Maxxis rider Mason Bond in Connected Series
Mason Bond is rarely on the ground so he has to make those opportunities count.
Maxxis and Pivot Cycles sponsored rider Mason Bond is seen here pushing the Pivot Switchblade 29er and Maxxis Shorty 2.5WT to the limit.
- Rider: Mason Bond
- Team: Pivot-Reynolds Enduro
- Age: 24
- Location: Grass Valley, CA
- Riding style: Fluid, stylish, and playful
- Bike: Pivot Switchblade
- Tire Choice: Maxxis Shorty 29×2.50WT front and rear
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Y2VqpYWY0
Two of the richest mines of the California Gold Rush were built in what is now Grass Valley. In the mid-1800s, miners traveled from all over to start new lives working the gold mines, grabbing a new chance for prosperity in the land of opportunity. Unlike other mines on the West Coast, the Grass Valley mines featured much deeper veins of precious metal, located well below the water table. These same damp conditions exist throughout the mountain range, allowing cedar, pine, and other deciduous trees to flourish, and offering shade and coating the ground in precious loam.
Bond’s home trails in Grass Valley seem to have it all.
The mines ran for almost a century before the last one shuttered its doors in the 1950s. The legacy of the ’49 Gold Rush affects life in Grass Valley in many ways, but most favorably to mountain bikers by leaving an extensive network of old mining access trails. These trails are often steep and technical with saturated and loamy soil, leaving Pivot-Reynolds enduro racer Mason Bond to depend on the mid-spike design of the Maxxis Shorty to punch through the soft terrain and find traction underneath. Mason’s fluid and playful riding style allows him to jib trail features, roost corners, or set up a photo-of-the-day drift depending on whether he’s racing the clock or styling for the camera.
Bond setting up and maneuvering in mid-air.
Affectionately called the “Loam Saw,” the Shorty is most frequently used in muddy downhill and enduro races, or year-round in wetter parts of the country. Its Velcro-like grip offers unparalleled traction in the sloppiest conditions, and buttressing on the sideknobs reinforces the tire’s positive cornering feel, preventing the dreaded mid-berm squirm. The Shorty is available for 26, 27.5, and 29 wheels with EXO, DoubleDown (DD), or DH-Casing protection options.
Stay tuned for episode 2 next week, follow Mason on Instagram at @macebond007, and learn more about the Maxxis Shorty at www.maxxis.com.
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