Jeremy Swanson / Courtesy photo
What began as one local man’s desire to shine a spotlight on the mountain biking scene has, in just five years, exploded into one of the premier showcases for all things mountain biking.
“It’s been pretty incredible,” said Evan Winn, the brainchild behind Snowmass Demo Days, which take place this weekend. “The buy-in from vendors, serious riders and the general public has been amazing.”
In the event’s first year, the pool of exhibitors included just nine brands, which Winn and his team — an all-in-the-family crew comprising himself, his wife, his sister and his brother — had to seek out and entice to participate.
Not any more, though.
“We are at maximum capacity; we fill up the entire Base Village lawn,” said Liz Winn, who manages most of the event organization and behind-the-scenes work. “It has been a delight to see the event continue to break records for bike operations on the Elk Camp Gondola annually, as it continues to set the bar for the busiest weekend of the year for biking in Snowmass.”
On the list of exhivbitors are brands such as Cannondale, Fox, Revel Bikes and more — and the public is welcome to try them all out.
“We get the locals who have been eyeing a certain bike and want to take it out on a ride before committing to such a big purchase, while others just want to explore what’s out there in the world of mountain bikes,” Liz said. ”But we also get visitors and others who either just happen upon us — they weren’t planning to attend a bike demo, but then they go for it … and we always get good feedback from them and the vendors.”
New this year, Snowmass Demo Days is partnering with Roaring Fork Cycling to offer free shuttles for those wanting to ride off the slopes. With rides being offered to Sky Mountain Park and the Rim Trail, this year’s event will take on a whole new spin.
“This is great for people who want to earn their turns,” Liz said, “and those who aren’t into the whole extreme downhilling scene.”
Evan agreed, adding that most Demo Days exhibitors don’t even carry downhill bikes.
“Very few companies focus on downhill bikes,” he said. “Everything with pedals is meant to go up. Now, folks will be able to experience cross-country mountain biking as part of Demo Days.”