There are so many videos pumped out these days that I think we become a little ‘blind’ it all (I know I do). But every so often a video will appear that makes you stop and take notice.
Photos: Andy Fitzgerrell
For me the release of Deity team rider Cody Gessel’s ‘Caravan’ was one of those moments. From the very get-go I felt that I was watching something special. I have never really been a fan of mountainbikes in skateparks (concrete, wood or whatever), it has just never seemed right to me, but Cody changed my view of that. Pump, flow, oozing style… this kid was something special.
And his bike too, what was it that made it look different? Ha, it took me a while to realise that he was in fact riding brakeless. Nothing to your modern day BMXer, but in mountainbiking it is almost unheard of. No brakes and a large dose of retro styling… knack knacks, x-up step thrus, tyre grabs… his clothes, the music in the vids – it was if he was from a slightly different era, harking back to the pool skaters of the 1970’s. There is a definite vibe going on with Cody Gessel. But who the hell was this guy? We needed to find out more.
Did you have any sketchy moments/near misses while filming?
