Yes, bike stunts are usually done by BMXers when they take over the skate park or by mountain bikers rock-hopping across terrain the rest of us would break an ankle just walking across. That’s probably why the cycling world’s eyes popped out watching this $10,000-plus road bike doing tricks usually reserved for bikes with fat tires and shocks. Martyn Ashton, a multiple Biketrial champion, bike high jump world record holder, head of team Ashton Diamondback and exhibition stage designer, made Road Bike Party, showcasing the kinds of stunts that made people ask how many bikes and tires he went through during filming. The answer: One.
Related: Embrace the ride with 7 essential bike apps for nav, repair, tracking and more
Following the success of Road Bike Party 1, Ashton knew he wanted to go even bigger for RBP2. He thought the bike had to be even bigger and badder; “the Ferrarri of bicycles,” he said. Colnago made the first production road bike with disc brakes and Hope put it together for the project, so as conditions changed the braking didn’t, making all the wet scenes possible. Even though Shimano “wouldn’t advise” taking their incredibly expensive Di2 electric shifter down a waterslide and dunking it in water, Ashton and his team did it, and the bike survived. And yes, this video was also done on just one set of wheels. Thanks, Global Cycling Network.
RBP2 was shot using a DSLR, a boom, a steadycam, cablecam, glidetrack, and of course a few Go Pros for the slow-mo scenes and some of the more awesome perspective shots, like the backwards endo – the front wheel balance down the wet curving hill. There is another Road Bike Party, but Ashton is behind the scenes of that one. Ashton was paralyzed during a trials demo in September 2013, but he’s still awesome. Check out his Facebook page and his website Try Before July for further proof of his awesomeness. Don’t forget RBP3, starring Sam Pilgrim and shot in San Diego. The insanity continues, and we love them for it.
Editors' Recommendations
- Meet the voice actors of ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’
- Best camera phones of 2019
- 5G will turn your car into a talking, thinking supercomputer. And it’s coming soon
- To capture nature’s insanity, this storm chaser built his own 16K camera rig
- From ‘Avengers: Endgame’ to ‘Episode IX’: The most anticipated movies of 2019