The mountain bike industry is seeing a shift in how professional riders engage with brands. A new sports supplement company called North Performance recently launched with a unique ownership model. Instead of relying on traditional sponsorship contracts, the founders brought elite athletes like Brandon Semenuk, Thomas Genon, Brett Rheeder, Loic Bruni, Danny MacAskill, Fabio Wibmer, and Tahnee Seagrave on as co-owners. This change represents a move toward direct athlete involvement in the business side of the cycling world.
This development comes during a busy period for the sport. Other news includes Cypress Mountain receiving approval to reopen its bike park by 2027 and the Life Time Grand Prix revealing its new performance-based qualification format for 2027. Gear tech is also advancing, with new aftermarket dampers from Simons.Lab and high-pivot enduro bikes from Cube hitting the market. Additionally, Red Bull Rampage has confirmed its women's lineup for the October event in Utah.
From competition results to custom bike builds like Dangerholm's sub-20-pound Scott Spark, the sport remains active. Crankworx SilverStar recently wrapped up its series, where riders competed in downhill, slopestyle, and pump track events despite wildfire smoke impacting the final results. These stories represent the current state of racing, event schedules, and product development within the global cycling community.