Where do race video’s lie in this day in age where the internet has become a constant stream of free and quite often, amazingly shot and edited footage of mountain biking, where watching the racing, live as it happens, has become something we now take for granted? This conundrum is something that the main stable of the mountain bike media is having to adapt and evolve to; looking for ways where the traditional methods of exporting the action from the mountain to you at home can still stand tall and co-exist with what the internet has thrust at them and still to this day, is the hallmark we all aspire to.

Clay Porter is one of the industries most recognised names behind the camera and has been a constant figure in the sports transition from the eagerly awaited video release of old, to harnessing all that the internet offers and re-writing the rule book on how you develop and release a new video that fits in with what the market wants, and is still very hungry for. On this note, Clay did his homework with his latest release, 3 Minute Gaps and put his thinking cap on, added a dose of patience and set about producing a video that does exactly that. And here its is, 2 years in the making and the first race video of its kind…

Words: Olly Forster

I’ve been waiting pretty eagerly to get my hands on this and although Clay was meant to send one over, my lack of patience and my local bike store having it on the shelf, both had the better of me. Bosh! It was in the machine faster than I could get through the front door.

Okay, I skipped the race sections on first watch and admittedly it was because I was under the impression that this was just another race video (sorry Clay). Anyway, the individual rider sections are some of the most beautifully shot and choreographed sections in any video I have seen in a long time. Amazing to be precise and utterly mesmerising. We start of with Sam Hill smashing out some extremely fast runs in the dust of his native Perth, Australia to Rob Zombie – haven’t heard any Rob Zombie in a vid since back in the 90’s when everyone was FMX mad – works pretty well and certainly gets the video rolling in the right direction and to say I’m sick if the lame electronic mincey tunes on recent web edits is an understatement, so this was pretty refreshing.

After Hill, we get to see Matti Lehikoinen and Ben Reid tearing things up and getting pretty wild before we land in New Zealand for Sam Blenkinsop’s section. This is the shit! Sam’s loose and fast style combined with some awesome angles and zip lines really emphasises how this kid will soon dominate! After Blinky’s (it’s not Blenky!) section we then get thrown in at the deep end of the “sitting at the end of your chair and pressing stop and dragging your bike out for a ride as it’s Brendan’s section”, which has to be said, is the bloody best thing I’ve seen in a bike vid for a long time and really made me want to get out on my Demo! And that’s saying something – worth buying the vid for this alone! Big jumps, whips, seat bumps in the Alps, you name it! After Brendan’s section we get into a montage kind of section with Brendan and his mates riding Dirt Jumps which is a refreshing switch from the theme of the video, but it didn’t stand out for me as an amazing section and the posing in London was a bit gay. Awesome riding and footage none the less.

Next up is a bit of Atherton time. I love the Athertons, but at the same time I’d rather see someone else as they’re everywhere. Granted this is for good reason, but I believe in spreading the love, but with all the stock footage of the speedy trio Clay must have knocking around, it’s no surprise the video often feels like you’ve seen this somewhere else before… Back to the vid. Affy’s crash had to make it in and this becomes clear why when you watch the whole video – Clay’s telling a story and a cool one too! Moving on from the ‘AP’ overspill section; we then head to SA and Needles smashing his Glory down and around some awesome trails in Somerset West. Once again, just amazing and yeah, loved it!

After Needles’ section we hit what I would say is my second favourite section, or maybe joint first (hard to pick with this vid) and surely the best filmed and edited of them all. Aaron Gwin’s section was filmed in So-Cal and if you like epic back drops, scrubs, whips, Aaron Gwin, drifts, massive hucks and did I mention Aaron Gwin, then you’ll not be disappointed as this is off the bloody hook! I’m saying no more – go buy the frickin DVD!!! After this insanely good episode of awesomeness we get the ending section and Clay really surpassed himself on the choreography here as Dan Atherton’s section flows like he does with that smooth and effortless style he has over what mother nature throws in front of him. Epic!

Racing Sections.

Okay, so I skipped the race sections on first watch and yes, I will admit I’ve watched them way less than the rider sections over the course of writing this review, but this is where Clay has looked at how a race video can stand with everything Pinkbike, DirtTV and Freecaster can throw your way: by telling a story. The racing, rather oddly starts at ’09 finals from Schladming – awesome section which leads into Sam’s section very well as he took the title. From there we go from round one of the 2010 series in Maribor all the way to finals in Windham. The 2010 season was a season worth telling a story about on many levels, but mainly due to the Atherton vs Minnarr battle that made the season so compelling to follow. Disappointing in that we don’t see the World’s as an individual section although the snippet of seeing Hill cross the line in MSA and stand on the podium kinda made up for it.

Conclusion.

Well, it’s good. Very good to be honest. Not perfect, but we haven’t had that for some time and this is the closest we’ve come and the best by quite some way when compared to what we’ve not had the pleasure of watching over the last few years. Apart from Scott Marshall’s Speed Kings and maybe some of the big budget Canadian huck vids (which to be fair get a bit tiring after a few hits), there hasn’t really been much around to float many of our boats and even the man in question here, Clay Porter, has perhaps strayed from what made his vids so special back in the Spectacle days – until now. Redemption is good when it’s well deserved and 3 Minute Gaps is just that and more. Lets not forget John Lawlor too!

Highly watchable and a great insight into what goes on behind the footage we get bombarded with every day on the net and unfolds into the story of why we love to race bicycles down hills and mountains. The whole video flows effortlessly and although there are a few weird bits here and there – to be honest, I wasn’t mad on the black and white interview sections, well, just the editing, but it was god to find out that Rob Warner’s a Yankee’s fan? Anyway, all in all this is hands down the best ‘race’ video that wasn’t really a race video that we’ve had in a long time and one that improves the more you watch it. Highly recommended!!!

Big thanks to Leisure Lakes Bikes for sorting this out, hit them up for your bicycle needs!

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