Scottish mountain bike super star Danny MacAskill teamed up with Adidas Five Ten bike sub-brand and Scottish sports content studio Cut Media for a new YouTube project called #WheelieWithDanny created to demonstrate the joy of two wheels and showcase incredible bike talent from around the world – old and new.
The social video showcases a collective of incredible cycling talent from around the world in an initiative which began in summer 2021 when MacAskill rolled out a series of social call outs to his 3.5 million social media fans asking his followers and fans to upload their own #wheeliewithdanny videos and photos which generated hundreds of entries.
MacAskill then choose several winners from multiple cycling disciplines – including artistic rider and social media sensation Viola brand – from those entries to star in the film with him and with his own childhood hero Hans Rey (a former trials World Champion, Five Ten ambassador teammate and fellow mountain bike legend).
‘Do A Wheelie’ dropped on YouTube on 10 May and the creative also seeks to drive viewers to www.adidas.com/510day_danny_macaskill to learn how to do a wheelie and upload their best attempt to Instagram and challenge two other friends to #DoAWheelie, as well as to find out more about the full range of mountain bike shoes and apparel from adidas Five Ten at www.adidas.com/fiveten.
“I have seen first-hand the popularity of bike riding explode over the last few years and it puts a smile on my face to see so many people loving getting outside on their bikes,£ explained MacAskill. “Working with adidas Five Ten, we wanted to make a film that included as many types of riding as possible and let other riders become the star of the film. The wheelie was the best place to start, if you can ride a bike, you can have a good go at doing a wheelie and, from there, the opportunities are endless. We wanted to celebrate the wheelie, show how accessible riding bikes can be and put a smile on peoples’ faces. If someone picks up a bike and has a big grin trying to wheelie, then job done.”
Cut Media Founder Stu Thompson added: “It’s been incredible to collaborate with Danny again. We’ve worked together a lot over the years and each time, we aim to push the boundaries and do something different. Bringing such a diverse range of talent together was super exciting, and amazing to see the variety of skills as everyone brought their own twist to the classic wheelie. We had such a good time making this – we hope it’s as much fun to watch!”
“We created the film to show the joy that two wheels can provide. Working with Danny has always been a pleasure and the video was a great opportunity to show how much fun can be had riding a bike, while also highlighting the wheelie movement,” said Adidas Senior Product Marketing Manager (Bike & Snow) Luke Hontz. “Adidas Five Ten has long been associated with the joy of bike riding. When Danny proposed creating ‘Do A Wheelie’ we knew it was a great fit with the brand. Mountain biking has long been popular and, following the pandemic, more people than ever, from so many different walks of life, are riding bikes. We felt that the time was right to focus on the wheelie. It is one of Danny’s signature moves and probably the most popular bike trick in the world. The first thing everyone says about the film is ‘it made me smile.’ There’s a universal joy that comes from riding a wheelie which shines through in the film. Danny’s light-hearted take on riding a wheelie really resonates with everyone who watches the film. His decision to showcase other riders, both super experienced and new talents, is something that we really support at Five Ten.”
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Five Ten is a German manufacturer of mountain bike, climbing and trail hiking shoes which was originally founded in California in 1985 and was bought by Adidas for $25m in November 2021.
Five Ten sponsors several biking and climbing events and athletes to focus attention on their brand and products including professional rock climbers Shauna Coxsey, Dave Graham, Janja Garnbret, Sasha DiGiulian, Tyler Landman and Ammon McNeely, as well as mountain bikers such as Sam Hill, Nathan Rennie, plus Hans Rey and Danny MacAskill.
This video sees MacAskill continue to leverage the global cycling explosion – with mountain biking participation currently at an all-time high – and it follows on from his own record breaking ‘Imaginate’ project with Red Bull which has racked up 93m views since it was first posted in 2013.
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