[Closed] Semenuk's unReal segment

Just meh

Doesn't do owt for me.

A very welcome change from usual slo-mo hacking down the sides of steep dusty desert hills.

Apparently I'm dead according to STW, as I didn't get excited (well except for out the track, which looked excellent)

lol wut.... it's effortless, perfect, awesome music and all in one shot... meh/doesn't do owt for you... madness

it's bloody brilliant is what it is

Everything wrong with modern mtbing in one video

(1) Drive to top of hill in a great big pickup - check
(2) Dig ugly scar on a hill to make jumps - check
(3) Groom the track to the point of nearly being tarmac - check

It's like mtbing has gone up it's own ars* hole and forgotten what it's about.

lol wut.... it's effortless, perfect, awesome music and all in one shot... meh/doesn't do owt for you... madness

See I can admire his ability (same as anyother sport) without feeling a need to whoop and holler... basically what Dragon said +1, as it has nothing in common with the riding I do...

That's gorgeous.

I got to watch it on a fast internet connection in 4K, but even so the segment on the DH bike is absolutely ruined by compression artefacts. Even with a drone tracking him, I wonder if they did a bunch of cropping to make some of it look like a tighter shot.

snot a drone.

tis a truck with a super-stabilized camera on.

dragon will hate the fact they dug a second ugly scar for the truck.

Saw it earlier, so awesome.

It's like mtbing has gone up it's own ars* hole and forgotten what it's about.

I think that's more appropriate to a lot of whats posted on this forum than in the video.

Very meh to me also.

If you want blown away, the end segment of "Builder" is worth a watch. I doubt anyone will ever ride like that, but it's flat out amazing.

I like that. The lush green of the grass against the brown of the dirt, the way the track flows, all lovely. Think I will download the whole film for a watch.

It was alright, excellent riding as expected but the fact it was a single angle, while cool initially, detracted from it for me- where were the big views of a beautiful place? People having fun?

Music was top notch which makes a nice change from the usual bike film.

I liked it.

I liked the fact that mtb'ing can cut a scar in the landscape for the pure fun of it 🙂

I normally don't like the dirt jump sections on mountain biking videos, they all seem rather samey and doesn't relate to what I do, even though I admire the athleticism it just doesn't get my juices flowing.

So it was with that in mind that I watched this expecting to wonder why Brandon hasn't made enough money yet from this dirt jump business to be still borrowing his sisters jeans.

But I really liked it, it was just nice and chilled flowing riding, music fitted the flow, what's not to like.

Love it 🙂 Cruisy, stylish, fun and oh so sublime... the sensation of effortless perfection at dusk. I'll never be able to ride like that, but I have a few runs logged in mind where everything just works.

What saxabar said, sums it up perfectly for me

[i](2) Dig ugly scar on a hill to make jumps - check[/i]

Bore off, every single trail or track you ride is caused by human activity

He was injured and only did one full run first take...

Makes it all the more impressive.

AlexSimon - Member
snot a drone.

tis a truck with a super-stabilized camera on.

Ah, my bad. Also didn't make sense they'd crop and scale up to 4K. Shame what youtube's encoding does to some bits of video.

I liked it, felt very clean in one shot and that is one of my favourite songs!

Didn't really show off Brandons talent though but I guess you see a little when he casually pushes off that drop while hopping on his DH rig.

I'm firmly in the "meh" camp too. Obviously brilliant riding, nicely shot but it bears absolutely no resemblance to mountain biking as I know it. Also, the continuous wide shot removes any sensation of speed and a lot of scale.

Maybe in the context of the whole "movie" that sequence might tie in nicely but it in isolation it's little more than a nice clip.

Watching anyone dirt jump (with the possible exception of Lacondeguy) just bores me.

I'm in the wow camp also, i'd rather watch that than xc or cx any day of the week, and I can't ride DJ for shit!!

Clearly someone needs to make a slo-mo video of a middle aged Audi driver flumping down a red trail centre descent on their 160mm full sus carbon enduro bike and then going on stw to complain how it doesn't turn properly or something to keep you lot happy

As a piece of art it stands up well. Beautifully shot, nicely paced, well-matched soundtrack but in the broad church that is Cycling, it has as much relevance to me as a circus act.

lol bigjim
I loved the filming technique and also the riding technique - a lot to learn from.

Brilliant. Lovely change of pace from the slow mo - dirt flying up - heavy rock music stuff.
Aren't all trails just ugly scars on hills?

There is no pleasing some people.

I'm firmly in the love it camp. it's spectacular.

There are very few original short films in our sport...this is one. Wonderful. Nobody cares if you don't like dirtjumping or groomed trails.

Dig ugly scar on a hill to make jumps - check

I think the landscape will survive.

I saw it earlier and whilst I don't usually like dirt jumping segments in films, this is certainly one of the best I've scene.

Edit: Oh, and it's such a joy to see a biking clip without any slo-mo.

I thought it was brilliant, he's got some serious skills. How he casually picks up the DH bike and jumps off the drop-off and on to his bike at the same time. Looks effortless. I can't belie how anyone who enjoys biking could not like it. It might not be the type of biking you do, but it's surely the pinnacle of skills and talent on a bike in a well filmed clip.

Can't believe we had to wait 20 posts for someone to chime in with the hackneyed "you can't ride that well therefore you cannot express an opinion on why you dislike it" trope.
I hav'nt seen anything I really liked since 'between the tapes' or 'the collective'.The genre itself has become so cliched it's hard to take some of the "edits" 🙄 seriously at all.

Enjoyed the clip, and it's definitely not the type of riding I do but is I think relevant to "the spirit of mtb-ing" in that it's pretty much what most kids [i]think[/i] they'll end up riding like 😀

Loved it.

Not usually a fan of DJ or slopestyle but the scenery, his sublime smoothness on a bike, the ace choice of song etc was beautifully put together.

The part where he swaps bikes and mounts the DH bike midair as he drops in is just mind boggling!....like you see skateboarders do but I've never seen a MTBer do it before. 😯

Is it slowed down for more floaty effect?

I wondered that too - it has an almost Lazy Sunday feel. Very impressive for a track that would have me inhospitable within the first 200 yds.

BTW anyone know the music track they used?

It's a long walk to get his truck back.

BTW anyone know the music track they used?

Buffalo Springfield, for what it's worth

I enjoyed, primarily for the general feel and the music nice to use such a classic track. No interest in dirt jumping myself but it's impressive to watch. Most mtb videos are rubbish, the only ones I normal watch are replays of competitions, or just chainspotting on you tube. From that if there is a mix of riding types I'd be interested to see the whole video.

nickc - Member
Bore off, every single trail or track you ride is caused by human activity

Apart from the miles of epic singletrack caused by sheep and other animals in environments much like in the video you mean?

Ah, its his name, not a sponsor...

Apart from the miles of epic singletrack caused by sheep and other animals in environments much like in the video you mean?

That only applies for the very first person to ride a bike on them. After that, if they get ridden, then they become perpetuated and altered by human activity.

That is a piece of art. Does it matter if it's not the riding we do? Most mtb videos are of people doing stuff we couldn't hope to emulate. Making that look completely effortless is a testament to his skill. Filming and location also pretty awesome.

I bought the whole things it's rather good a great deal of creativity.

Wow there's some epic grumbling going on on this thread.
I thought it was a great clip. Semenuk is such an effortless rider and the music matched his style

Good luck trying to buy the 4K version of the whole thing if you have a UK postcode!

MGo either assumes everyone lives in the US, or is only set up to take payment from US cards.

that's brilliant, smooth luscious flow, cool truck, nice pinstriping on it, was that stock? nice song, nice light, nicely shot. great riding.
thanks to this thread, I'd have missed it for god knows how long otherwise.

Danny Mac riding along some railings or doing a 360 down some subway steps, doesn't exactly mimic my everyday riding, but I still love to watch him and can appreciate his skill just like this video.

I thought it was brilliant. Great to hear a decent tune selection instead of some gnar rock or pumping house track and the riding/track was just how I'd like to think I'd ride if I had the skill/time/energy/balls/talent.

I watched the whole thing. It's no Mud Cows, but it's pretty cool.

As someone said above - that sequence does represent a change of pace and mood in a film that successfully pulls off several.

🙂

Thought it was beautiful. Best mtb film I've seen in a long time.

Wow there are some miserable people here! I liked it - sublime floaty feeling and a 'perfect run' vibe. Along with some pretty mind -blowing skills.

It made me smile.

Everything wrong with modern mtbing in one video

The part where he swaps bikes and mounts the DH bike midair as he drops in is just mind boggling!....like you see skateboarders do but I've never seen a MTBer do it before.

Can you get it as a dvd rather than just itunes? If its a more artistic video and worth watching all of it I'd rather watch it properly but I can only find itunes purchase 😕

It's coming on Blu-ray and DVD - just not yet.

Loved it. Where on earth is that location?? Incredible scenery.

The whole movie is pretty good. The picture quality is amazing (that'll be the RED cameras) and it all just seems chilled and smooth.

Put it through the HD TV, turned the stereo up and watched it that way. It just looks and sounds beautiful and makes a change from the rough and lofi(which I also like) online edits.

Although I'd like to see a Chris Kovarik/Sam Hill edit of the Smith/McDonald Drift Track.

Tom KP

Out of interest was anyone else not able to watch it in 4k? I tried on a work computer on fibre with about 10Mbps download speed and it just kept freezing till I backed it off to 1440p.

AlexSimon - Member

It's coming on Blu-ray and DVD - just not yet.

Ta. I will wait for blu-ray then, i so rarely buy dvd's/films on itunes etc so spending the extra however much to have a hard copy would be worth it.

Even coming from a firmly XC perspective its good to have a film to watch to force you outside when its sleeting in January!

I liked that but to be honest it's about the 4th or 5th best segment in the movie!

Tom van Steenbergen's segment with the bear was my favourite, closely following by Aggy on the Glacier and Steve Smith/Brook Macdonald.

Superficial - Member

Wow there are some miserable people here!

So anyone who disagrees with your opinion is miserable? This was a discussion forum last I checked.

Tom van Steenbergen in Rise is quality, has a Ninja drop in also.

I liked it.

To all the "spoiling the virgin landscape" lot: Does it look like virgin landscape? Really? I'm no expert, but it looks like an area deforested for grazing

Historically, New Zealand was dominated by forest below the alpine treeline, but about 1000 years of Polynesian and European colonisation has resulted in the destruction of nearly three-quarters of the indigenous forest cover

I enjoyed the riding and the filming of it, even the soundtrack was good. Only thing that grated for me was the trail itself. I know it could all be flattened and in a years time you wouldn't know it was ever there, but it seemed really out of place in such a lovely place, a real scar. For some reason I felt a little bit uncomfortable about it.

Excellent vid I though, as does everyone I know who rides a mtb.
I thought this level of misery only existed in the chat forum, obviously wrong!

Whilst i'm firmly in the like camp for this vid it does seems to be quite polarising.

Most MTB vids are removed from the style of riding I do and the places i do it, but that also seems to motivate me to ride more and to explore.
If i'm watching stuff on trails i know i often find it boring. One of the few that does perk me up is this

Sometimes the epic natural stuff can be a bit boring e.g. Where The Trail Ends. But I love Strength In Numbers

i enjoyed it, but, is this just me, or is it a little bit like watching someone else play a computer game? possibly because (can't spell his name) made it look so effortless.

as for the 'scar on the landscape' stuff, please, it's a field. A sheep factory.

Loved it.

A few bitch cranks and a loooong intro but otherwise the best thing I've seen in ages. As above would love to know where it was shot.

Loved the video, particularly the Steenbergen bit, couldn't help but think that putting Smith and Mcdonald on a smooth bit of grass a bit of a waste though. I'd have loved to have seen them blatting over an alp of something.

Love that, pre bike swap is soooooo smooth, bike swap & drop in made me spill my pint, thumbs up!

yep, loved that. Alot. Reminded me of playing Dave Mirra on the old PS2.

Im in the left me cold camp. Yes its well filmed and hes good at riding big jumps but beyond that it did nothing for me as its not IMHO mountain biking, its big bmx, and doesnt relate to what mountain biking is to me.

Awesome.. Keep watching it every time it pops up on my feed.
Slightly slowed down I recon and the 360's both ways are sweet.
Remember the camera makes everything look flat.

I'm very tempted to buy that video.

I'll tell you what I do find utterly tedious: bloody go pro helmet cam videos of people riding along!

Well I bought the video and thought it was pretty flipping amazing. By far the best production, filming and editing you're likely to see, combined with awesome locations and ridiculous skills.

Bought it and watched it on a small and big screen now.

It's fantastic. The whole film is nicely shot and (to me) has a few new ideas.

It's not how I ride a bike, of course not. I'm nowhere near as fast, smooth or good as I'd like to be so I wouldn't expect it to be. It is however a little escapism and inspirational in many respects.

I don't watch films like this to see a version of me and my mates riding, that'd be dull as the weather outside is right now.

Think I'll buy it tonight off the back of that - what a video!

I don't watch films like this to see a version of me and my mates riding, that'd be dull as the weather outside is right now.

And yet "chubby amateurs" is the most popular search category on Pornhub.

😉