There are enigmas, and then there are bike designer Brent Foes and suspension guru Charlie Curnutt Jr. Their unique hand-in-glove relationship led to the development of both platform damping and 2:1 shock ratios. Marcus Farley talks to Brent Foes about this remarkable working relationship. But first, he talks to Foes about his first foray into the world of commuter biking.

2010 Pasadena Crown City commuter

The new commuter bike seems, on the face of it, like a huge departure from Foes’ full-suspension norm. “But it comes from the same basic engineering principles that have allowed me to build in variant qualities of ride with the same chosen materials,” he says.

“Optimising the shape of hydroformed aircraft-quality aluminium monocoque, then mating it, with hand-crafted welds, to strong but light Easton 6061 aluminium double-butted tubing with our Foes-designed and milled CNC’d connectors.”

Foes is keen to pitch the bike to the customer who wants “a really special, handmade-in-the-USA commuter bike”. His own design brief was simple: “The way I designed the bike made no concessions on acceleration. In city conditions, a bike must be not just light but agile, and have a subtle small amount of give that makes it comfortable.

“The interesting thing that we found as we developed this frame is that even the very expensive aluminium commuter frames felt pretty much like riding around on a coffee can – hollow, ‘thunk-ish’, crude.

“But our monocoque frame created the perfect combination of lateral stiffness for acceleration and small bump compliance for comfort that I was looking for. The bike is no beach cruiser. It is a responsive city bike for the enthusiast who wants a more upright, retro position.”

Foes decided to shy away from drop bars as, in his experience, “serious commuters find that the road bike position makes it difficult to see traffic and other city hazards, while a more upright position is comfortable and reveals better sightlines”.

UK pricing is expected to be around £1,300-£1,400 for a complete bike with aluminium fork, bar and seatpost, or £1,500-£1,600 with a carbon fork, bar and post. Complete bikes will cost $2,099 and $2,599 respectively in the US, with the frameset at $11,99.

2010 full-suspension

Foes only makes changes when he thinks they are absolutely necessary. For example, for 2010, the only change to the popular 2:1 FXR ‘aggressive mountain’ bike is that it will be available with an optional 150mm x 12mm through-axle rear and a floating brake mount.

The big news is that he is ready to unleash his take on the big-wheeled 29er market, the B-29. “It will feature our 2:1 rear leverage ratio, have four inches of travel and be one stiff son-of-a-gun!” Expect more news soon on this new addition to the Foes line-up, which is set to be unveiled at the Interbike show in Las Vegas in September.

For the not-too-distant future, he’s also working on a new 2:1 DHS Mono downhill bike. “I don’t have anything fleshed out yet, and I don’t want to tell you a whole lot before some test mules have seen a lot of dirt, but I will say that it’ll be lighter and easier to work on,” he says. “Oh… and it’ll be a sick-looking design!”

The Curnutt connection

Foes’ association with the Curnutt family goes back three decades. “I knew Charlie Curnutt Sr when we were racing trucks in Baja and the South-West, and Curnutt shocks were the way to go if you wanted to win in the desert,” he says.

After Foes switched his attention to mountain bikes in 1991, the first person he thought of to make a rear shock for his frame was Charlie Sr. “But he thought it would be better to speak to his son, Charlie Jr about this project,” says Foes. “Junior was building shocks for peewee off-road motorcycles using his patented cavity system. Charlie Jr said this technology would be ideal for a bicycle. We spent close to four years developing this shock to work on my frames.”

The fruits of those labours were so successful that the results are still mimicked by competitors today and, while Foes and Curnutt still work closely together on improving the shocks’ overall performance, they believe that they “have not been able improve on the original platform of the piston-cavity technology” that they worked on over a decade ago.

Foes’ relationship with Curnutt became even more important when Charlie Jr wanted to bring his ideas about lower leverage ratios to Foes’ designs. “We found that by lowering the rear suspension ratio to 2:1 we would reduce stress on the frame overall, and with the lighter spring rates needed we could reduce shock stiction,” says Foes. “Working closely with Charlie on a purpose-built shock for this new design was the key factor in its success.

“Usually when a manufacturer comes up with an idea for a new design it must accommodate the existing shocks on the market. We work the other way around – we build the shock the way we want it and then build the frame around it. This has allowed us to build suspension qualities – like stable platform – into the shock and retain the use of the single-pivot design.”

Sticking with the single pivot

Foes’ continued use of single pivot designs is purely functional. He believes that it is “the stiffest design, bar none”. “Mating it with the 2.1 shock ratio, we have eliminated the need for multiple pivots, links, dog legs or anything else that wants to flex,” he says.

So, does that mean stiffness is more important than how the bike tracks the ground? Foes says it is important to distinguish between stiffness and small bump compliance/plushness.

“Perhaps it’s just my vernacular, but I speak about frames and their elements in terms of ‘stiffness’ and suspension in terms of ‘compliance’, as well as platform, damping and bottoming resistance,” he says. “To me they are not the same thing, and confusing the two can lead to confused handling, acceleration and braking.

“This is one reason why we try to design our frames around a high-performance shock and fork, and not the other way around. We try to build in lateral rigidity – stiffness, if you will – into the front triangle, rear triangle and the connection between them. Then, the entire suspension – placement of the single pivot, shock, fork and leverage ratios – can be optimised for the type of riding the bike will see.

“These two different things, frame rigidity and suspension compliance, done well and working in tandem create a high-performance bicycle.”

Factory team

Foes Racing is a small, tightly knit team based in Pasadena, California. Foes hand-fabricates his frames and shocks with the support of a three-man team: an engineer, a master machinist who makes connectors for frames and a Curnutt-trained shock builder.

He has two master welders whom he intermittently employs, but for the most part if you buy a Foes frame, Foes himself welded it. He makes sure to weld every single monocoque top tube.

In terms of support staff, there is a head technician – who assembles and straightens frames, and prepares everything that leaves the facility – and a brand manager – who acts as general manager – plus some clean-up and shipping guys. Keeping everything ticking over is marketing director Margot Core.

Form over function

As an ex-racer, Foes says he builds bikes from a racer’s perspective. “I got into bike building because I like to be hands-on in fabrication work, trying new ideas, challenging others and working on suspension,” he says. “This comes from years of building off-road trucks and racing them. It’s the same show – just a different venue.”

So, what does Foes feel that bike racers want? “To me, serious competitors want the highest function, longevity and least amount of maintenance from their equipment – even at the cost of its form.”

However, that is not to say that form isn’t important to him. “Over the years, I have found it to be very easy to develop striking designs around the technology that works the best,” he says. The secret, he believes, is not to fight the function.

“I just let the design inspire me to create something beautiful around it,” he says. “My philosophy hasn’t changed much from when I first started 17 years ago. I like a frame that is rigid, simple (in the number of pivot points) and built around a high-performance suspension. I prefer to use monocoque designs because it serves these points well – its strength, weight and ability to take on any shape being excellent.”

Credit crunch

Foes comes across as an incredibly positive guy. His enthusiasm and passion is evident in everything he does. He’s definitely your archetypal glass-half-full type, keeping up his positive outlook even when we discuss the credit crunch.

“I know everybody is feeling the hard times right now but you know that we’ll work our way out of it and get back to normal,” he says. “I still work just as hard as I always have, and I try to think positive – things could be worse.”

Steve Peat is the stuff of legend. And while he seems to have been around forever—16 years is a long time to be racing at the World Cup level—he’s certainly not slowing down with age. He already has two World Cup wins this year and last week he added yet another Downtown Lisbon title to his trophy case (he’s won the event 8 times). Bike Magazine recently talked to Steve Peat about this season, and what we can expect from him in the future.

Even more remarkable is the consistency Peaty has shown throughout his career: in 81 World Cup starts, the man from Yorkshire, England, has stood on the podium 49 times, with an unprecedented 17 victories. No one, not even the great Nicolas Vouilloz, can match that.

More bike photos and videos at www.bikemag.com

Just as important is the character Peaty exhibits. He has two young children (he delivered the latest addition this spring in the back of the family Volvo en route to the hospital), and always has time for a word with fans or a pint of beer. He has mentored up-and-coming talent like Brendan Fairclough and Josh Bryceland. And he was the first rider to console a ragged Sam Hill immediately following the Andorra World Cup last month.

So what makes this man tick? How, at 35 years old, does he keep that edge? With two wins in the bag for the 2009 season, how does he deal with the mounting pressure to do well? And how is he approaching this weekend’s race in Fort William, Scotland—a race on his home track where he could deliver a third-consecutive World Cup victory.

Bikemag: You’ve been on an absolute tear lately—what gives?

Peaty: I have just been racing my bike, mate. I think the pressure is off because I didn’t train well and have to look after our new baby.

Not much training? How’s that?

I wasn’t too intent on doing well at the beginning of the season. I knew we had the baby coming and wanted to put some time to the side to help my wife. I still did bits of training but more “as” and “when” instead of structured.

So deep breathing exercises at the Lamaze classes, and not much else?

Good old-fashioned Peaty prep really; I know the stuff that makes me feel good and although I didn’t train too hard, I did the right things by the looks of it. I also had help from Sheffield Hallam Uni in the S&C suite.

Sheffield Hallam Uni?

Sheffield Hallam Uni is a huge university in Sheffield and it has state-of-the-art fitness and fitness-testing facilities. They also have sport physiologists, altitude rooms, S&C (strength and core) coaches…you name it, they have it. They helped me out mainly with S&C sessions to help build strength, but I also got help from Dr. Robert Copeland on the sports psyche stuff.

As a dedicated family man, how difficult is it to be both a father and an elite racer—especially with a newborn?

It’s damn hard to pack a bag and get on a plane these days. My wife has a lot to deal with when I am away, so it plays on my mind a lot and I get home ASAP after an event.

What’s more difficult in regards to having a family: Knowing your wife is alone to manage things, especially with to kids now, or being away from your newborn?

Both, I miss all three of them when I am away. I can be gone for only three days and the baby has grown; it’s tough.

With Fort William on deck, are you feeling any extra pressure to perform based on your recent success?

Yes. You can’t win a race one week and not have people  expect you to win again; it’s all part of the job. Some pressure is good pressure, though, and I believe people expecting me to win is a good pressure.

Speaking of wins, you’ve “owned” Lisbon for eight consecutive years. How the hell do you do it?

Going fast in the finals…. Can’t give away too much about that race!

Is your preparation for World Cup racing any different from a national race?

Yes, certainly different. I can lift my game when the time is right because I have been doing it for so long. Nationals don’t matter to me as much these days, but I will still give them a good go when I hear the beeps.

In Andorra, when you saw Sam Hill’s second split, you must have known he had crashed and you had the victory, which would make you the all time winningest DH racer.

I didn’t really know I had won until a few people told me I had it. And I’m not one of those riders who like to celebrate before the last guy has crossed the line; I think it’s a little arrogant. That’s why I waited for Sam to get his bike home before I allowed myself to celebrate. It didn’t even cross my mind that I had beaten Nico’s record at the time, but it did feel good afterwards.

Downhill racing is the ultimate solo mountain bike race. It’s just you versus the clock. But you’re part of a team at the same time. How has this team structure helped you succeed this year?

We are a group of like-minded people on the Syndicate. We work well together and have each other’s backs when needed. However, downhill is such a mental sport and the pressure to produce a winning run means you have to get selfish when the beeps start. To be honest, I don’t think about how Greg or Josh will do in their runs; I just focus on my run and obviously want to stand on top of the podium at the end of the day. If Greg and Josh are on the podium with me, it makes me way happier.

Dylan Tremblay recently took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for all us mountain bikers who frequent Pain Inc. Read on to learn all about what Dylan has been up to this winter, and what his plans are for 2008… Don’t worry, there’s plenty more!

General Rider BIO: Age, place you call home, bike set up, favorite place to ride, favorite trick, etc.

I’m 26; my home is ever changing, sleeping in trucks, couches or high atop random buildings.  I’m house-sitting for my mom right now, which is going pretty well, taking care of a very needy dog and diabetic cat who needs an insulin hit twice a day, good times…I have been spending my last 6 winters on Vancouver Island, and usually make my way up to the Kootnay’s once the snow has melted there.  Usually my summer is pretty busy with bike events, festivals and film trips.  My favorite place to ride has got to be Nelson, BC– the town where I grew up and learned how to ride.  I have been riding the trails there since I was about 14-15 yrs old, and I miss them when I’m away.  There’s also some good street spots to sesh, and a dirt jumping place called ‘witches’ that me and Riley begun building many years ago, lots of locals go there to dig and ride!  My Fav tricks are probably tables, 360’s and the fufanu!  This is because I’ve been doing them forever.  I learned things backwards when I was a younger and could do spin tricks before taking my limbs off. My fav part of riding is being out in the woods, alone or else with some friends cruising and flowing the trails. This is what got me into it in the beginning; I could just leave everything, and melt away any stresses I had from school or home life.  All I needed was my bike, and we would go wander through the hills or mountains for hours at a time. Through the years I’ve branched off and learned some street tricks, dirt jumping and some trials/BMX tricks. I just love bikes, and the variety of riding it can bring me.  My bike setup is always pretty simple– I don’t get too fancy or worried about weight issues.  As long as the bike pedals and the brakes work I’m happy

What are you doing this winter, once riding takes a few months off, or does it?

Ya I don’t usually ride much this time of year, usually working some random job and trying to save up for another summer of being a bike bum…  I spend a lot of my time hiking and looking for new zones for building.  My first trail is almost done, which I have put a few hundred hours into — I really like how it turned out. I have yet to ride the whole line yet due to crappy weather this winter, but soon enough I’ll be testing it out and hopefully surviving.  The first major obstacle on the trail is a wallride drop, which has been in my head for weeks and I really wanted to hit it. I was working full time at the mill, and one day on a lunch break I jumped in my truck, drove to my trail and hit up by myself, after psyching myself out a bit.. Well, things didn’t work out as I planned and I ended up casing and going over the bars landing down in the woods somewhere, so I hiked my broken body back up to the top, jumped in my truck and made it back to work just in time, along with a hurt shoulder…   Body is pretty beat up after years of abuse and not allowing injuries to heal, so I’ve been spending lots of time stretching and rehabbing body parts at the gym… Thanks to Body Sculpture Gym for all the help!   I’ve never consistently ridden through a whole year… I’m usually lucky to get 6 months of riding in… I put lots of time into building, especially last winter where I was working full time and building every weekend, so I didn’t have much time to ride. I hope this winter that all my hard work pays off and Ill be riding more and ripping my trail

My ankles has finally been getting better, I originally hurt it a week or so before Drop In TV started, as well as twisting my knee…  I was pretty set on skipping out on the tour, and letting my injury heal and accepting a job offer, but I couldn’t resist missing out on the 5^th season, especially for the fact we were going to tour the states this time. It’s not easy being a cripple on tour, I was on crutches for a few weeks then went to the cane and slowly worked my way back into riding the bike, with about a pound of tape on my ankle to support it. I’m glad I made the decision to go, despite not being able to ride much, I was able to travel to parts of the US I’ve only dreamed about visiting.  I was able to sit back and watch a slew of new riders destroy every spot we went too.  Progression was the name of the game, seeing guys practicing there tricks in whistler at the foam dome, then unleashing them shortly after on Dirt…

Well another summer riding on the Drop In bus, how did you manage that for a 5^th season straight?

Well its scares me too think that I’ve spent almost a year on that bus all together…haha. It’s tough giving up your home and job to go on tour where you make no income, and you come home to nothing, but for some reason I have put myself in that position 5 years in a row, so I must like it.  I love the feeling off getting away and exploring, it’s been part of my life since I started XC racing all over Canada back in the day. I still get a kick out of it. I’ve learned a lot about myself and others on these trips. Lots of good friends and connections as well as unforgettable memories I can tell my grand children about. The hardest part is always coming home to nothing, no cash, and your body is beat and broken from such a long tour.  My body has become so accustomed to the bus and the people on it, and then suddenly it’s all taken away and you need to get back to the real world ASAP.. I’ve been living the dirt bad lifestyle for awhile now,  and it’s definitely wearing on my mind and body, but it’s what I have to do to feed my addiction and be part of a sport I love so much. This season was especially difficult as I was hurt before during and after… I never really had a chance to ride much on the trip due to a bad ankle injury.  Mentally it was really tough for me to sit back and watch everyone shred and have a good time—it was really tough not being able to ride, and when you do finally get on the bike, the camera’s are on you, and you have to figure out how to ride the thing again, haha.  Oh ya, haah, did I mention the mold growing in the old stinky bus that gave me the cough and sickness from hell!  I remember at one point I think everyone on that bus was sick and coughing– noses running, haha, good times! I’m sure the lack of finding anywhere nutritious to eat in the US helped too

If you had to choose your favorite season riding for Drop In, what would it be, and why?

Any season with Shawn Denny!  Him and I go way back… He’s really inspired me in many ways as a rider, and person in general… Way back when I was in high school there was a free room in the house I was living in, and he had just moved to Nelson and I offered him the room.  Before it knew it, he moved in and we were building a trials course in the backyard.  We spent countless hours riding the backyard, and watching biking video’s talking shit, haha  Each season has been so different though, and I don’t think I could choose just one, for me there’s been lots of up’s and down on  all the tours, many memories that have forever faded.  Just remember 8 guys, one bus, 3 months…

How has riding for Transition Bikes changed your riding style?

I just love the company and everyone involved.  I contacted them last spring as I was just doing my own thing working lots and not really pursuing sponsorships. I browsed their site one day and immediately fell for the Double, TOP, among other bikes in their lineup.  Soon after I made a trip to Van for the bike expo and chatted with Kevin and the transition family and was set on working with them.  There line of bikes covers all bases, which is what I’m all about… I’m also really specific with my bikes geometry and their bikes have my ideal geometry, and I feel like home on them–they give me the confidence I need while riding

Who’s your most influential rider?

I would have to say Mike Escamilla…When I saw him in a video like 8 years ago, all I wanted to do was fufanu, 180 and 360 like him.. Soon after learning the 360 off stairs I wanted to bring it too a drop, that bring me way back to like 2001 before people were doing that. Riders in all aspects of riding have inspired in so many ways.

In your mind, what’s the best part about traveling around riding your bike?

Well I’ve always been sort of a gypsy.  So it suits my lifestyle… I like the changes it brings me, something new and exciting every day.  Getting to see all these places thanks to my bike is pretty amazing too. I never thought it would be a tool I used to explore the world. I’ve always dreamed of traveling the world as an Archeologist, so I guess my dream has kind of come true, my bike is my tool which I explore these places by looking for unique spots to use it on.  Now I just need a way to continue this amazing life and make a living while I’m at it!   

What kind of tech support does a professional mountain biker, like yourself, require at events, or on tour?

I don’t really require any tech support, as I do most of my mechanical work, which is sometimes questionable, but it gets me going usually.  My sponsors help me out with most of the parts on my bike, so that keeps the costs down and the bikes running smooth.

Several years back, your 360’d off a sand cliff in Fort Shepard, BC. How do you feel that trick influenced the mountain bike industry?

Well I first learned to 360 on flat, and off curbs and stuff, always in my mind was bringing it to the mountains somewhere.. I knew fort shepperd was the spot to do it, it had been in my mind for awhile, as I visualized what I had to do.  I stuck it first try and and went up and did it again.  I also did my first and last barspin drop that day!  Ya that takes me way back –probably 01/02 I think. I was pretty stoked because I had not seen anyone do those tricks off drops before.  My goal was always to bring the skills I learned on street and jumps to the mountains, and I’m happy to be seeing more of it in our sport now.  It’s amazing seeing that trick off of every obstacle now a days, I always found it easier then a 360 of a jump.  It’s a standard trick now, being executed off some pretty big drops, definitely one of my fav tricks to watch… People have mastered it, and soon we’ll see lots of variations with it, and possibly the 720 drop soon…

What are your season plans looking like for 2008? Another Drop In tour, riding and traveling, competitions.

I’m working on my tentative schedule now; I’m trying to work right now and save some cash so my summer will be free.  I have some film trips lined up as well as some events I want to attend.  I’m also working on an idea which would keep me busy during the summer when it all comes together… I will hopefully be letting you know more about this soon!

What trails do you enjoy to ride in your home town?? Shuttling, Skateparks?

The Hammerfest DH has everything you would ever want in DH course, fast, fun and flowy.  We shuttle forbidden plateau on weekends, which is a good rip, a few stunts and drops… My friend Dharma Joe has spent a whole lot of time and money building a  backyard full of hips and jumps.  A good skatepark session is always nice, and I like to bring out the skateboard too whenever possible.  Skateboarding was my first passion and I like to dabble with it from time to time.  I like it because they are small and convenient to carry around. One winter awhile back I spent a month hitchhiking around and visiting friends all over BC and Alberta, just me and my skateboard sessioning random spots around BC and Alberta. We found a cool abandoned house that was turned into a ghetto street park, we lit a bunch of candles and sessioned for hours   I had no bike at the time, so the skateboard took it’s place temporarily..  Soon enough I was back on my beloved bicycle!

What would you suggest to any up and coming freeriders in order to be successful in mountain biking

Well these days it’s easy finding a rider with skills, it seems like every kid is tailwhipping and flipping the jumps down the street.  So a lot of it comes down to attitude and personality.  So just enjoy the sport for what it is–a tool to enjoy and have fun with, a way to explore places and stay physically active. It’s a sport that more or less has taken over my life. I’ve dedicated my life towards it. I’ve put work, jobs and my future on the sideline just so I can ride professionally.   

Now that you’re an accomplished rider, what kind of goals do you have?

Well like I mentioned I’m working on an idea that my years of experience and exposure will help me with.  I’m gong to continue to build and search for my perfect trail. Trail building is one of my passions; I get a lot out of creating something unique for me and my riding, and hopefully inspiring people alike.

Anyone you want to say a shout out too?

Thanks to all my friends and family for looking after me when I’m hurt, down and out. Big thanks to my sponsors for keeping my bikes and gear fresh! Mom and Dad of course for driving me places, letting me mooch of you and living my so called dream.  Thanks to Transition, Race Face, Adidas, Hayes, Straitline Components, Idun, 661, Lizard Skins, SDG USA, and Dakine. Alson, thanks to whomever I forgot, you know who you are.. .Oh ya, and thanks to that girl who bought me and Super T (Tyler Klassen) all those Jager shots that one night, I blacked out and woke up in a strange place, haha!

mitch@painincorporated.com