Specialized Dig Day Nelson: When Bike Brands Do Dig Days
Mountain bikers are big on community, it’s overtly visible all over the world. We are some of the most inclusive and supportive humans around and it’s something, I know, that pulls riders to the sport in their droves. We look out for each other, we always aim to make the day, the trail or a bike better for someone. So when a big bike brand rolls into town on the premise of a ‘demo day’, you could be forgiven for forgetting about the social, communal feel of your local trail car park. You will be prepared for an onslaught of corporate rubbish flowing from the mouth of an employee who has branded blood flowing in his veins as you hop aboard your chosen demo frame. You will have readied yourself for an ambush on your return to the trailhead, fully expectant to be swatting off sales tactics like midges on a hot summers day.
Specialized New Zealand though, are taking to towns around New Zealand to turn that presumption on its head. Across the country from Auckland to Wellington, Nelson to Queenstown Specialized are hosting Demo Weekends where the emphasis is not only to trial one of their brand spanking new bikes, it also gives a little back to the community in the way of trail building. The demo tour crew are teaming up with local clubs, riders and shops and organising a dig day on the Sunday of each weekend. Whole new trails are being formed in Specialized’s wake, they are leaving their mark in a big way which the community no doubt will remember for quite some time.
Down here in Nelson, the Specialized crew brought 40 demo bikes and met over 250 riders on Saturday who all got nicely acquainted with their potential new steeds. By 9am Sunday morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed they were up at the top of the trails in Nelson’s Codgers Mountain Bike Park, with marquee erected and BBQ primed awaiting the team of diggers to arrive. This little town nestled on the northern coast of New Zealand’s South Island turned out over 50 people all raring to go to give ‘Top Dog’ a makeover. The trail is a local favourite, an ideal transition between the easier and the more gnarly tracks in the park but after a heap of rain, it’s tail is firmly between its legs and our dog has seen better days.
This army of excavators re-dug the entire trail, where there was once bumpy, jarring corner entries there is now smooth dirt just begging you to rail the high line. Where puddles festered previously, now lies flattened earth beside a freshly dug drainage ditches. Jumps that had succumbed to landslips and mother nature are now newly fettled into the perfect booters. Many hands do indeed make light work, in just 3 hours Top Dog had visited the groomers and come out smelling of roses. The pièce de résistance was yet to come, though, that being a banging BBQ after all the hard work was done! Fresh French stick, with hot, juicy sausages and a range of fresh salads certainly appeased the appetites. The local bike friendly pub ‘The Sprig and Fern’ provided the lunchtime beers, perfecto!
All’s well that ends with a beer in the sun. The trail is mint to ride and yes, that is an S-Works branded tool.
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.
Words & Photos: Rachael Gurney
