Mountain Bike Action Magazine

We've known Randy Spangler for years. We remember when he was one of the top 17 Experts in BMX, and MBA 's John Ker photographed Randy racing at the ABA Grand Nationals in the 1980s. JK also remembers Randy competing in the first three Red Bull Rampage events, from 2001 through 2003.

The 2026 women's competition marked the 25th anniversary of Red Bull Rampage returning to the original venue near Virgin, Utah, USA, where the event began in 2001. For the first time in the event's history, men and women drop from the same start gate on the tallest venue yet, with more than 200 meters of vertical descent across 90 acres of terrain.

Q: Hi, guys. I'm just about to pull the trigger on purchasing a new bike, but I have a question. Should I get a higher-spec'd bike, or should I save the money up front, get a base model, and ride it for a while before upgrading the parts later on? Liam Sullivan Bellingham, Washington A: If money up front isn't an issue for you, pick the model with the components that you ultimately want.

Since announcing the launch of a new global Enduro Series earlier this year, the response to the Crankworx team from across the mountain bike world has been nothing short of overwhelming. Athletes, destinations, and event organizers globally have reached out with enthusiasm, leading to conversations with 35 event organizers across 25 countries and 5 continents. That response has shaped how Crankworx is approaching this next phase.

If you haven't seen it yet, check out the replay of the Women's Red Bull Rampage from today. The riding is absolutely amazing. Here's the link:

(INTRADRIVE PRESS RELEASE) Edinburgh-based Intradrive today launches the GD8, an 8-speed gearbox powertrain for premium electric mountain bikes, at Roc d'Azur CIC (7 to 11 October). Two partner brands are showing production bikes built around it: French newcomer Obscur, which unveils its first e-MTB, and German brand Alutech, with a GD8 version of its ePelmo e-enduro. The GD8 is in series production in the UK, with units on firm order and first deliveries to bike brands from December 2026.

WINTER DOESN'T WAIT. Designed for those wet and unpredictable rides, our all-new Seal shoe lineup has been engineered to keep you riding long into the off season. Built with a waterproof membrane and a unique 360° ankle wrap to keep the elements out, our Seal shoes are built to keep you comfortable when the conditions get uncomfortable. Trail Speed Lace Seal. No off-season. MALLET TRAIL SPEED LACE SEAL. Built for everything from the dark and damp post-work lap, to the weekend adventure.

While checking our files this week to see the photos we had from the first Red Bull Rampage, from October 2001, we found the paperwork that we picked up from Red Bull at the event, 25 years ago. We don't know who will want to see this stuff, but we took photos of the results pages and the other information pages that Red Bull gave us at the event. We'll share some of them below, in case anybody wants to see them.

(Press release from VAN RYSEL) FRÉJUS, FRANCE - October 8, 2026 - VAN RYSEL, the high-performance cycling brand born in Lille, today announces a major turning point in its history at Roc d'Azur. Renowned for its excellence on road, gravel and triathlon, VAN RYSEL takes a new step toward its goal of becoming the world's number one cycling brand by officially entering the mountain bike market, unveiling its race bike: the RCR-XC.

All of the athletes at Red Bull Rampage 2026 have begun testing some of their features. Many of them are still finalizing their lines, but each are taking advantage of the mornings and evenings to tick things off.