Welcome back to the #1 MTB newsletter brought to you by RECON, mountain biking’s fastest growing media brand and online store.

On today's ride:

•  🏁 Val Di Sole World Cup Report

•  🍟 Turning heads - the Fox Podium Upside Down Fork

•  🍎 Riding School From Mastery: Berms

👇 Quick Picks

🏁 Enduro World Cup Heads to Val di Fassa, Italy

The fifth round of the 2025 Enduro World Cup drops into the stunning trails of Val di Fassa, Italy, for a two-day showdown packed with 60km of racing and seven brutal stages - the riders will be challenged big time! Hot news: Richie Rude is back in the mix! All eyes are on Slawomir Lukasik and Ella Conolly as they fight to hold onto their leader’s jerseys. Let the enduro battles begin! ⛰️🚵‍♂️💥

🐣 TQ HPR60: More Power, Same Sleek Vibes

TQ is stepping up its game with the brand-new HPR60, the next-gen version of their well-known HPR50 motor system. The core idea stays the same: a super compact, quiet, and natural-feeling mid-drive motor. But now it packs even more punch – with higher torque, more watts, and improved cooling for better overall performance. Despite the power boost, the HPR60 keeps its slim, stealthy look, making it a top choice for riders who want serious performance without sacrificing style or silence.

🦸 EuroBike 2025 - Many New Products, So Stay Tuned!

The world’s biggest bike fair just kicked off – EuroBike in Frankfurt is where the entire mountain bike scene is meeting up right now. It’s buzzing with epic new tech, fresh gear drops, and major product reveals. And here’s the real treat: at the Public Days this weekend, you can catch MTB legend Danny MacAskill live in action with his insane stunt show!

RACING

🐍 The Black Snake Never Disappoints - Val Di Sole Report

🚵‍♂️ Val di Sole Delivers Chaos, Dust & Champions

Val di Sole did what Val di Sole always does: chew up wheels, spit out stories. The conditions? Loose, dusty, and brutal. Smooth runs were basically mythical. But despite all the carnage, the weekend delivered some of the most compelling racing we’ve seen all season.

🥇 Jackson Goldstone: Unstoppable... for Now

Let’s just say it: Jackson Goldstone is on a heater. After locking in wins at Loudenvielle and Leogang, the Santa Cruz Syndicate phenom took his third straight World Cup victory here — a feat no one’s managed since Amaury Pierron back in 2018. Amaury was one of the black snakes victim - like Finn Illes, Anna Newkirk and many others he crashed hard during practice. While the big bro did break his collarbone, Antoine Pierron put down a heater and was on his way to the podium, when a flat destroyed his hopes for a top result!

With this win, he’s now got a firm grip on the series lead. But the gap is tightening — and you can feel the pressure rising. It’s not a question of if someone catches him… it’s who and when.

🥈 Troy Brosnan & 🥉 Thibaut Daprela: Pressure Cookers

Troy Brosnan looked like he was finally going to snap the win drought. His run was smooth, clinical, and fast — especially up top. But a small bobble near the bottom cost him just enough time to slip into second. Still, you could tell he was content. No drama.

Then there’s Thibaut Daprela — the wildcard of the circuit. He snapped his chain just a few corners in. But instead of dialing it back, the Frenchman went full-send with precise braking points and a slightly more clean riding style that we are used from Rogue team ruder. Somehow held on for third, proving again why he’s one of the most exciting (and unpredictable) riders out there.

🚺 Marine Cabirou Breaks Through

On the women’s side, Marine Cabirou put in a masterpiece to score her first win for Canyon CLLCTV. She’s always been right there — fast but flying under the radar. This time, she lit up the bottom half of the track and crossed the line with a lead that stuck - no surprise for the experts on trackside, she enjoyed the course from day one!

Vali Höll followed in second, which made her the overall leader. After a rocky start to the season, it feels like she’s regaining her speed and confidence. She’s still the rider to beat when she’s on, and this ride showed flashes of the 2023 champ we know.

Monika Hrastnik? Huge result. Her first podium and the new AON team, and in the exact same spot as she did well last season. She missed out on the massive €100K belt drive purse by just a few seconds — we still are waiting for the first gearbox win in the elite category!

🧬 Juniors: Twin Flip & Zierl’s Hot Streak

Junior Men’s:
The Alran twins are at it again — but this time it was Till, not Max, who came out on top. He edged his brother by just 0.5 seconds, flipping the usual script and grabbing his first win of the season.

Behind them, Asa Vermette came through in third — and he didn’t look happy about it. Still dialing things in, but don’t sleep on him.

Junior Women’s:
Rosa Zierl is officially on fire. After a quiet start to the year, the young austrian shredder now locked in two wins in a row. It wasn’t a runaway — Aletha Ostgaard was close — but Zierl held her nerve. She’s building real momentum.

And Kate Hastings? First World Cup podium for the Kiwi rookie and sister of Jenna Hastings. Third place, and you could tell how much it meant. We love a new face on the box.

📢 What’s Next?

Val di Sole proved (again) why it’s one of the most brutal but beloved stops on the calendar. The track shows no mercy, and the riders showed no fear.

Next up? Even more madness in La Thuille and Andorra before the big Summer break. Will Jackson keep this winning streak alive? Will Vali claw her way back to the top? Can Troy finally close one out? And is Monika just getting started?

The World Cup title chases are heating up — and we’re here for every dusty, chaotic second.

TECH

🚀The Fox Podium Inverted Fork is Here — And It’s Wild

Fox Flipped the Script on MTB Suspension. Literally.

For years, Fox’s upside-down fork prototypes were the stuff of MTB lore — showing up in leaked photos, pro bikes, and feverish forum threads. Now, the wait is over. Meet the Fox Podium, a brand-new, single-crown, USD (upside-down) fork with the boldest look and smartest internals we’ve seen in years.

Fox isn’t calling this a Fox 38 replacement. This is something else entirely: a purpose-built fork for enduro and aggressive trail riders chasing every last ounce of performance.

🔍 So What’s the Big Deal?

The USD layout — with thicker stanchions on top and smaller sliders down low — isn’t new in Moto or MTB. But in the single-crown world, very few have pulled it off without major compromises.

Fox thinks they’ve cracked the code. The Podium aims to combine moto-inspired sensitivity with modern enduro stiffness, solving long-standing USD issues like flex and friction. And they’ve done it with a meticulous, almost obsessive attention to detail.

🧠 Tech Talk – Let’s Break It Down

Here’s what makes the Podium so different — and why gear nerds are drooling:

🔸 47mm Upper Tubes

That’s right — forty-seven millimeters. These massive stanchions are machined from 7000-series aluminum and bring insane front-end stiffness where it matters most: torsional and fore-aft. This translates to sharper handling, better cornering, and more confidence in rough terrain.

🔸 20x110mm Boost Axle (with Four-Bolt Clamps)

Borrowed from the World Cup-proven Fox 40, the Podium’s axle setup brings DH-level clamping to a single-crown fork. No lower bridge needed. It’s ultra-stiff, super clean, and totally unique.

🔸 GripX2 Damper

This is Fox’s most advanced damper, specially tuned for the Podium’s inverted layout. Riders get independent high- and low-speed compression and rebound adjustments — race-day control in a trail fork chassis.

🔸 Glidecore Air Spring

A new internal air spring design that flexes slightly under torsion, helping the fork stay aligned and friction-free, even during big hits or frame twist. It’s got that “buttery smooth” feel — not just buzzwords.

🔸 175mm Bushing Overlap

Here’s where it gets nerdy: that overlap is 32% more than the Fox 38. More overlap means less deflection, better support under load, and drastically reduced friction — especially on full compression. Expect a smoother ride over small bumps and better alignment when things get rowdy.

🧼 Why the Upside-Down Design Works

One of the USD layout’s underrated benefits is dirt and oil management. With the fork’s internals constantly bathed in oil and the seals facing downward, the Podium stays cleaner and more lubricated than traditional forks. That means less maintenance and longer-lasting performance — something Fox is pushing hard with this model.

📏 Geometry, Fit & Compatibility

Swapping over from a Fox 38? You’re in luck.

• Axle-to-Crown Height: Identical to the 38

• Steerer: Standard tapered

• Offset: 44mm (29" only)

• Wheel Size: 29” only, for now

It fits your current enduro bike without requiring frame geometry changes, and keeps that familiar ride feel with some next-gen spice.

⚖️ Weight & Options

• Travel: 160mm or 170mm (aftermarket), 150mm for OEM only

• Weight: 2,695 grams (170mm version)

• Finish: Factory-only for aftermarket buyers — so Kashima stanchions and carbon guards are standard

• Price: $2,000 USD / €2,399

• Performance Elite Version? OEM only — not available to regular buyers just yet

💬 RECONs Take: Hot or not - the Fox Podium?!

The Fox Podium isn’t for everyone — and that’s kind of the point.

With its radical design, high price tag, and focus on stiffness and sensitivity over lightweight minimalism, this fork is built for serious enduro riders, privateers pushing the pace, and tech heads who want the most advanced fork available.

Fox has clearly aimed high here. From the bushings to the air spring, every detail reflects a rethink of what a modern fork can be. And with over three decades of suspension R&D behind it, the Podium may just be Fox’s boldest product since the original 36.

🏁 Is the Hype Real?

We haven’t seen a single-crown USD fork this well executed — ever. The Podium isn’t just a showpiece. It’s functional, future-forward suspension that brings MotoGP-style tech to the enduro crowd.

If you’re willing to drop $2K for better front-end tracking, butter-smooth small bump compliance, and the slickest fork on the mountain — Fox just gave you your dream weapon.

🎥 Video Of The Week

The next EMIL? Kaidan Ingersoll works hard to push the slopestyle game to the next level:

🎧 Podcast Of The Week

We talk about the changes in DH and what the riders think about it in our Podcast:

🚵‍♀️ Current Giveaway Bike

Our newest giveaway bike is a Forbidden Dreadnought 3 MX. Entries are now open on ReconMTB.com! Read more about the bike. USA customers only are eligible to win.

This newsletter is written with ❤️ every week by Nic Bean, Michael Sikand, Justin Rausch, and Marc Brodesser