Bike, Jam, Connect
Rides and Vibes
Visual Identity Design
Print & Digital Design
Creative Direction
Illustration
Brand Guidelines
Website Design
Apparel Design
Grand Junction Rides & Vibes is a two-day fusion of high-energy mountain-bike racing and free, family-friendly festival programming in the heart of downtown Grand Junction. The event blends competitive 15–40 mile races, pro-level crits with a substantial prize purse, and approachable community rides designed for all ages. Live music, vendors, food trucks, and packed streets create a vibrant cultural anchor that pulls locals and visitors into the city core. It’s an event built on movement, music, and community connection.
THE CHALLENGE
When Epic Rides pulled out of Grand Junction in 2021, the city's beloved mountain bike race and music festival was gone. The Grand Junction Sports Commission stepped up to bring it back, but this wasn't a revival. It was a rebuild. The event needed a completely new brand, a new name, and a new identity that could stand on its own. The old name, Grand Junction Off-Road, didn't capture the full picture anymore. This was a two-day fusion of competitive mountain biking and a free downtown music festival. The brand had to hold both of those worlds, speak to riders and families alike, and feel like something worth showing up for.
THE PROCESS
My connection to bikes runs deep. Pedal and moto, since age four. That background and my artistic style led Ben Snyder to bring me on through Brandon Stam when the rebrand needed a designer. The first move was the name. Grand Junction's Mountain Bike and Music Festival was descriptive, sure, but a mouthful. My buddy Dave Goe popped into the gallery one morning and we landed on Rides & Vibes almost by accident. From there I built a visual language pulling from 70's color palettes, Saul Bass-inspired illustration and typography straight off an 80's motocross jersey. The system captures the technical landscape of Grand Junction, those geometric, sheared rock formations that pull a rider's gaze from the trail.
THE SOLUTION
The rebrand gave the event its own identity and its own momentum. The visual system carried across logo, website, social, apparel, signage and environmental design, all speaking the same language. Rides & Vibes launched in 2022 and immediately became a downtown staple. Nearly 500 registered riders hit the trails that first year, with free live music across two stages pulling the broader community into the streets. By year four the event featured a $20,000 pro prize purse, headlining national acts and partnerships with organizations like The Cycle Effect. The brand did what it was built to do: evoke stoke, communicate the essence of the event, and grow alongside it.
Approach
Every project follows the same process. One rooted deeply in the practice of our Signature Thataway Method. →
Solutions
"Having a trusted designer to turn to when I'm building and launching a new brand is invaluable. TJ has proven to be a thoughtful and engaged partner with Downtown Grand Junction, and consistently delivers high quality work. He does a great job distilling our ideas into well composed, thoughtful designs that meet our promotional requirements. Whether it's launching a new music festival or a campaign for affordable housing, TJ is on my short list for designers to collaborate with."
- Dave Goe / Community Engagement Manager Downtown GJ
