Citi Bike steals the show at Swatch Nines

The Swatch Nines returned this September with its signature mix of massive features, freeride creativity and slopestyle chaos. Riders pushed limits at both Germany’s Green Hill Bikepark and Austria’s Bike Republic Sölden, where backflips, whips and sends were on full display.

But among the top-tier athletes throwing world-class tricks, it was British rider Harry Schofield who grabbed the spotlight. Not for a double backflip or a tailwhip combo, but for riding the entire course on a bright blue Citi Bike.

Viral moment of the weekend

In footage that blew up on social media, Schofield drops in on the rental bike like it was built for slopestyle. He pumped through rollers, cleared tabletops and sent it over gaps while the spectators went nuts.

The Citi Bike, designed for urban commuting with three gears and a hefty steel frame, was wildly out of place among the carbon slopestyle rigs and downhill machines. But Schofield made it work. If you’re into nitpicking you’ll notice this is not your stock Citi Bike; those forks, stem and bars are definitely not the same ones you’ll find on the downtown rentals. Either way, it was part send, part comedy and it had the whole festival laughing.

Swatch Nines keeps the vibe alive

Since its launch in 2011, the Swatch Nines has stood out for its non competitive, rider driven format. The goal isn’t podiums or prize money. It’s creativity, progression and fun. This year’s dual-location setup offered the biggest playground yet, with massive freeride lines in Sölden and a Big Air course in Germany. Riders like Sam Reynolds, Casey Brown, Nicholi Rogatkin and Veronique Sandler threw down serious tricks all week, while the BYND The Hill and BRS festivals kept the party rolling with music, gear expos and public ride sessions.

But in true Nines fashion, it was a spontaneous, slightly ridiculous moment, a rental bike hitting features built for the world’s best, that captured the event’s spirit perfectly.

Watch the madness unfold

Full highlight reels from both venues are set to drop this week, promising more angles of Schofield’s viral run alongside the biggest tricks of the event.

Because at Swatch Nines, it turns out you don’t need a $10,000 bike to make history, just the nerve to ride a Citi Bike off a freeride jump.