Building Brandon Semenuk’s Rampage Bike

February 18, 2022

Thinking about tinkering with your bike? Check out this video from Trek and SRAM where they show master mechanic, Sean Murphy, of Fluid Function in Squamish, B.C. assembling one of the two builds Brandon Semenuk used during Red Bull Rampage where he was crowned with a 4th championship title.

Single crown fork at Rampage?

With big travel and big trick potential, his custom 27.5 / 26 mulleted Trek Session was set up with a one-of-a-kind BlackBox AXS drivetrain, and a 190mm single crown RockShox ZEB Ultimate. Master mechanic, Sean Murphy, of Fluid Function in Squamish, B.C. assembled one of his two builds that he rode at Red Bull Rampage. The use of the single crown fork gave Semenuk the competitive advantage to unlock tricks that are impossible with a double crown fork.

  • Frame: Custom built Trek Session 27.5″ / 26″ Mullet
  • Derailleur: BlackBox XX1 Eagle AXS short cage
  • Controller: SRAM AXS
  • Cassette: SRAM X01 DH
  • Chain: SRAM Eagle 
  • Crankset: SRAM X01 DH DUB | 165mm, with custom crank damper
  • Fork: RockShox ZEB Ultimate | 190mm, 44m offset, 3 Tokens, 63.5 PSI, HSC open, LSC 9 clicks to closed
  • Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate DH with MegNeg air can | 270 PSI, 4.5 tokens in Positive, 2 Bands in Negative, Rebound 5 clicks to closed, LSC 9 clicks to closed.
  • Front Brake: SRAM Code RSC | Routed through Zeb steerer tube.
  • Rear Brake: SRAM Code RSC | Extra long brake hose for 3 full rotations of handlebars.
  • Rotors: SRAM HS2 200mm (front & rear)
  • Wheels: Industry Nine 27.5″ / 26″
  • Handlebar: Chromag 
  • Stem: Chromag 
  • Seatpost: Truvativ Noir T40
  • Tire Front: Maxxis Assegai 27.5 x 2.5″ EXO+ Maxx Grip
  • Tire Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR2 26 x 2.4″ DH Casing Maxx Grip
  • Saddle: Chromag 
  • Grips: Chromag 
  • Pedals: Chromag 

What do you think of Brandon’s Red Bull Rampage build for 2021? It worked well enough for him to take an unprecedented 4th win at Rampage. Will we see other riders make the switch to single crown forks next year? Only time will tell. 

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2021 Red Bull Rampage Recap

October 27, 2021

Setting The Stage for the 20th Anniversary

Earlier this month, riders from around the world competed in the 2021 Red Bull Rampage. This year’s roster included long-time veteran riders Kyle Strait, Kurt Sorge, and Brandon Semenuk along with first-time riders Brage Vestavik and Jaxson Riddle. After a few riders took some hard crashes during the practice day, so the field was whittled down to 12 riders who battled it out on the 20th anniversary of Red Bull Rampage. This year’s venue took place at the 2017 Rampage site, where many of the rider’s lines still exist. 

Red Bull Rampage Ends a COVID Hiatus

The first-ever Red Bull Rampage took place back in 2001, and since then, there have been 14 different events and 9 different winners, according to Red Bull. The level of riding has skyrocketed, tricks have gotten crazier, lines are steeper, and jumps are over the top. Aside from being the 20th anniversary, this year was special because last year’s Rampage was postponed due to COVID, so riders were eager to return back to Virgin after a two-year hiatus. 

Brandon Semenuk Breaks The Internet 

The defending champion Brandon Semenuk ended up taking the number one spot on the podium, being the first rider to win Red Bull Rampage 4 times. His winning run started off with a massive double stager drop but what followed is what set him apart. Deciding to ride with a single crown fork, he was able to do tricks that are impossible with a double crown fork like a bar spin, the first-ever tail whip off of a flat drop, and a backflip tailwhip to finish off the run. Semenuk came prepared with a bag of tricks that was both hard and impossible for most of the competition to top. We certainly enjoyed watching this year’s Red Bull Rampage. Let us know what you thought of the contest in the comments below.  

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