This autumn Canyon, Gabriel Wibmer and Cut Media joined forces to redefine benching – but not the weightlifting kind.Forget barbells and reps; we’re talking about street riding taken to the next level. Gabriel takes on Munich’s benches, ledges, and rails, transforming everyday city spots into the ultimate urban playground. From hopping benches to railing lines, Gabriel brings his own brand of trials madness to Munich before heading to the breathtaking Austrian Alps for a scenic grand finale. But it’s more than just riding; with Cut Media at the creative helm, the edit comes alive through slick stop-motion effects, match cuts, camera grabs, and digital fills.

Check out the full video below, or directly on Gabriel’s Youtube channel here to see how much he can bench. Spoiler: it’s a lot more than you’d expect!

“Munich is one of those cities that has endless possibilities for creative street riding. It’s got this perfect mix of modern architecture, unique structures, and open spaces that are perfect to play with. Then I got to mix that up with the beauty of the mountains in Osttirol. I love how benches, ledges, walls and open spaces all come together to create this massive playground for riders. I wanted to show everyday spots can be transformed into something way more exciting with the right perspective. You don’t need much to ride your bike and extend your skills. With a simple bench you can have a great time.” – Gabriel Wibmer

“Teaming up with Gabriel Wibmer is such an exciting opportunity. To attempt to show the complexity of his tricks with a strong sense of relatability, we decided to frame his tricks on what felt like nearly every bench in Munich. Using local riding locations to bring out Gabs’ personality throughout the project, so that whether he’s moving benches to create new lines, driving the action, or even interacting with the visual effects he was always bringing the energy on screen. The end result is a project we’re really stoked on – a dynamic, and playful piece that shows all that goes into making Gabs such a unique rider.” – Matthew Martin, Director Cut Media

“Gabriel is one of the most exciting young riders on the planet just now, so it was a fun challenge to match his incredible skills with pushing boundaries on our creativity too. The simple concept of riding a bench is so relatable for everyone, but also allowed us so much space to play with techniques in production as well, such as match cuts, 360 filming and changing perspectives. It’s such a fun but unique edit and we’re absolutely buzzing on the final project.” – Stu Thomson, Exec Producer Cut Media

Gabriel’s bike of choice?
Gabriel rides Canyon’s Stitched CFR Trial, a bike built for high-impact technical tricks. The Stitched CFR’s tough but lightweight carbon frame and a 16T single sprocket at the rear makes for a hard riding bike to tear up the town.

Follow Gabriel Wibmer:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wibmergabriel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wibmergabriel/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wibmergabriel
  

Japanese mountain bike trials rider Ayato Kimura has been rewarded for years of hard work: at the Red Bull Downtime in Nagano, Japan, none other than mountain biking legends Loic Bruni and Brook MacDonald surprised Ayato with his brand-new Red Bull helmet. Watch the full story unfold in this video:

 

The surprise was flawless: under the pretense of conducting an interview with downhill legend Loic Bruni about his home country, Ayato was invited by his and Loic’s bike partner, Specialized, to the Red Bull Downtime DH race in Nagano. At the end of the conversation, joined by Brook MacDonald, Loic suddenly handed Ayato the downhill helmet he had been holding throughout the interview. It was only then that the 20-year-old Japanese rider realized this wasn’t Loic’s helmet but his own, marking his official induction into the Red Bull family.

“I didn’t see it coming at all. I came to Red Bull Downtime to interview Loic and Brook, and suddenly I’m holding this helmet in my hand. It took me a moment to realize it was actually mine. This is a dream come true for me. I can’t wait to take on new challenges and create sick videos with Red Bull. Huge thanks to my family, friends, and everyone who has supported me,” said Ayato Kimura.

“We’re confident that Ayato will have a huge impact on the Japanese bike scene, and we’re thrilled to embark on this exciting journey together!” said Kota Ishizaki, Red Bull Japan Marketing.

For Ayato, the Red Bull helmet is more than just a reward for hard work – it’s also a soothing for the soul: after a riding accident left him with a complex fracture, Ayato is still recovering from his crash and itching to get back on his bike and next time with his Red Bull helmet.

“The Red Bull partnership marks another milestone in Ayato’s promising career as a professional mountain bike rider, and we at RASOULUTION are happy to have him amongst our athlete roster. Ayato has already made a name for himself, with prominent riders like Danny MacAskill and his mentor Tomomi Nishikubo following his progress in awe. We’re thrilled for Ayato and firmly believe that this partnership will open even more doors for him. He truly deserves it,” said Tarek Rasouli from Ayato’s management team, RASOULUTION.

Ayato Kimura’s signature discipline is best described as MTB trials, a fusion of urban freeride, street trials, and competition trials. In addition to his successful social media presence and live shows, Ayato made waves earlier this year with “Tropical Vibes – Ayato’s Way”. This video showcases his unique style, blending technically demanding trials riding with rugged freeride and downhill elements, underscoring his passion for the sport and his willingness to push the limits.

Ayato Kimura:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayato_trials/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ayato_trials

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ayato_trials

RASOULUTION Athlete Page: http://stage.rasoulution.com/athletes/ayato-kimura/