A few weeks ago, OTE Hurricane employee, Danny McAtee, aka Danny Mac, blew the mountain biking world’s collective mind by hitting Brage Vestavik’s huge Red Bull Rampage drop. Vestavik and his team built the 47-foot drop for the last Rampage competition but he took himself out on his first attempt. Until Danny landed it, no one else had even attempted it. We didn’t want to rehash or repackage what’s already been posted about Danny’s big drop – you can go to his Instagram or the Pinkbike story for all of that. But there’s been a lot of interest in Danny Mac’s Specialized freeride bike so we decided a bike check post was in order. Keep reading for bike specs, more photos and Danny’s thoughts on his bike.
Danny Mac’s Specialized Status II Freeride Bike Specs:
- Frame: 2013 Specialized Status II
- Travel: 200mm rear / 203mm front
- Wheels: 2013 26-inch Spank Stiffy 40 rims with Chris King hubs and 135mm bolt-through axle
- Tires: Kenda Nevegal Pro 26 x 2.5 wire-bead downhill casing STICK-E DHC
- Shock: EXT Storia V3
- Fork: 2014 Fox 40 Factory
- Drivetrain: Shimano Zee 10-speed
- Cranks: SRAM Descendant – 165mm
- Brakes: SRAM Code RSC with 200mm front and 180mm rear rotors
- Pedals: Deity TMAC
Here’s what Danny says about his bike:
My weapon of choice is a 2013 Specialized Status II freeride bike. Being a nine year-old frame, it seems to get a lot of attention. The bike is perfect for my style of riding so I have no need to “upgrade”. Thanks to Suspension Syndicate, I have the suspension set up for a 300-pound rider for massive impacts. I’m still running the same ten year-old 26-inch Spank wheelset that came with the bike and I’ve never had a problem with them. I’ll run 26 as long as I can! I love smaller diameter wheels for their maneuverability and stiffness. Nothing on this bike is stock but the Status II is the most durable frame I’ve ever seen! I’ve never had to worry about it cracking or breaking – even off the biggest hits in Virgin.
I decided to hit Brage Vestavik’s Rampage drop because it was the gnarliest one I could find. I eyed it up over six months ago and it’s been creeping in the back of my mind ever since. I spent some time packing-in the landing and decided to give it a shot. It was nice knowing the bike would hold up, especially with the EXT Storia V3 shock taking all the impact. I’ve hit other big drops and always been amazed at my bike’s ability to take a slap!
I’ll ride this bike till the wheels fall off. I’m not planning on getting another bike but I hope I can find something that compares to this in the future.
I hope this inspires others to love the bike they have. Ignore the industry standards. Old bikes can be just as gnarly as the latest and greatest. Just do your own thing and ride your #&@%$ bike!
Danny Mac’s Specialized Status II Bike Photo Gallery
Conclusion
We’re super proud of Danny and can’t wait to see what he does next. He’s absolutely right about the bike – ride what you’ve got and have fun. That’s all that’s important. As long as you’re pedaling, we’re happy. And obviously, no one is in a position to judge Danny’s bike choice – he just hit one of the gnarliest drops on the planet. Of course, we’ll be happy to help you keep your bike running as good as it possibly can – regardless of the brand or how old it is. If you’ve got a bike that needs some love, bring it in and we’ll take good care of it.
