Gravity’s 2013 Soft Goods on Pinkbike

2013 is looking good for Gravity’s North West podium seekers Kyle Thomas and Charlie Sponsel, who make up the Gravity Pro DH program. In 2012, reigning NW Cup Champion Kyle Thomas stormed the track and claimed numerous podiums around the NW scene and beyond.

Charlie Sponsel was right there with him securing multiple podiums for the stars and stripes. If you know these guys, then you are well aware that they will stop at nothing to smash everything in their path. Gravity is very proud to have K.T. and Chaz as a part of their extensive list of dirt slayers in 2013.

Joining Thomas and Sponsel is Gravity Employee Scott Kemp. Scott took down an overall podium spot in Cat 1 Men at the 2012 NW Cup DH series as well as the All Gravity Series. Gravity is stoked to have a such a well rounded rider to help with the day to day operations as well as securing victories around the NW, and taking more runs at Whistler Bike Park than any of his riding crew.
BUY SOFT GOODS HERE!

Back in October, you may have noticed Gravity’s T-Shirt contest here on Pinkbike. The deal was simple, submit a design for a new Gravity T-Shirt and the winner will receive a full Andrew Taylor Signature Kit along with a couple of the winning t-shirts. We got so many entries we couldn’t choose just one, so we chose 3! Sergi Candela Jose’s designs (Skull and Chicken) won 1st and 2nd places while Raihan Brknfse (Parts) took 3rd.
You can purchase them as well as many other of Gravity’s small and replacement parts at the Gravity Webstore. The shirts retail for $19.99 and the socks for $14.99. Buy them here at our Web store here

The end of my season was bit of a roller coaster, I was really busy with several trips going on, Interbike, GOPRO3 trip to New Zealand and also Redbull Rampage in Utah. I ended up missing out on riding Redbull Rampage due to a broken leg sustained 3 days before the event which was heart breaking, but I guess that’s part of the game when you ride bikes off cliffs for a job hahaha!

If you haven’t seen it check out the Gopro 3 edit we did in New Zealand…9 million views!

Also check out this NBC footage from Redbull Joyride in Whistler( skip to 16.45 to see a Kiwi fly!!)

Overall my season was a ripper! It was a blast traveling all over the world, Living out of a bike bag, riding cool spots, hitting comps and meeting a bunch of awesome people along the way! I ended up in 16th place over all on the FMB world tour and although things would have been better without my broken leg and missing out on Rampage …I’m still really stoked

After 6 weeks of rehabing my leg I am back on my bike with a big smile on dial, just chillin with cross country stuff at the moment but looking forward to going big again soon!

I have a bunch of cool stuff going on this summer in NZ so look out! We will be holding our slopestyle comp “Teva slopestyle” in downtown Queenstown again at the end of March and amongst other things  I am busy organizing and preparing for that. Also a few comps and photo/film roadtrips around New Zealand are scheduled and heading to Aussie for a comp too. Plenty of stuff going on …will keep you posted!

None of my antics would be possible with out the help from all my kick ass Sponsors….Thanks Guys!

Cheers
Kelly

The NW Gravity Crew put together this edit with Justin Olsen just after Crankworx. We hit our local spots and even some secret trails too! Check out the video and watch as Gravity Employee’s Scott Kemp and Mike Lawless show you the local scene up in Mukilteo, WA and DH Pro’s Kyle Thomas and Charlie Sponsel thrash Steven’s Pass Bike Park!

I Ride Gravity #5: Seattle on Pinkbike

Check out our video from Rampage! We had a great time building lines and camping by the river!

I Ride Gravity #4: Rampage on Pinkbike

Check out Kelly McGarry, Logan Binggeli, Mike Hopkins, James Doerfling, and Garret Buehler in the desert!

This months Gravity Components contest gets you entered to a win an Andrew Taylor Signature Series bar, stem, and post.

All you have to do is download a blank T-Shirt from the internet and draw and scan, or digitally create a new design for a Gravity T-Shirt! If we like your design, we’ll chose it and put it into production. The best T-Shirt design will win an Andrew Taylor Signature Series Neon Kit. We will be running the contest through Halloween, and you can submit multiple entries.

Just upload your design to Gravity Components Face Book page and watch your creation come to life!

Gravity Components Face Book Page: http://www.facebook.com/ridegravity

Doerf and Buehler waiting to drop in for Justin’s camera.

Justin Olsen was on hand to film the final episode if “I Ride Gravity” at Red Bull Rampage.

TM Mike Lawless sampling some UT Knife Edges.

We got a ton of good footage and the video is going to look great.

McGazza getting flat at the “Old Site”

James Doerfling was holding on to the number 1 spot for quite sometime, until Sorge took it home. James and Sorge both rode down with Garett…so I’m sure they will be having a blast on the way back to beautiful B.C.

Stayed tuned to this site for the video dropping early next week!

Logan Binggeli took home 3rd after a big run flipping a big double on the top section of his line. Logan rode confident and was killing it all week on his KHS 650B decked out in Gravity Components. He was also the first one to hit the “Oakley Sender”.

All Photography by Kevin Philbin

Skye Schillhammer is from Darrington, Washington and is currently residing in Spokane where he is studying at Eastern Washington University.

Check out his most recent video shot by Lush Cinema.

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/273645/

Skye has a killer style and a great attitude, which is why we here at Gravity Components are proud to call him one of our riders. You can find Skye at Wheel Sport East in Spokane, which is a Gravity Components Premier Dealer. After work he is usually out shredding at Beacon Hill. Skye is the type of dude that you will see ripping the jumps, flowing single track, and even layin’ down big 3′s and stylin’ out his DH race runs. Skye rides Gravity Light 7050 Cranks, Gravity Light Pedals, 800mm bars and Gravity Light Stems.

Name, Age, where ya from?
I’m Skye Schillhammer and I’m 21 years old. I grew up in Darrington, WA and currently live in Spokane, WA.

How long have you been riding?
I bought my first real mtb when I was 14, so 7 years. It was a stock 2004 Kona Stinky, and I rode the wheels off of it.

What got ya started?
I was on a trip with my dad and was passing through Hood River, OR. Some guys told us that we should rent bikes and check out the trails. I was so pumped on the ladder bridge drops and jumps that I made my dad cancel other plans so we could stay there another day. While there I met Dakine rider Gary Paasch, and he showed me the ropes and definitely got me hooked on the sport.

What was it like growing up the NW?
Well first of all, you definitely get used to riding in the rain. Washington is privileged with some awesome terrain for biking but the amount of rain is wearing on you for sure. But there is no day better than getting out there with friends and slinging some NW dirt of your tires.

What is your favorite thing to ride there?
Unfortunately one of my favorite places to ride was recently closed. The NF near bham was the NW at it finest. It had steeps, jumps, flow, berms, loam and everything in between. Living on the east side of the state currently, I ride Beacon Hill a ton. It’s a fun place for all types of riding and we have a few really awesome trails packed into a little zone.

Favorite places to compete?
I really like the small comps around the Slope Style scene. Ranchstyle in Grand Junction is a really fun one. Also in Rossland, BC they have the Huck’en Berries Jam which is a great time. It has a home-grown feel and Rossland is a rad town.

Favorite music.
That changes every now and then but right now it’s been all about the Wu-Tang. I love hip-hop but new music for the most part sucks.

What do you do in your off-time?
If I’m not riding, I’m either digging on jumps or out adventuring finding new awesome places to see. I also love taking pictures of anything that catches my eye and I happen to be a ninja with taking the coolest iPhone pics anyone has seen haha.

Funniest moment of my biking career
In 2010 I was at Ranchstyle doing a dirt jump clinic with some other pro riders, one of which was Joe Perrizo. Joe is an amazing rider and can learn new tricks faster than anyone I have ever seen. After doing a few super-flips, a young kid asks Joe “Hey Joe how do you do super-flips?” Joe responds “umm well you do backflip… then a superman…then you land it” It wasn’t exactly what the kid was looking for but it was hilarious and showed everyone just how Joe breaks down learning something as hard as a super-flip. Now when I go for a hard trick, I try and keep that simplicity in mind.

Biggest fear in biking.
Head injury. Its a terrifying thought but I’m a very calculated rider and always make sure I’m ready to commit to a big move before I do it.

Where do you find inspiration
I really enjoy making fun videos of my riding. I know as a rider I get pumped watching guys like Brandon Semenuk throw down in the major films released so I hope that everyone else gets that stoked when they see the videos we post. It’s a great feeling when you practice and push yourself to go bigger, add more style, or stomp more tricks when you see it all linked together in a video. After filming for 3-5 days I’m totally beat, but the next few weeks after I always have more fire and drive then ever. I love that feeling and like to keep it going.

Best/Worst part about MTB
The best part is, no matter what is happening with cameras, competition results, weather, etc, I’m riding a bike and the pure joy I get from that is what got everyone of us into it.
The worst part is pushing through seeing friends leave the sport from bad injuries that nearly took their lives.

Describe a perfect day
I always start a day of riding with building, it builds up your bike karma and will definitely improve my day on my bike. Then with all the homies go flow some trail or jumps. I like pushing myself and learning new tricks, but my whole day cant be that stressful! haha Then maybe go to the trick step-up or to the mega-mulch jump and start hucking some new tricks. After riding as much as possible, head home and make a massive pasta meal. Perfect day success.

Where would you like to travel that you haven’t?
New Zealand hands down. That place looks like heaven for a mtb’er. The pictures and videos I have seen show jump parks with hundreds of jumps and right at the base of huge mountains! It’s one place I need to go before I’m old.

Finishing Note
Thanks for reading through my bio guys! See ya on the trail, cheers.

Bear Back Biking

“Thanks guys for putting on such an awesome contest. I am from Ontario and I am absolutely can’t get enough of DH riding. So much so me and my buddy’s are doing a second annual road trip in August-Sept, from Toronto to BC to ride Panorama, Fernie, Kicking Horse, and Mt 7. This trip pretty much bankrupted us last summer but it was so amazing and so worth it so we are doing it again.

The difference is, this year I’m not coming home as I’m enrolled at UBC in the fall. Would LOVE an opportunity to stay in your balling crib and ride the slopes for the weekend. It would make my year, and be an awesome introduction into what I can get used to living in Vancouver. I have NEVER ridden Whistler. I have to change that really soon!”

We chose Mike C as the winner because he is the perfect candidate for this contest. Mike has been taking Mountain Bike trips for last few years and killing his savings along the way. We thought it was time to give a little love for being so passionate to our sport! Mike is from Toronto, Ontario and this is what he had to say…

“My name is Mike Cancilla, and my buddy I have chosen to come along is Rob Meinhardt.

As I mentioned, I am currently on a ride holiday/move across the country for school and brought my girlfriend Helen along for the ride. We have driven a meandering 4500k from Toronto-Thunder Bay-Winnipeg-Edmonton-Calgary-Banff-Invermere for the last 2 weeks and I am now in Nelson BC and have some shuttling lined up for tomorrow. We have camped pretty much the whole way in national and provincial parks and it has been an epic adventure.”

Mike and Rob obviously have a ton of dedication, and are willing to use their passion to help others learn more about the joy of riding bikes. We wanted to award these guys with a free trip to Whistler because they both true “working class hero’s”

Mike and Rob will be tearing up Whistler this September, and lounging at Bear Back after their sessions.

Stay tuned to Pink Bike and Facebook to learn about more contests and giveaways from Gravity Components.

Check out Bear Back Biking for the best guided bike tours and instruction in Whistler!

http://www.bearbackbiking.com/

This last weekend Eric Porter kicked off the 2013 DB line-up in his back yard in Midway, UT. The DB team was in the house all weekend having a blast!

Win a 2013 Diamondback Scapegoat! on Pinkbike

McGazza loves his Scapegoat! The 2013 DB scapegoat comes with the strongest cranks around, the Gravity Light 7050′s! Try to bend these things…we dare you!

We just got word that Kelly made it to into Crankworx at Whistler! Congrats Kelly! Check out his blog here

http://www.kellymcgazza.blogspot.com/