Everyone can remember learning to ride a bike. And after mastering balance and pedalling, the first thing many riders do is attempt the “wheelie.” It’s an age-old trick that we love, no matter how long we’ve ridden a bike. It’s no surprise that an entire “wheelie culture” has arisen, and that Danny MacAskill, the 36-year-old Scottish mountain bike phenom, is putting his spin on mastering the technique. Or that Five Ten, the brand that started the “flat pedal revolution,” which opened access to mountain biking to many people who wanted freedom from “clipping in,” has teamed up with Danny to create a new video Danny Do A Wheelie.
Danny’s success as a rider, and the massive viral popularity of his videos, has made him the face of mountain biking worldwide. While his initial claim to fame was as a street trials rider, he has embraced all forms of riding and is always pushing the limits of what is possible on two wheels.
If you’ve watched Danny’s videos, you know that he has turned the humble wheelie into an art form. He’s ridden wheelies on ridges, mountain peaks, and of course, crazy urban structures. He tugs on the front handlebars, pops the wheel up, and the magic begins.
In 2021, Danny decided to start sharing his love of the wheelie. He asked his social media fans to post their own wheelie experience with #WheelieWithDanny. Thousands of riders responded. Not only did they post pics of their one-wheeled accomplishments, but also vied for the opportunity to work with Danny on his video project. An astonishing number of people, young and old, from all cultures and backgrounds, sent in applications.
“I watched the popularity of bike riding explode during the pandemic,” says Danny. “I wanted to make a film that was more inclusive than ever before, along with showcasing some incredibly talented riders of a broad range of age, background and riding experience.” The result is Danny Do A Wheelie, made in conjunction with adidas Five Ten. The video launches May 10th, 2022 on YouTube.
The video features MacAskill wheeling through a series of iconic Scottish locations, on every type of bike you can imagine. He’s joined by a cast of riders, including Lil Spartan, Viola Brand and Hans Rey, all of whom prove to be big wheelie talents in their own right. “Five Ten and I wanted to make a film that included as many types of riding as possible and let other riders be the star of the production,” explains Danny. “The wheelie was the best place to start– if you can ride a bike, you can have a good go at doing a wheelie and from there the opportunities are endless. We wanted to celebrate the wheelie, show how accessible riding bikes can be and put a smile on people’s faces. If someone picks up a bike and has a big grin trying to wheelie, then job done.”
adidas Five Ten created the Flat Pedal Revolution in mountain biking in the early 2000’s by bringing its signature rock climbing rubber, Stealth, to the bike world. And, this spring, Five Ten launched a new shoe that is perfect for wheelies — the Sleuth DLX Canvas, a flat pedal shoe featuring an upper made in part with Parley Ocean Plastic. The Sleuth DLX Canvas is new for Spring Summer 2022 and available from finer retailers and adidas.com/FiveTen.
To celebrate both the wheelie culture and the new Sleuth DLX Canvas, Five Ten is proud to support Danny MacAskill’s new video, “Danny Do a Wheelie.” Stay tuned for tips from Danny on how you can perfect your own Wheelie, as well as an inspirational video with Danny and L.A. Chargers running back, Austin Ekeler, exchanging expertise on riding technique and football drills.
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