Josh bender and WHY you should have respect for the guy

PB Forum :: Freeride & Slopestyle
Josh bender and WHY you should have respect for the guy
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flag ezekiel
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 11:12 Quote
marquis wrote:
how do you know that people don't have respect for bender.

Because there's been about 500 Bender threads and they all turn into pissing matches between those who like him and those who think he's a hack/hucker.
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 11:14 Quote
ezekiel wrote:
marquis wrote:
how do you know that people don't have respect for bender.

Because there's been about 500 Bender threads and they all turn into pissing matches between those who like him and those who think he's a hack/hucker.

ah i see,it's the first i have came across.

i do like bender but time's do move on,granted a lot of thing's might not have been where thay are today without him,but that's not to say someone else would'nt have done it.

will keep an eye on the pissing match.
flag i-t-o
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 11:18 Quote
ezekiel wrote:
marquis wrote:
how do you know that people don't have respect for bender.

Because there's been about 500 Bender threads and they all turn into pissing matches between those who like him and those who think he's a hack/hucker.

Well he is a hack/hucker, but that doesn't mean he didn't revolutionize the way that mountain bikes were ridden in the 90's and early 00's. The guy has done more for the sport than most bike companies and he has gotten little compensation for everything he does. He is probably one of the people most worthy of respect and gratitude in the industry. The fact that he still kills it and is still pushing himself without the need for media outlets and sponsorship contracts is proof enough that he is dedicated to the sport.
flag pete-1
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 11:22 Quote
i have massive respect for him, but i have seen people saying that now people are tricking some of the drops he did, which is a fair point but bikes are so much better now than when he was riding like he is known to.
flag hampsteadbandit
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 11:59 Quote
there are drops that Bender pinned that others riders have never tried (most walked away saying "you are insane")

photo

something many of you won't know about Bender is that he is one of the most friendly and professional riders you could ever meet - with time for everyone no matter who you are (you don't have to be a MTB rockstar to hang out with him!)

photo

I met him in Whistler a few years back, and spent an afternoon riding the bike park with him, in this photo I am leading Josh Bender, my buddy Rob B and Kona Clump rider Joe Schwartz down one of the Garbanzo trails

photo

the next time I saw him, he was sitting in a fountain in Whistler at 2am (don't ask why...)

really fun guy to ride with, actually a very skilled DH rider - he was Alaskan state DH champ before getting into the hucking

if you are dropping 60 foot you are not generally throwing down tricks, its all about survival and he was incredibly tough / strong with a daily sit-up and press-up routine that even a Marine would find hard!


he totally stepped up and showed the industry what could be done - people in the bike media and bike industry were claiming his first hucks were "photoshopped" as no one could believe anyone could do what he was doing on a bicycle

photo

and he was the father of the Red Bull Rampant

good work Mr. Bender!!
flag scott-townes
FL
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 12:01 Quote
i-t-o wrote:
ezekiel wrote:
marquis wrote:
how do you know that people don't have respect for bender.

Because there's been about 500 Bender threads and they all turn into pissing matches between those who like him and those who think he's a hack/hucker.

Well he is a hack/hucker, but that doesn't mean he didn't revolutionize the way that mountain bikes were ridden in the 90's and early 00's. The guy has done more for the sport than most bike companies and he has gotten little compensation for everything he does. He is probably one of the people most worthy of respect and gratitude in the industry. The fact that he still kills it and is still pushing himself without the need for media outlets and sponsorship contracts is proof enough that he is dedicated to the sport.

well that kind of defeats the definition of a hack now does it?

the reason i made my first post about bender is because of some video of a russian kid doing 20ft. drops on a hard tail and the hate people unthinkably spewed out made my head explode. i couldnt help but think these kids couldn't have been old enough to drink legally in BC.
flag mxmitch
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 12:10 Quote
This isn't going to end well, but bender is a great rider who can ride with a bit of style and pin the trails.
flag hdfreerider
O+
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 12:16 Quote
Unhallowed wrote:
hdfreerider wrote:
davvi wrote:
yeh i see a lot of people saying he doesn't have "style", but thats because if u r hucking a 55ft drop you aren't going to 360 or whip it when you are just gritting your teeth and hoping this drop wont be your last. hes probably more stylish if you gave him the right bike and sent im to do dj
I agree I mean he csn back flip that beast of a bike he used to ride lol
To be fair, backflips are probably the simplest thing in the world to do... Spend half an hour in a foam pit and almost anyone will have them dialed.

Sure.. how many people learn how to do them on dirt though? Razz
flag hampsteadbandit
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 12:22 Quote
how many people have backflipped a 50lb Banshee Scream on the North Shore (Vancouver BC)?

check the NSX videos for Bender's flip on the Shore
flag Unhallowed
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 12:32 Quote
hdfreerider wrote:
Unhallowed wrote:
hdfreerider wrote:

I agree I mean he csn back flip that beast of a bike he used to ride lol
To be fair, backflips are probably the simplest thing in the world to do... Spend half an hour in a foam pit and almost anyone will have them dialed.
Sure.. how many people learn how to do them on dirt though? Razz
I consider that more of a commitment issue as opposed to a skill issue haha.

And very good point on the 50lb Scream. Loved mine, but it wasn't the most flickable thing in the world.
Now that you bring it up, I am tempted to rebuild it and go do just that next season... I should really stop watching bike flicks all day...

I am by no means disrespecting the man, btw. Just playing the role of devils advocate.
My opinion of him has already been stated.
flag hdfreerider
O+
Posted: Nov 20, 2009 at 12:43 Quote
hampsteadbandit wrote:
how many people have backflipped a 50lb Banshee Scream on the North Shore (Vancouver BC)?

check the NSX videos for Bender's flip on the Shore

I was more impressed when he backfliped the Kapriel (sp?) in one of the NWD movies.
flag marlon-d
O+
Posted: Nov 21, 2009 at 7:44 Quote
well he went bigger than ANYBODY else and he is still able to rip the trails and throw down on the DJs. he is a master. sure he is crazy but crazy is cool right? i like him and we all should. he took our sport to the 2 levels.
flag jpculp
O+
Posted: Nov 21, 2009 at 16:33 Quote
I love watching old bender videos. The whole slopestyle thing is very boaring to meunless they are on a fairly complex course like the monster park. Bender did raise the sport to new levels and got more people interested. Lets not forget his crazy bikes either they were one of a kind
flag gnarkore
Posted: Nov 21, 2009 at 16:36 Quote
Bender can race, he can do drops nobody else has the balls to do and can backflip a 60lb bike lol. hes good imo
flag
Posted: Dec 1, 2009 at 22:17 Quote
cause hes got more balls than you.
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