Crankworx Whistler 2023: Cool bikes, Custom Painted Helmets & a Steve Smith Jersey for a Good Cause
Every year at Crankworx, there are a few custom-painted bikes and helmets showing off impressive paint jobs. There also tends to be a prototype bike or two, and complete retro bikes sometimes make appearances as well.
This year I found a few examples of each, plus an authentic Steve Smith jersey. The cool thing is a lot of these bikes and items were prizes anyone could win – Many booths had QR codes that led visitors to a contest entry website. Now let’s check out these one-off bikes and accessories!
SCOR’s Custom Painted 4060:
Over the years at Crankworx Whistler, I’ve seen several examples of Tony Baumann’s ‘Made Rad by Tony’ custom-painted bikes. This year SCOR had a complete 4060 Enduro bike boasting this impressive beach-themed paint job, and a high-end build spec featuring a RockShox Zeb fork and the new XX T-Type SRAM transmission. You can see in the title shot how the SCOR crew put together a nifty sandbox display for the bike!
In addition to waves and cloudy blue and pink skies, this 4060 shows an awesome sand effect on the lower frame and front half of the rear triangle. And the best part; this bike will be given away to one lucky person who entered the contest!
Norco’s Limited Edition Fluid FS C:
At the Norco booth, this limited edition Fluid FS C frameset was built up to show off its multicolored paint scheme. Apparently I wasn’t the only one to liken its paint job to the Harlequin Volkswagens sold with different colored panels all over. Only 50 of these framesets will be produced. You might notice Norco even had the bike stands painted to match!
The Fluid FS C features a carbon front triangle with alloy rear stays. It rolls on 29” wheels, offers 130mm of rear travel, and this bike was set up with a 140mm fork.
A Chrome Camo Trek:
Trek Bicycles had a rotation of custom-built bikes on display at their booth, but this one had the best paint job of all the bikes I saw. This chrome camouflage Fuel EX belongs to Ryan Gaul, Trek’s DH Team Liaison.
Finn Iles’ Specialized DH Prototype:
Specialized Bikes had a pop-up store set up in Whistler Village, and right in the front window was Finn Iles’ prototype DH bike. As you can see that bag is hiding a new suspension design. I didn’t peek into the bag myself, but I did hear a rumor the linkage looks similar to what you’d see on a motocross bike.
In this rudimentary stage, the prototype frame’s front triangle is made up of carbon tubes and possibly 3D-printed lugs. The rear end looks like a finished product, so initially I assumed it was borrowed from a current Demo… but with another look I realized it is unique, and it lacks the vertical strut that actuates the shock linkage on the current bikes.
Giant’s Retro ATX DH Bike:
Giant was kickin’ it old school with this ATX DH bike at their booth. Nothing screams ‘retro’ like a Y-frame MTB with GripShift! This bike was current between 1997 and 2002, and it brought great success to racers Miles Rockwell (2000 world champion), and Dustin Adams (2001/2002 Canadian champion). This bike was also ridden by the legendary Rob Warner!
Endura’s Custom Painted Helmets:
Endura had two custom-painted one-off MT500 full-face helmets at their expo booth. The colorful helmet above boasts a spray-painted base and a graphic that shows Endura’s wilder side. It also features their catchphrase ‘Fear Less’.
The mostly pink, blue, and black helmet shown here features a topographic map of Whistler Mountain, making it a unique piece for Crankworx Whistler. Both helmets were giveaway prizes that visitors could enter to win via QR codes on the display stands (which were topped with big blocks of Koroyd, the straw-like protective layer Endura uses in these helmets).
Steve Smith’s Jersey:
As yet another prize giveaway, Cycling Canada had Steve Smith’s actual jersey hanging in their booth. This is the jersey Smith wore in the last Crankworx Whistler he competed in back in 2015. Cycling Canada is raising funds for Canadian downhill racing development, with the hope that they can eventually provide bursaries to athletes so they can focus on training without simultaneously working to support themselves. Contest entrants paid a fee to write down their best cycling memory on the boards in the booth, and the best ones were picked to win the Steve Smith jersey and other various prizes.
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