Welcome back to RECON, the email delivering your weekly MTB news in < 5 min.

On Wednesday, we announced the RECON creator program which is seeking young, ambitious riders who want to get paid to make videos about mountain biking products.

If this sounds like you, apply here. We accept applications on a rolling basis.

On Today’s Ride:

🚲 Brett Rheeder To Launch Bike Brand
🔎 SRAM Patent Hints At Universal Brake Mount
🏁 Reece Wilson Launches His Own Racing Team

TOP PICKS

🤝 FMD Racing Signs With Orbea

We called it! After rumors swirled that FMD would be dropping Canyon for Orbea, the cat is now out of the bag. With Tahnee Seagrave’s return to victory last year, it’ll be interesting to see the Orbea platform she’ll be riding this season.

 🇦🇹 Andreas Kolb Joins The YT Mob

Austrian shredder Andreas Kolb has left Atherton and signed with YT Mob for the 2025 season. As one of the top elite men’s racers, Andreas joins fellow Austrian star Vali Höll as well as other strong riders like Oisin O'Callaghan and Kasper Woolley.

✍️ RECON Signs Hayden Cavanah To Content Deal

RECON is expanding its roster of content creators and the newest addition to the team is Hayden Cavanah (@hb.bikes), an absolute shredder from Missouri who is equally talented in front of the camera as he is on the bike. Tune into our Instagram to see upcoming content from Hayden as RECON looks to shake up MTB media.

 🍎 Apple AirTags Help Uncover Stolen Mountain Bikes

Apple AirTags helped Vail Police recover dozens of stolen mountain bikes after tracking them across Colorado. The investigation began in 2022 when a Vail resident’s Specialized Stumpjumpers, equipped with AirTags, were stolen. Authorities traced the bikes to a van in Walsenburg, where they discovered 17 more stolen bikes, linking the suspect to thefts across multiple counties.

BIKES

♟ Brett Rheeder’s Next Business Move

Getting sponsored < sponsoring yourself.

This seems to be the train of thought among the world’s most elite and recognizable mountain bikers, who are shunning traditional sponsorships to launch their own bike companies.

2x Red Bull Rampage winner Brett Rheeder is now joining a growing cohort of professional riders who’ve decided to build frames such as the Atherton siblings, Neko Mullaly, and more recently Cam Zink.

While details are sparse on the bike company itself, Brett just announced that he’s cut ties with Commencal ahead of the 2025 season, suggesting it’ll be replaced by his own creation.

It’s important to note that Brett was one of the first mountain bikers to really lean into the entrepreneurship game. Here are a few of his ventures that we know about:

• He founded and successfully sold his components brand, Title MTB

• Brett is also the co-founder and CEO of a tech company called Bookyrslf, which is aiming to help pro athletes monetize experiences with fans

🙋‍♂️ RECON’s Take:

The creator economy of mountain biking is booming. Professional action sports athletes are wisening up to trends we’ve seen take hold in other pockets of media, like how YouTubers have launched their own companies (ie. Logan Paul / Prime). Why help sell somebody else’s product, when you can sell it to your millions of viewers and own 100% of the value creation!

On top of this, why should MTB athletes suffer the repercussions of poor management by bike companies? Post-COVID overproduction has led to major losses and several bike company bankruptcies, leaving riders out of a job and threatening their careers.

While the creation of new bike companies is likely only achievable for a select few blue chip athletes with major industry recognition, it is a positive trend for the industry. Not only does it leave more factory sponsorship budgets for up and coming names, but it challenges the traditional business model of being a pro action sports athlete.

TECH RADAR

👨‍🔬 Analyzing SRAM’s New Patent

What if your bike brakes could align themselves perfectly, every time?

SRAM seems to think they can, and they’ve just patented a new brake mount design that might make it happen. Meet the Universal Brake Mount (UBM)—not SRAM’s official name, but it’s catchy, right?

Here’s the gist: the UBM positions the brake mount coaxially with the hub (like SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger). Instead of relying on traditional frame mounts, which can be hit-or-miss due to manufacturing tolerances, this setup aligns the brake caliper directly with the rotor.

Translation? Better alignment, less vibration, and a whole lot fewer squeaky stops.

How it works:

• Two mounting points: one at the axle and one clamped to the seat stay.

• A threaded sleeve between the thru-axle and dropout keeps it all snug.

• This setup reduces stress on the frame while optimizing alignment.

Why it matters:

• Improved alignment = quieter, smoother braking.

• Less frame stress could mean lighter, cheaper, and easier-to-produce frames.

• SRAM says it’s compatible with most suspension designs (except faux-bar layouts).

🙋‍♂️ RECON’s Take:

Don’t be surprised if SRAM’s Universal Brake Mount (UBM) becomes a reality sooner than you think. We remember when the Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) patent first appeared—it looked like SRAM was helping the industry simplify standards. And they were! But in hindsight, it also set the stage for their direct-mount T-Type derailleur system. Not evil—just a smart win-win.

With UDH, the benefits were immediately clear. With UBM, the story feels similar: better alignment, quieter braking, and less stress on frames. But I’d bet there’s more to it. SRAM doesn’t just make small upgrades—they pave the way for future tech that fits their vision. Could this lead to integrated brake tech? Or is this another move to push the industry toward simplicity and efficiency while aligning with SRAM’s next big innovation?

If history is any indicator, they’re playing the long game. And if I were a betting man, I’d say we’ll see the UBM on the next wave of frame launches.

RACING NEWS

👨‍🔬 Reece Wilson Bets On Himself

Ever heard the age old saying, “go get that bag?

That’s exactly what DH World Champ Reece Wilson is doing with his new startup racing team, AON.

While the full details are still under wraps, the team’s launch video gives us a sneak peek with Reece Wilson riding a gearbox powered Gamux prototype. With this setup, AON Racing will take a shot at the $100K Belted Purse bounty, awarded to any team that can secure a World Cup victory with a gearbox bike.

And by the way, we broke this story on the @reconmtb Instagram weeks ago… See our post here. 

🙋‍♂️ RECON’s Take

Nic Bean chiming in here. As team manager of Theory Racing, I have to say: what Reece is doing with AON Racing is awesome. He was likely out of a contract and decided to bet on himself—a move every rider has dreamed of. Building a team from the ground up offers total freedom: no compromises, no other opinions, just a program built to reflect your vision.

But the dream doesn’t stop with Reece. Supporting others in their pursuit of dreams is just as essential. Imagine this: your efforts building a team not only fly riders around the world but also help put food on the table and give them a chance to further their careers.

Let’s be realistic—AON Racing won’t match the budgets, staff, or salaries of teams like Specialized Gravity Racing or the Santa Cruz Syndicate. But that’s not the point. Efforts like this get noticed, and the ripple effect Reece creates with Gamux will be worth it.

RIDING SCHOOL

🌧 Make Winter Riding Suck Less

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.

Let’s be real—mountain biking in the wet and cold kinda sucks...

But just because you’re not Danny Hart in 2012, it doesn’t have to be a struggle! With a little preparation, you can stay warm, comfortable, and make the most of winter riding. That way, you can keep hitting the trails even when the temperature drops. Here are 3 easy tips to help you get ready for cold-weather rides!

1. Bike set-up

• Tires Winter tires have spikier, more open tread patterns to cut through mud and improve grip, while running lower tyre pressures can enhance traction.

• Drivetrain Winter grit wears down your drivetrain faster, but cleaning the chain and using quality lube helps, make sure you clean your drivetrain after every winter ride.

• Mudguards running a mudguard makes winter riding much more enjoyable, keeping mud from flying up into your face.

2. The Kit

• Waterproof gear: Wearing a waterproof outer layer will make a world of difference, not only can you find water proof jackets and shorts, but waterproof socks and shoes also make a difference.

• Gloves: Cold hands make riding miserable, that's why getting a pair of insulated gloves is key. If you're in a pinch, you can use surgical gloves over your regular riding gloves to keep your hands from freezing off. 

3. Breathing techniques

• Breathe in through your nose: Your nose warms and humidifies the air more effectively than breathing through your mouth.

• Deep breaths: Regular, controlled breathing is better than fast, panting breathing and makes a big difference when riding in the cold. 

With Mastery, you can learn MTB skills from the pros. If you haven’t yet, be sure to join their waitlist—it's the perfect way to level up your riding

🎥 Video Of The Week

Documenting Dakotah Norton’s epic 2024 season

🎧 Podcast Of The Week

2x World Cup Winner Danny Hart Tells All

🌊 Wipeout Of The Week

Oskar Poetsch bails on a massive jump

📸 Photo Of The Week

What a sight!

👇 More Yummy Content

Is this the best budget mountain bike money can buy?

RECON announces creator program applications

Top 5 Bike Parks In The USA

Why the action sports creator economy will explode in 2025

This newsletter is written with ❤️ by Nic Bean, Michael Sikand, and Justin Rausch