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I have never been known for my ability to sit still. Time and time again I have found myself choosing the path of most resistance when presented with an easier alternative route. I love the struggle that comes with pushing yourself to your absolute limits and then trying to see how much further you can push before your body shuts down. That last bit, where you are trying to figure out if you might have gone too far, is the thrill for me. Moments and memories are made during that window, taking an otherwise normal situation and turning it into an epic lifelong story. Well we have officially done that with Awesome MTB. Before embarking on this journey of running an independent media program, we knew it would be difficult. But that was the thrilling part for us. Creatively, I find some of my best work comes when my back is against the wall and I am just trying to tread water. That sink or swim stress is what has driven me through so many life events ranging from riding my bike 215 miles across Florida in a day to starting our business from scratch 7 years ago. When we first went independent, the uncertainty of what lay ahead for us gave us a sinking feeling in our stomachs. We knew passionately this is the route we wanted to embark on. However, as anyone who ventures into the world of “betting on yourself” knows, the stress of making the wrong move can sometimes be what crushes a dream entirely. Overcoming that sinking gut feeling is oftentimes the hardest part of chasing your dreams. The second hardest part is adapting to change. And oh boy, has there been a lot of change recently. “If you are not growing you are dying” is a saying that resonates deeply with me, and adapting to the rapid change that followed after we went independent has been overwhelming. When we first made the move, we tried to establish some form of stability thinking that is what we would need. However what we found almost instantly was that sometimes the same stability you think can help you in your journey might also be the comfort zone preventing you from experiencing your true potential. Another interesting obstacle we have run into is logistics. With big dreams and goals comes lots of bandwidth needed to try and achieve those. Our reason for going independent was to create content that is not just another corporate marketing copy and paste, but rather passion and soul filled content that would allow us to speak to the end consumer honestly. And while we are very thankful for what we have achieved in such a short period of time, we are also trying to figure out how this 3 person operation can run this program while also not having a homebase. We have a few ideas here but the biggest thing we know is that we don’t want the grassroots nature of our content to be watered down and turned into the things we think are killing the soul of mountain biking. Speaking about soul, networking has been another very interesting situation of this whole change. I have met so many awesome people and companies over the years in various different positions throughout the bike industry. However navigating personal relationships while also maintaining a level of integrity for the end content is an interesting curveball. When you live and breathe bikes, you end up with a lot of friends who do the same and work within the same space. Maintaining those relationships while also being on the media side is an interesting thing to balance. I genuinely love bikes and learning more about a brand, and getting a look at the behind the scenes element of it has been amazing. But when you have been in a certain role for 11 years and have embarked on a new chapter, adjusting those relationships has posed a unique challenge I didn’t see coming. I have been in the “bike industry” in some capacity since I was 20 years old. Now at 31 on the independent media side, running into old friends within the bike industry and working with them in a different capacity is interesting. Awesome MTB has been the most fulfilling job I have had yet. It has given us a fresh set of eyes on the bike industry as well as a resurgence of passion to create the content we want to create. Currently, in typical us fashion, we have bit more than we can chew on a big project which is why we have been a little quiet here. However, as with every other decision we have made, we are betting on ourselves and at the end of the day are just thankful to have the opportunities provided to us, even if life right now is a little chaotic… Stay Tuned. -Mo Awesome

We got a chance to visit Pivot Cycles and test out a few of their e-bikes with the founder Chris Cocalis! Is the Pivot Cycles Shuttle the best bike out there? We tested the AM and the LT with the new Shimano EP801 motor on South Mountain! Bring on the Phoenix, Arizona adventures! Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/TWRgdxSmeAE?si=p_a4UKK9qYk2nAvL Check out Pivot Cycles here: https://www.pivotcycles.com/en/e-bike/

This is a big year for new bike releases but also a big year for people looking for a deal on bikes. The industry is in a weird spot of trying to sort through old inventory while also trying to figure out supply issues, as well as a slower market. Discounts are plentiful, and if you are in the market for a new bike, now is the time for a great deal. But what about Ibis Cycles? I went on their website recently and noticed a majority of their bike models are on sale. These discounts are substantial as well. 25% off almost every model in their lineup, something pretty unheard of for a boutique bike brand a few years ago but seemingly becoming the norm in 2024. Hakka MX, Ripmo, Ripley, Exie all for 25% off. The Exie USA is showing $1000 off and the OSO is close to 30% off. The only bikes that seem to not be on sale are the HD6 and the alloy version of the Ripmo and Ripley. Which leads into the next point, what does Ibis have up their sleeves? They haven't released a truly updated Ripley or Ripmo in years at this point. The Hakka MX is beyond outdated. The Exie also needs a slight refresh to keep up with the growing demands of world cup XC racing which seems to be taking over. What do we want to see from them? Personally a new updated Ripley would be my #1 I am looking forward to. The Ripley was actually one of my favorite bikes I have ever owned and looking at it on paper, it is desperately needing an update that is not just the UDH treatment. The Ripmo is in the same boat. And with almost every other brand having some form of internal frame storage, that is something I would like to see from both of these bikes. In terms of the Hakka, this should just be a full refresh. Ibis Cycles has some of the best gravel riding in their backyard and I would like to see a push for a competitive gravel race bike from them this year. As for the OSO? Let’s just pretend that one didn’t happen… -Mo Awesome

Everyone keeps talking about the new bike park in San Diego so we had to check it out ourself! Using the Loam Pass, we got a chance to ride with Ari Bike pro racer Nik Nesotroff and see what this bike park had to offer, and let's just say we are stoked! Watch The Video Here: https://youtu.be/ghm71aLGe98 Check out the Loam Pass here: https://www.loampass.com

Alright you guys love the “What I Think About” series and apparently I left a few brands out accidentally so let's keep the train rolling with part 3! Here is my quick thoughts on the following bike brands. These are the first thoughts that come to mind with no revisions so that I don’t second guess myself. If I left anyone out let me know! YT: Used to be the most popular direct to consumer brand in the US with the strongest marketing approach. Now there is some competition, but they still are doing rad things. However, kind of a skate vibe from them recently? Traction focused suspension design. Canyon: Similar to YT, strong initial US market push however I feel like they have slowed down in the US market way more so than YT. I imagine they are significantly bigger in Europe. Also Nike CEO or something like that. Revel: Rad brand with an interesting vibe. Canfield suspension platform but kind of a race style design style to the bikes! Colors look rad! Reeb: I saw a full suspension metal singlespeed by them once and it made me nervous Propain: Ryan Radriguez and lots of travel! GT: The brand that keeps saying they are making a comeback but the comeback is still in the works? Feel like they still have a lot of potential if they update their marketing strategies. Commencal: Direct to consumer done however they want to do it because they do whatever they want. Not really sure how they are doing as a brand as I feel like I never hear anything good or bad industry news wise. They kind of just operate on their own program. Devinci: Yoan Barelli and also not sure I have ever met someone in the US who has bought one but as soon as I go to Canada I see them everywhere! Cervelo: I don't even know how good the bikes are but all I have to say is that if there was a brand logo that was up there with “Lambo” but for bikes it would be the classic Cervelo logo. Not going to lie, I kind of want one just for the name. Polygon Bikes: Feel like this one is rad because it is an Indonesian based brand and I wish I knew that before our Bali trip because it would have been rad to visit them! But I guess Bikes Online is the US distributor and they are in Carlsbad so might not need to fly out there after all (but wouldn’t be opposed to it lol) Should I do these with component brands next? -Mo Awesome

Pivot Cycles is a bike company in Phoenix, Arizona and make some of the best bikes on the market. But what goes on behind closed doors? We get an exclusive tour of this bike company from the man that started it all, Chris Cocalis!

I want to start this opinion piece off by first making it very clear, I am not a business guy. I am currently sitting in my van, looking at the surf, hoping the tide rises soon so I can get out there before taking off on another mountain bike adventure. Abbreviated titles such as CEO, COO, CFO, and others all seem pretty jumbled to me, and oftentimes almost made up. Also if you have followed me for any amount of time you most likely know I'm a small business guy, and think corporate america is stealing the soul out of the bike industry and SRAM transmission is nowhere near as good as AXS…okay maybe I just threw that one in there. However, even with the little business knowledge I have, it seems very weird to me to see the headline “Rapha North America Abruptly Closes Bentonville Office, Lays Off Staff” by VELO. When my buddy first asked me if I had heard the news about Rapha shutting its doors I thought he was joking. Rapha was supposedly untouchable and under the Walmart / Bentonville umbrella. I had started to see the brand in REI and even recently visited its store in both Singapore as well as Japan. How can a powerhouse like this shut its doors in the mountain bike capital of the world? Then I read the Velo news article. Rapha seems to have abruptly closed the North American office in Bentonville with VELO news sharing this quote from the CEO “We are realigning Rapha to better reflect our strategic priorities and current market dynamics. Over the past five years, Rapha has experienced significant growth and these recent changes will focus us on accelerating towards our purpose of inspiring the world to live life by bike.” Now a bike company laying off staff is not new in 2024, in fact it is probably expected at this point. Sales are low, margins are razor thin with all the discount sales going on, and companies seem to have gotten in over their head. However what struck me very odd about this was the need to shut down the North America Offices. Rapha is still continuing to operate as a brand but they deemed it essential to lay off 6 employees and shut the operation down in Bentonville, the same town that is marketing itself to the bike industry as the future of mountain bike commerce. Why is that odd to me? Well it doesn't seem like long ago that I read an article on Velo pointing out that Rapha sold for $260 million dollars, and a majority of those shares were bought by RZC investments which essentially is the Walmart brothers. At the time when I found this out, I thought that number seemed insanely inflated. But also once again, I by no means am an expert at business. However what is so confusing to me, is that if the Walmart brothers are still involved in Rapha, why would they shut down the North America offices located in Bentonville, the town they are spending so much money to make the MTB capital of the world? How does that make any sense? And we are not talking about a crazy team of 100 staff members, the VELO news article says the layoffs were 6 out of 8 employees. Were there only 8 employees at Rapha North America? Does the optics damage of shutting down in Bentonville not outweigh the cost to continue the operations for a team of 8 employees if the goal is long term growth of the city of Bentonville within the bike industry? Or does business not work that way? Honestly guys, I don’t have an answer for you. I feel like if I type any more I will get a cease and desist from someone with a 3 letter job description abbreviation so I am just going to go surf. -Mo Awesome

I want to buy Kona Bicycles. If you have been keeping up with Sea Otter news you probably heard that the Kona team made the journey out there only to find out they need to pack up the same day and head home. Company turmoil would follow and it appears their parent company's new CFO wants to sell Kona. Well, I would like to buy it. Why do I want to buy a bike company? The brand Kona means a lot to me and my journey of bicycles. The Kona Mahuna, an entry level hardtail, was actually my first mountain bike I ever had and I rode that thing till every component on it stopped working. But even with all the bent crank arms and blown wheels, the one thing that never let me down was the Kona frame. My first extreme mountain bike ride was one called Push-a-Kona, a ride put on by a local legend in the Cleveland National Forest! The man behind the ride was a huge Kona bicycles fan and even has a tattoo of the brand. The route each year was more brutal than the year previously, and some of my worst times on the bike were on those rides. Think all day type 2 fun, that is where I learned to appreciate the “death march” and fall in love with suffering on a bicycle. Kona to me is more than just a bike brand. It's a company that still has so much soul in its name even though corporate shills have attempted to rob that brand of the energy it possesses. These giant corporations buying out the bike industry are the same ones that pride themselves on excellent PR responses. These empty statements give you a deep look into the blank canvas that is their personalities. Made up titles and roles to make themselves seem larger than life even though at their core they stand for little to nothing. They don’t care about bikes, nature, community, or people, all that is important to them is the path they are on in their own career, and what other brand full of life and energy can they swallow up next. So what would the future of Kona look like to me? Rad bikes that never break. Low bottom brackets and steep seat angles. XC bikes that look like enduro rigs on geo charts, made of alloy, with lifetime warranties. A carbon version of every short travel bike we make, and a "steel is real" ideology to every hardtail. A group of core riders as ambassadors like the legend that put on Push-a-Kona for ten years. If you want a team contract, let's see the Kona tattoo. Community driven campaigns that make you feel like you are buying more than just a bike, you are becoming part of a family of like minded individuals. Think semi cult-ish like vibes without the negative aspects to a cult. And lastly, lots of merch, with the first one being a giant middle finger to Kent Outdoors and every other corporate soulless conglomerate out there with a nice mountain backdrop and an outline of my Kona Mahuna. -Mo Awesome

The final day of the Sea Otter Classic is here and we went there to see what is new in the bike industry in 2024! New bikes and new gear, such a fun time! What is your favorite? See you next year!

We are tired, hungry, and exhausted but Day 4 bike checks from the final day of the Sea Otter Classic are up now! Here are some of our favorites, see you next year! Tyler Cloward wears many hats at ARI bikes, but designing this custom Cascade Peak SX bike that won the dual slalom has to probably be one of his favorites! 5dev has to have had some of the most insane bikes we have ever seen at the Sea Otter classic! Aero is everything! Lawton Denis is one of the raddest kids out there and his Jamis Hardline looks awesome! Nic Nesotroff is the man of the Otter, taking home the gold medal at Dual Slalom! This guys has to be one of the most humble racers at the festival! ARI bikes is crushing it this year! His custom La Sal Peak race bike was the bike of choice for downhill! I promise these 3T guys were more stoked when they were talking about the bikes! Check out this insane paint job! Rocky Mountain Bicycles brining the stoke with their new Altitude! This bike looks so good in person! Can't wait to test it! CEO of Propain showing us that you don't need color to stand out! Wild Rye holding it down for the women and making gravel awesome again! Had to feature Prevelo bikes just in case Hannah and I need anything from there soon! ;) So much tire clearance in this 3T Gravel set up! Fidlock showcasing their classic bottle mount on this Propain Tyee! Sam from Cascade components showing us how blinged out you can make your bike! So many awesome upgrades to this Cannondale! Vittoria showcasing their tires on this XC Wiler race bike! You don't see these everyday here in America! Vitoria also had Wout Van Hart's Tour De France race bike on display! SQ Lab with this Pivot 4 SL with their custom saddle! Madrone Cycles is in the buisness of saving your derailleurs! Their Transition hardtail even features a rebuilt SRAM GX derailleur with their parts! Excited to see where this brand goes! Digit Bikes showing you don't need all those extra linkage parts to make a full suspension bike! See you all next year!

So many awesome bikes at the Sea Otter Classic 2024, we had to do a bike check video! Here are 29 of the most awesome bikes from the festival, what is your favorite?

Day 3 of the Sea Otter Classic 2024 has come and gone and it was a crazy one! While we tried to capture as many bikes as we could today, I have to admit, I got a bit distracted with vehicles! Some awesome rigs out there so enjoy both bikes and trucks! Probably the best looking paint job we saw today, this Trek has us feeling envious! Duke Racing Wheel with one of the coolest Yeti SB140 builds we have seen! Their wheels looks awesome, and coming in at under 1400 grams, we look forward to testing this French brands wheels soon! Polygon with some amazing looking bikes on display! Did someones say downhill? These blue paint jobs are amazing! I have road bike fever and this Cannondale did not help! This is where the truck envy started! This Pink Design Raptor build with a Go Fast Camper and Rig'd bike rack and swing out makes me wonder, am I really over the Raptor? Revel does carbon and metal bikes amazingly! The Revel Tirade looks like a blast to ride! Such clean tubes! Dylan with his custom painted S-works Stumpy that he painted himself! Such an awesome design and lots of rad parts on this build! The Aventon Ramblas starts at $2699 but is full upgradeable! As shown in this rad enduro build that took 3rd at Sea Otter! We need more Omnium bikes!!! Toyo Tires with an awesome Rivian conversion with their new Toyo Open Country's EV tires! Yakima with an awesome Japanese truck mtb conversion! I have been looking at importing one of these, this might have confirmed that decision! Spencer Rathkamps Ford F150 with lots of Thule accessories! Another truck that is high on our list of options for a mtb vehicle! Weight limits don't matter when you are having fun! I'll try and focus on bikes next time, see you tomorrow!