Darren Berrecloth is leaving Specialized after 12 years with the Californian giant. He will now be riding for German direct sales brand, Canyon.

This means he will be riding Rampage on a brand new Canyon Torque DHX frame with Fox suspension and a Shimano groupset – he has recently posted a picture of it for the first time on his Instagram. Riding the steep cliffs of Utah is bad enough but it is a testament to the Bearclaw that he will do it on a bike he has only just put together.

Darren’s Rampage Canyon Torque that he posted on Instagram

The Canyon Factory Freeride team currently consists of European dirt jump riders such as Thomas Genon, Anton Thelander and Tomas Lemoine, all of whom would be more at home on the Stitched dirt jump frame than the Torque. Does this represent a shift in direction for Canyon?

We think it’s great that Specialized has put together a farewell video for Berrecloth though. In his 13 years with the company he has podiumed at both the Crankworx Joyride and Red Bull Rampage. He has also starred in some of the most progressive mountain biking films such as Where the Trail Ends and New World Disorder.

Berrecloth said: “It’s been such an honour to have worked with some of the raddest people in the bike business that are as passionate about biking as I am.”