The Witching Hour and the Value of Doing Things Differently

When you think about mountain biking media over the last few years, I feel like there’s a certain aesthetic that comes to mind. A perfectly lit bike check. A golden-hour edit shot almost entirely in super slow motion. A brightly colored bike and a rider in perfectly matching kit. Cheesy and predictable b-roll of loading the bike onto a truck, followed by an intense close-up of the rider’s face. Add in a shaky push shot with the rider flying past the camera, and you have all the familiar touchpoints of many brands latest video all set to a slightly different—yet still eerily similar—song.

Maybe I’m jaded as someone who works in the media production and marketing side of the sport. Or perhaps it comes from my background, which was so deeply rooted in skateboarding and snowboarding culture, where individuality is almost unequivocally the name of the game. But all too often, when I click on a video from such-and-such company, I feel this almost overwhelming sense of déjà vu. So many of these videos look and feel the same. But when I see an edit pop up from Forbidden Bike Company, I tend to snap out of it.

While I don’t know all the inner workings of what goes on behind the scenes up north with the Forbidden crew, I do know that they’re sharing a vision of mountain biking that speaks more deeply to me than much of what else I see. They seem to be a crew that emphasizes style and fun. They’re unafraid to make things that might be considered a little weird or artsy. And they do it all by leaning into the individuality of the riders and creatives they choose to work with.

Forbidden Bike Company is one of the brands that feels like it’s using its creative resources well, and this latest edit from UK-based rider Billy Spurway is no exception. The Witching Hour is a short but sweet piece that supports the unique identity Forbidden’s brand is centered around—one the company has used to make an indelible mark on the industry in just a few short years. Set to “Fire on the Mountain” by Wand, this project passes the most important litmus test of any video: does it make you want to ride your bike?

The answer is unquestionably yes.

To all the other companies and creatives out there, just remember: if you’re trying to make something for everyone, you’re ultimately making something for no one.