ESPN &nsbp;

Vancouver Island, British Columbia. January 2004. A peak in Port Alberni. It's cold, damp and foggy, and Darren Berrecloth is dressed for battle. A full-face helmet corrals his shoulder-length hair, Race Face jersey and gloves hide the purple and brown scars that riddle his arms and hands. Like a Y-Generation gladiator, Berrecloth (pronounced: bear-claw) perches on his chariot, a Specialized Demo 9. Essentially, it's a mountain bike on THG: 45 pounds of reinforced aluminum frame, three-inch knobby tires and enough coiled front and rear suspension to give a motorcycle hot flashes.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider