Over the past few months, I've had the opportunity to discuss the development of mountain biking with various industry insiders, particularly the role that extreme events like Red Bull Rampage play in the perception of our sport. The question that emerged is only seemingly simple:
“Is Rampage good for MTB?”
This is a complex issue, which not only concerns the accidents that occurred in the 2025 edition—which are nevertheless much discussed—but also touches on the very identity of mountain biking and the way it is perceived by practitioners, the media, and the general public.
Rampage: The show that defined an entire discipline
Red Bull Rampage remains one of the most spectacular, extreme, and technical contests in the world of sport. Riders tackle lines built on sandstone cliffs in Utah, featuring gigantic drops, high speeds, and virtually zero margin for error.
The 2025 edition was no exception. Beyond the tricks and creative courses, the event also featured highly dangerous dynamics and several significant accidents, prompting some commentators to suggest rethinking the contest format to reduce risks. A number of athletes posted updates on their injuries, further fueling the public discussion about safety.
However, Rampage is certainly not the only sport that pushes athletes to the limit: just think of Formula 1 and MotoGP, disciplines that continue to fascinate precisely because of their combination of risk, technique, and mental control.
The Rampage effect on the collective imagination of MTB
The central point of the debate, however, is not the intrinsic danger of the event, but rather the cultural impact it has on the perception of mountain biking.
Many cyclists and industry professionals fear that Rampage will contribute to the image of mountain biking as a sport for "reckless lunatics," populated by people who spend as much as a studio apartment on a bike and launch themselves down thrilling canyons. This is a hyperbolic portrayal, certainly, but when amplified by social media, it risks overshadowing the broader and more inclusive image of mountain biking as an accessible, healthy, varied, sustainable activity suitable for all levels of rider.
The risk is clear:
excessive spectacularization could drive away new fans instead of bringing them closer.
The economic knot: a sector experiencing a delicate moment
The current context makes the issue even more sensitive. In the post-pandemic boom, the sector is facing:
- very high prices for bikes and components
- excessive stocks in stores
- decline in general interest
- slowdown in sales
- polarization between affordable entry-level and inaccessible top-of-the-range
Precisely because the market is in a fragile phase, some operators fear that events perceived as “elitist” or “extreme” could accentuate the gap between “heroic” MTB and “real” MTB.
So, does Rampage help or hurt mountain biking? The answer isn't binary.
Analyzing the points that emerged from discussions with industry experts, two visions emerge.
Why Rampage is GOOD for MTB:
- Attracts the attention of the mainstream media
- Bring sponsors and investments
- It serves as an innovation laboratory for geometries, suspensions and materials
- Create a powerful imagery, capable of inspiring generations
- It fits into the freeride tradition of MTB, which represents its original soul
Why Rampage Can DAMAGE Your MTB:
It offers a distorted and unrepresentative picture of 99% of daily practice
It fuels the perception that MTB is for the adventurous few.
It polarizes the sector at a time when inclusive messages are needed
It does not show MTB as a tool for well-being, tourism, socialising and discovery of the territory
It pushes marketing to the extreme, increasing pressure on costs and “performance” products
Conclusion: Rampage must remain, but it must be contextualized
Red Bull Rampage is a cultural heritage of the MTB world. It must be carefully preserved and narrated. It cannot—and must not—be eliminated or distorted.
But at the same time it is essential that:
media, brands and communities should remember that Rampage represents a niche, not MTB as a whole;
promote inclusive events and content dedicated to trails riding, enduro, XC, cycle touring;
reinforce the idea that MTB is a sport for everyone — not just for those who fly off cliffs;
work should be done to reduce costs and improve accessibility, thus broadening the practitioner base.
MTB truly thrives when it is capable of inspiring, but also integrating.
And Rampage, if placed in the right narrative context, can truly contribute to describing the beauty and complexity of our sport.
