The answer is yes.
But let's go in order. The last Rampage won by Semenuk riding a single plate Trek could remain an impromptu spot, or be the first step in an internal revolution in the most extreme free ride. Anyone who has followed the event held in Utah in 2021 will have noticed that the choice of a different vehicle carried out by the Canadian athlete was not a marketing strategy, but a technical choice, thanks to which we were all able to witness. to a run with unthinkable evolutions with a DH bike, due to its obvious technical limitations. None of us have the crystal ball but it is conceivable that Brandon's was the element that will lead to different choices for other bikers as well.
To confirm this hypothesis a few days ago came the press release with which Cam Zink presented its new technical partner, Devinci and look, the vehicle that he will use in the most extreme free ride competitions such as the Rampage itself is a single plate Spartan that the Canadian brand has entrusted the strong rider to develop the project. (here the presentation),
But he will not be the only one to return to the origins of the free ride, in fact also Erik Fedko, a young German promise who this season switched to YT ( here the press release) decided to use the Tues, YT's downhill vehicle to tackle the most demanding contests.
But it will be a real revolution?
In this case the answer is no.
The transition to the mono plate is in fact a return to the origins of free ride. In fact, the first vehicles dedicated to this way of interpreting MTB were already born with this characteristic. Means designed with a concept that made them more suitable for playful use, they were the ideal choice for those who loved bike parks and for all those riders who did not have a stopwatch in mind. Angles that for the time were less extreme, 180 mm of travel both front and rear and a fork borrowed from the dh one but in the single plate version were the ingredients for a product run that in the early 200s had quite success . it was the arrival of enduro bikes that put an end to the echo of free ride bikes, vehicles that had similar characteristics but a wider versatility of use.
A volte ritornano
Now they return, to the delight of all those riders halfway between an enduro rider and a Dher. In fact, modern DH bikes have become airplanes that need speed, inclines and ample space to be exploited. They are born for competitions and generally for an expert public and do not always adapt to a playful use, resulting a bit cumbersome to conduct. At the same time, enduro bikes have also become more and more war machines, which however maintain a strong pedaling concept, which makes them more nervous and suitable for a more physical audience. These new free rides could therefore have their own space between bike park lovers and that segment that seeks only fun and wants an easy vehicle to drive. Soon we will see what the concepts and solutions that homes will adopt and if these bikes really will come back into vogue. Looking at Zink's vehicle, we see that it is a mullet, a sign that already indicates a precise direction, which wants a stable vehicle at the front but easier to insert into tight curves, a typical feature of this kind of bike.
For now the only certainty is that at the next events like the Rampage we will have at least one other rider who will delight us with the evolution that for now only Semenuk has been able to offer us.
