Why you won't find Moonspin at Rampage...
The mountain bike world is coming down from another Red Bull Rampage week. Not familiar? It’s an annual high-octane event where riders push the absolute limits of what is humanly possible on mountain bikes. Think back flips, massive gaps and drops, and designing and digging lines through the mesas, cliffs, sand pits, and ravines of the gorgeous and sacred red desert outside Virgin, Utah.
Last year Rampage made headlines by inviting women riders to participate for the first time – after years of advocacy and calls for gender equity at the event. Women showed up BOLDLY, executing their rides with bravery and precision. I think it was evident that not only did women “belong” at Rampage – but in many ways they stole the show.
So why won’t you find Moonspin at Rampage?
As you likely know, at Moonspin we’re “more about the flora than the Strava.” We recreate without ego and use bikes to connect more deeply with place, culture, and ecosystems. This ethos is a driving value behind the brand and is something I hold in equal importance to the quality and functionality of the apparel I design.
Moonspin is a brand for the women+ (femme, non-binary, gender queer) mountain and adventure bikers out there who respect leave-no-trace principles when out in wild places, take the time to learn about the Indigenous custodians of the lands they adventure on, and chip in during trail build and maintenance days with their local trail association to support responsible and ecologically sustainable outdoor access.
In many ways, Moonspin offers an alternative aesthetic, ethos, and set of values to the high-octane, ecologically destructive, and extreme risk-taking approach that Rampage represents.
All that said – I remain in deep awe of the women who have showed up at Rampage. Their boldness and mental and physical excellence to be riding at that level inspire me, and I love knowing that so many women+ out there are likely similarly inspired to push whatever their comfort and skill level might be. Indeed, if you asked me to describe my ideal day on a bike, riding with women and being an ally and mentor in helping them unlock new skills and confidence – whatever level they’re at – has got to be at the top.
So, ride on, ladies! And in the meantime, you’ll find us spinning across ridge lines and whirring through woods, stopping to smell the flowers, and avoiding rutting out muddy trails by letting them dry out before riding.
