Welcome back to RECON MTB, the email delivering your MTB news every Friday.

In exactly 25 days, we’ll be unveiling the secret MTB startup we’ve been working on for over 6 months.

Keep your eyes out on Tuesday, 3/18/2025.

We’re gonna be launching with a BANG 💥

On Today’s Shred:

• 🇦🇺 MTB Is Booming In The Southern Hemisphere

• 🤝 WBD Strikes Long Term Deal With Leogang

• ⚙️ Fox Factory’s New Gearbox Patent

EVENTS

🇳🇿 Outlandishness In Oceania

If you thought the offseason insanity ended with Hardline Tasmania, think again.

Australia and New Zealand have become the ultimate wintertime MTB meccas, home to a packed schedule for the world’s best riders chasing peak summer riding.

Here at RECON, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about what’s been going down in the southern hemisphere.

😱 Pros Barely Survived NST

You thought Red Bull Rampage was gnarly?

The inaugural Natural Selection Tour Bike event took place on February 15, 2025, at Mt. Dewar in Queenstown, NZ.

History: Travis Rice started the first NST event in 2008 for snowboarders with a focus on natural terrain. The series is now expanding to cover more action sports verticals like surfing and MTB, bringing the same gnarly perspective to competition.

The Course: The Elevate Trail Building team crafted a freeride paradise, but with stunts this size, the consequences were equally extreme. With many repeated drops and XXL doubles, riders struggled to find the right speed and link the huge features together. Some of the best riders in the world got injured before finals like Tom Isted, Thomas Genon, and Dylan Stark.

Winners: In the end, Poland's Szymon Godziek and Argentina's Cami Nogueira took the win, both admitting they were just happy to survive the madness. This event raises a critical question: is this next-level progression, or are competitions like this pushing riders too far? Check out our newsletter from last week for an update on what feels like the longest list of injured riders we’ve ever seen.

The finals are scheduled to be broadcast on Red Bull TV and YouTube on March 5, 2025, offering fans worldwide the opportunity to witness the evolution of freeride MTB.

⏰ Crankworx Calendar Kicks Off

The Crankworx Summer Series Christchurch 2025, held from February 13 to 16 at the Christchurch Adventure Park, marked a great return to New Zealand's South Island.

This event not only kicked off the 2025 Crankworx season but also brought together a vibrant community of local and international riders eager to showcase their skills on world class terrain. After the unfortunate cancellation of the 2024 event due to unforeseen circumstances, the anticipation for this year's festival was palpable. Next on the calendar is Crankworx Rotorua, Cairns, and other global locations like Whistler / BC.

Super Saturday

With the Redemption Downhill race, elite riders tackled the tech at Christchurch Adventure Park. Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory Racing) and Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek Factory Racing) emerged victorious.

Lachie’s speed streak continued as he put on a heater of a lap and beat Jenna’s Boyfriend, Bernhard Kerr, by over 7 seconds.

Epic Slopestyle Showcase

A highlight of the event was New Zealand's inaugural FMB Gold Cup Slopestyle though several top riders were either competing at NST or injured.

The rising slopestyle stars Kaidan Ingersoll and Natasha Miller showcased their growing trick repertoire, wooing the judges to take first place in their categories.

Lucas Huppert and Jake Atkinson gave it all in the finals, but Kaidan’s second run was unbeatable. The newly minted Monster Energy athlete needed his second run to get a top score after a crash in run one and came up clutch under pressure.

💨 The Fastest Dad On Two Wheels?

We all love a hometown hero story.

The 2025 Thredbo Cannonball MTB Festival ended with an exhilarating finale at the RockShox Australian Open Downhill event with Troy Brosnan on the top step.

The event attracted a stellar lineup of international and Australian riders, including Sian A'Hern, Jackson Frew, and Connor Fearon.

The fans went berserk trackside when Troy secured first place, edging out last year's winner, Frew, by 1.859 seconds, with Fearon taking third.

Troy has been on a tear lately.

After taking the win in last year’s world cup finale at MSA, the Aussie showed his speed at Hardline Tasmania snagging third place (and showing Jackson the winning line).

🙋‍♂️ RECON’s Take

The booming winter MTB scene in Oceana is a testament to the sport’s growing demand and progression. Fans can now tune into multiple world class racing and freeride events months before the rest of the world warms up. At the same time, riders can chase more glory and take their skills to the next level with intense offseason competitions. Next up, we’ve got the crazy urban downhill races in South America and the first big Crankworx Events in Rotorua and Cairns.

RACING

🇦🇹 Leogang Is Locked In

5 years is the average time it takes to earn a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu….

It’s also how long we’re guaranteed to see the world’s best mountain bikers barrel down the steeps of Leogang.

Last week, the WBD penned a long-term partnership with Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland, ensuring the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will take place in the region until 2030.

This deal is the first of its kind in mountain biking and mirrors the deals other kinds of racing leagues strike with their venues. For example, F1 circuits typically sign 10 year deals for grand prix races.

This long-term commitment solidifies Austria as a global mountain biking hotspot. After all, the country is the home to Fabio Wibmer, Vali Höll, and even Red Bull’s HQ.

For nostalgia’s sake, we decided to put together Leogang’s most legendary MTB moments.

🇺🇸 Aaron Gwin’s Chainless Victory

Imagine bombing down a World Cup track without a chain... Well, not for Aaron Gwin. In 2015, during his race run in Leogang, his chain snapped right at the start. Most riders would’ve called it a day, but Gwin went full beast mode. Using nothing but pure speed, insane line choices, and momentum, he shredded the track and took the win. Many call this run the greatest in MTB history. Relive the madness by watching it here!

⚔️ Stevie Smith vs. Gee Atherton

The 2013 Leogang World Cup saw one of the most epic duels ever: Stevie Smith, the late Canadian chainsaw, versus Gee Atherton, the British powerhouse. It was neck and neck the whole season, but in Leogang, Stevie put down an absolutely blistering run. The tension was crazy, with fans on edge as the times came in — and Smith edged out Atherton, claiming the overall World Cup title. The crowd went wild, and Stevie’s victory became a defining moment of his incredible, but tragically short, career. Watch Stevie’s win in Leogang here!

2020 Downhill World Championships

Fast forward to 2020, and Leogang served up a World Champs for the ages. The track featured a brand-new, super technical forest section — and to make things even gnarlier, the weather gods decided to throw in some heavy rain. Riders were slipping, sliding, and battling through the muddiest conditions imaginable. It was survival of the fittest, and the ones who managed to keep it upright earned their places in MTB history - Camille Balanche and Reece Wilson won the rainbow stripes. The 2020 Worlds proved that Leogang isn’t just about speed - it’s about handling absolute chaos on two wheels. Watch the carnage here!

🙋‍♂️ RECON’s Take

World cups attract sometimes hundreds of thousands of visitors which drive millions in tourism dollars. Leogang has clearly seen a return on their investment in years past and by locking in a five year deal, the course is guaranteeing tourism revenue into the future at a fixed price. If UCI grows and attendance increases, Leogang will benefit more than venues negotiating with the UCI every year.

TECH

🦊 Fox Factory Shifts Gears

New tech is cute and gimmicky.

That is until the big dogs (or foxes) start paying attention.

Fox Factory is looking to cash in on the gearbox mania with a newly awarded patent. While the filing doesn’t reveal exactly how many gears it will have, but it does highlight a crucial feature: shifting under load.

If you’ve ever ridden a gearbox bike, you know shifting under heavy pedaling force is a weak spot. Most current systems, like Pinion’s, will cancel a shift attempt if they detect too much load to avoid damaging internal pawls (tiny engagement teeth inside the gearbox).

The patent describes a shifting mechanism where the pawls have “shift rings” that put them in a neutral or disengaged state under load. Translation: smoother shifting, even when you’re cranking up a climb or sprinting out of a berm.

🙋‍♂️ RECON’s Take

If Fox Factory can bring its ingenuity to solve the shifting-under-load issue without adding a ton of weight or complexity, it might be the momentum needed to push gearbox tech into the mainstream.

MORE STORIES

❄️ Brandon Semenuk with summer vibes in La La Land

Renowned Canadian freeride mountain biker Brandon Semenuk has unveiled his latest video project, "La La Land." Filmed over several summers, the video captures Semenuk's imaginative riding in a custom-built paradise he calls home. The project features special moments shared with close friends Paul Genovese and Ryan Howard. "La La Land" represents a dreamlike escape where creativity knows no bounds.

🇬🇧 New Tuned Mass Damper from Rimpact

Rimpact is developing a Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) designed to reduce front-end vibrations in mountain bikes. Drawing inspiration from applications in skyscrapers and Formula 1 cars, the TMD aims to enhance rider comfort and control by stabilizing the bike's chassis. Early prototypes have shown promising results, with testers reporting improved handling and reduced fatigue. Rimpact continues to refine the device, focusing on optimizing its performance across various terrains and riding styles.

⚙️ Tyler McCaul Joins Ari Bikes as Newest Team Rider

Freeride mountain bike star Tyler McCaul has announced his new partnership with Ari Bikes. The American rider, known for his bold style and big mountain lines, will represent the brand in upcoming events and video projects. McCaul expressed excitement about the collaboration, praising Ari Bikes for their innovative designs and rider-focused approach. Fans can expect thrilling new content as he puts his new setup to the test.

RIDING SCHOOL

😎 How To Shralp

This section of our newsletter is written by MTB education app Mastery, founded by Justin Rausch (@OneMTB) where we bring you the advice of pro riders to sharpen your skills out there.

We’ve all scrolled through Instagram, watching riders effortlessly rip through corners, creating that signature "shralp" sound... 

But how do they do it? Shralping is one of the most iconic MTB skills, and that sound is like music to any rider's ears. So, we’ve simplified it and broken it down into a few easy-to-follow steps.

Entering the corner

• Align your body with the bike, staying low and keeping elbows out.

• Keep your eyes on the apex of the corner to guide your approach.

• Maintain consistent speed, using the terrain to gain momentum.

The Shralp

• Distribute your weight by pushing through your feet and hips.

• Lean into the turn, allowing the rear wheel to slide without losing balance.

• Keep your eyes locked on the exit of the corner.

Tips for progress

• Practice on private trails, or resurface the berm afterwards as shralp can tear up the corner.

• Start with a loose berm to make initiating the sharp easier.

With Mastery, you can learn MTB skills fast. Several courses are launching this Spring from top pros so If you haven’t yet, be sure to join the app’s waitlist.

🎥 Video Of The Week

Epic Riding with Hyper Team rider Bas Van Steenbergen

🎧 Podcast Of The Week

AON Racing founder and former DH World Champ Reece Wilson on Gypsy Tales

🌊 Wipeout Of The Week

Dean Lucas eats the dust down under!

📊 Last Week’s Poll Results

We’re all pumped for this rivalry!

👇 More Sick MTB Content

Szymon Godziek Lands Huge Front Flip at NST

Brage Vestavik Launches Planet Alaska Film

Spotted: Specialized DH Bike With Two Chains

This Abandoned Logging Town Is Now An MTB Haven

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