Is this the bike that’s going to propel the reigning EWS champ to a third consecutive win?
Junior downhill world champ, two-time Enduro World Series title holder and winner of 21 EWS stages – it’s pretty incredible what American racer Richie Rude has managed to achieve by the age of 22. And while those incredible results are a reflection of Richie’s talent, they’re also a feather in the cap for long-term sponsors Yeti Cycles, the brand Richie has ridden for during every one of those victories His relationship with the company started back in 2011, when Yeti boss Chris Conway spotted the potential in the Connecticut teenager and signed him up to the team. It was a dream come true for 17-year-old Richie. He’d grown up watching videos featuring Yeti bikes and looking up to riders like Jared Graves, so to suddenly be teammates with him must have seemed pretty surreal.
After three years of DH, in 2014 Yeti and Jared switched their focus to enduro, and Richie followed suit. He’s since proven himself to be the ultimate all-rounder, winning back-to-back EWS titles in 2015 and ’16. Hoping to make it three in a row this year, Richie started his assault on the season aboard this bike – the SB5.
This story is from the August 2017 edition of Mountain Biking UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2017 edition of Mountain Biking UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BIKETEST BACKCOUNTRY HARDTAILS
We see whether carbon fibre or steel, big-name value or boutique attention to detail comes out on top on the trails
NUKEPROOF MEGAWATT CARBON 297 RS
The original Megawatt proved itself almost instantly, winning our inaugural E-Bike of the Year award in 2022.
CALIBRE LINE T3 29
£1,100 (with £5 GO Outdoors card) Cost-effective proper' mountain bike
FIRST RIDES
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX & ONTO THE TRAILS
ROUTES QUICK BLASTS
Facing shorter days and inclement weather, Max finds three satisfying routes that show it doesn't have to be an all-day ride or nothing
GRIME TIME
EXPERT WORKSHOP ADVICE
TRAILCREW HAVOK BIKEPARK
A hand-cut, rider-built bike park, Havok reopened earlier this year at a new site in West Yorkshire and is still expanding
From dust it did rise
Steve Thomas traces the birth of British mountain biking, from 'tracker bikes' to Muddy Fox
THROW DOWN THE CAUNTLET
In our final challenge of the series, we see if e-bikes really are as good at climbing as they're cracked up to be, as we tackle Antur Stiniog back to front
THE RIDER OFF YEAR' 23
THE BIG REVEAL! You voted in your thousands - now meet our winners...