News Roundup - Week of March 30th 2022

Brett Rheeder Joins Commencal

We are proud to announce today that Brett Rheeder will be joining the Canadian athlete roster for 2022 and the upcoming years.

Rheeder has taken a step back from competition and looks forward to staying more creative. COMMENCAL, known to push heavily on the media side, can now add another heavy hitter to their global projects. The seven-time Crankworx Champion, X Games Gold Medalist, and Rampage Champ released CONTINUUM last December, a video that gives a clue to what we can expect in the future.

“I’m pleased to announce my new partnership with COMMENCAL Bikes. As a new chapter of my career is unfolding, I felt that it was time to realign my values and goals with the brands that I work closely with. I admire Commencal in many ways, their attention to detail with the bikes, and especially how they support their athletes with media, something I can’t wait to be a part of!”
- Brett Rheeder

“We’re very excited to finally announce and welcome Brett Rheeder to the COMMENCAL family! This is big news, and we could not feel more grateful and honored to be working with Brett. His knowledge and skills on and off the bike are one of a kind, and his competition dominance needs no introduction. To say the least, we cannot wait to get started on media projects and bike builds!”
- Derek Tsui, Canada Sports Marketing Manager.

"It's been a while we have been looking for a top freeride athlete in Canada, where so many mythic spots and riders are located. Everyone knows we love racing, but creating content is also part of COMMENCAL's DNA. This is why we immediately caught the opportunity to work with one of the most famous names in this domain. The idea behind this partnership is that we both combine our creativity and professionalism to push the limits even further. Same as winning a DH World Cup, we know it's not an easy task, but trust us to work hard to get there.”
- Yannick Commencal, Marketing & Communications Director

Orange Launches a New DH Bike

The Orange downhill platform is the most successful in our history and the new 279 takes everything that has come before and aims squarely at the top step for the fastest bike we’ve ever built.

The Orange downhill story began in the earliest days of the sport and moved at lightning pace with numerous UCI World Cup wins, downhill legends and iconic bikes. Starting with the weird and wonderful 628 through the Mr O, and then the game-changing 222 (made famous by a certain plumber from Sheffield), the World-Championship-winning 224 (nice one, Tracey Hannah) and more recently the fast-as-all-hell 327 and its big-wheeled sibling, the 329. Orange Bikes downhill heritage spans nearly three decades and combines gradual evolution with rocket-fast racing, told on the tracks of World Cups and National Championships, bike parks and local secret trails by pros, privateers and pinners.

For the ‘22 season, Orange’s downhill story adds its next chapter with the Orange 279. MX wheels, 200mm travel, subtle-but–significant frame improvements and a whole heap of marginal gains to make the suspension more progressive and more efficient than ever. The 279 is the fastest bike in our 3 decades of racing history.

At launch Orange is offering the 279 in two options with a £7300 GBP / €8000.00 EUR / $8800 USD Factory build with Fox factory suspension, SRAM GX1 DH drivetrain and Stans Flow Mk4/Hope Pro 4 DH wheels. You can also purchase just a frame for £3200 with a Fox Float X2 Factory shock.

Factory Build Spec:
Fork: Fox Factory 40 Grip 2 29
Rear Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory 250x75
Swingarm: 12 x 150mm
Headset: Hope Black - 49mm for Tapered Steerer
Crankset: Truvativ Descendant DH 165mm 36t
Rear Mech: SRAM GX1 DH 7spd
Chain: SRAM PC1110
Shifters: SRAM GX1 DH 7spd
Cassette: SRAM PG 720 DH 11-25t 7spd
Chain Device: MRP G4
Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB
Wheelset: Stans Flow Mk4 + Hope Pro 4 DH 29 + 27
Tyres: Michelin DH 22 2.4 29 + 27
Brakes: Shimano Saint 203/203
Seat Clamp: Strange Bolted
Stem: Burgtec Direct Mount 50mm
Saddle: SDG I-Fly Saddle I-Beam
Handlebars: Burgtec RideWide DH 800mm
Grips: Strange Grappler Lock-On
Seatpost: SDG I-Beam Aluminium

You can find out more here.

Tyler McCaul and Fashouse Team Up on the Hooper Knee Pad

From a man who has taken his fare share of licks comes the best kneepad on earth. Tyler McCaul has high demands. A modern day gladiator that has carried his namesake into a knee pad that has no choice but to keep up.

Designed, developed and tested too many damn times with T-Mac, we knew we had struck gold. Stamped with his approval, the Hooper is a sleeve style pad done in a heavy-duty fashion. You're gonna like the way the Hooper feels on your legs.

• Ergonomic design with abrasion resistant fabric.
• Articulated foam injected knee pad that hardens on impact.
• Vented mesh back for increased airflow and comfort.
• Removable pad for easy cleaning.
• Extended shin pad for extra protection.
• CE certified knee protector for EN1621-1:2021 Level 2.

For more info, head over to the Fasthouse website

Troy Lee Designs sold to 2Ride Group

Private equity firm SBJ Capital announced last week that it has sold Troy Lee Designs to 2Ride Group (2RH), the group specializing in the design and production of moto equipment and majority owned by Eurazeo, the largest private equity fund based in France, PE Hub reported.

TLD is known for its bold, distinctive aesthetic, and the California brand will round out 2RH's moto portfolio. TLD and 2RH will jointly develop new bike and moto products, leaning on TLD's success in the United States and 2RH's established presence in Europe to strategically expand the brands' global reach.

What will happen next is a "synergistic integration" of TLD into 2RH, which will be led by TLD founder Troy Lee, TLD CEO Jason Steris, and 2RH CEO Christophe Sicaud to combine the two brands' strengths.

"Many thanks to SBJ for partnering with me and our executive team to take TLD to this next level. I also want to thank my family who has persevered with me and helped make all of this happen. Over the past 41 years, it has been my dream and passion to create and design safety products and iconic graphic designs. I've had the opportunity to work with incredible artists and amazing athletes all over the world. With the 2Ride partnership, I am totally energized to continue the journey and expand my dream, and I couldn't be more excited for this next chapter to get started." —TLD Founder Troy Lee

"I couldn't be more proud of what Troy, SBJ, and our management team were able to accomplish together. SBJ has been a supportive partner since day one, working alongside the team to professionalize the business and help us achieve this outcome. Joining the 2Ride Group is an exciting new chapter. The TLD and 2RH teams share a lot of the same values - a commitment and passion to deliver the safest, best-in-class protective products. This partnership will collectively make our businesses stronger, so that we can continue to elevate the TLD brand experience for racers and enthusiasts worldwide."—TLD CEO Jason Steris

"What a ride it has been with Troy, Jason, and the rest of the team since we partnered together five years ago. The success they have achieved is a testament to the authenticity of the TLD brand and the design quality of the TLD products. We can't thank Troy enough for trusting us as his partner over the years and Jason and the team for working with Troy and SBJ to rapidly grow this iconic and enduring brand."—SBJ Co-Founder and Managing Director Bill Jesse