source: Eric Schutt | SRAM

Northvale NJ., September 2008 - Just coming off of his Nevada State XC Championship, Jamis Covert rider Kenny Burt finished out the season on the podium at the National Mountain Bike Series Finals in Brian Head Utah. Kenny was riding a new Jamis XCT 5 travel prototype and finished 2nd overall in the Pro mens Super D event, allowing him to move into 3rd overall in the national series standings. The course started at 11,000 feet elevation and was a technical mix of single and high speed fire roads. My XCT was the perfect bike for the course, 5 of travel and a slack headtube angle for stability. I was able to get the power to the course and keep momentum through the rough stuff! said KMB. Kenny is a member of an elite group of riders dedicated to the Jamis Covert program. A program that provides top pros and select weekend warriors alike an opportunity to test, trash and help rework Jamis bikes to ensure they are ready for prime-time the day they roll onto the dealers floor. For more info on Team Jamis riders please visit www.jamisbikes.com

source: Jamis Media

Whiteface Mountain Cross Country Mountain Bike Race
Saturday September 20, 2008 at 12 noon

On the epic X-C trails around the perimeter of Whiteface Mountain + some.
The course is 4 miles in length.
Beginners : 1 lap
Sport: 2 laps
Experts and pro classes 3 laps

Whiteface Mountain Route 86 Wilmington, N.Y. 12997
Registration on Bikereg.com & @ Whiteface Mountain
Cost: $20.00 online or $25.00 @ the mountain
Registration opens on Tuesday September 2nd
Registration closes at 11:00 am September 20th

Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in pro, expert sport and beginner categories.
* All USA Cycling rules apply
* Held under USA Cycling Event Permit ___ ___ ___ ___

For more information
518-946-2223 X7
Info@downhillmike.com
www.bikereg.com

source: downhill mike

2009 Fox Talas 140 RLC 15mm QR TA Review

Post by Robb Sutton (198)
Mountain Biking by 198
http://www.mtbtrailreview.com/

Earlier this year, Fox and Shimano shocked the industry with the introduction of the 15mm QR TA on the Fox Talas 140 RLC. Much of the debate and most of the articles have been written about this controversial subject which begs the question.

Does the industry need another standard?

The answer to this question will be sorted out over time, but for the purpose of this article…we need to see how the fork performs.

The Controls

Talas Travel Adjust/Air Pressure Adjust

One of the better features of the Fox is the Talas travel adjust. This three step travel feature is perfect for trail riding. For the 140 RLC, you can switch from 100/120/140mm with a turn of the non-drive side knob. Turn the knob clockwise and push down to decrease and a counter-clockwise click brings the fork back up automatically. It doesn’t get much easier than this for travel adjustment. Rock Shox has the 2 Step and U-Turn travel adjustments, but…in my opinion…the U-Turn is too many options and the 2 Step is not enough. The “3 Step” Talas option seems to be the best of both worlds.

To adjust the air pressure, unscrew the center cap and attach a shock pump. The redesigned Talas feature is easier to use, but that comes at the expense of the air chamber valve. It can be difficult to remove the cap and some pumps may be harder than others to get on the air chamber valve.

Rebound/Compression/LSC

On the top of the drive side fork leg you will find the compression/lock out lever, rebound adjust and low speed compression dial. Having the rebound adjustment on the top of the fork leg is a huge plus for my riding. There are other forks on the market that have to relocate the adjustment to the bottom of the damping leg. With it on the top, you can make necessary adjustments while riding.

Your lockout/compression lever is in easy reach and the low speed compression is easy to use. I didn’t notice a significant change in the LSC through smaller clicks, but going from one extreme to the other does create a change in pedal induced bob vs. small bump feedback.

Lock-Out Blow Off/QR TA Adjustment

On the bottom of the damping leg, you will find the lock-out blow off adjustment knob. When you have the fork locked out via the compression switch on the top of the leg, there is a threshold that the fork will “blow through” to suck up the obstacle. You adjust this through that blue knob.

The dial with the numbers 1 through 18 written on it is your thru axle adjustment. According to the Fox instructions located on the provided cd (pain that there isn’t an included printed copy…I am not next to a computer while I am wrenching.):

If the 15QR lever cam tension is either too loose or too tight when the 15QR lever is positioned between one (1) and twenty (20) mm forward of the fork leg when it’s closed, use the following procedure to correct this misadjustment.

It the forks shipped setting, it worked perfectly, so I didn’t change a thing.

How does it ride?

Ok…enough of the formal presentation. I installed the fork on the Ibis Mojo test mule and set everything to my liking. After messing with the air pressure some, I ended up around 70-75 psi for my riding style. At 140mm of rear travel and a sub 30 lbs. overall weight, the Ibis is a perfect match for this fork. The rear shock is a Push Industries tuned RP23 and the rest of the component group is a Hope, XTR and SRAM X.0 group on a Hope Pro II/Stans Flow rim wheelset built by John Kovachi at Kovachi Wheels. The switch to post mount brake mounts on all 2009 fork models make for a much easier install process. The Fox cable keeper is also a nice feature. I screwed in the Fox 15mm QR TA and was ready to ride.

For my first ride out, I took the bike to our local trail, Blankets Creek, to get a feel for the fork where I knew every rock. The second ride was at the Tanasi trail system in Tennessee. Tanasi offers some of everything…including one of the best cross country downhills in the southeast. Thunder Rock Express has worn out nets on the side of the trail to catch riders as they flew off the mountain. This rocky, rooty descent would really put the 15mm QR TA to the test.

Small Bump Absorption

This is one area where the fork really shined. It took the small bumps in stride and I never got the feeling that the fork was jarring under the bike. In the breaker bumps and small bumps in fast succession, some forks struggle to keep up. The Fox Talas was smooth over these transitions. Pedaling feedback was easily controlled with the LCS and compression switch. For most of my riding, I didn’t even touch the compression switch, but I did end up with the LSC a little less than halfway. This seemed to be a great compromise between small bump plushness and arm pump feedback.

I kept the rebound setting a little slower than halfway through its adjustment. This allowed the fork to recover fast enough without springing down. Overall, the damping performance in small bump situations was perfect.

Large Hits

Coming down from large hits and fast stroke situations was controlled, but the fork tended to ramp up through the end of its travel. Some of this ramping is positive as it doesn’t allow for hard bottom outs, but I found that I wasn’t using all of the travel as much as I would have liked to. For fun…I took the carbon ride off a 5 foot to flat and I still didn’t feel the fork bottom. The landing was smooth and controlled, but if the travel is there…I want to use it. I tried letting some air out of the fork, but that came at the cost of the small bump and climbing performance.

Stiffness

The Fox is stiff for a 140mm fork. For redesigned the crown and lowers for 2009, so when you combine that with a thru axle, the new Talas feels much stiffer than last years QR model. I also feel a noticeable difference between the current QR vs. the TA. Fox really stepped up to the plate to make sure that their forks would not deflect through the rough stuff.

This should be no surprise to anyone. Cross country riders are really starting to see the distint advantage of thru axles on light weight forks. The bike tracks better through corners, holds a better line through technical sections and it bulletproof by design.

Talas Conclusions

In every article, forum post or blog…no one has argued that Fox makes a great product. The large question is why Fox and Shimano went with a 15mm TA instead of the already proven 20mm. For the purposes of this review…that is an argument for another day. The Fox Talas had excellent beginning and mid-stroke performance with a ramping up effect towards the end of its travel. I never felt like I hit bottom, even on larger drops to flat. Overall, it is a perfect compliament to the Ibis Mojo.

The Fox TA on this fork weighed in at 93.55 grams for those that were wondering.

The Good

• Great small bump absorption
• Excellent Mid-Stroke Performance
• Stiff
• Easy to use thru axle
• Post mount brake mount
• Talas travel adjust
• Easy access to necessary controls
• Consistent rebound and damping performance
• Lightweight - 1899 grams uncut w/axle
• Less friction than previous Fox models

The Bad

• High cost of entry - $850.00 does not include the need for a new wheel build.
• Hub selection - As of right now, you are limited to Hope, Shimano, DT Swiss and Industry Nine. It is going to be some time before companies like Chris King are able to jump on board.
• Spring ramping on high speed hits
• Access to air pressure valve difficult

Last Thoughts

The 140mm fork market is in an all out fight. The reigning king…Rock Shox Pike 454…it being closed in on by some new TA 140mm counterparts. Fox has come out swinging. The good news…thru axles are taking over on the cross country side of mountain bike forks. Death to the QR is on the horizon…

Original Post Found Here: 2009 Fox Talas 140 RLC 15mm QR TA Review | Mountain Biking by 198

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- Downhill Rider Takes Fourth At Final World Cup Event En Route To Overall Podium Finish -

KONAWORLD (September 15, 2008) – Course conditions couldn’t have been more treacherous in Schaldming, Austria for the women’s final downhill World Cup event. Heavy rain turned the burly singletrack into pools of soupy mud creating a cut-up course rife with knee-deep ruts and slick roots. Battling the conditions, Kona Factory Team member Tracy Moseley rode the final event of the series holding nothing back.

After a semi-finals run that landed her in third place, Moseley’s finals run was hampered a bit by the sloppy course conditions as she finished 16 seconds behind winner  Rachel Atherton. By finishing the race in fourth place, Moseley secured her third place status in the overall World Cup standing with 1272 points. Atherton won the overall title with 1533 points and Sabrina Jonnier took second with 1335 points.

“In the final I started off well but as I progressed down the track I just seem to make little mistakes everywhere,” says Moseley. “I definitely did not ride as well as I know I could have down that track, but racing a track like that and to not make any mistakes is pretty much impossible. After a poor start to the year I am pleased to have worked my way back up to the top three by the end of the year.”

source: The Kona Bicycle Co

MINNAAR , BRYCELAND AND SYNDICATE SHOTGUN THE UCI TITLES

September 14, 2008
Schladming, Austria

The Santa Cruz Syndicate bagged all the titles they chased this year in Schladming, Austria at the Nissan UCI World Cup Series finale.  It was a tight points race and Greg Minnaar proved his dominance in this series winning three of the seven events and by placing fifth today he clinched the title, his third series overall win of his career in the elite men’s downhill.  Josh Bryceland sat out the final race with a broken collarbone but still had enough points to retain his hold on the junior overall title.  And a collective effort by the Syndicate members this season paid off with the top downhill team champion’s crystal trophy going home in the hands of the Syndicate’s fearless leader, Rob Roskopp thus capping off a magic year.

Greg went into the finale as the point’s leader 116 points up on Sam Hill.  Both Greg and Sam’s performances seemed to suffer with the burden of the points on their backs.  Hill was the expected race favorite as he has won at Schladming a number of times, but his time was eclipsed in the end by a spectacular performance by young New Zealander Sam Blenkinsop winning his first world cup race with a 1.64 margin.  Steve Peat went in with fourth place points that would not change with any points shifting, so he had nothing to loose and rode a strong race to place 4th on the day, and 4th overall.  Nathan Rennie, after being sick in Canberra and placing 2nd there had been struggling with illness since and nearly didn’t come to Schladming feeling that he couldn’t travel.  He put in a valiant effort towards the team overall qualifying 9th, and placing 19th in the final picking up 47 points for the team which gave the Syndicate the margin of 36 points over
the Animal Commencal team needed to take the overall team title.  Rennie finished the series 7th overall.

Greg says this about the race and winning the title, “All week there was obviously a lot of pressure on from being so close to winning the overall.  It’s not because of the race, as such, but because you are so close to winning it that you don’t want to loose it.  Sam and I both had a lot of pressure on both of us and I think it affected both our riding.  I don’t feel I rode to my full potential.  My race was hard.  I started off really comfortable, I felt good and after just a little slip up top I decided to back things off a bit because I didn’t want to risk a crash or anything else.  I heard someone shout at me on the course that I was going slow.  I was thinking a lot of stuff and I just didn’t want to crash.  I think from that aspect it was a pretty bad race, so at the bottom I wasn’t really that stoked just because of the fact that I didn’t have a good race.  It felt pretty bland and I also didn’t have all the adrenaline pumping
from having a good ride, so it was mixed emotions at the bottom, even knowing that I had just won the overall.”

The celebrations for the conclusion of the world cup season started on the podium with Greg leading the charge polishing off a magnum of champagne then carried on into the pits as the Syndicate celebrated with champion champagne hosing down Roskopp with it then hoisting him up in the air.   The mechanics, Ricky Bobby, Doug Hatfield and Nigel Reeve celebrated a perfect season with zero mechanicals in the races thanks to their zealous work keeping the bikes perfect.  Nissan hosted the after party flying in a DJ from London and lots of dancing, cigar smoking and celebrating was done into the early morning hours.

Next week Steve, Greg and Nathan will compete at the Jeep 24Straight Dual Slalom race then attend Interbike.

UCI DOWNHILL SERIES OVERALL RESULTS:

1)    GREG MINNAAR  (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE)  1354
2)    Sam Hill  1293
3)    Gee Atherton  1207
4)    STEVE PEAT  (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE)  1099
5)    Sam Blenkinsop  794
6)    Fabien Barel  717
7)    NATHAN RENNIE  (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE)  620
8)    Justin Leov  614
9)    Chris Kovarik  608
10)    Julien Camellini  505
32)  JOSH BRYCELAND  184  JUNIOR WORLD CUP CHAMPION

DOWNHILL FINAL RESULTS:

1)    Sam Blenkinsop  4:10.16
2)    Sam Hill  4:11.80
3)    Gee Atherton  4:12.36
4)    STEVE PEAT  (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE)  4:13.20
5)    GREG MINNAAR  (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE)  4:17.56
6)    Justin Leov  4:18.33
7)    Fabien Barel  4:18.49
8)    Aaron Gwin  4:21.44
9)    Mitch Delfs  4:21.60
10)    Andrew Neethling 4:21.87
19)    NATHAN RENNIE  (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE)  4:24.40

UCI MTB TEAM STANDINGS:

1)    SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE  618
2)    Animal Commencal  582
3)    Yeti Fox  351
4)    Monster Energy/Iron Horse  325
5)    Team Maxxis  303
6)    Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense  257
7)    Playbiker/Iron Horse  247
8)    Subaru Mt. Bike Team  246
9)    Suspension Center  246
10)    Kona  228
Thanks to the Syndicate Sponsors:
Santa Cruz Bicycles
SRAM
Rock Shox
Truvativ
Avid
Maxxis
DT Swiss
WTB
Crankbrothers
Lizard Skins
Clif Bar
Troy Lee Designs
Chris King
Five Ten

source: Kathy Sessler

source: Dylan Dean || Nema International

Post by Robb Sutton (198)
Mountain Biking by 198
http://www.mtbtrailreview.com/

2008 Ellsworth Evolve Review

Over the past 6 weeks I have been putting a serious amount of ride time on the 4 inch travel 29er bike from Ellsworth Bikes called the Evolve. The bike sent for review was part of the Project Pink program that you can read more about on this and get the full specs of this build on this preview post.

About The Evolve

When the push for 29er full suspension bikes came to Tony Ellsworth door, he only had one goal in mind. As he said in this interview, Tony was only interested in building a 29er frame as long as it still rode like an Ellsworth. If the bike did not meet his standards, it was not going into production. What came out of this idea was the Evolve. On the Evolve you will find Ellsworth’s own, patented ICT (Instant Center Tracking) suspension design, a custom tuned Fox Float shock and a lot of finishing touches that really bring this frame over the top.

What Is Instant Center Tracking (ICT)?

For the technical explanation (explained better than I can), check out the Ellsworth Bikes website, or use this link…ICT Explained. According to Ellsworth, the ICT linkage gives you better bump absorption, better traction/control and less energy loss under a fully active suspension by having the virtual pivot follow the chainline. For more information, check out the tutorials on the Ellsworth site.

What Is Different About The Fox Float?

It is stripped of all of the ProPedal that Fox ships as standard on all of their current RP23’s. That was fine with me…I don’t use ProPedal on any frame I have ridden. I prefer the traction on climbs and if I wanted to be on a hardtail…I would ride one.

The Evolve Frame

The Evolve is a great looking bike. From the machining on the rockers to the welds…this bike attracts attention. More importantly, the Ellsworth Evolve has an incredible about of stand over clearance (claimed 29.3 inches on the large)…especially when you consider it is a 29er frame. On top of that…the top tube is drawn so that you have more knee clearance while riding. I really liked this feature. The 24.7″ top tube seemed to fit perfectly (6′2″) and with the 110mm stem provided with the build…all was set for a xc machine.

How Does It Ride?

All of this explanation and graphs are great…but what you are really reading this review for is to see how this bike rode.

Climbing/Flats

The first thing I noticed was how fast this bike accelerates. As soon as you are on the pedals, the bike takes off. This same acceleration transfers to the climbing arena as the bike climbs up technical sections with ease. There was very little pedal induced feedback (even out of the saddle) while climbing, but the suspension still sucked up the hits without any real traction loss. When you added this performance to the 29er wheel platform, the bike flat out rocked the climbs and pedaling sections of trail. The larger wheels soaked up the hits and the fully active suspension did its job. The bike did seem to be stiffer in the first 1/3 of the travel with the real plush feeling after that initial stiffness. This helped with the pedaling efficiency of the frame. With this build sitting right at 30 lbs., the weight did not become an issue, but for the true xc riders out there…you will want to build it up lighter. The Kenda Nevegals are known for their rolling resistance. They grip well, but you pay for that in other areas. A lighter, faster rolling tire would have made this bike even faster.

Downhills

The bike is capable downhill, but as with any 4 inch travel frame…downhilling is normally where you find its limitations. On your pure xc singletrack, this bike performed. When the dh’s got really rough, it was very apparent that this bike is an cross country bike and not an all mountain monster. For me, the 4 inch travel 29er frame category is leaning towards two camps…xc and am. This frame lends itself towards the xc/racer camp and that is where it performs its best. On drops and super rocky technical sections, the Fox F29 and bike were not as stable. On fast/flowy north Georgia singletrack, the Evolve was incredibly fast. That initial stiffness in the travel showed up on the downhills as well. Once the suspension sat in the travel past that 1/3 stroke on the downhill, the linkage was very plush and forgiving.

Overall

The Evolve performs perfectly for exactly what it is built for…fast xc riding. The bike is pedal efficient and tough enough to handle any cross country trail that you throw at it.

The Good

• Beautiful frame with boutique styling
• Fast climber
• Efficient pedaling design
• American made
• Low center of gravity makes the rider feel in the bike instead of on top of it
• Race-able frame when built up light (can get in the 26 lbs range without getting crazy)

The Bad

• Expensive - 2,400 MSRP
• Small bump absorption (first 1/3 of travel)

If you are looking for an incredibly fast cross country machine…take the Evolve for a test ride. You will not be disappointed. This bike performs flawlessly for what it was designed for…fast, hammering xc singletrack. I had some friends throw a leg over the ride during this test session and on our local trails… and the Evolve was hard to beat. I had a really hard time packing this bike up for return to Ellsworth, it brought my stable full circle with a bike that was a rocket for everyday riding.

If you like this post then please consider commenting below and subscribing to my full feed RSS. You can also subscribe by Email and have new posts sent directly to your inbox. You can also follow me on Twitter. For instant updates from MTBR.com on this in depth review and other news, follow their RSS feed.

Original post found on Mountain Biking by 198 - 2008 Ellsworth Evolve Final Review

Bonus to newsletter subscribers - Exclusive Interview with Tony Ellsworth

Thank you goes out to regularJoe and Chocolate Girl for their photo contributions found below.

Mountain Biking by 198 Clix Giveaway

Mountain Biking by 198 is giving away 2 Clix Wheel Release Systems. These QR’s are not available in stores, so this is your chance to own one for yourself. A Eurobike winner for innovation, the Clix is the only full proof QR on the market.

About the Clix from Clixqr.com.

CLIX Systems, Inc. has introduced a revolutionary new wheel release system, called CLIX™. For the first time ever, riders are able to install and lock their front wheel with no cam adjustment, and with only one hand.

The traditional quick release was invented in 1927 and is a safe and effective system when operated correctly. However, correct operation is not inherently obvious to all riders. The problem can occur when the rider spins the quick release lever like a ‘wing nut’ until it is tightened, rather than operating it properly like a quick release cam. This gives the impression that the wheel is safely fastened when it is not. With the new CLIX system, the rider does not need to tighten the system by turning it. The rider simply closes the lever in one motion.

The Clix was recently reviewed by 198 in the MTBR.com Pro Reviews.

To find out more information on the giveaway, visit this article on MTB by 198.

Clix Wheel Release Giveaway! | Mountain Biking by 198

Americans Cody Warren & Kathy Pruitt to Face Stiff International Competition While Defending Titles at Second Leg of Jeep 48STRAIGHT on Sept. 19-20 in Park City, Utah

PARK CITY, Utah – Heading into the first race of the Jeep 48STRAIGHT Mountain Bike Series last month in New Jersey, one would have been hard pressed to pick fellow Californians Cody Warren and Kathy Pruitt as favorites to bring home a title. After taking down one renowned racer after another to earn the win and a share of the $100,000-plus cash purse, the pair will no longer have the element of surprise on their side heading into the second leg of the series, taking place Sept. 19-20 at The Canyons in Park City, Utah.

For Warren, the challengers will be arriving from near and far, led by fellow U.S. National Champions Eric Carter and Rich Houseman, both from Temecula, Calif., as well as 2008 Crankworx Champion, J.D. Swanguen of San Diego. Also in the mix from the American contingent are Kyle Strait of Redlands, Calif., a Sea Otter Classic titlist with several Red Bull cycling wins and a World Junior Downhill Championship podium under his belt, and Cam Zink of Costa Mesa, Calif. a member of the U.S. National Team who has been racing for more than half his life and dominating for most of it, including a win at Crankworx. No one will be overlooking local favorite Chris Van Dine of Park City, a rider with over 20 titles spanning all disciplines of mountain bike racing.

The foreign contingent is equally as daunting, with commitments to attend from Great Britain’s Steve Peat, Australia’s Nathan Rennie and South Africa’s Greg Minnaar. Peat is a three-time World Cup Champion, with 15 World Cup titles, eight British National Championships and two European Championships to his name. Rennie, the 2008 Australian National Champion, is a former overall World Cup Champion and Junior World Champion. Then there’s Minnaar, with an astounding 35 World Cup titles, a World Championship and two World Cup Championships, who happens to be leading the current World Cup season with one race to go.

Pruitt will have her work cut out for her as well, led by reigning World Champion and U.S. National Champion Melissa Buhl of Chandler, Ariz. Buhl lost to Pruitt in the finals in New Jersey, and will be seeking to turn the tables on the U.S. National Champion in Utah. Another top name to keep an eye on is Fionn Griffiths of Great Britain, a three-time World Cup winner who can bring home a title on any given day.

Jeep 48STRAIGHT Comes to The Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah on Sept. 19-20
Page 2-2

As was the case in New Jersey, Jeep 48STRAIGHT will hold an Open Qualifier for local professionals and semi-professionals, with the racers battling against the clock to try and earn a coveted spot in the dual slalom championship. The Open Qualifier, which will be capped at 75 men and 25 women, will take place on Friday, Sept. 19. Additional details can be found at www.48Straight.com.

An additional event, the 48STRAIGHT Cyclocross, presented by Scott USA, has been added to the schedule for Utah. There will be two categories of racing, including the more advanced Group A with a 60-minute race and $400 guaranteed cash payout, and the more recreational Group B, with a 45-minute race and $250 guaranteed cash payout.

Off the dirt, the activities at Jeep 48Straight include the Sponsor Expo, with great free gear from Jeep, Paul Mitchell, Trikke, Michelin and Rossignol, as well as a Green Your Scene Eco-Festival offering educational and interactive features designed to raise environmental awareness and provide local level solutions. Wrapping up the event will be a free concert by Oakland, Calif., indie-band, Rogue Wave.

Full event information, including dates, times, and locations, as well as registration for the cycling competitions, may be found at www.48STRAIGHT.com.

Each event of the Jeep 48STRAIGHT summer season will receive national broadcast coverage on CBS Sports, representing the most visibility of any mountain biking event in the sport. The event at The Canyons will air on CBS Sports on October 12.

Following the event at The Canyons, Jeep 48STRAIGHT will head to San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Sept. 19-20 for the season’s grand finale.

About JeepÒ 48STRAIGHT
JeepÒ 48STRAIGHT, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Ketchum, Idaho, is a multi-media, consumer-driven platform designed to empower individuals who aspire to connect to the outdoor lifestyle through sport, music and ‘green’ awareness and consciousness. Its unique capabilities have established Jeep 48STRAIGHT as the premiere organizers of world-class high-end summer and winter sporting competitions, as well as a top promoter of concerts that have included some of the world’s best-known musicians. The company’s global reach is made possible through 16 hours of CBS network specials highlighting year-round initiatives such as the Jeep 48STRAIGHT mountain sports/music/culture festivals; sports performance training programs; green education symposiums and a virtual outdoor lifestyle information network. In addition to Jeep, marketing partners include John Paul Mitchell Systems, Michelin, Crux Event Management & Production, Beyond Coastal, Diablo Freeride Park at Mountain Creek Resort (N.J.), The Canyons Resort (Utah) and The Madonna Inn (Calif.). For more information on Jeep 48STRAIGHT media, event and merchandise offerings, visit www.48STRAIGHT.com.

source: Al Sommers