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Video Round Up: 20 Unconventional Bike Launch Edits

Apr 28, 2020
by Ed Spratt  
With the new YT Izzo launching with one of the most unique launch videos we have ever seen, we decided to look through the archives and find some other unconventional edits used to launch new bikes. From Christopher Walken to Goldilocks, this one gets weird.

YT Izzo:

With its anime stylings, the YT Izzo launch video may be light on actual riding or even shots of the bike itself but it makes up for that with tons of style and high production values.



Juliana Strega:

The edit made for the launch of the Juliana Strega is another example of high production values and is one of many excellent videos to come from Santa Cruz/Juliana. It also features a high-speed horse chase which is definitely not something you normally see in bike edits.



Transition Smuggler:
Views: 46,530    Faves: 158    Comments: 15


More often than not, building a video around one joke is normally a recipe for disaster, but in this video for Transitions Carbon Smuggler, they balance it perfectly as a certain online commenter tries to get his hands of the carbon version of the Smuggler.



YT Capra:

What's definitely not your 3-minute shredit? How about a 12-minute horror film involving kidnappings and a goat-man? This is strangely not the weirdest bike launch video from YT.



Trek Supercalibre:

It's extremely rare to find an XC product launch video that is worth mentioning, but last year Trek surpassed everyone's expectations with the wonderfully weird take on Goldilocks starring World Cup XC racer Jolanda Neff.



Cotic Soul:

Because why not base your bike announcement video on the Blue Brothers?



Nukeproof Digger:

Yes, it may not be a mountain bike but when you put Elliott Heap, Tommy C and Pies together you get a pretty memorable edit.



YT Jeffsy:

In what is by far the weirdest launch video, YT teams up with Christopher Walken for their Jefsy promotion. You do have to wonder how much it cost to get Walken and whether the investment has paid off...



Specialized Stumpjumper:

For their new range of Stumpjumpers in 2018, Specialized took a tongue-in-cheek look at the new range in a video that makes fun of all the standard bike launch tropes.



Norco Optic:

Bryn Atkinson somehow makes slow-motion look fast as he charges hard on the Norco Optic for the 2020 product launch video.



Pivot Les Fat:

Eddie Masters, a fat suit and a fat bike. The less said about this one the better.



Santa Cruz Bronson:

Another masterpiece of an edit with Josh Bryceland and Santa Cruz. This time around Josh is accompanied by some animated friends he gets up to his usual antics out on the trails. This is another contender for the greatest bike launch video of all time.



Specialized Stumpjumper:

It's great to see Specialized fully embrace the weirdness with their 'Oh Delilah' video series.



Rocky Mountain Slayer:

If you name your bike 'Slayer' then surely it's almost obligatory to reveal it with a horror film-esque edit?



Forestal Bikes:

Cedric Gracia might not quite have the acting chops of Walken but Forestal gets conceptual with their brand launch video.



Specialized Stumpjumper Evo:

Specialized continue their odd launch videos with their fake fragrance: 'Rowdae by Stumpjumper'



Charge Cooker:

Things get pretty hairy as Rob Jarman puts the Charge Cooker through its paces.



GT I-Drive:

Now we know that 'Mad Max on bikes' really doesn't look as cool as it sounds.



Cotic Rocket:

Cotic makes the list once again with their Rocket edit that features the bike based superhero 'Rocketman'.



Santa Cruz Chameleon Carbon:

In a video that manages to surpass all expectations, Santa Cruz proves they are one of the masters of the unconventional bike launch edits with their take on Culture Club's 'Karma Chameleon'.




Author Info:
edspratt avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2017
3,291 articles

62 Comments
  • 51 8
 From my perspective ( and I do own a YT bike and I was very happy with their service), YT truly stands out as a company which is trying way too hard to be cool but fails completely ... don't get me wrong, the videos are kinda cool, I like them in a way. Obviously a lot of money and talent went into all of them but they just don't resonate with what mountain biking is about. You can clearly see that the guy in charge of YT has a background in marketing. It is very apparent in the way he tries to build, position and differentiate the brand. It's all done by the book but it seems like a work of cold blooded professional rather than a passionate rider. I'm just not buying it, it is difficult for me to get excited about the product.

On the other hand, the Trek launch video is a clear winner for me. These guys are a big soul less corporate machine and yet they produced such a brilliant little flick making fun themselves. Jolanda is amazing there. I'm still not gonna buy an XC rig from Trek but I really enjoyed that.

Any video from Santa Cruz featuring Josh just makes me want to ride. The one from Madeira is the best to be honest. The thing, when I watch him riding I genuinely don't care what is written on the down tube of the bike. The guy is just an embodiment of style and talent.

I love the vid from Norco. I didn't even know It existed but now that I've seen it I want to jump on my Optic, find some corners and practice. Inspiring.

OK, I'm not too keen on the vids from Cotic but seeing shots from the Peak District where I cut my teeth as a mountain biker just makes me miss the place and the riding there.
  • 9 8
 "trying way too hard to be cool but fails completely"

...by doubling their revenue every year... YT was an absolutely unknown brand just 6 years ago - YT Wicked was like a unicorn, nobody has seen it in real life. Today when I hit the trails, every 4th bike is a Jeffsy.
I think they're doing pretty good.
  • 22 0
 @f00bar: I meant fail to be cool, not fail to make money. Big difference. I'm not questioning their business model, it obviously works, they are growing rapidly and I'm happy for them. I'm glad there are value focused brands like them. I literally bought a bike from them because of that!

It's just the branding of the company feels really fake and pretentious. To be honest, no one has to give rats ass about this as long as they are happy with the bikes ...
  • 3 0
 *cough* Specialized www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6bdW-nhr9Y *cough*
  • 2 3
 @PetrC: the point was, most people probably don't consider YT "uncool", or they wouldn't be buying their bikes, right?
  • 4 1
 ...Great little edit, love it ... but I would really prefer YT spending money on developing their bikes rather then making these videos. It is very obvious that the guy steering YT has a background in marketing and not in engineering....and here it is again Big Grin
  • 3 3
 @Kaspy: YT videos are great. Add to the experience and their brand. Companies can do more than one thing at a time. Much like you can chew gum and walk at the same time. In your world you want no marketing? That doesn't work for brands.
  • 5 1
 Nah dude, that anime ad was cool as hell
  • 2 0
 YT?

THEY.ARE.GERMAN

That's just the way it is. Some things don't come naturally to some people but goddammit they are trying, Their bikes took my riding up many levels from where I was stuck and they've always done me right (never needed a warranty, but I f'd up a couple things myself and they corrected my errors free). But yeah, there is always a hint of awkward with our Teutonic brothers and sisters and I accept them the way they are.
  • 3 0
 @endlessblockades: I lived in Germany for 5 years and you're right - they are German and are on their own program. They work hard all week and party hard on the weekend – in an organized fashion – and David Hasselhoff is huge. American radio plays the hits off an album but in Germany, they'll play the totally random and definitely not great b-side tracks.

YT ads don't resonate for me (Christopher Walken aside) but they are definitely themselves and that makes them cool in their own right. . .I suppose.
  • 29 1
 How I miss seeing Josh riding.
  • 15 0
 For me, the Norco Optic video is simply unreal. It shows bike & rider at its best.. the best scenery.. greatest ever performance.. a very planted and fun bike to ride.. begs me wanting to ride a bike! And, on top of all that, with first-class video quality and edition. Mind blowing really. Congrats Norco, Bryn and crew.
  • 3 0
 It feels like a throwback to Life Cycles - the soundtrack, the riding, the style...
I still think Life Cycles might be the most iconic bike movie I've seen.
Can we get a Life Cycles 2 - aka more of this from Bryn?
  • 4 0
 Yeah a Norco Optic ad started on YouTube last night after an episode of Scotty Cramer my 7-year-old son was watching and I heard him say "whoa" from the other room. I came in and was so proud to see him staring at the ad mesmerized by the riding while my 10-year-old said "Uhm why are you watching the ad?"... "cause it's awesome" replied the 7-year-old. Damn near brought a tear to my eye and I had to agree with him. Awesome indeed. @ratedgg13... yeah we do! Let's start a petition and get that to Mr. Gibb.
  • 13 2
 Christopher Walken: "There will be some epic, rad...."
*squints at teleprompter*
"..adventures, and lots of, uh, good times."
  • 8 0
 Bryceland made me smile, some other stuff made me cringe.
  • 8 0
 Rat boy
  • 5 2
 well the yt bike launch obviously went very well considering how much you guys at pinkbike are publicising it compared to other bike launches . must have mentioned it at-least 4 times int he past week or so in seperate articles
  • 7 0
 Ratboys Bronson video does it for me. I’ve always loved that one.
  • 4 0
 Josh Bryceland + Santa Cruz + Cut Media = Gold!
  • 5 3
 YT wins but funny thing i never recognized: At the end of the Capra-Clip the next victim of the Goatman rides a Commencal, probably YT biggest direct-sales competitor (at least in Europe)

.. Well ok there is Canyon, Cube etc but you know what I mean..
  • 4 0
 The Yolanda Trek vid is the top of the heap here. Ticks all the boxes. But the riding on the Digger was unbelievable. Gap jump on a full rigid "10 speed"??? Come on!
  • 1 0
 I met Rob Jarmin once in Harrogate, coincidentally I was reading an article about him and his job and other roles he was covering as stunt man and it was just after he had been the one for Batman in The Dark Knight film and he was a proper sound bloke, he signed the article for me too haha
  • 3 0
 100% zero interest in fat bikes but will still watch anything Ed pumps out: maybe I am interested????
  • 3 0
 Juliana is not bad !
With horses for the gurls Smile
And some nice witchbacks, too !
  • 1 0
 Iim confused..josh is ridding for canondale right? Did the latest version of the bronson came out before he left santa cruz? Fun seeing him ride though...yt and sc are so nailed it for me..
  • 3 0
 Transition Ripcord should be in there... But, how did I miss that Juliana video before?
  • 7 3
 Chameleon FTW! Big Grin
  • 3 0
 What other sport has a crazy bunch like we do? The sky is the limit.
  • 4 1
 No mention of Transitions "New TR11, can it go to 12?" video?
  • 4 0
 NORCO...WOW!
  • 4 1
 That Santa Cruz Chameleon video is maybe one of the worst things ever.
  • 3 1
 Yes, couldnt watch it.
  • 2 0
 Ed Masters sending it in sandals! Mr. Walken one of the greatest actors of all time!
  • 1 0
 The Rise Partymaster launch is definitely up there.. youtu.be/FxUnu_Ktfds
  • 1 0
 They are all good ,good job people ,missing some but ok (rat boy on the 2 gen Bronson ,YT decoy ,and more,Kona )
  • 2 0
 Transition should have more than one on this list, for sure.
  • 1 0
 I have never seen an Anime in my life, and I was drooling over the IZZO launch vid......
  • 1 0
 Start with Akira, Ghost in the Shell (1 & 2) and progress from there Wink
  • 1 0
 Hear me out. A rider who can make riding one bike look steezy, can make riding any bike look steezy.
  • 2 0
 Trek wins! I mean Yolanda in it, c'mon!
  • 2 0
 Gt wins it
  • 2 1
 I guess the Strega was burned at the stake.
  • 1 2
 The only quality video content is from Supercaliber and little bit from YT Walken. All others - just some nonsense, or better say 'student works'.
  • 3 2
 I love Specialized videos. Just love’em
  • 1 0
 I'd say you were being narcissistic, but they did reference you in....what video was that? It seems to be missing here. It was a Specialized launch about a year back...
  • 1 0
 @woofer2609: You didn't read the article? Look again, it's here, however the follow-up of this video isn't.
So yay for this one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6bdW-nhr9Y
  • 2 0
 @inversedotch: Can't believe I didn't see that. *Facepalm* I'll blame it on not having had coffee yet.
  • 2 1
 @woofer2609: nothing to do with being narcissistic but off course, who would believe me Smile I just love their videos. They vibe with me very well, match my sense of humor 10/10. Perfect amount of absurd, no overdoing Like Trek’s video with Jolanda. She was the only good part about their super caliber promo. You know that kind of videos when someone is very serious about appearing that they are not treating themselves seriously? Like a boring boss hiring a company to make a video about him showing him as a clumsy guy as a proof that he can laugh at himself? Trek did it. Transition are also a bit like it but they keep the bro vibe. Trying a notch too hard to be funny. Like doing a parody and reminding everyone it’s a parody. Spec on the other hand has it dialled. And they spend lots of time and money on it. Anyone can make a parody video.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I 100% agree with you (feels a bit weird to write). Wink
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: sometimes little money... sometimes little time.
  • 2 0
 @ischiller: i am sorry, I always forget you and speak as if Spec did it totally on their own in house. Please, accept my congratulations once again. That bit in Turbo Levo commercial when they swear for the first time? Then the bit with the crying kid, the idea, the cut. It’s like I get the vibe and I kind of expect a thing like that will pop up, and then it does pop up and it’s better than I anticipated. Beatiful! Great work!
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Thanks man. Stay safe.
  • 1 0
 Charge Cooker of the win!
  • 1 0
 The 1st is always the best, the rest are copycats... GT iDrive FTW!!!
  • 1 0
 How on Earth could Rocky mountain NOT have
Slayer music?? Seriously..
  • 1 0
 That GT video smells like coca$ne.
  • 4 6
 YT Wins
  • 1 0
 For the entire body of work, I'd have to agree,







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