Brand and exhibition spaces are now available for the 2024/5 British Cycling Cyclocross National Championships, which will be held for the second time at Cyclopark in Kent.

Across Saturday, January 11, and Sunday, January 12, Britain’s best cyclocross talent will descend on the riverside town of Gravesend for the chance to win the red, white and blue jersey of Great Britain.

National jerseys will be up for grabs for six men and six women across a variety of age groups.

When the venue last hosted the National Championships in 2019, Tom Pidcock was first over the line in the men’s race to secure his first of two senior British national cyclocross titles, while in the women’s elite race, Nikki Brammeier regained the title she’d last won in 2017.

“It’s wonderful that the British Cycling cyclocross National Championships will be returning to Cyclopark,” said the CEO of the Cyclopark Charity, Jonny Hamp.

“Over 5,000 people attended the event in 2019 and were treated to some incredible action and of course witnessed an early win in Tom’s career.”

Since then, the venue has continued to evolve, offering facilities and coaching to develop the next generation of cyclocross riders, road cyclists and BMX racers.

The race director for the Championships will be Bruce Sandell.

Sandell is well-known to the UK bike trade in his roles at Rouleur, RGT Cycling and more recently with Wahoo Fitness.

A long-time member of the Southborough & District Wheelers, his cyclocross credentials have been honed organising races for the club and the London and South East cyclocross League.

The cycling team at the Cyclopark Charity also includes Luke Anderson, formerly at British Cycling as a Go-Ride coach and regional manager for the South East who worked with the venue on all major events and supported the development of many club and community programmes.

The venue offers access to the M25 in under 10 minutes, on-site parking and for overnight stayers has a Travelodge conveniently located on its doorstep.

A limited number of spaces are available for brands at the Championships, with activations available from £300 for the weekend.

Contact Chris Holman for more details: chrish@livingmediaevents.co.uk

For more information about the Cyclopark Charity and the brand engagement opportunities at the venue contact Jonny Hamp on: Jonny.Hamp@Cyclopark.com

This month, we take a look at the latest cyclocross and accessories from some of the leading brands in the sector, including Challenge Tires, Continental, Selle Italia, Easton, Michelin, Pirelli, absoluteBLACK, MET, Proper Cleaner, Topeak, Lake, Hornit, Schwalbe, Campagnolo, Rotor, Oxford, Rondo, Vittoria and Look

Challenge Tires – Limus Pro Handmade Clincher

Distributor: Upgrade Bikes

Challenge’s Limus Pro handmade tyre offers the highest level of clincher performance and grip due to their 300tpi construction that keeps them supple and allows lower pressures to be most effective for maximum grip. Second only to the tubular versions, when combined with a Challenge Seamless Latex Inner Tube, the handmade clincher range is the best you can race on. Tubeless and Vulcanised versions of all the Challenge CX tyres are also available.

Continental – Race King CX

Distributor: Raleigh Bike Parts

The race day choice for many CX riders, with a 35mm carcass & promises the convenience of riding tubulars without having to deal with the cumbersome fitting process. Even at low air pressure, a perfect balance is struck between grip, comfort and a low rolling resistance. This is all thanks to a supple, lightweight 180tpi casing with Continental’s ‘PureGrip’ compound. A Nylon based fabric layer beneath the tread provides added protection from thorns, too.

Selle Italia – SI Flite Boost X-Cross TI SF

Distributor: Raleigh Bike Parts

Exactly what the CX world has been waiting for. The Flite Boost X-Cross TI 316 Superflow brings the unmistakable style of the Flite Boost to the off-road world. Designed for those who live for the adrenaline and adventure of riding off-road, this is the latest in Selle Italia’s MTB saddle range. Shock-Absorbers are found between the rails and body of the saddle, helping to cushion vibrations caused by uneven terrains. Special SuperFabric inserts on the sides help protect the saddle from scratches and cuts as riders wind their way through the undergrowth.

Easton – EA90 Cranks

Distributor: Silverfish UK  

The impressive versatility of Easton’s Cinch system comes to the EA90 performance aluminum crankset. The EA90 ticks all the boxes for today’s gravel, CX and road rider. Limitless ring combinations in 1x and 2x, a 30mm alloy spindle, Cinch power meter compatibility and BB options across all relevant frame standards. EA90 is a welcome addition to the Easton Cinch family, the most versatile cranksets you will ever own.

Michelin – Power Cyclocross

Distributor: Silverfish UK  

Michelin is known for producing the best performing rubber with their iconic green rubber wrapping the wheels of top riders in nearly every discipline. Their new Power CX tyres are available with two tread patterns: Mud for wetter conditions with well-spaced knobs to clear mud and keep you rolling through the stickiest situations with speed and power, and Jet built to bear the brunt of loose and harsh surfaces with impressively low rolling resistance. 

Pirelli – Cinturato Cross Mixed Terrain

Distributor: Extra UK

The Cinturato Cross Mixed Terrain is a cross-specific tyre designed for mixed terrain, where the surface varies between compact and unstable terrain and all intermediate types. The tread consists of knobs with average height and spacing to guarantee excellent performance on a wide range of terrains. Tubeless ready and constructed with a Nylon bead-to-bead protective layer this tyre is ready to race!

absoluteBLACK – Premium CX Oval Chainrings

Distributor: Extra UK

absoluteBLACK Premium CX Oval Chainrings are available to fit most common cranks on the market. Available in either Black or Grey and 3 size options they are the perfect choice for Cyclocross and Gravel 1X setup with road cranks. The unique narrow-wide teeth profile ensures your chain is kept in place and decrease wear and noise no matter what the conditions.

MET – Trenta

Distributor: Raleigh Bike Parts

The product of 30 years of dedicated research and development, MET marked their 30th anniversary with this helmet. Perhaps most famously worn on the road, the helmet’s characteristics also make it an ideal choice for CX riding. Aerodynamics, comfort and breathability are three of the lid’s crowning features. Weight reduction features are carefully implemented to ensure protection isn’t compromised, whilst no fewer than 19 vents ensure a consistent flow of air over the rider’s head.

Proper Cleaner – General Cleaner

Distributor: Raleigh Bike Parts

The first bike cleaner brought to the market which uses water-soluble capsule technology. The result? An effective cleaner that cuts down on single-use plastic and is easier to ship and store than ready-made, bottled cleaners. Drop in a capsule, fill the bottle with your own water, spray on, quick brush & rinse off. Perfect for muddy race days or training sessions come the start of the CX season.

Topeak – Prepstand ZX

Distributor: Extra UK

The Topeak Prepstand ZX is simple and easy to use thanks to the bike being secured by the saddle or top tube via the rubber non-marking jaws. This makes it the perfect option for pre-race bike tuning or cyclocross pit cleaning duties. Constructed from tough aluminium and easy to fold and store thanks to the quick-release mechanism.

Lake – MX238

Distributor: Moore Large

The MX238XC furthers Lake’s commitment to creating innovative and functional products for those diehard cyclocross, cross Ccuntry or gravel racers. Using a Helcor Abrasion resistant leather and mesh with a hook lycra heel lining. The Helcor Abrasion resistant leather is specifically designed to be extremely durable against rubbing, scrapes and scuffing. 

Continental – Cross King CX 32 & 35-622

Distributor: Various

Fast all-rounder for cross racers, based on the award-winning Cross-King MTB tyre pattern. Developed to work well in muddy conditions, yet roll like a semi-slick in a straight line. The tall shoulder lugs do provide great bite in the loose and wet corners, with BlackChili & PureGrip compounds boost grip in all situations whether they be hard & dry, cold & wet, roots, off-cambers, grass or stone.

Hornit – Hornit Clug Hybrid

Distributor: Raleigh 

The Eurobike award-winning Hornit Clug is the world’s smallest bike rack. Practicality meets innovation, as it uses the floor to store bikes either vertically or horizontally. Clug hybrid mounts in minutes using the screws and wall plugs provided. Then simply roll the bike up and ‘Clug’ in. It comes in five sizes, with the Clug hybrid fitting Cyclocross tyres 33mm – 43mm (1.3-1.7in).

Schwalbe – X-One Bite

Distributor: Chicken Cyclekit

The Cross specialist for mud and gunge. The aggressive tread “bites” firmly into soft terrain on a cyclo-cross track and on any wintertime, muddy forest road. For this reason, the X-One Bite is available exclusively in a Tubeless Easy – Super Ground casing, combining lightweight construction and stability for best performance in difficult conditions.

Campagnolo – EKAR Groupset

Distributor: Chicken CycleKit

With a wide range, close-ratio and no compromise, Ekar is designed from the ground up to give you the very best performance, riding experience and reliability for cross, gravel, all-road and endurance riding on the toughest terrain where you want to face and challenge yourself. This 1×13 group offers maximum efficiency, no wasted gearing overlaps, an overall lightweight system (under 2.4kg) and superior chain retention security.

Rotor – Cyclocross

Distributor: Velotech Services

Rotor Cyclocross is based on the Road platform using Vegast or Aldhu Crank arms but swapping out the double rings for a 1x Directly mounted chainring in Round or Oval. Ring sizes from 28T to 54T, 24mm or 30mm axle and Cranks starting at 150mm. Can be upgraded to power using Rotor’s Inspider.

Oxford – Mint Range

Distributor: Oxford

A bicycle in Mint condition is more efficient and fun to ride or race. With the Oxford specialist cleaning range, you have a range that will have every speck of dirt off the bike in the pull of a trigger and leaving a great fresh minty smell. The Mint range covers all cleaning, detailing and lubricant needs.

Oxford – Brush and Scrub Set

Distributor: Oxford

The Oxford Brush and Scrub set features Double Stubble, Wheely Clean, Big Softy and Prong Brush. All brushes have durable nylon bristles and tough, impact-resistant handles.

Rondo – RUUT X

Distributor: Hotlines

The new RUUT X is ready for full-on CX racing but also works perfectly as a fast, superlight gravel bike.  It features Rondo’s unique TWINTIP 2 fork, carbon aero handlebars, a Shimano GRX drivetrain, and fast rolling Schwalbe tyres on HUNT aero wheels. Tyre clearance is great enough to fit up to 45c for ultimate off-road control and comfort.

Vittoria – Terreno Wet

Distributor: Madison

If you’re banking on a wet ‘cross season – and it is the UK after all – then Vittoria’s Terreno Wet has your back. Available in a cross-ready 33c (and tubeless ready, naturally) it’s a tyre designed to perform at its best when the weather leaves something to be desired. It rolls like a race tyre, corners on rails, and is virtually clog proof, it wont let you down on race day.

Look – X-Track Race Carbon

Distributor: ZyroFisher

Constructed around a heavy-duty mechanism and is resistant to the negative effects of coming into contact with various external factors (rocks, roots, mud…), and provides consistent and reliable performance over time. Its spindle, equipped with a double weather-resistant seal, has been improved to withstand even the worst conditions you may encounter during your rides.

Muc-Off is upgrading its support for the Steve Tilford Foundation Racing, formerly known as MAAP | Mini CX.

Under a new name, the team will compete in multiple disciplines, while creating new opportunities for up-and-coming racers.

“We’re stoked to step up our investment and focus into this team and cyclocross in general,” said Alex Trimnell, CEO at Muc-Off. “It’s a rowdy and exciting discipline that’s growing in participation. It’s also potentially the muddiest cyclo-sport around – so the perfect fit for us!

“This particular team are a group of riders, who are not only getting great results, but who do incredible things for young athletes too – which is something we’re excited to be able to endorse.”

The team is passing on the late Steve Tilford’s legacy to help young people find and chase their passions through cycling. It also works with national organisations to educate and mentor young athletes throughout the United States. The team is also environmentally driven, aiming to become completely carbon-neutral.

It has already launched its ReCharge Initiative by using electric transportation. This programme aligns both with Muc-Off’s recent launch of e-mobility products, including e-bike specific cleaners and lubes, as well as Project Green, which includes a focus around refilling and reusing its bottles using concentrates in a bid to reduce plastic and CO2.

Raylyn Nuss, Steve Tilford Foundation Racing Team, added: “We couldn’t be more honoured to partner with Muc-Off! We’re a multi-surface team, and we love to get dirty. Muc-Off is such an important piece to our programme as we truly believe it makes the best cleaning and bike care products on the market. Being able to keep the bikes dialled lap in and lap out during a muddy cyclocross race gives us the slight advantage against our competitors!”

Read the November issue of BikeBiz below:

CUBE has extended its cyclocross range with the Cross Race C:62 Team Edition, issued with the colours of the Tormans cyclocross team.

The bike is equipped with Shimano Ultegra 2×11 shifting and a full carbon frame and fork to deliver “maximum performance in a featherweight package”, said the brand. The Newmen Advanced SL R.38 carbon wheelset and carbon cockpit are “ready to tackle any racecourse with supreme confidence and turn every training session into a competition” and the hydraulic disc brakes “scrub off speed when necessary and provide plenty of all-weather stopping power to bring the bike to a safe halt”.

“The carry-friendly Cross Race C:62 frame is both light and agile – being constructed from high-end, lightweight C:62 carbon,” said a statement.

“Even the shifting and brake lines are routed internally through the head tube to shave off extra grams. Not only does this look super sleek, but it keeps cables and hoses protected and extends their lifespan.”

The CUBE Cross Race C:62 Team Edition costs £3,599 and will soon be available via CUBE distributor Oneway Bike Industry.

Read the September issue of BikeBiz below:

Cycling Insight research has revealed a slow decline in search volume for BMX and cyclocross in recent times…

Track, cyclocross and BMX have their respective large followings, although perhaps perceived as more niche than road and mountain biking.

As seen by the search interest graph, there’s a huge correlation to an Olympic games (Rio in this case) and a spike in search traffic. Despite GB performing very well in track at Rio, BMX received twice the search volume. In recent times, BMX and cyclocross have received a slow decline in search volume, with a slightly similar trend in track.

Monthly UK search volumes:
Track: 5,500
Cyclocross: 6,500
BMX: 50,000

Mountain biking and road cycling follow a similar pattern year-on-year, with a sharp August and September spike for the latter. This tends to be Tour of Britain territory with a slight hangover from the Tour de France, but for 2020 we have seen a much sooner spike in March.

Mountain biking has a predictable trend year-on-year and 2020 hasn’t altered it too much, but autumn and winter may change that.

Monthly UK search volumes:
Road cycling*: 4,000
Mountain biking: 200,000

*This figure may be low due to the term “cycling” being used in general for road.

Read the September issue of BikeBiz below:

SRAM has officially partnered with Belgian-based cyclocross and continental road team Telenet-Baloise Lions.

The team, which consists of 13 riders, nine men and four women, rode on SRAM components during the 2019-2020 season.

“SRAM loves cyclocross, understands cyclocross, and we were very satisfied with the support last season,” said team manager Sven Nys. “And because of the 1x set up, the bike is even more light. It also provides more space where the mud can disappear and won’t cause any troubles.”

The Telenet-Baloise Lions will ride SRAM RED eTap AXS HRD componentry, 1x for cross and 2x for the road. Every SRAM RED eTap AXS groupset features a Quarq crank-based power meter. Trek will provide the frames, while Bontrager will supply bars, stems, seatposts, and wheels.

Jason Phillips, SRAM Road Sports marketing manager, added: “This team has incredible prestige, continues to develop cyclocross royalty, and we are excited to officially come on board.”

2020-2021 team roster:

Men:
– Jim Aernouts (BEL)
– Thijs Aerts (BEL)
– Toon Aerts (BEL)
– Yentl Bekaert (BEL)
– Nicolas Cleppe (BEL)
– Andreas Goeman (BEL)
– Lars van der Haar (NED)
– Ward Hybs (BEL)
– Thibau Nys (BEL)

Women:
– Shirin van Anrooij (NED)
– Lucinda Brand (NED)
– Ellen van Loy (BEL)
– Marthe Truyen (BEL)

Read the September issue of BikeBiz below:

Wahoo has partnered with Tom Pidcock’s British Continental cyclocross team Trinity Racing.

The brand will provide the team with Elemnt Roam GPS computers, Tickr heart rate monitors and Kickr smart trainers.

Pidcock said: “Getting off to a strong start in cyclo-cross races is critical so it’s really important to get our race preparation right. Having the support of Wahoo and access to their smart trainers in warm-ups and training allows me to be in the best shape possible come race time.

“And then obviously, as cyclocross is a winter sport, sometimes training indoors is necessary. My Wahoo Kickr is an invaluable training tool as I know I can get the right session in whatever the weather.”

Wahoo’s CEO, Mike Saturnia, added: “It has been fantastic to see the growth of cyclocross in the UK.

“We have a keen interest in helping to nurture young talent within the sport so are proud to be able to provide the team with the best smart trainers, GPS trackers and heart rate monitors available.

“With Trinity Racing’s riders competing across a number of different disciplines, it is critical that they have access to an ecosystem of products that can support this.

“Tom, Cameron and Abby fit closely with our ethos here at Wahoo and we look forward to welcoming them to the Wahooligan family.”

Feedback Sports will be supporting the organisers and community of the National Trophy Cyclocross Series followed by the National Championship happening in at Sundorne Sports Village in Shrewsbury in early 2020.

It will be using its Omnium Trainer as a key tool for cyclocross riders who don’t currently have access to their own warm-up stations.

2pure has partnered with cyclocross and marketing specialist 4Season Collective for activation this autumn and winter, with the first race kicking off this weekend 21st/22nd September. A further six rounds will happen throughout the season around the rest of the UK before the National Champs happening on January 11th/12th.

Ellie Dalton of 4Season Collective said: “We’re really excited to be involved with supporting riders throughout this series, cyclocross is still a niche area to many people so it’s fantastic to have the support of 2pure and Feedback to give back to this community that has been close to our hearts for many years.”

Robyn Bowie of 2pure added: “It’s an exciting time in Cyclocross, with people seeing the likes of Mathieu Van de Poel and Marianne Vos and results they’re producing.

“We’re looking forward to more people seeing the benefits of the Feedback Sports trainers and how seamlessly then can fit into everyone’s warm-up routine.”

Ribble Cycles has launched the new CX SL.

It features an advanced monocoque construction with full EPS inner-core system for consistent strength and improved torsional stiffness. Race-proven geometry provides ‘razor-sharp’ handling, control and stability with the optimised tube profiles and carbon lay up enabling high levels of power transfer combined with compliance and vibration damping through the dropped seat stays across varied terrains and race situations.

Frame and fork mud clearance has been maximised and a disc brake specific specification further enhances control and grip combined with optimum stopping power.

“Cyclo-cross racing is the essence of high-performance cycling, combining high levels of bike handling, power and fitness over varied and challenging terrain,” said Andy Smallwood, Ribble Cycles’ CEO.

“This made designing a high-end CX bike the perfect challenge for our accomplished R&D team and we are very proud of the result. The cutting edge CX SL, the latest bike in Ribble Cycles World Class product line up, is a bike as capable of winning on the world stage as it is cutting through local single-track trails.”

Jamie Burrow, Ribble’s head of design, added: “The CX SL is the perfect culmination of technology used to develop and fine-tune our award-winning performance SL road and gravel range.

“We have created a lightweight but incredibly robust monocoque platform with clean lines and fully internal routing thanks to the compatibility with our Level 5 integrated bar and stem system.”

The CX SL is available as suggested builds from £1,599, frame only option at £1,299 or use the BikeBuilder to create your optimum bike.

www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cx-sl/

With rich heritage and investment from some of the largest BMX names in the cycling industry, the company behind Bombtrack had some serious expertise already on side when the brand was created in 2011. Regardless of its almost exclusively BMX roots, Bombtrack chose to concentrate its efforts in other areas of the market with a range of gravel/CX, mountain and road bikes. The risky decision paid off however, and in 2018, the brand is cultivating a positive reputation from both riders and the media. We caught up with Bombtrack’s Manuel Schuerholz to find out more.

1. Why and when was the brand started?

We have actually been making bikes since 1996 but globally are more known for our BMX brands like Wethepeople BMX, Radio Bikes and others than we are for doing Bombtrack. It was 2011 when Richard and myself turned our passion into a serious plan: leaving the sphere of BMX for building a “big wheel” brand. We loved cycling so much that our fascination for BMX slowly faded away, while our curiosity to build and market the bikes we were riding and enjoying in our private time increased. Thanks to the success of our BMX brands we got a starting fund confirmed, did one bike in the first model year, then already four in the second year – and actually it grew yearly from there.

2. Does being a new brand allow you greater creative freedom?

Yes and no really. Of course the general direction can be decided by the brand when you start from scratch, but at the same time the creative freedom can still be limited as you need to ensure the existence of the brand too. With having the BMX background we were already used to creating “special interest” bikes, we had our production structure and a factory that believed in our vision and who were willing to support us. In addition to all this we weren’t the only ones who grew out of the 20inch wheel and we could hit the ground running using some of our existing distributors. All these facts actually helped to allow our creative freedom as you need a global playground to survive from doing bikes for a rather niche purpose.

3. Surely it also has its downsides, how do you instill confidence in customers?

As a brand we act quiet traditionally – this means our customers are our distributors. During the years we had a good amount of new ones coming on board, including some we hadn’t yet worked with during our „BMX-years“. We feel you can only instill confidence by having reliable sales and aftersales services, a well thought-out product and effective marketing with a steady brand presence.

4. What are you doing differently to other brands?

That’s difficult to say! I have only worked for our own bike brands and could only ever evaluate the possible differences from a distant perspective. For me, it often feels like we have more in common with bespoke frame builders than major brands that belong to a certain holding group. We work day and night, we live our passion and do far more than what’s finally ending up in our wallets. The identification with our brand can’t be deeper, and job- or company-hopping to reach a next salary grade never even enters our mind. Instead, we carefully choose what kind of bike to make, finding our place in a certain market segment or niche. In almost all cases our models are bikes we personally love to ride ourselves. This approach does mean we won’t be as mass-market oriented which works for us – but might not with other brands and their claims.

5. Bombtrack Bicycle has a big and diverse range for an emerging brand, how was this cultivated?

It grew and grew – as we often found ourselves not being able to ignore ideas for a certain type of bike. But I think our diverse range actually has more reasons than just a single one. Bombtrack has been shaped through collaborative work from the beginning; it was riders giving input and sometimes even befriending product designers that led to suggestions for certain bikes. Occasionally, some of our distributors would ask for a special kind of bike for their market. I could describe it best as there being a certain energy within the Bombtrack brand and our surrounding “family”: motivation is king. Our annual “Groundwork” event is possibly the best representation of how so many different bikes came to see the light of day. If you want to get an impression head over to our website and take a look at the documentaries we made about our recent Groundwork events, they show quite well how we got to there where we are today..

6. How have you found the market to be since the brand was started?

Due to our diversity and ethos we were always lucky to have certain models one step ahead of the trend – as soon as those trends developed we were often already there and could supply the market. For example we did the first specific fixed-gear criterium bike at a time when the common fixed crit races of the present only just popped up and people still raced on conventional track bikes. We did steel gravel bikes before the trend exploded recently, same with bikepacking models – we were already selling them by the time the bigger brands jumped on the trend. But we did not just “have” them, we developed them in close cooperation with our team riders that have been active in those spheres for years, so our bikes already had a story when the market became hungry for those models. Due to this background it transported a certain emotion and it therefore generated interest from the core scene – often a difficult task for a ‘faceless’ major company, even if they have big budgets to buy credibility. These are possibly all reasons why we stay relatively independent from the common market – if for example someone is really into bikepacking, they consider us such as part of maximum two or three other brands. That might not be the mass market, but it makes us feel good and we feel we can control it with the limited staff we have at Bombtrack.

7. How are dealers reacting to the bikes?

Our dealers can be considered as the more ‘dedicated’ type of dealer, who will invest into the brands they stock and generate content of their own. Those who have come on board haven’t stopped selling our bikes, so from that point I can say it is really satisfying. Since our first year sales increased in line with our expanding range of models – so obviously the reactions are positive!

8. How did the relationship with Lyon start? How are you both finding it so far?

The guys at Lyon approached us as they’d long been the UK distributor for Ortlieb, Tubus and a huge outdoor portfolio but wanted to expand their cycle portfolio and felt our bikes complemented what they currently offered very well. With our bikes in their range, they were able to kit someone out fully with all the equipment they made need to ride around the world, which worked well with their adventure inspired portfolio.

They came on board after we’d tried to serve the UK from central Europe. The reactions from the UK media was great – but we simply could not properly feed the market and its request. Our bikes where in magazines every now and then, on blogs.. people got curious but an interested shop could not get their hands on our bikes. Lyon looking after the UK market was therefore quite timely.

The guys from Lyon are very, very like-minded people. After they first got in touch we flew over to discuss business things. A visit to the Lake District the 2nd day blew us away the same amount as their company and its people did on the first. Their managing director spent the whole day and evening with us – which really fascinated us as he has actually more than 80 employees to direct. One of the aspects that clearly showed is them having the right “soul”.

As bikes were a new type of product for Lyon to distribute they initially tested the water on an agency basis. However, due to unprecedented demand for our bikes within mainland Europe our stock ran dry relatively early on in the season, so for MY18 they opted for a more traditional distributor model holding stock in their warehouse.

Since the early dealings with Lyon we felt a friendship between us, Chris and Nils (their brand managers) was formed. We spent some time together at events, and are always looking forward to meeting up again in future.

9. Where are the bikes made and how do you assure quality control?

The bikes are made in Taiwan where, due to our BMX roots, we have long-standing relationships with key factories. Quality Control is assured by dealing with the right partners over there as well as regular factory visits by both Harry Schmid (CEO) and Marcellus Putschli (product anager).

10. Where have the bikes been ridden so far? Can you gives us some examples of a Bombtrack model being put through its paces?

Wow, where do we start? We quite like putting our bikes through their paces by effectively being ‘underbiked’ at certain events. One of our team riders rode the TransAlp on our first generation Hook crossbike and we sent Joachim Rosenlund to ride the Highland 550 on a carbon 650b gravel bike. Other than that, we have had adventures from Istanbul to Tehran (documented as ‘A Journey Beyond’), the Baja Divide by Tales on Tyres plus a number of the classic endurance events (Transcontinental, Torino-Nice Rally, Tuscany Trail etc.).

The guys at Lyon also subject the bikes to their own tests, with Christine having bikepacked around Annapurna in Nepal and two more staff members taking a bit of time out of the business to bikepacking the length of South America trying to ride as little tarmac as possible.

11. What territories are you in? Do you have plans to expand further?

We have distributors in the UK and Ireland, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic & Slovakia whilst Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Scandinavia and the Baltics are taken care of by our in-house distributor “Traffic”. Further afield our distribution partners cover the US, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

As we would like to keep making bikes that are innovative and not mass-market we have to think globally to make ends meet, so we are always on the lookout for additional distribution partners who would fit our ethos well.