Foes Racing - Sea Otter 2012
This flat black 2013 Foes Racing Hydro had a lot of onlookers stopping in their tracks. Taking its name from its hydroformed tubes, the 8.25'' travel bike receives an updated down tube that also gets the hydroforming treatment (the '12 model used a round tube). The bike's head angle sits at 64 degrees but Foes offers shorter pushrods that can slacken the bike to 63 degrees for steep terrain, or riders can also fit an angle adjusting headset to make further tweaks. Like all of Brent Foes' bikes, the Hydro is manufactured in his California facility.
MSRP for the frame is $2599 USD with a FOX RC4 shock, although riders can spec Cane Creek's Double Barrel for an additional $200. Foes Racing also offers the Hydro with their platform equipped Curnett XTD shock for $3100 USD.
MSRP for the frame is $2599 USD with a FOX RC4 shock, although riders can spec Cane Creek's Double Barrel for an additional $200. Foes Racing also offers the Hydro with their platform equipped Curnett XTD shock for $3100 USD.
Brent Foes has stuck with his single pivot layout through his entire lineup, tweaking the design throughout the years. The result is a very refined looking system that is adjusted accordingly for each bike's intentions - note the massive 3.5'' stroke FOX RC4 shock and burly linkage in the photo above. The 8.25'' travel Hydro employs a low 2.36:1 leverage ratio that should put less stress on the shock while also making tuning easier, and the forward shock mount can be swapped out in order to accomodate the massive Curnett XTD damper.
Foes Racing is also in the process of designing a short travel kit for the Hydro that will reign in the bike's travel to 7''. The kit is still a ways out from being a production item, but riders who are looking for a playful feel from the bike, or those who race on less demanding courses, are the target audience.
Foes Racing is also in the process of designing a short travel kit for the Hydro that will reign in the bike's travel to 7''. The kit is still a ways out from being a production item, but riders who are looking for a playful feel from the bike, or those who race on less demanding courses, are the target audience.
The Hydro was getting quite a bit of attention but there were other new bikes to see as well, including this prototype FXR that is slated for a Fall release. The FXR name isn't new to the lineup, but it may as well be due to its extensive makeover. Designed to tackle a bit more than the shorter travel Shaver, Foes says that the bike has been designed to be fitted with single crown forks for aggressive all-mountain. A price has yet to be decided upon.
The front end of the bike is all new and, much as you'd expect to see on a Foes, undergoes extensive hydroforming. Travel can be set at either 6.3'' or 7'' via two shock mounting positions in the rocker link.
No, there were no 650b bikes to be seen at the Foes Racing booth, but they did have a new 29er version of their Shaver out in the sun. The bike's travel is adjustable to either 5'' or 5.5'' (the 26'' version goes from 5.25'' to 5.75''), and the head angle sits at a relatively slack 68.5 degrees (1.5 degrees steeper than the 26'' Shaver). The chain stays are also a full inch longer at 18'' to accomodate the larger diameter rear wheel, but overall wheelbase remains roughy the same thanks to the steeper head angle. Frame pricing is still being mulled over, but you can expect to see the Shaver 29 be available in the Fall.
Just as found on the Hydro and FXR, the Shaver 29's derailleur hanger does double duty as the nut for the Maxle thru-axle (left). The new bike will also be chain guide friendly thanks to replaceable ISCG-05 chain guide tabs that are also used on the rest of the lineup.
foesracing.com
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I was a bit worried how it would turn out, but it looks great now.
EDIT: Ok, yeah the monster sticker has to go, I was thinking the other huge sticker when I read "monster".
I ride because I love to ride NOT because an energy drink manufacturer tells me it's cool to ride and that's what it should be about...It just seems to me that the message are we sending to the Groms coming into the sport we all love dearly is that the only way to be successful is to be bouncing around with enough caffeine in your system to re-animate dead whales...
These drinks are not healthy and can be extremely damaging to younger bodies if consumed on a daily basis so why are we allowing them to use our beloved sport to push their caffeine overloaded, chemical cocktails to every kid on the planet???
*rant over, steps down off soapbox
why over complicate it just for the sake of making it different?
Hydro with fox RC4 = $2599
Hydro with a curnutt = $3100