Hard MTB League – A new era of mountain bike competition
Words by Mia de Paula
Braydon Bringhurst has redefined what it means to compete, leading the charge with a groundbreaking new all-around mountain bike competition: The Hard MTB League. This is the next evolution of mountain bike competition–a new type of event, and league, that will crown the world’s best all-mountain riders. Here’s how it goes: A new 4-stage race format will crown the best all-around mountain bike athletes on the planet!
From October 23-26, 2024, ten elite riders were chosen to come ride the courses and test the feasibility of the Hard MTB League concept.
The Format: 4 Stages, 2 Bike Categories
Trail, Slalom, Downhill and Climb, with 2 categories for Women’s and Men’s: Traditional & E-bike. Each course will take under 30 seconds to complete highlighting an explosive display of technical riding on a compact, spectator-friendly hillside. Combined time determines the overall winner.
Riders are confronted with out-of-the-ordinary obstacles on every one of the four courses–from deliberately placed logs in the apex of off-camber turns on the Raw Slalom course, to technically challenging rhythm sections with multiple options of timing and jumping on the Technical Trail, to hybrid log-and-rock-garden drop sections on the Gnar Downhill and a punishingly-difficult Climb Course–Hard MTB League is designed to be different than any traditional form of mountain bike course in existence today.
Even better, riders aren’t just racing against the clock on all stages—they’re doing it all on a trail bike. The one bike Braydon calls ‘the bike that can do it all.’ When we asked Braydon what makes the perfect trail bike, he explained it’s one with enough travel to handle technical sections, comfortable climbing, nimbleness on flowy trails, and the ability to tackle jumps with ease. Basically, a unicorn! (We kid… Kinda of)
Other riders at the event were also on bikes with similar suspension travel.
Amy Shenton, for example, was riding a Revel Rail with 155mm rear and 160mm front travel. She shared that when she returns in May, she’ll be switching to her Revel Rascal, a versatile trail bike with 130mm rear and 150mm front travel. Amy finds the Rascal to be more nimble and easier to maneuver on the new course, making it her preferred choice for this terrain.
April Zastrow and Kyle Straight were both on their Ari Nebo Peak, a bike that also, does it all with 150 front and 130 rear travel.
"I’ve ridden the Hard MTB League course on my Canyon Spectral and Spectral:ONfly,” Both considered trail bikes with 150mm of front and rear travel. “But for 2025’s events, I’ll choose the Spectral. Light weight e-bikes are amazing… and it is absolutely the most refined MTB I’ve ever ridden in terms of balance and capability–I feel like I can climb and descend anything on the Spectral.”
Importantly, the League isn’t just about competition – it’s about fostering true progression. Braydon is committed to supporting riders who compete, ensuring they have the full backing needed to succeed as professional athletes. This support goes beyond just funding; it extends to access to high-quality products and, perhaps most crucially, the resources necessary for growth and development in the sport: “It means providing riders with mental health resources, working together to build each others brand, hold the bar high with progression and pushing what’s capable on these trail bikes, and pushing the progression for the sport.”
The Riders
The 10 riders invited to the first ever Hard MTB League testing event were Amy Shenton, Kyle Strait, Olivia Silva, Mitch Ropelato, April Zastrow, Luca Cometti, Bas van Steenbergen, Eddie Reynolds, AND Austin “Bubba” Warren.
The 3 women who participated: 16 year old Oli Silva, Amy Shenton, and April Zastrow.
April has a full video on her youtube channel-be sure to go watch here!
Amy Shenton, a mother of two young children, truly found her stride at this event. With experience in competitions like Thunderstruck and She Shred Legacy, she’s no stranger to this type of challenge. While those events often focus on jumps and highlight the skills of women in MTB, Amy initially viewed the new Hard League course and its stages as a formidable challenge. As the week progressed, her confidence and skills grew. By the end of the event, she was a better rider than when she started. Looking ahead to the 2025 competition, she’s committed to refining her skills across the board, ready to tackle the course with renewed determination.
It’s important to note, that the riders felt 100% supported by Braydon in this new venture. Amy said “It’s refreshing to have someone at his (Braydon Bringhurst) level care about everyone and every riders, making sure the riders are getting paid well and supported well.”
At just 16, Oli is making a name for herself in mountain biking. Starting with BMX before transitioning to mountain biking in 2019, she has excelled in disciplines like BMX and Dual Slalom.
Oli took the opportunity to fine-tune her skills in technical sections and jumps while focusing on improving her rhythm and precision on features like the pump track and rolled sections. It was also a chance for her to enhance her strengths in pedaling and flow, making her riding more fluid and dynamic.
Despite her age, Oli’s instincts on the bike are exceptional—she knows when to push and when to hold back. Her ultimate goal? Competing in the prestigious Red Bull Rampage—a dream well within reach for this talented young rider. This League has helped her progress toward that dream.
"It’s refreshing to have someone at his (Braydon Bringhurst) level care about everyone and every riders, making sure the riders are getting paid well and supported well"
The Schedule
Hard MTB League: 2025
In 2025, there will be a qualifying event from May 13-17, 2025 with riders advancing to Finals from October 21-25, 2025. As of today, folks can submit an entry for the 2025 qualifying event on HardMTBLeague.com.The first inaugural event will be held in the Boise Foothills.
For 2026, Hard MTB League plans to host a multiple-event series, locations TBD.
While the 2024 “proof of concept” test event was created to test the limits of professional riders, one of Hard MTB League’s goals is to create permanent courses–accessible to all skill levels–to help build the sport in fun and challenging ways.
For more information, to submit an entry for 2025 or inquire about a Hard MTB course being built in your area, visit HardMTBLeague.com and follow Hard MTB League’s Instagram.
We cannot wait to see the talent that will be present at the main event in May 2025!
Photos, and Videos by:
John Webster-Drone. Logan Brown-Video. Justin Olsen Photo.