter so that I can work on my jumping skills. Look out dirt jumps, here I come!

I think that there are many important skills that can help riders be successful in our sport, but the two most important things to me are fitness and mental preparation. It doesn't matter how high you can bunnyhop, how far you can jump, how long you can manual, if you can't remember your lines and don't have the power to pedal out of every corner, you are not going to win races. All those fun skills come in handy in nearly all riding situations, but great fitness allows you to be competitive and proper mental preparation allows you to put all of your skills together and hopefully win.

I would say that my career highlight so far would be winning the 2008 Pro Women's Downhill National Mountain Bike Series Championship. This year was the first year that I was able to make it to nearly all the races in the series (only missed one this year), and I ended up winning the whole thing.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Get in the Van from UT to Sea Otter for $385 While You Can!

On January 1, the price of our Sea Otter Road Trip will increase from $385 to $475. The price increase is to cover the greater expense of booking rooms at a later date.

Either way, you'll get a super bargain: A van ride for you and up to 2 bikes from UT to Monterey and back, hotel room from April 15-20, and all the gas is pre-paid. Click here for more details and to reserve your spot in the van before the price goes up!

Friday, December 26, 2008

Enter Our Winter Training Video Contest!

You're done with school, have a few days off of work, are snowed in, or are rained out. What are you going to do? Train! And do it for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Freeride Foundation. Take that new digi-cam you just unwrapped and turn Granny's basement into your personal gym. Whether you get to ride all year, have to put the bike away in September, or turn into a compulsive gym rat as soon as Daylight Savings kills your post-work ride, we want to see how you're getting ready for 2009. Yes, you can literally bring the New Year in with a bang. Oh, and don't worry, we won't steal your workouts--we promise. Really.

The Details:
-Create a 2-3 minute video documenting your winter training regimen.
-Upload it to YouTube, think of a catchy title, and be sure to include "FreerideFoundation.com Training Secrets Video Contest" somewhere in the video's description.
-Then email the link to your video, your name, and your email and/or phone number to jackie@freeridefoundation.com.

Blog visitors will vote on the videos to determine the winner of the contest. Voting on the Blog will begin on Friday, December 26 and run through Thursday, January 8.

Video links can be submitted any time through January 8, but getting your entry in early will help you accumulate more votes!

-We will not post videos longer than 3 minutes, but if you can make us spew coffee on our keyboards in under 2 minutes, by all means go for it!
-Include your friends and family--you'll be able to divvy up the gift certificate if you win.
-Also, please keep all videos PG/PG-13.
-Anyone can enter, anyone can vote.

Here's our first entry, submitted through MarthaHucker.com.



Think you can do better? Let's see it!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a day of family and fun! Need to do a little more shopping? Use the discount code MERRY25 to take $10 off an order of $20 or more--just for today!
Enjoy!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Last-Minute Gift Ideas!

Pro procrastinators can put off ordering until Monday, December 22 up to 3pm MST, choose Express Shipping, and still get their gifts in time for Christmas! Not that we recommend walking that fine line, but if you're so pro that you're planning on procrastinating, there's still hope for you!

In addition to our Gravity Girls' Gift Guide, other smart gifts include The Way Bobby Sees It DVD, a Freeride Foundation Gift Certificate, and the 2009 Sea Otter Road Trip. You can order the Gift Certificate or Road Trip at the very last minute, because both gifts are emailed to the recipient.

Don't procrastinate beyond the 25th, though. The awesome deals found in the Gravity Girls' Gift Guide will disappear after Christmas Day!

Confused about sizes, colors, or which gift to choose? Give us a call (801.647.9167) and we'll help you out!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Video Contest: Reveal Your Training Secrets

You're done with school, have a few days off of work, are snowed in, or are rained out. What are you going to do? Train! And do it for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Freeride Foundation. Take that new digi-cam you just unwrapped and turn Granny's basement into your personal gym. Whether you get to ride all year, have to put the bike away in September, or turn into a compulsive gym rat as soon as Daylight Savings kills your post-work ride, we want to see how you're getting ready for 2009. Yes, you can literally bring the New Year in with a bang. Oh, and don't worry, we won't steal your workouts--we promise. Really.

The Details:
-Create a 2-3 minute video documenting your winter training regimen.
-Upload it to YouTube, think of a catchy title, and be sure to include "FreerideFoundation.com Training Secrets Video Contest" somewhere in the video's description.
-Then email the link to your video, your name, and your email and/or phone number to jackie@freeridefoundation.com.

We will start posting links to the videos on our Blog as soon as we get entries!

Blog visitors will vote on the videos to determine the winner of the contest. Voting on the Blog will begin on Friday, December 26 and run through Thursday, January 8.

Video links can be submitted any time between now and January 8, but getting your entry in by the 26th will help you accumulate more votes!

-We will not post videos longer than 3 minutes, but if you can make us spew coffee on our keyboards in under 2 minutes, by all means go for it!
-Include your friends and family--you'll be able to divvy up the gift certificate if you win.
-Also, please keep all videos PG/PG-13.
-Anyone can enter, anyone can vote.

Need some inspiration? Check out the video that got Kristin Butcher into this year's Hell Ride:

Monday, December 15, 2008

Sea Otter Classic Offers Discounted Entry Fees This Week

Go to the Sea Otter Classic website to take advantage of their holiday special and to register for the 2009 races. Then visit Freeride Foundation to reserve your spot for our Sea Otter Road Trip!

Gravity Gifts for Girls: Fox Safety First! and Casual Monday Gift Packs

Are you gift shopping for your BFF (Best Freeride Friend)? Maybe you're sending subtle hints to your significant other about which goodies you really, really, really want? Or perhaps you're that significant other and you're desperately looking for the perfect gift? What really matters is that you've come to the right place.

We've created two final Gravity Gift Packs to make last-minute shopping easy and painless. Be sure to choose Express Shipping to guarantee delivery by the 25th!

The first new package is the Fox Safety First! Gift Pack. Save almost $15 on the Fox Launch Elbow Pads combined with either the Fox Launch Knee/Shin Guards or the Fox Launch Shorty Pads. This package works for guys too, and can only ship to US locations.

The second new package is the Casual Monday Gift Pack. It includes the Nema Brite t-shirt and the Fox Mo Ichi Do Wallet at a price that will let you kick back and relax. This package can only ship to US locations.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Avoiding Gravity Gear Faux Pas: Upper Body Armor

Body armor is body armor right? Just put it on and go ride your bike. If only it were that easy. Upper body armor comes in several forms: full jackets, elbow pads, back protection, and chest protection. It is important to choose proper protection for the occasion, and then wear it correctly in order to take full advantage of the armor's benefits.

We'll begin by re-stating that Spandex and body armor are not meant to be mixed. For more on this topic, revisit our 48Straight interview.

Elbow pads, like our Fox Launch pads, are versatile pieces of protection. They're great for dirt jumping, riding downhill, racing dual slalom, and racing BMX. Obviously, elbow pads only protect your arms, so it's best to wear them (as opposed to a full jacket) only if you feel confident in the terrain, but want to avoid road rash should you suddenly make contact with the ground.

Elbow pads and t-shirts or short-sleeve jerseys are great combinations. Should you choose to wear a long sleeve jersey or jacket with your elbow pads, the jersey or jacket sleeve should always cover the pads. This keeps your jersey from pushing the pads down toward your wrists, and also ensures proper bloodflow to your arms and hands.

Full body armor jackets are ideal downhill riding and racing. A full jacket integrates padded shoulders and elbows, chest, and back protection. The full jacket ensures a snug fit, and helps to keep all of the padding in its proper place. The best back protection can usually be found in full jackets. Full jackets are deal for downhill because they offer they impact and abrasion resistance from crashes that occur at speed. That's not to say you won't get hurt, but your chances of severe injury are greatly reduced. These jackets are overkill for cross country riding, most Super D races, BMX, and dirt jumping, where speeds are slower and menacing inanimate objects are fewer.

Jackets can be really hot in the summer, and they can be really cold in the winter. You should never choose not to wear your jacket based on temperature. Following these guidelines will make wearing your armor more pleasant:
  • First, if you need to wear a base layer underneath the jacket, be sure it is made of lightweight, technical moisture-wicking fabric. In the summer, we really only need to wear our sports bras underneath. However, if this is uncomfortable, try to find a lightweight, sleeveless base layer. Moisture wicking properties are important because built-up moisture can cause chaffing, prevents cooling when it's hot out, and prevents warming when it's cold out.
  • Never combine a cotton shirt with body armor--as a base layer or as a jersey. Even if you wear your t-shirt over your body armor, the cotton will trap moisture and create misery.
  • Always wear a jersey. And always wear the jersey over your body armor. Jerseys are designed to be worn over armor. Wearing your jersey under your armor will only cause wrinkly pressure points, chaffing, and moisture buildup.
  • Wear only long- or short- sleeve jerseys with a full jacket. Sleeveless jerseys and full body armor are simply unsightly. You're wearing armor, so you can't show off your guns, and armor isn't that pretty to look at. Save the sleeveless for your cross country training rides.
  • If you often ride in inclimate climates, it's smart to get a waterproof jacket that's big enough to fit over your jersey and armor. If it's cold enough that you need an extra layer, your cotton hoody will still let cold air in and will trap moisture. A waterproof jacket will resist wind and protect you from the elements. Pitzips are handy features too.
We're not fans of wearing back or chest protection without the rest of the package. You can buy vests that have only back protection. However, if you feel that you need back protection, we're assuming that you'll be going fast enough to need front protection too.

Moto-style roost protectors cover the chest and back, and usually the shoulders. However, these products are made to withstand flying dirt and debris on the track. They're not made to withstand rag-dolling through a forest. Roost protectors normally attach with straps by the ribs. It's easy for the plates to shift as you tumble, reducing your protection. That said, wearing a roost protector is much better than wearing nothing if you're planning on pinning it through some tech. Roost protectors are traditionally worn over jerseys, as are the new Leatt neck braces.

To catch up on our previous installments of Avoiding the Gravity Gear Faux Pas, click here. Our next edition will cover lower body armor dos and don'ts.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Stockings for Your Stockings

Some of the new 2009 Twin Six socks showed up yesterday. They're argyle and will match that sweater you're wearing to Grandma's house just perfectly!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Fox Racing Products Are Here!

We just received our first shipment of goodies from Fox Racing. Helmets, body armor, wallets, and more are all ready to go! These products also represent the some of the first unisex items that we'll carry on Freeride Foundation. So guys, it's OK to shop a bit, as long as you pick up a cute wallet for your girl too! We can only ship Fox items to US locations.

This Week's Gift for Gravity Girls: Gymtastic Gift Pack

Are you gift shopping for your BFF (Best Freeride Friend)? Maybe you're sending subtle hints to your significant other about which goodies you really, really, really want? Or perhaps you're that significant other and you're desperately looking for the perfect gift? What really matters is that you've come to the right place. Each week we'll post a new No-Brainer Gift for Gravity Girls. Not only will these packages make shopping quick and easy, but they'll also save you a few bucks in the process! Joy!

This week's addition to the Gravity Girls' Gift Guide is the Gymtastic Gift Pack. The Sombrio Session Jersey and Kona Short Bra Top are perfect for hitting the gym this winter, but are also great for riding, running, and yoga all year. You'll save $15 when you buy these items together.
(Be sure to buy by Friday, December 12 to have ground-shipped orders arrive by Christmas!)

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Movie Review: Latitudes

Freeride Foundation wants to help you stock your DVD case with rad riding movies. However, we're getting picky. We only want to sell and support production companies and films that support women riders. That's one of the reasons we brought in The Way Bobby Sees It--Wendy Todd was a co-producer and she played a large part in getting Bobby prepared for the race. Believe it or not, there are several movies from this year that include significant women's riding segments.

The first movie we're reviewing is DH Productions' hi-def film Latitudes. Lisa Myklak turned me on to this flick. She'd told me that she and Emily Johnston were at Woodward West, and were fighting for camera time. When the two girls decided to hit a huge gap jump, they immediately had everyone's attention. The resulting segment shows Lisa and Emily ripping singletrack with the guys, hucking off of Woodward's stunts, and of course, boosting the gap. While I still have a few more films to watch from this season, this segment strikes me as the most comprehensive women's gravity segment possibly since the Marla and Missy years.

Lisa and Emily aren't the only ones to get some air time. Hannah Hannah appears early in the film, riding with the Cannondale Cut crew. The only problem is that none of the riders in the segment receive credits. So, if you don't put 2 and 2 together and realize that Latitudes' main sponsor is Cannondale, and that Mick is a Cannondale Cut rider, and that the girl riding with them must be his ripping freerider wife Hannah, you'd be left wondering who this anonymous female shredder could be. The movie came with a second disc, which includes the Nomads TV show created from Latitudes' France riding chapter. Hannah is introduced here, but who watches Disc 2 first?

Amelia Colasurdo has a short but cool big-mountain-style segment from Southern Utah too. She's also the caboose on the Salt Lake City chapter's singletrack segments. She has a much larger role in the Nomads TV show created from the Southern Utah chapter, which is also found on the second disc.

As for the rest of the movie, there are impressive big mountain and dirt jumping performances from JD Swanguen and the Van Dines, and cool urban and dirt jump segments with Aaron Chase, Jeff Lenosky, Dave Smutok, and Kyle Ebbett to name just a few of Latitudes' featured athletes.

We're stoked to see a movie with more than one female rider and with girls showing up in several segments throughout the film. The industry has a long way to go to when it comes to incorporating ripping female riders into mountain bike films, but at least we're seeing some progress.

We're working on bringing Latitudes to Freeride Foundation, but in the meantime, you can grab a copy at DH-Productions.com.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Holiday Shipping Calendar

Starting Sunday, December 7, all orders to the US, Canada, and Mexico that total $75 and more will receive free shipping through the end of the year. (Normally orders over $100 ship free!).

US and Canadian deliveries that ship via Basic Ground will be guaranteed by Christmas if the order is placed by Friday, December 12.

US deliveries that ship via Express will be guaranteed by Christmas if the order is placed by Monday, December 22 at 3:00pm MST.

All international deliveries (including Canada and Mexico) that ship via Priority or Express will be guaranteed by Christmas if the order is placed by Wednesday, December 17 at 3:00pm MST.

We can expedite any shipment, for additional postage. Just call or email us when you place your order! (jackie@freeridefoundation.com)

Happy shopping!

Friday, December 5, 2008

2009 Mob in Mojave Offers More Bang for Your Buck!

Downhill Mike is promoting the Mob in Mojave downhill, dual slalom, and Super D races at Bootleg Canyon, NV on February 14-15, 2009. This race is the first on the USAC Mountain Bike National Gravity Calendar. Downhill Mike is doing his best to make your trip to the desert totally fun and affordable.

First, the total downhill registration fee is $75, and that includes shuttles on Saturday and Sunday. Friday's shuttles are $20. There will be 3 shuttle vehicles available, so you'll get plenty of practice runs in.

Next, Pro Women will receive cash payouts for 1st-3rd, starting at $450 for first. All other classes receive prizes for 1st-3rd.

The dual slalom course will feature a "Y" format, with a shared finish. It should be super fun to race and to watch!

Also, Gene Hamilton will be setting up a special 2-day race clinic beginning on 2-13-09, to help you get ready for Bootleg's gnarly terrain.

For more information about the Mob in Mojave, visit www.downhillmike.com.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Nema Tees Are Here!

Our first Nema products arrived today. We received the Brite T-shirt and the Phoebe T-shirt. Nema's downhill pants, freeride jerseys, and shorts will get here in a few months. In the meantime, enjoy the tees and check out Nema's 2009 gravity Contingency Program.

Holiday Bash at the SDGC This Weekend

Not ready to put away the downhill bike yet? Join the Stump Grinder Dirt Club in Los Olivos, CA this weekend for their Holiday Bash race. There's a dual slalom on Saturday and a downhill race on Sunday! Click here for more info.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Australian National Series #2 Results

The downhill and 4x crew came together in Illinbah, Australia this weekend for the second stop of the Australian National Series. Claire Buchar has moved her winter training from SoCal to Down Under, and took the downhill win in super muddy conditions. Caroline Buchanan continues to rule 4x, taking her second win in the series.

Downhill
Elite Women
1. Claire Buchar
2. Leigh Douglas
3. Caroline Buchanan
4. Claire Whiteman
5. Sarah Booth
6. Cara Smith
7. Emma Lewis
8. Shannon Chugg
9. Jayne Rutter
10. Samantha Gambrill
11. Leonie Picton

Women Under 19
1. Emily Hockey
2. Danielle Beecroft
3. Bec Kirss
4. Jaz Rosa

4x
Elite Women
1. Caroline Buchanan
2. Sarsha Huntington
3. Kylie Maduna
4. Cherie Simpson
5. Tanya Bailey
6. Vanessa Thompson
7. Danielle Beecroft
8. Shannon Jobson

We found these results on CyclingNews.com.

Tracy Moseley Signs with Trek

Tracy Moseley is officially off of Kona and onto Trek!

Here's a blurb from the press release on Trek's website:

Today the speculation on the six-rider line up for the new Trek-sponsored World Cup program reaches a conclusion with the announcement that 29-year old Tracy Moseley from the UK has signed up to ride a Session 88 in 2009.

Tracy is one of the greatest downhillers in the sport's history and has a place in a very exclusive club of only five downhill riders, male or female, to have won 10 or more World Cup races in their career. Tracy has won her 10 World Cup races between 2002 and 2008, with two of those victories taking place in the past season at the Fort William and Canberra rounds.

Tracy joins World #5 Justin Leov (NZL) and South African Andrew Neethling, as well as XC teammates Lukas and Mathias Flueckiger (SUI), and fellow countryman (and near neighbor), Liam Killeen.

On the announcement, Tracy said today: "I am really excited to have this great opportunity to ride on a new exciting bike from 2009, and with a great team around me to give me all the support I'll need to further improve. I'm also really happy to have two great guys to ride with as I believe that is really important for my ongoing development as a racer. These three things combined, the new bike, the team support and my teammates, will make a big difference to me."

Click here to read the entire press release on Trek's site.

This Week Only: Free Domestic Shipping on All Orders!

To kick off the interweb shopping season, we're offering free US shipping on all orders placed during the first week of December. Just choose the Free Shipping option at checkout. Expedited shipping rates will be offered as well. Also, you'll see increased discounts on many items throughout the site. Click here to start shopping and building your riding kits for next season!