How to ride expensive mountain bikes for free! (it's not a big secret)

If you've been in the game for a bit, you know about demo bikes. Demo bikes can be found at festivals and mountain biking events, and they exist so you can try bikes for yourself before you buy them. At Bentonville Bike Fest, admission and bike demos are completely free of charge.
Thanks Visit Bentonville for Sponsoring my trip to Bentonville Bike Festival! I had a great time riding, bumping into my friends, and of course "testing" some demo bikes. No, they don't actually check your pulse. That was a joke.
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[@SethsBikeHacks]

The reason why they check your pulse is not to see your actual heart rate, it’s just to see if you have a pulse, period. They won’t let just anyone ride a demo bike.

[@HelpfulPlez]

I couldn't tell if every bike shop is in on the joke or if you guys were carrying around a stethoscope asking them to do it for the video lol.

[@mozeq]

sounds zombiephobic

[@TheDonkDonk420]

so I guess the undead cant ride bikes

[@tobydaburger]

I thought it was to check if you were a good rider. Thanks for the information.

[@madhuram2313]

'I am not a robot' test

[@ThisIsGoingDownhill]

I was entertained and what I learned today is to under no circumstances let Seth ride your bike.

[@PavelNygryn]

...without reasonable amount of cameras around.

[@SnakebitSTI]

Just think of it as Seth's way of signing your bike!

[@makaibyrne]

hi dude!

[@ThisIsGoingDownhill]

@@makaibyrne 🫡

[@MythicFrost]

Well, if bike survives its a good bike then!

[@joebikes]

I was unfortunately the guy that got blood all over the Nukeproof bike 😅I brought the bike back and said "yeah I got a massive shinner! I cleaned the blood off the grip as best I could, but you should probably get some antiseptic on there. At least those are my pedals so you don't have to worry about the skin on those" 😂Just like you mentioned in the video... I probably shouldn't have been doing drop the hammer on a demo bike.

[@BiosElement]

Sorry for your injury, but props for telling them...though I guess it was obvious. :)

[@herculesmclovin]

Niceone Joe! 😂

[@propain_bicycles]

Dear Seth, thank you for including our bike into your video. Greetings from Germany!

[@SethsBikeHacks]

Thanks for letting me ride it-you probably shouldn't have in hindsight!

[@josipkasalo70]

Your bikes are awsome, I'm planning on buying new tyee, just can't afford it yet

[@Hufman]

Love to see our German brands (Propain, YT) getting recognised internationally!

[@Mileslikesbikes366]

@@Hufmanlove my Yt Capra

[@phillipstewart2031]

Jono is the best

[@mrmcdermo]

One massive caveat to this: there may not ever be a bike festival in your area. I live in a seemingly dead zone for festivals and demo days. Pre-pandemic some of the local shops had demo bikes but limited on make/model/size. Pivot once came out to my local trail center but the demo reservations filled up within hours. So demoing a bike is the way to go, just be prepared to have to drive 2,4, or even 8+ hours to a festival or demo day.

[@ivarnilsen6849]

What I don't get is why the brands don't just offer demo bikes via dealerships. I get that not every dealer would be able to stock every size of every model but some of the bigger ones probably could at least keep a selection.

[@mrmcdermo]

@@ivarnilsen6849 In my neck of the woods (Chicago), it seems like most if not all the local bike shops are small mom and pop operations. Thin margins, no room for a lot of overhead. Even the local Trek and Specialized stores are just franchises, so I suspect that's a big part of it. Bike festivals offer a great place for manufactures to show up en-masse and let folks "throw a leg over" a bike, but no one is hosting a mountain bike festival in NE Illinois 😆so I would have needed to make the 9hr drive to Bentonville (which is totally worth it).

[@veganpotterthevegan]

If there's no demo days near you, the mountain biking probably sucks anyway.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

​@@ivarnilsen6849 working in shops of every size, it's no so simple, even for very big shops. It makes more sense to have rentals with that rental cost going into a bike purchase in the future. Shops need to maintain these bikes, and employees need to put in lots of time with customers that may just buy on the internet. It really is a nightmare

[@ivarnilsen6849]

@@veganpotterthevegan Rentals would be good. Festivals really aren't that frequent where I am (Norway) and the ones I've been to didn't really have brands bringing demo bikes either. Our mountain biking doesn't suck though. We have tons of good natural trails, just a bit light on gravity parks :)

[@mdgpatch7980]

5:52 Seth sitting on a normal sized chair

[@theshonen8899]

I bought my Revel after demoing them at Outerbike Moab. They had an awesome crew there and I definitely wouldn't have bought the bike without having such a great experience.

[@thelonewolf3515]

5:51 Seth sitting in a normal chair makes it look like a HUUUUGE chair 😂

[@RocketLeague4499]

My favourite is to borrow from a friend

[@julius424]

like every jaaaaaaag owner

[@brodystevens-ew9vo]

Wow. I never knew you could demo one for free. That's pretty cool.

[@codyherring3895]

there's a small cost at some festivals, but it's usually pretty reasonable.

[@nwamtb]

Thanks for coming to bike fest Seth! it was a pleasure meeting you.

[@TheAngryHusky]

RIP Propain and Propane accessories.

[@anaboveaveragedog]

Seth, one day please say today we are doing something kinda the same but a little different

[@nathangutierrez3026]

1:29 Seth saying this isn’t my bike and I have to be careful 1 second later 1:31 crashes the bike instantly

[@gnarrokomotis1914]

Been a subscriber/follower since you built the first drop at berm creak....I often forget how far this channel has come since then. It's cool for me that I progressed as a rider alongside you and many others in this community. I was a big BMX guy up until my twenties and then found this channel and mountain biking in my early thirties...What a great episode this was. You are a true pro brother!

[@nbrowser]

I haven't been on a bike in years...don't even own one but have been binging on this channel and BP-E...seriously considering getting a modern MTB that is comfy to sit on and ride to get back into cycling. Seth, your enthusiasm about the subject is infectious...maybe one day I'll be doing something different...but kind of the same?

[@williambowker6842]

love the content seth keep it coming!

[@NorthernSkiAndCycle]

Crazy how small Seth is. That's a normal Muskoka chair @5:51

[@ecopennylife]

Would love to do a demo in Australia, 27.5 vs 29 vs hardtail vs full suspension, even if there is a small entry fee 🚴

[@andredragon3870]

So in defense of eMTBs.... I fell on ice 2 years ago and broke my hip...at the age of 49. Late last year I started watching your channel and some others and got the itch to ride. In my younger days I rode Bidwell Park in Chico and elsewhere in the Sierra Nevadas and the Bay Area, but i wasn't sure if my hip would hold up. My Fezzari Wire Peak has made me feel like I'm in my teens/20s again. Minus my hair. Even took it on my first blue trail a few weekends back. Now shopping for a non-e gravel to go next to the Wire Peak in my lineup.

[@Later_Nerd]

Hey Seth, I have a video idea for ya. I'm a relatively new mountain biker who came from BMX like you. I know how to disassemble every single part of a BMX bike. But with mountain bikes the level of complexity in fixing them goes up a notch or two. Though I'm not looking for how to fix up a bike at home or in a shop. I'm getting into proper trail riding, carrying all the necessary tools and such in a hip pack deep out in the woods. Where if something happens you really wouldn't want to walk 7 miles back to the car with a broken bike. How's about a video on common trailside maintenance tasks? What to carry beyond a tube and multi tool and how to do those repairs when it matters most. Being prepared for those difficult repairs using small multitools in the field would be a service for us all. Maybe people could even download the video and reference it on their phone in an emergency where they are struggling. It's a common thing with backpacking to test out your gear before an actual trek. But that info seems lacking with mountain biking. I'm sure you could even teach the advanced riders a thing or two 🤘

[@mtbprojects4336]

Seth !!!!! Thanks for taking the time to chat with my 4 boys at the bike fest. We have been following you for years and this made their year to get to meet you... and make it in this video. 😮😊

[@nosleepsender]

Seeing scott again with his mountain bike puts a smile to my face

[@ReneParlesak]

Had a 2014 TYEE, so the grate grand father of this 2023 carbon version and it was already great. After having it stolen I decided to go with a first generation EKANO in 29 and Iride it everywhere it feels more like a DH Bike than an Enduro. It's crazy how these bikes evolved.

[@mikestivers8302]

my tyee holds it's own. i've gotten PR's on trails i normally ride on a smaller travel trail bike.. odd i know. i am surprised how well she climbs

[@Sceme1991]

I too made fun of eBikers but then I bought an eBike myself and I haven't had this much fun since I went from not owning an MTB to owning one.

[@druchii89]

Honestly, i rented one in Helsinki last year for a day of screwing around in one of their national parks. Best decision i've made! Cost 80 euro for the whole day, and i rode trails i'd never dreamed of with it - because i could just explore for hours without getting anywhere near as tired!

[@kosskrit]

@@druchii89 and this exactly the reason I don't like them. Nice remote places get closer to a bigger mass of people, which will ultimately destroy the beauty of them.

[@herosquadlivemusic4815]

@@kosskrit I understand appreciating solitude, but to me more people getting to experience MTB and the great outdoors is massively beneficial to society, especially with mental health challenges being so rampant these days. I'd sacrifice a bit of solitude for that.

[@thysonsacclaim]

@@kosskrit Gatekeeping.

[@HenrikWittenberg]

​@@kosskrit with my E-MTB I can know bike to places in my vicinity, to which I had to hike after driving my car to the nearest parking spot (more workout and less carbon emissions).

[@rorimacdaddy3721]

For those who don’t know a TYEE is a salmon that is bigger than 30lb. So amazing to see a brand using real names like that. Thanks Seth, love your channel

[@heatherjones3768]

Oh shit ... I know that tech from Propain and I was the one who broke the spoke demoing their Ekano at Fruita Fat Tire festival a few weeks ago.

[@johnnydoe66]

I was only at Bentonville Bike Fest for a couple hours on the last day, but it was still cool to see what I call my "grail" bikes. I hope to make it next year and have the time to demo bikes and of course see more YT celebrities.

[@MillerRL96]

Come on Friday next year. Less crowded and way easier to demo the bike you want.

[@johnnydoe66]

@Miller I will definitely have to do just that. Stay with our friends because they're maybe 1.5 miles away

[@taylorklein2378]

Spec guy said cracked frame 😂 Glad you featured Matt Hoogenboom from Revel at the end!

[@Matt-l1q]

Seth can you fix up my full suspension downhill bike please I’m 13 and just starting to go to silver star and can’t afford a bigger bike so can you fix mine up

[@berkeleydiedrich]

Seth in a normal-sized chair 5:54

[@thedrdoctor4547]

i just bought my first full sus for £620 ($771.93) 2020 Vitus Mythique VR

[@MaryandTheJeepCycle]

So cool Seth!! So fun to watch you go on all these adventures you rock!!😆 Great professional videos!! so cool that they actually named a trail after you too!!

[@funky-phantom]

Bentonville really is a great place. I love short trails with mellow climbs. Can't wait to finally pull the trigger and move.

[@mikaeljacobsson1437]

Revel seems to be a cool company with really nice bikes.

[@Tntdruid]

My local bike shop let you try before you buy.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

Good on them! That's how you do it

[@riccochet704]

The festivals at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC are also free admission. Just about every brand shows up to demo their bikes. Over 40 miles of single track to ride. It's a great way to test new bikes for free. When you're done shredding someone else's bike you can cool off with whitewater rafting. Or try rock climbing, zip lining, rope course through the trees. Or enjoy a tasty beer and food at their beer garden. Place is awesome.

[@Happy_Biker]

When is this? I'm looking at their website, but don't know what I'm looking for... 🤔

[@riccochet704]

@@Happy_Biker Tuck Fest was in April. They have Flow Fest in September. And a bunch of other local MTB related events there all summer long.

[@darius2640]

only 1:30 into the video and seth is already demonstrating that "dont be gentle its a rental" technique

[@laszlom.3581]

why are they checking your pulse?

[@lukeandliz]

Little do you know, 5:52 was a regular size lawn chair

[@molnarildiko6204]

why do you need a pulse

[@szymonzak6681]

this is the only reason i wish i lived in america

[@frankthetankricard]

When the guy said "they swapped the brakes" I wasn't thinking they changed the levers to moto style. Here in easter europe they would probably replace the pricey enduro brake set with an mt200 or something.

[@ridingwithreggie]

It was awesome to meet you in person. Great video! The Bentonville Bike Fest was wild!

[@peterliljebladh]

If only there were bikeshows like these closer to where I live more often than every 20 years or so.

[@tobydaburger]

When can you come to Perth Australia.

[@NewbGamingNetworks]

Awesome video Seth! Just wrapped up a few demos here on the west coast. Often a fair bit of driving, but loads of fun and you meet amazing people. I was surprised a few brands (like Trek) offer no way at all to demo their bikes. I ended up settling on an Ibis. That demo completely changed which bike I was going to buy. Sometimes you’ve just gotta feel it for yourself!

[@harrygrimley4352]

Nice. There is nothing like that near me. Looks like a great time. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@bassboy-ob9gm]

Dude at the end is hilarious

[@Potz4pizza]

Seth continuing to be the mtb youtuber of the people 🤙

[@stylick884]

Cracking a frame is fine according to specialised 😂

[@SethsBikeHacks]

That was an oddly calm response out of context… What he said earlier is that the worst case is that someone gets hurt. Cool dude for sure.

[@Durwood71]

Any bike shop will let you test ride any bike on the shop floor. And if they don't, go somewhere else. (Granted, most shops don't have a cross country trail next door.)

[@EthanLittle-y9i]

I am at Bentonville right now😊

[@areed9948]

Seth, I’m the guy you and your buddies found banged up at the bottom of Berm Creek. I appreciate ya’ll taking good care of me! Luckily, no concussion or broken bones but I’ll be out for a few weeks.

[@justpugk5022]

Woo

[@Bschooneproductions]

Interesting, local shops in upstate NY charge a demo fee that is taken off the purchase price if you decide to buy. At least it's an option when there are no bike festivals up here.

[@Airbrushkid]

May I ask where upstate NY?

[@Bschooneproductions]

@@Airbrushkid Rochester / Finger Lakes region

[@Drediddybikes]

They do that here in Jersey as well. $100 or so

[@elighturner7350]

hey seth just wanted to say i love ur vidoes and keep up the work

[@ejhayes76]

I stopped in Bentonville for a day, rented a bike and road the trails close to town. This was during a cross country drive. As a PNW rider, I'd love to go back and spend more time there. The sheer number of trails is ridiculous, especially for having very little elevation to work with.

[@TrailFeatures]

Does Jeff Lenosky know you were sitting in his chair?

[@johnnnny]

Interesting - I've never paid for anything at Demo events - skiis and MTB have always just been free to demo once you've left a credit card number in case you don't bring it back

[@beastfromtheeast9318]

Man I miss riding my bike

[@happylife5781]

Before I got my bike. I'd tried out a lot of different bikes @ Trek bike shop. The bike I got me was the trek fuel ex. Full suspension too. Always wanted down hill bike. I paid $4,299.99 for it. I've had for 3 months and I love it

[@mtbcolorado2981]

They would’ve been mad about the scratch if the video evidence that it was you riding it wasn’t here. You doubled that bikes value lol

[@siddharthsivakumar7204]

Dude I love Propain bikes so much. I recently got a Propain Spindrift

[@pauljs75]

I wonder if some of those demo-bikes make it to a bike shop at a discount? I figured it's possible because rental fleet cars do make it to dealership lots. Sure there's a trade-off for the mileage and possible abuse, but it may be a way to get a deal on a model that's a lot more expensive otherwise.

[@frederikjacob1985]

We over here in Europe need a place like this or places like this!

[@MichaelVarlotta]

I used to work at a YMCA with the girl who helped you get fitted on the red bike. I knew she was in the bike industry but it's such a small world.

[@RealCascars]

Hey Seth, Are you ever coming to Europe? Greetings from Holland

[@randalclark6283]

Good to meet you out there at Bike Fest. And yes, Seth is as cool in real life.

[@PTMG]

Call me crazy but I never really feel the need to test drive a car; at least not much For me it's mostly about price, functionality, and features. If it has what I need for the right price, it's the right car. The chances of a test drive changing my mind are pretty damn slim. I mean the car has to just absolutely suck for me to be disappointed by it (assuming there are no major issues). Most cars these days are pretty decent and comfortable to drive, and have enough adjustments to fit the average person. That being said I obviously still test drive it for a few seconds just in case it's somehow terrible, but it's pretty much never a dealbreaker

[@artvandelay6306]

I don’t get paid to say this, and I can attest to how awesome Bentonville is. Not even just for MTBers; just an awesome place overall.

[@mikedwiles]

It was great to meet you at the Propain tent Seth. My sons and I tried out the Propain and YT ebikes. We ended up ordering the YT Decoy. We had the best time at Bentonville and plan to go back again this year.

[@dwiesch]

Oooh. Tyee. nice bike. Had one myself but now upgraded to a Spindrift.

[@bologna_meat]

hey Seth i would like to thank you for the good content all these years. i recently got into mountain biking after watching your content for over 3 years. your under biking video inspired me to rig up an old specialized i found behind a dumpster and hit my local trails after riding 3 times i decided to buy a used bike and fix it up and i was inspired buy your flip bike series for that. i also built a few jumps in my back yard out of pallets and a few logs and your build vids were a hug inspiration for that. i rode trick scooters for a while and did bmx but after only 2 or 3 moths of mountain biking i can definitely say that it has been the most fun i have ever had riding bikes and i have had lots of progression i am now able to ride stuff that i though i would never have the guts to ride when i first started. so once again thanks for all the inspiration you give people and the hard work you put in videos.

[@Schaberquatsch]

So Propain did not charge you for the „little scratch“?

[@AMPProf]

ARKANSAS.. YOU mean The hill folks over by Walmart!!!! WHAT??????..

[@dejvo9997]

seeing that Scott stuck with MTB was the best part

[@SethsBikeHacks]

Dude has like 5 bikes now! He fell for it hard, and even rides for Loam Lander.

[@TheWeardale1]

can't believe you snapped the chain LMAO...pure rookie mistake!!

[@Liddix18]

first comment lets go

[@ArtistDaynz90]

Before you spend thousands of dollars LOL. Uhhhhhhhh I'm not doing that.

[@TimMillernapavalleyfilmworks]

Seth did you bring a stethoscope, or are they really checking pulses now 😂 must be a liability thing

[@johnhouston8297]

He brought a SETHoscope 😃. Sorry, I had ta!

[@Jason43kb43ver]

Seth I got a question about mountain biking alright, so my question is can you swap out a 2 transmission to a 1 crankset and can you get rid of the 2 crankset lever to switch it into a dropper post lever because I’m buying a trek Marlin 5 gen 2 🤘👍😀

[@RomansDowntime]

If i have a watch with a heart rate monitor, am i still required to be measured with a Stethoscope?

[@cbgny23]

Dude, less POV and fake acting, and more berm building, por favor.

[@Nick1253]

Seth! I just got bought a 1999 Diamondback dbr xr4 with allegedly $2000 of upgrades done to it, got it for $200! I have no idea if he was telling the truth, but he was a rich guy who bought it from an even richer guy. Would you be interested in me sending it out and having you take a look maybe do a video on it? It's a full squish... carbon fiber handle bars, it seems pretty baller.

[@emil7116]

Bike-people are simply the best kind of people! I mean seriously: "I'll be real careful with your bike." "Oh beat it up, i want you to have a good time!" How can you NOT love people like this?!

[@connorslawson5315]

Weird request. But I’d love to just have a long form, slightly ASMR, chill video of you just doing a full routine clean, maintanence, and tune up of one of your bikes that I can just have running in the background while I do the same.

[@nottherealChickenJoe]

Absolutely scratching that Propain and then going straight to the YT I was scared for a second you would bankrupt Germanys whole MTB industry 😂

[@jexhunt.307]

Revel bikes, have yall seen that filipino brand called DEVEL bikes?

[@lemieux088]

I did a few demos in Canada, Quebec and Ontario. Every time they only took my drivers license. People weren’t charge for broken stuff. Bike worth up to 16k Canadian roopies.

[@Ijustpiddle]

Man, I wished I could still ride. Living here with all these trails and not being able to enjpy them just sucks! Glad you enjoyed our little area.:)

[@Gabe73C]

I know it's a crazy awesome mountain bike small town, but I just can't like it knowing it was built with money a family made destroying small towns across America. Sorry, but I just can't.

[@marnig9185]

What if u out of weight (130-150kg)and want to tune a bike in your way,whats the things u do?;) im 130kg and i bike the hole day but i don't want and can't make a good video:) greatings from good old europe;)

[@Crooney27]

i have a video recomendation can you review the D1x Trail Shifter (Gen 2) - Paddle Remote thanks from caden

[@tycethibault2077]

Seth, I miss the trail building, airbag sending flying high 360ing Seth. Please make a some of those old freakin awsome! Videos again Please!

[@insaine123]

I had a trek store in Williamsburg Va let me test ride a $13,000 rail for nothing. It was an amazing bike. Did not buy it cause it was WAY out of my price range.

[@Tofu_Pilot]

Man, as soon as Arkansas grows some mountains, I am for sure going

[@Crumb_Trails]

I'm new to the bike world. (I mean, I've ridden bikes but i didn't know about the culture.) I'm going to try and get to the Bentonville Bike Fest before i leave Arkansas. That looks like fun

[@topspot4834]

Bought all my bikes sight unseen ... Rode comps, but at least buying from my LBS when they order you a bike you don't have to buy it if you don't like it. I'm sure some shops will keep the deposit, but that's one of the reasons I prefer buying local over online.

[@davidtaylor111]

Was everybody really checking your pulse or was that just something goofy you made up