Getting to know a brand can be tough. Pages on a website or inside a catalog don't necessarily tell the whole tale. Understanding this potential for disconnect, the people at Pactimo decided to do what all the cool kids are doing these days - make a video. But unlike most of the promo pieces that travel the information superhighway, this video is not simply a collection of alluring images wrapped with a not-so-subtle elevator pitch. Instead the Colorado-based apparel maker deftly delivers an intimate look of what cycling means to them. And while Pactimo is a decidedly road'centric brand at the moment, we feel like their reasons for riding will resonate with all cyclists. Mtbr caught up with Pactimo retail brand manager Josh Cook to get a little background on the production and inspiration behind this video.

Mtbr: What was the overall vision for this film?
Josh Cook:
From Pactimo's inception, we have been influenced by our home here in Colorado. Its mountainous terrain, beautiful roads, unpredictable weather and epic scenery have been a part of company DNA. Each garment is created, tested and proven in this beautiful state we call home. We went out and sought to capture a piece of who we are. This was the result. Born in the mountains, raised on the road.

Mtbr: Tell us a little about the riders in the video.
JC:
Pactimo is a brand of passionate cyclists who love being on our bikes and who come from all sorts of places in life. We wanted to capture a realistic picture of what our lives on the bike look like. One aspect is racing. We are a custom company at our roots and deeply entrenched in the race lifestyle and culture. So we worked with the Astella's Pro Team, which we sponsor, and one of their riders, Brandon Feehery.

With the other two riders, we wanted to make sure we captured the other part of who we are. Though the film is aspiration, we wanted it to resonate with what a typical ride looks like for most of us. Whether rolling out from the office or out of our garage, we love each ride equally. So we reached out to two working professionals with a passion for cycling and a love of racing, who have to juggle this in the midst of the rest of their lives. In this case that was Julia Lafranchise (our Materials and Operations Assistant) and Jesse Euton.

Pactimo - The Ride

Mtbr: Where was the video shot?
JC:
When we set out to create this piece, we wanted it to reflect who we are as a brand and where we ride, test and find inspiration for our clothing. We knew we had to use Colorado's Front Range for our backdrop. For our day with the Astella's Pro rider Brandon Feehery, we started down near the Larkspur area south of Denver, working our way through the foothills and up into Woodland Park. We finished our filming that day on a beautiful switchback climb through the Aspens and up onto a dirt road that looked out onto Pike's Peak in the background. For the other two riders, Julia and Jesse, we wanted to capture what is like for us to sneak out in the early morning or on a lunch break. Each of those days were shot in nearby Boulder and the surrounding areas.

Mtbr: Who wrote the script? It's really well done.
JC:
The narrative is an original piece, commissioned from a writer/poet in Boulder named Oakley Meredith.

Mtbr: Anything else you want to add?
JC:
Got to give a huge credit to the filmmaker, Tim Twinem, the founder of Solidus TV! He did an amazing job.

For more information visit www.pactimo.com and be sure to check out their head-to-toe giveaway contest.