Welcome back to the RECON MTB newsletter, where we deliver all your weekly mountain biking news in one simple, 5 min read.
It isnāt even summer and the temperature is running high on the World Cup scene.
Whatās going on? Over 200+ top MTB athletes from XC to DH, including Loic Bruni, Greg Minnaar, and Nino Shurter, have signed a statement protesting WBDās introduction of a three person podium for 2025.
Weāll get into all thisāand some moreāin todayās issue
š¹ Matt Jones Teases MTB Video Game
š„ Riders Protest 3 Person Podiums
ā¬ļø RockShox Launches New Dropper Post
Oh, and thank god itās Friday.
Quick Picks
š·Ā Springy: FOXās New Shocks Are Dialed
The new Float X2 is switching to a simpler more reliable layout with beefier internals while the DHX2 combines X2ās advancements with the classic feel of a coil shock. We have both the X2 and DHX2 available on RECON MTB for U.S. shoppers!
š¤”Ā Jokes: RECON Wins MTB April Fools Day
We had our April 1st jokes loaded for a while. Our first spoof was a fake news post about how Netflix acquired the rights to broadcast the UCI. It amassed over 12.5K likes and nearly 2.5K thousand shares until we archived it yesterday. Sorry to those disappointed but the hope is Netflix actually notices.
š£Ā Fancy: GIANT Unveils Carbon Push Bike
Will the next Jackson Goldstone start off on GIANTās new push bike? For $500, some are balking at the price point but some of our IG fans mentioned itās perfect for wealthy bike Dads who wanna see their kids roll in style early.
NEWS
š± The Game Is On For Matt Jones
MAVRIX with and by the Jones brothers straight from the UK!
This summer is about to be crazy. We can ride our bikes during the day and then again at night when we load up our gaming PC.
24/7 riding will be possible thanks to Matt Jones, the renowned British slopestyle MTB pro, who just announced "MAVRIX", a groundbreaking MTB video game set to launch this summer.
Why is he launching a video game?
Growing up, Matt and his twin brother, Jono, immersed themselves in titles like "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater," "SSX Tricky," and "Downhill Domination." Despite their enjoyment, Matt always felt that existing MTB games lacked authenticity and proper physics.
The one and only Matt Jones in MAVRIX!
We reached out to Matt for a comment on the origins of the game.
POV without a real GoPro cam - MAVRIX brings the mountains on your screen!
Some features we think are sick!
Massive Open World: Explore a whopping 100-square-kilometer playground packed with downhill tracks, slopestyle lines, and sick bike parks.ā
Multiplayer Madness: Ride with your squad, tackle hidden challenges, and catch big air together.ā
Realistic Physics: Powered by Unreal Engine 5, experience authentic bike controls, from suspension to braking.ā
Customization Galore: Earn sponsorships from real brands, unlock bikes, gear, and components to showcase your style.
RECON BIKE GIVEAWAY #1
šĀ Win This $10,000 Dream Bike
Wow.
Thereās just two weeks to enter into our sweepstakes for this custom built 2025 Transition Sentinel V3 that will ship in the winnerās preferred size! To get entered to win this bike, all you have to do is buy any product on ReconMTB.com and every $1 you spend is equal to 1 entry.
If you live in the USA, we have 10,000 top tier MTB products that will ship straight to your doorābike wash, suspension, tiresā everything you could possibly need.
Remember when male slopestyle riders boycotted Crankworx Rotorua in 2024 over appearance fees and safety concerns?
Now an MTB protest is happening againābut this time, itās XC and DH racers taking a stand.
Just days before the XCO World Cup opener in Brazil, over 200 elite riders signed a statement against the UCIās decision to shrink podiums from five spots to three.
Why are riders revolting? Recognition matters. Fourth and fifth place might not grab headlines, but for many riders, theyāre career milestonesāand the UCI just made them invisible. Riders are also arguing a five person podium is what makes MTB, MTB ā a sport which already struggles to spotlight its depth of talent.
The protestākickstarted by XCO legend Rebecca Hendersonāhas gained backing from nearly every top name and elite team including Tom Pidcock, Greg Minnaar, Nino Shurter, Loic Bruni, and Amaury Pierron.
The UCIās got a choice to make. Shrink the podium, or shrink the trust.
GEAR PATROL
š RockShox Goes Long
PC: BikeRadar
Does length really matter?
RockShox seems to think so as the new Reverb AXS now hits 250mm of travelāthe longest wireless post out there. Stack height is down, durability is up, and the $549 price tag beats Foxās $850 Neo. Downsides? No adjustable stroke, and youāll need a separate $150 remoteāunless youāre cool pressing a button by your butt. Itās heavy, but smooth, and even has a compliance system (āActiveRideā) for gnarlier trails. Bottom line: itās a beast, itās bougie, and it makes short posts feel like flip phones.
Weāve got the new Reverb for sale for our U.S. based shoppers now, and if itās your first time shopping with us you can get it for 15% off + hundreds of entries into our bike giveaway by picking it up.
RIDING SCHOOL
šĀ How to Crankflip On Your MTB
Cam McCaul
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.
The crankflip is a tricky old school trick that is making a comebackābut be warned, your shins might take a beating while learning.
The trick involves flicking your cranks backwards while in the air and catching them after a full rotation. So weāve put together a few simple steps and tips to make learning easier.
Baby Steps
Start by practicing seated crankflips to get comfortable with the motion.
Focus on pulling up with your front foot, rather than pushing down with your back foot. This is key for when you attempt it standing.
Angle your toe and pedal downward to grip and yank the cranks backward.
Work on this motion until you can consistently get a full rotation while seated.
Bunnyhop Crankflip
Once youāve got seated crankflips dialed, itās time to try them standing:
The difference is that youāll need to float for a moment while the cranks spin.
Pull up on the front pedal while jumping off the pedals to let them spin freely.
Timing is everythingābend your knees, pull the cranks, and pop at the same time, similar to an ollie on a skateboard.
Shift your weight onto the bars for extra support and more airtime.
Use your front foot to catch the pedals before landing.
With Mastery, you can learn MTB skills fast. Itās an app making it simple to learn MTB skills from top pros. The app is launching this month so join the waitlist to ensure you get first access.
š„ Video Of The Week
Remy Morton stepping up the game with his new edit
š§ Podcast Of The Week
We finally launched the āRECON MTB Podcastā! In episode 1, RECON co-founder Nic Bean and X Games Gold Medalist Allan Cooke jam on the freshest topics in MTB.
