Every great adventure starts with a visionary. Kenny Smith’s dream was to combine two passions - mountain bikes and helicopters - into one once-in-a-lifetime trip. The plan was simple: visualize the route, then make it happen. Between the initial vision and journey's end is a whole lot of fun. Join Kenny Smith and crew as they explore remote parts of British Columbia by bike and heli.
¨I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to combine my new career in aviation with my passion for bikes. Exploring BC from the air opens possibilities for riding in zones I've never imagined. There's so much unexplored terrain in BC, it's hard to describe until you see the scope of it from the air.¨ - Kenny Smith.
¨Planning a trip like this is stressful not knowing if the lines will be rideable. The relief of seeing the zone and getting some tires on the ground is unbeatable. What you see from the air and the reality on the ground can be two different things.¨ - Kenny Smith.
¨Dropping into the first descents with Fraser and Charlie is a feeling I won't forget. We rode pockets of small rocks but found sections of sand, boulders, and lots of shale; pretty much every flavour of rock you could imagine.¨ - Kenny Smith.
¨Riding next to glaciers in remote British Columbia is unbelievable, and ultimately they created the terrain we were riding.¨ - Kenny Smith.
¨The lines were big, and so were the hikes out.¨ - Kenny Smith.
¨We got into some crazy wind mid day and made a windbreak out of our camping gear. It made for a nice mid day rest after an eventful first 24 hours.¨ - Kenny Smith.
¨The feeling of staring at infinite riding options has become an obsession.¨ - Kenny Smith.
¨It is always an honour to work on a project with Margus and Matt behind the lens. They're an amazing team to work with. Margus was the one who got me into the exploring remote places and multi day adventures. He's a beast and look forward to many more trips like this.¨ - Kenny Smith.
Featured Riders: Kenny Smith, Fraser Newton, Margus Riga, and Charles Diamond.
The all-new Speedframe Pro and Dropframe Pro trail helmets have earned the “Best Available” 5-Star rating from Virginia Tech University. Of the 99 helmets tested, the Dropframe Pro receiving the #1 score.
VIRGINIA TECH RESEARCHERS
Since 2011, Virginia Tech researchers have been providing unbiased helmet ratings that allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing helmets. The helmet ratings are the culmination of over 10 years of research on head impacts in sports and identify which helmets best reduce concussion risk. This work is done as part of Virginia Tech’s service mission and is 100% independent of any funding or influence from helmet manufacturers.
HOW HELMETS ARE RATED
In collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Virginia Tech has rated a total of 99 bike helmets using the STAR evaluation system. Their bicycle helmet impact tests evaluate a helmet's ability to reduce linear acceleration and rotational velocity of the head resulting from a range of impacts a cyclist might experience. Helmets with more stars provide a reduction in concussion risk for these impacts compared to helmets with fewer stars.
BEST IN CLASS HELMET SAFETY
The Fox Dropframe Pro and Speedframe Pro have both received the highest rating (5 stars) possible in the testing. Additionally, The Dropframe Pro earned the #1 rating of ANY of the 99 helmets tested as part of this project. This includes all categories of open-face bicycle helmets including mountain, road, and urban styles.
“Our goal at Fox has always been to create products which allow our consumers to enjoy their riding experience to the fullest. Building the best helmets possible is at the forefront of that focus, and the performance of the Dropframe Pro and Speedframe Pro in the Virginia Tech Ratings program validates our consumer-first position in the open-face helmet category.” - Kevin Franks, Global Brand Director, Fox MTB
The Fox Dropframe Pro and Speedframe Pro have both received the highest rating (5 stars) possible in the testing. Additionally, The Dropframe Pro earned the #1 rating of ANY of the 99 helmets tested as part of this project. This includes all categories of open-face bicycle helmets including mountain, road, and urban styles.
The 2019 Red Bull Rampage was an emotional event on many levels. The riders came into the event with heavy hearts at the recent passing of one of their own - Jordie Lunn, long-time Rampage stalwart and mountain bike community legend, who recently passed away from a riding accident in Mexico. Jordie’s spirit was never far away, however, as multiple tributes poured out of athletes and attendees alike. Jordie would have been proud to see the progression on display by the athletes, many of whom wore custom patches or sported custom stickers in honor of their fallen friend.
The riding got off to a slow start on Friday due to an hour-long precautionary wind hold but once the riders received the "ok", the fireworks started quickly. Fox athletes Brett Rheeder, Andreu Lacondeguy, and Ethan Nell had the luxury of going last on the first of two runs thanks to their first, second and third place podium sweep in 2018.
Ethan Nell Red Bull
When the dust settled, Ethan finished in a solid 7th place with two runs filled with some of the largest drops and biggest whips of the event. He led the contingent of young athletes bringing new blood and pushing progression to the 14th edition of the event.
Andreu Lacondeguy Red Bull
While Andreu’s scores only netted him a 17th place finish due to crashes in both runs, his rides were some of the most impressive of the day. Massive flips and tricks on nearly every launch had him riding on the ragged edge all day. His legendary skills and strength were the only thing which kept him from flying off course and into certain disaster. The crowds roared in approval as he showed his Catalan spirit from top to bottom with some of the biggest airs of the 2019 event. Always a fan pleaser, Andreu finished second in the people’s choice voting for his amazing performance.
Brett Rheeder Red Bull
Defending champ Brett Rheeder was riding at a level few thought possible on the terrain of Virgin, Utah. His mix of technical tricks, huge air, and unmatched style once again had him fighting for the top spot of the podium. His first run had some uncharacteristic mistakes on landings which cost him precious points. Heading into the second run he sat in seventh place, needing to clean up his run and find a few more points to get him close to the leaders. He did just that with one of the most impressive runs we’ve ever seen at a Rampage event, and his score of 91 came within 1.2 points of first place. In addition to his silver medal, Brett walked away with the Best Trick award for his massive can-can backflip off one of the biggest drops of the event.
Brett Rheeder Red Bull Highlights
Congrats to all of the riders at this year's Red Bull Rampage, including Fox Mexico’s own Johny Salido who suffered a training crash on Thursday. Despite his pain, he tried to push through for the finals on Friday, but after attempting two practice runs he decided it was best to not risk additional injury. His choice was the correct one as it was later learned he had ruptured his spleen during the previous day's slam. Johny is doing well, is on his way to recovery and no doubt looking to get another shot in 2020.
The 2019 Red Bull Rampage will go down as one of the most competitive in its 14-year history. Riders new and old pushed progression to levels thought unimaginable only a few years ago; now we start the countdown for the 2020 edition next October.
Loic Bruni summited the top of the downhill mountain biking world as he led from start to finish and took home yet another rainbow jersey. This amazing performance puts him in rarified air as only the second rider to have won four World Championships. On top of that, he is only the second rider to have ever won three Downhill World Championships in a row - the first to do it in nearly two decades! The action on the legendary track at Mont Sainte-Anne was intense; each of the last five riders set a new, fastest time of the day! Loic was last to go thanks to his position as the current World Champion, and he showed once again how he thrives under pressure by setting the fastest time on three of the four segments to win by just over a half-second. After celebrating his amazing performance, Loic will turn his attention to the final World Cup race of the season next week in Snowshoe, West Virginia. Loic currently holds first place for the overall title and can become one of only a handful of riders to win both titles in one season! Stay tuned for more info and congrats to Loic on his incredible performance!
For raceday UCI Downhill coverage, follow Fox Racing on Instagram @foxmtb
Fox team riders took the top two spots after some wild racing on the ultra-dry Vallnord World Cup track. The competition was incredibly close with the top three riders separated by only 1.2 seconds. In the end, Loic Bruni threw down an incredible run to beat his French compatriot, Loris Vergier, by just four-tenths of a second! Fox rider Laurie Greenland made some small mistakes but still had the speed to finish eighth – his second top 10 of the season! No rest for the crew as they head to the Legendary slopes Les Gets, France next weekend. Congratulations to Loic, Loris and the rest of the Fox MTB team. No rest for the crew as they head to the Legendary slopes of Les Gets, France next weekend
Vallnord Race Results
Men’s Results:
- 1st – Loic Bruni (4:11.055)
- 2nd – Loris Vergier (+0.423)
- 3rd – Troy Brosnan (+1.202)
- 4th – Amaury Pierron (+2.948)
- 5th – Danny Hart (+5.595)
- 6th – Brook MacDonald (+6.866)
- 7th – David Trummer (+6.979)
- 8th – Remi Thirion (+7.989)
- 9th – Laurie Greenland (+8.383)
- 10th – Jack Moir (+9.260)
Women’s Results:
- 1st – Rachel Atherton (5:00.622)
- 2nd – Marine Cabirou (+2.497)
- 3th – Tracey Hannah (+7.131)
- 4th – Emilie Siegenthaler (+12.859)
- 5th – Eleonora Farina (+15.098)
- 6th – Kate Weatherly (+18.497)
- 7th – Veronika Widmann (+18.538)
- 8th – Mariana Salazar (+20.011)
- 9th – Nina Hoffmann (+20.646)
- 10th – Sandra Rubesam +26.707
For raceday UCI Downhill coverage, follow Fox Racing on Instagram @foxmtb
The Fox MTB team had a busy weekend at the annual Crankworx Festival in beautiful Innsbruck, Austria. Brett Rheeder, Kaos Seagrave and Jackson Goldstone each collected wins while Keegan Wright picked up valuable points which propelled him into second place in the King of Crankworx Competition.
Brett Rheeder Highlights
In what was one of the most exciting freestyle competitions in years, Brett Rheeder dug deep on his final run to lay claim to his first Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle victory. The event was postponed for over 5 hours on Saturday before being moved to Sunday due to high winds. By Sunday afternoon the winds had calmed down enough to allow the competition to move forward and after the first of two runs, Brett sat in first place with a top score of 92 points. That position didn’t last long as Emil Johansson threw down an impressive 95. Brett would have to wait through 11 rider runs before getting his chance to reclaim the lead. In the end, he did just that with a solid run where he added additional difficulty on several of his jumps. After a lengthy review, the judges awarded Rheeder the victory by just a half a point over Johansson. The win is his second Crankworx Slopestyle in a row to start the 2019 season and keeps his journey toward the Crankworx triple crown on track. The third and final round will take place this August at Crankworx Whistler.
Kaos Seagrave Highlights
After several podium finishes in the event, Fox athlete Kaos Seagrave finally cracked the code and landed on the top step of the Crankworx Whip-off podium in Innsbruck. The jam format of the Whip Off event is always exciting, and Kaos threw down some of the most stylish and over-rotated jumps of the day. The competition pushed hard and brought their A games, but Kaos’ consistency and volume helped him edge past the rest to claim his first ever Crankworx victory.
Keegan Wright Highlights
Keegan was once again one of the busiest Fox athletes over the 5-day event as he competed in nearly all the elite men’s contests on offer. Finishes of 19th, 7th, and 4th - in various events - earned him valuable points for the overall King of Crankworx title. His performance at Innsbruck propelled him to second place, less than 60 points off the lead heading into Crankworx Whistler. In one of the most talked about performances of the week, Keegan rode his enduro bike to a top 20 finish in the men’s elite downhill race, outperforming more than 85% of the competitors racing on purpose-built downhill bikes. Always a crowd pleaser, Keegan will be looking to claim the King of Crankworx title in August.
Jackson Goldstone Highlights
Fox team rider Jackson Goldstone took first place in both youth events in Innsbruck. He started off with a hard-fought victory in the Dual Slalom event on Thursday. The Canadian phenom followed that up with an impressive seven-second victory in the IXS Innsbruck Downhill race. Jackson will be looking for another solid performance, on home soil, at Crankworx Whistler in August.
Durability, versatility, or mobility? As one of the only riders to complete every stage of the Enduro World Series since its inception, Mark Scott knows a thing or two about mountain bike gear. For training in the beautiful hills around Edinburgh, Scotland, he mixed the mobility of the Flexair Collection with the versatility of the Proframe Helmet. This was the perfect combination to keep him agile while riding through the lush green trails.
“Flexair is my all-time favorite summer riding jersey; it's been my go-to over the last few years as it's very light feeling and dries out super quick. It makes it perfect for my longer endurance rides and EWS racing"
-MARK SCOTT – ENDURO PRO RACER
To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.
Durability, versatility or mobility? Kaos Seagrave spends as much time building trails in the Welsh countryside as he does shredding them. For digging and riding, he mixed the Ranger and Defend gear to give him the protection and style he needs. Add in the versatility of the all-new Dropframe Helmet, and you have a kit made for his ride. Like Kaos, you can use our kit builder to create your own custom look.
“Looking good is always a big part of my riding, and this kit gives me the chance to look good and feel comfortable when I’m out shredding"
-Kaos Seagrave – Pro Downhill Athlete
To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.
The Fox MTB team got off to a great start in the UCI Downhill World Cup Season Opener in Maribor, Slovenia. The sun broke out Sunday Morning and started to dry the track after Saturday’s downpour during quail’s. The track suffered from mixed conditions which caught out more than a few elite riders during the race. Runs during the morning practice session were crucial to make final tire choice and other preparations. While the day resulted in ups and downs for the Fox DH team, the overall result was a great start to the season with victories for both Loic and Tahnée in their first time riding Maribor!
Loic Bruni - First place Mens Elite DH:
Loic started his 2019 the same way he ended 2018 - on the top step of the podium. Winning back to back races for the first time in his career was a much better start to the season than last year when he crashed in Losinj: “Compared to last year it’s a big improvement. I was a little bit looking for redemption.. I was not so confident and I didn’t know if it would be enough for winning. I did my best and attacked a lot. I did not look so loose but in my head I was super loose and I was on the limit and I’m happy I rode like that because I think that was the only way to do it and the times were so close and you had to push… coming into the bottom I was aware that my run was pretty solid and I thought ‘OK now it’s time to keep it steady and not crash' and I didn’t and I’m happy no one was close enough to win at the bottom. Solid first race with the new bike, let’s hope it’s the start of a good year!” The defending World Champ heads to next month’s race in Fort William with both the Rainbow Stripes and the WC leaders vest for the first time in his career!
Tahnée Seagrave - First place Womens Elite DH:
Tahnée spent nearly two weeks in Maribor in preparations for the World Cup opener and though things were up and down during that time, the practice paid off on race day as she blitzed the course and ended up with the victory: “I felt like I was behind, I’m not gonna lie so I had some work to do but I love the chase and I pulled it out on top at the end which I’m really happy with. It took a lot of hard work so I’m pretty stoked to start the season off with a win!” A training injury in December curtailed her early season training but she worked hard in the months and weeks leading up to the race and it showed in her confidence during her run: “I knew it was a good run, I knew where I needed to get the work done so when I came in and I did it how I want to I kinda knew it was a good run.” Tahnée also heads to her home race in June with the World Cup leaders' vest for the first time. No doubt her home fans will be going crazy in Ft. Bill!
Laurie Greenland – Ninth place Men’s Elite DH
Laurie G rode a fast and calculated race to gather ninth place at the finish. Laurie has been steadily progressing the last two season and staring the season with a top ten finish is another great step in his progression as and Elite rider. He was obviously happy with such a great performance to start the season: “I’m stoked because I gave it my all today! Good tight Racing! P9 to round up the weekend and 8th in points!" Laurie heads to his home race in the UK next month with confidence and momentum from his great run in Maribor!
Finn Iles – 52nd place Men’s Elite DH
Finn had a great weekend going in Maribor and was pushing massive speed in the first segment of the race. He was in the lead by a fraction of a second but a tiny mistake on an off camber root section proved disastrous as his front wheel washed out, effectively ending his shot at the podium. He rebounded quickly and finished the race with blistering times on the lower segments. His crash meant a 52nd place was disappointment but his comments post race show he is in the right place in his head to overcome this challenge: “This weekend we had a really good process, the race run didn’t go how we wanted it to but I think the process just needs to stay the same and I just need to stay a little bit more focused on what I’m doing when I’m racing and just tone it down a little bit. The speed is there and the focus is there, I think I need to go slow to go fast. It’s all a learning process because I’m still nineteen. I just need to be a bit slower and have a few good results and get my confidence and be good in the overall, then I can really push it because as much as I want to win, I need to have good results to back it up. I just need to continue on and it will work out, seven more chances.” Finn and the Specialized Gravity team head to chance number two in Fort William next month.
Loris Vergier – 58th place Men’s Elite DH
Much like Finn, a great start to the weekend took a tough turn for the worse for Fox and Santa Cruz Syndicate rider Loris on Sunday. A solid fifth position in qualifying had him confident for race day and his run started well as he was only six tenths of a second of the lead heading into the third timed segment. Things went sideways quickly both literally and figuratively as he washed his back tire and clipped a tree. The spectacular crash was scary to watch but thanks in part to his new RPC helmet he popped up quickly and finished the course, even setting some of the fastest times on the lower segments: “It was the first race of the season so it’s always a tricky one. I felt good, no pressure on, I was just trying to ride well and I ended up doing a mistake on the corner that I should have not approached as fast, it’s my mistake but it happens. The new helmet works good, I crashed hard and I feel like I have nothing wrong pretty much and the MVRS (Magnetic Visor Release System) is good. Let’s focus on the rest of the season!” His 58th place finish means he’ll need to do some work over the next couple of races to get back into contention for the overall title, but with his speed and confidence he’ll be back competing for a podium quickly.
After a fantastic start to the season in Maribor, the Fox MTB DH team has a some time to rest and recover before training starts again for UCI Downhill World Cup race number two in legendary Fort William, UK. One of the most iconic races in the history of Downhill, Fort Bill is a coveted race, a win there can make a riders year or even their career. Watch as these athletes compete during the rest of the season in the all new Rampage Pro Carbon and Defend and Flexair gear which was made for their ride! Check the full Fox MTB one at www.foxracingcom/mtb.
The Fox US Open of Mountain Bike is coming to the West Coast on September 12-15th. A fact which may seem trivial, except when you consider it's the first time in the event's history. We are proud to be the title sponsor and thrilled to have the event in our own backyard - Snow Summit Bike Park in Big Bear Lake, CA.
“We're really looking forward to hosting the Fox US Open on the west coast for the first time in our 16 year history! Not only is Big Bear Lake a beautiful location, the town has deep roots in MTB racing. Snow Summit is investing in their bike park and we like their long-term vision. And they know how to throw a good party, so we're feeling right at home!”
— Clay Harper, Event Director, Fox US Open
The Fox US Open of Mountain biking will feature a wide range of events including Downhill, Enduro, best whip competition and USO Next Gen Youth Downhill events - giving the future of the sport a chance to show what they got.
This may be the first west-coast-hosted Fox US Open of Mountain Biking. But, Snow Summit Bike Park is no novice when it comes to putting on world-class events. They hosted the NORBA Nationals back in the '90s and have made a name for themselves with their annual - and wildly popular - Crafts & Cranks event. And with an event in southern California, spectators and athletes can expect beautiful riding conditions with blue skies and plenty of sunshine.
“Snow Summit Bike Park and the entire community of Big Bear Lake are excited to welcome the Fox US Open of Mountain Biking. Summit, similar to the Open, is built around fun on bikes along with sharing similar values to our everyday operations here in the bike park. Both Summit and the Open have a long history with mountain biking, and we are looking forward to the partnership and its future.”
—Clayton Shoemaker, Marketing Director, Big Bear Mountain Resort
An outstanding list of US Open partners will join us including GT Bicycles, Red Bull, Cliff Bars, Shimano, Vittoria Tires, and Fox Factory. Spectating is free, and the bike park will be open to the public all weekend. Come join us for an awesome weekend spent riding and watching world-class racing.
FOX ATHLETE MTB ROSTER
- Neko Mulally
- Bas Vansteenbergen
- Brett Rheeder
- Cam McCaul
- Chris Kovarik
- Claire Buckar
- Ethan Nell
- Katrina Strand
- Laura Bruneau
- Loic Bruni
- Loris Vergier
- Tahnee Seagrave
- Kirk Voreis
US OPEN EVENT SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Activity |
| Wed., Sept. 11 | 10AM-4PM | Chairlifts open |
| 12PM-4PM | Athlete registration opens | |
| Thurs., Sept. 12 | 9:30AM-5PM | Athlete registration opens |
| 10AM-12PM | Downhill track inspection | |
| 10AM-4PM | Chairlifts open | |
| 10AM-5PM | Vendor village opens | |
| 12PM-2:30PM | Open/junior 17-18 class downhill practice | |
| 2:30PM-5PM | AM class downhill practice | |
| Fri., Sept. 13 | 7:30AM-4PM | Athlete registration open |
| 8AM-5PM | Chairlifts open | |
| All Day | Enduro pratice | |
| 8AM-12PM | Open/Jr 17-18 class downhill practice | |
| 9AM-5PM | Vendor village opens | |
| 10AM-12PM | AM Dual Slalom practice/qualify | |
| 12PM-2PM | Open Dual Slalom practice/qualify | |
| 12PM-4PM | AM class downhill practice | |
| 5PM | Dual Slalom finals | |
| Dual Slalom awards immediately following | ||
| Sat., Sept 14 | 7AM-12PM | Athlete registration opens |
| 8AM-5PM | Chairlifts open | |
| 8AM-11:30AM | AM class downhill practice | |
| 8:30AM | GT Enduro race | |
| GT Enduro awards immediately following | ||
| 9AM-5PM | Vendor village opens | |
| 11:30AM-2PM | Open/Jr 17-18 class downhill practice | |
| 1:30PM | GT Enduro awards | |
| 2:30PM | Intense Cycles DH qualifying | |
| 6PM | USO best whip conpetition | |
| Live performance TBA | ||
| Sun., Sept 15 | 7:30PM-9AM | Next Gen only registration/pick up |
| 8AM-10AM | Next Gen youth downhill practice | |
| 8AM-4PM | Chairlifts open | |
| 9AM-4PM | Vendor village opens | |
| 10AM-12PM | Open/Jr 17-18 class downhill practice | |
| 10:30AM | Next Gen youth downhill race | |
| 12:30PM | Intense Cycles DH finals | |
| Downhill awards immediately following |
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Sunny with a chance of rowdy. The perfect conditions to put our new Spring MTB Collection to the test. In our Made for Your Ride video series, we ask our pros two simple questions: where do you want to ride? And, what do you want to wear? For our second episode, Loic Bruni matched the fast and technical terrain of La Garriga, Spain with a tough-as-nails Defend kit. The result, as you just witnessed, was pretty fun and very fast.
“Riding in a kit this comfortable will make your day. I love the blend of durability, stretch and ventilation. Plus, red sure makes you look fast."
- Loic Bruni – UCI DH World Champion
LOIC BRUNI’S GEAR
Well said, Loic. We couldn’t agree more. Red can make you look fast standing still. And, in our totally-nonscientific opinion, will cut at least a few hundredths off your time.
It may have been hard to see, but that red blur in the video was the all-new Defend jersey and pants. Defend, as in defending you and the garment from abrasion and trail-related wear and tear. In our arsenal of mountain bike apparel, it’s the go-to for the perfect balance of durability and comfort. All thanks to the abrasion-resistant fabric, strategic stretch zones, and smart venting.
WHAT’S YOUR NEXT RIDE?
Mirroring the Made of Your Ride video series, we now pose you a similar set of questions: where do you ride? And, which features would make it the best ride ever? The choice is yours:
Flexair – super breathable and wonderfully forgettable; it’s the next best thing to bringing an AC along for the ride. Ranger – a discrete lunch-ride kit with a casual aesthetic which conceals exceptional moisture-wicking properties. It’s a kit that says “yeah I ride” but will blend in with the crowd when you're enjoying a couple of cold ones at the local brewery. Defend – an mtb kit that would make Tony Stark jealous. Not only is it armored with durable fabrics like Kevlar®, but it also has intelligent features like targeted venting and strategic stretch.
To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.
