Bike
Trial Biking
Check out Danny MacAskill’s custom Santa Cruz trials bike
The iconic trials specialist is back with his latest street edit, Postcard from San Francisco. Find out all the key details about the bike he rides in it.
Danny MacAskill has spent his life redefining what’s possible on two wheels. His first street trials edit from 2009 cemented him as a viral sensation, and each of his follow-up releases has continued to push the boundaries.
Take a look through Danny's notebook of tricks
His latest release, Postcard from San Francisco, is MacAskill’s first out-and-out street trials edit for more than a decade. It's an amazing display of his phenomenal bike handling skills and shows that he hasn’t lost any of his desire to go for the biggest (and riskiest) bangers.
Watch Danny ride his custom Santa Cruz trials bike in Postcard from San Francisco, below.
5 min
A trials riding paradise
Danny MacAskill turns the iconic sites of San Francisco into the ultimate trials riding paradise.
To be able to pull off a film like this, Danny needs a ride that can match his ambitions. This is why the Scottish maestro is on a one-of-a-kind Santa Cruz trials bike.
A special project required a special bike
© Dave Mackison
Centered around a completely custom carbon fibre frame and fork from the US-based brand, the bike’s three jobs are to be lightweight, stiff and bombproof.
Me and my team measuring up in the exercise yard at Alcatraz
© Dave Mackison
The one-off features don’t finish at the frame. Both wheels see Industry 9 Hydra hubs laced to unique Santa Cruz Reserve 24” rims, and are finished with MacAskill’s signature Continental Air-King tyres. He runs a tubeless set-up and a Rimpack insert in the rear wheel, which has been something of a revelation.
You're reliant on every single part of the bike, but one of the parts you're relying on the most are the brakes. I trust them with my life
“Normally, I'd be getting tens if not hundreds of pinch flat punctures a year when I was running tubes, whereas [I] very rarely get punctures,” he says. “It means that you can ride the bike much harder than you were able to in the past – you can try to do tricks and be more aggressive.”
MacAskill runs a stiff tyre setup when attempting high-impact tricks
© Dave Mackison
Tyre pressures are a punchy 50-60 PSI, but he explains that it provides an optimum balance. “It’s kind of like having hard suspension on a freeride bike – you still have cushioning but it makes the bike really responsive and it means you're not hitting rims when you're doing like extreme landings.”
Danny MacAskill chose San Francisco because of the iconic backdrops
© Dave Mackison
The most important part of the whole bike though? “You're reliant on every single part of the bike, but one of the parts you're relying on the most are the brakes.” MacAskill runs Magura MT7 Raceline brakes with 200mm rotors front and back. “They are pretty much downhill mountain bike brakes, but they are some of the most powerful on the market. I really trust [them] with my life. The calipers are incredibly strong and you couldn't do some of the lines that I was doing in the film without them really, especially the China Beach line.”
The rest of the bike is divided between Inspired finishing kit and some more signature parts – including Lizard Skin grips and Crankbrothers Stamp pedals.
Painted a bright yellow with fluro detailing on the brake calipers and levers, it’s a custom build that is as bold as MacAskill’s riding.
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Danny MacAskill's custom Santa Cruz trials bike in detail
- Frame: Santa Cruz custom carbon fibre
- Fork: Santa Cruz custom carbon fibre
- Rear hub: Industry 9 Hydra Hub rear, Trialtech 16t
- Front hub: Industry 9 Hydra Hub front
- Rear rim: Reserve custom, 24”
- Front rim: Reserve custom, 24”
- Tyres: Continental Air-King, 2.4”
- Headset: Cane Creek 40
- Cranks: Shimano XT 170mm
- Chainring: Inspired 22t
- Chain: KMC BMX
- Handlebars: Inspired Team Riser
- Stem: Trialtech
- Saddle: Inspired BMX seat
- Grips: Lizard Skin Danny MacAskill lock-on grips
- Brake lever: Magura MT7, custom 3D-printed titanium lever
- Brake: Magura MT7, 200mm rotor
- Pedals: Crankbrothers Stamp 7 MacAskill edition
