This June, the Silk crew packed up the van, loaded our tools, and hit the road for what turned out to be one of the wildest weekends in our shop’s history: Red Bull Hardline 2024.
If you know Hardline, you know it’s no ordinary race. It’s the proving ground—the brutal, beautiful beast of a downhill course where only the boldest riders even attempt a full run. Being invited to provide mechanical support for the athletes was massive for us. In fact, we had the absolute honour of being the first independent bike shop ever invited as an official vendor. No pressure, right?
Wrenching at the World’s Toughest Downhill Course
The energy on-site all weekend was unreal. Riders rolled through our stand with everything from last-minute brake bleeds to emergency wheel truing after getting rattled around on the rock gardens. Watching world-class athletes push themselves to the edge—and trusting us to keep their machines dialled—was equal parts humbling and electrifying.
And for Jake, stepping back into this world felt a bit like coming home. After spending years on the World Cup circuit as a mechanic for the FMD Race Team, Hardline brought with it plenty of familiar faces—old friends, former colleagues, and riders he’d travelled the world with.
The Event: Hardline Hits Different
Hardline 2024 delivered everything it’s known for: massive features, sketchy weather, heart-stopping sends, and a level of progression that keeps raising the bar year after year. Standing trackside, you could feel the tension build every time a rider dropped in. From the iconic step-up to the monstrous 90ft gaps, the crowd went from holding their breath to erupting in cheers in a matter of seconds.
Seeing the course up close, the scale of what these riders are doing is even more mind-blowing. No camera can capture the steepness, the speed, or the guts it takes to point a bike down that mountain. Being part of the crew behind the scenes gave us a whole new appreciation for the Hardline family and the insane amount of work that goes into making this event happen.
When the Weather Hits: Wind Stops Play
In true Hardline fashion, the mountain decided it wanted to get involved too. Midway through the event, the wind picked up and forced everything to come to a halt. Gusts were unpredictable and way too strong for riders to safely hit the big features—especially the infamous jumps where even a small change in wind direction can make a massive difference.
Jake Takes the Decks: The Hardline Afterparty
As if the weekend wasn’t already huge for us, Silk was invited to DJ the official Hardline afterparty—a proper pinch-yourself moment.
It was the perfect way to wrap up an unforgettable event: good music, good people, and the kind of vibes you only get after a weekend of high-stoke mountain biking madness.
A Weekend We’ll Never Forget
Hardline 2024 wasn’t just another job for us—it was a milestone. Being invited to support an event of this scale, reconnecting with familiar faces from the World Cup days, witnessing world-class riding up close, and getting to contribute to the atmosphere both on and off the hill meant the world to our little shop.
We came home buzzing with inspiration, a few new stories, and a lot more respect for what goes into pushing the limits of mountain biking.
If you want to see more from the weekend—behind-the-scenes action, rider moments, and some afterparty chaos—check out the highlights on our Instagram.
Here’s to more adventures on the road, more wild events, and more opportunities to keep riders rolling.
See you at the next one. 🚲🔥