Skip to Main Content
Search Suggestions
Menu
Common Tread

Video: Robbie Maddison's Pipe Dream

Aug 03, 2015

I was supposed to go to a secret film premiere tonight for some new DC video. 

I couldn't figure out how I got invited to see a skate video, but I had nothing better to do and it sounded fun.

I'd gotten home after a day at the beach with the babe to get ready when I got a text.

"Holy shit, Robbie Maddison did it again. That ski they built is genius." 

Oh boy. Here we go. 

I opened up Facebook, knowing it was probably the fastest way to find it. The video had already been watched 1.7 million times and been shared several hundred thousand. So this is why a primarily skate brand wants me to come hang out for the night. 

A little digging on the Googles and I learned that apparently the video was set for a world launch tomorrow when the video was accidentally made public for a few moments, where screen shots and clips were taken and posted. An hour after the first sign of a leak on a surf forum, DC Shoes began claiming it just couldn't wait any longer and posted the video early. I hate spoiled surprises, but it's hard to be mad at this video. 

And what a video it is!

The intro to the video clues us into the fact that it's a two-stroke Maddison is riding. We see some typical single-track stuff, with Robbie crashing through puddles as a lovely little bit of foreshadowing. Cut to Robbie riding down a stream. This could have been enough to get me all hot and bothered, but this turned into something entirely different and entirely more special as he hit the ocean. 

The next several minutes of the clip filled my mind with disbelief, while also making me wonder how many KTMs were at the bottom of the French Polynesian Pacific Ocean. To ride on the water (with a ski attached to the bike) is one thing, but dropping in on those waves is absolutely out of this world. I can't even wrap my head around the learning curve for pulling off something like that, let alone actually working my way up to it. 

robbie maddison
A better look at the skis that helped keep Maddison afloat. Image from video.

One interesting thing to note about the responses so far, and this could be just because I live surrounded by the surf culture of Southern California, is that a lot of people seem to be bummed as if he tarnished the place somehow. As if this little two-stroke is somehow greatly adding to the pollutants in the air that the cruise ships or tankers off the coast aren't, or like surfers are going to start having to share their waves with guys on motocross bikes. While the idea of thinking that there are more guys like Maddison around, methinks Teahupoo is safe.

So, now my strategy for not ruining this for the gf tonight is spend the evening trying to come up with a list of things Robbie can set his sights on next time. And food. Hopefully there is food.