Seen at Crankworx: Jon Buckell's Foes 2014 DH Hydro

Aug 15, 2013 at 15:25
by Richard Cunningham  

Jon Buckell was on the latest iteration of the Foes DH Hydro. In the fashion of Foes Racing, the chassis is aluminum with a hydroformed frame member that incorporates the top tube, upper shock mount and seat tube brace. The scissor linkage that has been the hallmark of Foes' single-pivot rear suspension is gone, replaced by a pair of driver links that connect the upper swingarm with the rocker that drives a long-stroke 10.5 x 3.5-inch, Fox RC4 shock. The mid-height swingarm pivot has been moved back slightly from previous models and Jon put the head angle at 63.5 degrees with his rear-suspension setup. With Jon's Marzocchi Triple-8 fork, the bike's suspension was super plush - a plus, says the Team Incycle rider, for handling Whistler Mountain's ever-growing network of braking bumps and bomb craters. For the present, Foes will stick with 26 inch wheels for its flagship DH racer.

Foes DH Hydro 2014 side shot
  A nearly headless Jon Buckell poses with the 2014 version of Foes' DH Hydro. The 26-inch-wheel chassis operates on a low-leverage shock linkage that produces a 2.7 to 2.1-to-one ratio - resulting in a slight rising rate over its 215-millimeter rear-wheel travel.


Foes DH Hydro details
  (From left)The DH Hydro's monocoque aluminum front section forms a rigid box section to keep the bike's front end tracking well. A look at the suspension linkage shows the pair of driver links between the upper swingarm and the beefy aluminum rocker link. Foes uses a special nut that indexes into the rear dropout. The CNC-machined aluminum nut fixes the 12-millimeter through axle and doubles as a sturdy derailleur hanger.


The new DH Hydro looks good. Buckell will race the DH events with it at Crankworx, in preparation for a trip to South America where he will be racing in Ecuador. Downhill events are becoming extremely important in South America, so expect some new faces on the World Cup circuit in the near future - and more North American races to make the journey South to get in on the action.

Foes Racing

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189 Comments
  • 328 23
 2005 called, they want their design back
  • 32 13
 probably the last year I wanted a Foes. Every story I've heard about Foes has been negative, from riders, to reps, to shops. It's crazy that they think their prices are reasonable for a single pivot bike.
  • 21 8
 Exactly why i said it, I wasted a lot of money on one of these once. never again.
  • 68 16
 Kill it before it lays eggs!
  • 33 6
 poor foes... hahaha
  • 22 36
flag mnorris122 (Aug 15, 2013 at 19:19) (Below Threshold)
 It may be beyond ugly, but Foes has a rep for building great bikes
  • 8 12
flag RideItAll (Aug 15, 2013 at 20:45) (Below Threshold)
 Huh, you must be some kind of expert Pinkbike Internet-engineer!
  • 31 2
 It's actually pretty simple, not much engineering required to see how it works... Looks like a decent 92 lbs freeride bike though.
  • 36 5
 You people are so full off shit its leaking from your ears.
  • 5 3
 I have to agree it does look almost exactly like the 2005 model......It's kinda a cool bike but i'm not to impressed......I think i'm just partial to red.
  • 17 4
 Every world cup this year has been won on a single pivot bike. All but one aluminum.
  • 11 17
flag jkipp (Aug 16, 2013 at 0:05) (Below Threshold)
 Uh mecabeat, GT uses an I drive suspension which isn't single pivot, same with Stevie's devinci which incorporates split pivot which isn't single pivot......... I'm pretty sure they've both won some world cups......
  • 13 0
 Idrive is a single pivot suspension design, there is just one bar between the frame and rear axle. Split pivot is the same in that way, the shock is actuated via a linkage, and for the GT there are some bars moving the BB around, but the suspension is a single pivot one.
  • 15 0
 @jkipp: Nope, they are both single pivot designs, just with some bling around it to help eliminate some of the problems of traditional single pivot bikes, but both are single pivot bikes, just like the TR450 or Nukeproof Pulse.
  • 6 3
 Bullet proof...NOT!
They told me it could never break at that point.
Overall...FOES has always been a.... Pretty tough company to deal with.
Picture is worth 1000 words!!

m.sugar.sugar.pinkbike.com/photo/9578681
  • 7 0
 www.pinkbike.com/photo/9578682
  • 6 0
 The Devinci Wilson, I own a 2013, is a single pivot with a linkage driven shock. The split pivot is in the rear drop out and does not change the fact that the suspension is a single pivot. The split pivot chainstay is basically a floating brake arm.
  • 8 0
 why the hate on single pivots? they are no worse than any other design and most of the time better because its easier to dial in your shock with one. MX bikes are linkage actuated single pivots and their suspension is a hell of a lot better than most mtb designs.
  • 7 0
 @Sanchez: You're very correct. No hate for the single pivots from me. It's been my preferred sus since my Santa Cruz Super 8 10yrs ago. Add a control link for dialing in leverage ratio. Add the split pivot & the problem of brake jack is solved. Single pivots rule!!
  • 3 4
 looks better than that Pivot Frankinsuspension bike. I would buy the Foes before the new Pivot turd.
  • 4 0
 ask all the heckler, butcher, nickel, bullit owners if they hate their single pivot bikes.
  • 1 5
flag ka-brap (Aug 16, 2013 at 8:08) (Below Threshold)
 i hated my Bullit... I had so many issues with it ghost shifting on me and pedal feedback... no thanks to a straight up single pivot
  • 6 0
 Not all single pivots are created equally. If you nail the leverage ratio and pivot placement then you've got a winner. Brake jack? Get off the brakes or learn when to brake and when not to!
  • 4 1
 Yes, not all pivots are created equal. Some are pretty good, others not so much. However, Foes' thinking they can charge their prices for a single pivot, is insane. All those Santa Cruz single pivots referenced further up? They were all created either A: before Santa Cruz made anything else, or B: as an affordable alternative to their VPP bikes.
  • 9 0
 I'm sorry, do you all not realize the Scott Gambler is single pivot. So is the Orange 322. Nukeproof Pulse is too. Xprezo Furax is single pivot. Funny thing is, people who ride these bikes rave about how they handle chatter and more extreme terrain. Foes' bike uses a MORE tunable shock linkage, in that simply swapping the driver link can change the head angle, bb height, and seat angle. Don't listen to me though, keep riding whatever looks cooler or has a suspension system with the longest acronym.
  • 2 1
 does anyone think that any of the current designs on the market are that different from a single pivot? The FSR (for example) is nothing special, definitely no better than a well tuned SP. Same does for the split pivots.
  • 7 0
 all that we've proven here is that pinkbikers are suckers for and victims of marketing and think they are riding something from the godam future.
  • 2 1
 commencal won a wc this year too .. im not sure if thats single pivot though
  • 1 0
 ^ yes it is
  • 1 0
 The tazmon too, I forgot about that classic
  • 1 0
 C'mon sugar, don't insult me. I'm a nice guy Big Grin
  • 2 0
 And my bullit was bullit proofWink hence the name. I just needed more travel.. So I got a v10cBig Grin
  • 3 2
 i dont care what you guys say, that bike looks great. what i would give for one. nicely done Foes
  • 1 1
 thats 2014 looks more like 2010
  • 1 0
 i loved my foes uit was way etter than my socom now but i cracked it my buddy has this same bike with same fork and shit too it is a really good bike and he shock works better than anything else out there.
  • 1 0
 im not a crazy rider so i dont think i would crack it but i have broken more than my share of deraillers and derailler hangers
  • 45 5
 F'in Pinkbike. The only place where Made in US hand crafted frames for 2k are overpriced and stamped out carbon Taiwanese frames are "reasonable" at 4k+.
  • 17 9
 Being hand crafted in Taiwan is better than being hand crafted in the USA, that's why. I wouldn't buy one if it was $1000, because it's low tech and it looks shit. Back in '92 I would have given my toenails for a Foes original, because back then they were groundbreaking and awesome. This one just looks ten years out of date. I mean, who cares about monocoque aluminium any more? It isn't cool, it doesn't look good, what's the point? Give me some hydroformed tubes with double pass welds or better still, carbon.

I can't understand why anyone would be prepared to spend money on something low tech and ugly just because of false pride over where it's made. Unless you genuinely care about the economy in your home country of course, and believe that you can make a difference by buying this bike. If that is the case, I salute anyone who buys one. As for me, I want to buy the best product at the best price, wherever it's made (except not China, because they are stealing the Taiwanese economy and the Taiwanese government is helping them).
  • 8 8
 Taiwanese built is much better, generally, that USA made. They have the tooling and expertise that doesn't exit on this side of the pond. That's a fact
  • 3 1
 i'm all for being patriotic, but you get what you pay for, in most cases anyway.
  • 2 1
 I agree with most points except jaame's point about monocoque construction. monocoque construction is proven to be one of the lightest, strongest, stiffest and most material efficient ways to produce a construct receiving multiple dynamic loads. that is a fact be it in bike construction, Fomula 1 chassis, aircraft, powerboats, made off aluminium or carbon. so many pinkbikers think that reading a trek leaflet or going on specialized website makes them an instant engineer. hydroforming and monocoque construction are 2 ways to the same goal, getting material where its wanted and not where it isn't.
  • 3 0
 technically all bikes frames are considered a "monocoque" construction when classically defined as a structure that carries the load on its outer skin. This is what bike tubes generally do.
  • 3 1
 I'm not saying monocoque is shit, I'm saying it isn't cool any more. If I spend a month's salary on a bike, I want it to look cool as shit.
  • 40 2
 Man, that is one big black shock
  • 5 5
 FYI same shock is on Devinci Wilson.
  • 1 0
 Looks like a better dirt bike
  • 1 1
 and scott gambler
  • 21 3
 Brent Foes has not followed trends. He has created them. There are many DH rigs out there that are modern copies of what he was doing years ago.
  • 10 2
 Nailed it
  • 10 2
 Not feeling all this abuse on Foes. My mate snapped something on his 2004 DHS mono, messaged Brent directly over facebook, Brent replied with contact details and advice within a day. Not sure there are many company owners who'd go that far for an old bike?
  • 2 1
 I just picked up an older Foes Fly. I had some questions and needed some parts, so I emailed them directly and they have been extremely helpful in my case. Everyone has their opinion and every experience is different, but so far I'm pumped on the bike and service I have received.
  • 22 5
 That is one bad ass DH plow machine
  • 8 4
 They sound like a bucket of tin cans going down the hill!
  • 17 7
 FOES IS A TERRIBLE COMPANY, No response on a warranty issue for months, then they just re-welded a huge chunk of aluminium over where it cracked, theres a reason none of the shops carry this bullshit product anymore, small companies with terrible customer service have zero place in this industry
  • 6 0
 amen!
  • 14 5
 Got a Hydro. This is the real deal. Plush ride and amazing amount of grip makes this a very fast bike. The long-throw shock is there for a reason. Everything is easiely servciceable. Lots of practical details: rotating hanger, replaceable ISCG, various length pushrods. Hydroforming, framelayout is functional and not a styling excercise.
Springrate is extremely low, front and back, testament to the suspension action, you don t need the esoteric knobs on your shocks to make the Hydro behave.
Foes knows what he is doing.

p.vitalmtb.com/photos/users/22571/setup_checks/20691/photos/12114/s1600_DSC4571.jpg?1372340231
  • 5 1
 It does look pretty awesome in that raw finish. Like some kinda robot.
  • 2 1
 Thanks.
  • 2 1
 It does. look pretty badass!!
  • 14 2
 Congrats buddy ,Southern Cali representing !
  • 15 6
 Are you kiding guys??!!!, Foes is an excellent brand!!! Yes they are expensive, yes they are heavy and al monopivots too, but please, still f...king awesome. No one here remeber the first time you saw a Foes!!?
  • 11 0
 No mater how much i don't like it, it's still way better then mine.
  • 10 1
 seriously whats that thing weigh? I know it's DH and hell I don't give two shits about weight on my 5.5" bike but that thing looks HUGE, or that dude is really really skinny.
  • 35 13
 They come in around 38 pounds, like most DH Race bikes. Buckell weighs about 145. The Hydro is the real deal. Brent Foes has been in the DH game since before most PB riders were on training wheels. Cred?
  • 23 16
 This is the stupidest argument ever. The bike's design, much like Brent Foes' glory days, are so far in the past it isn't even funny. Who gives a shit how long a company has been around for if they can't evolve with the times?
  • 4 5
 Didn't you run into Foes in the foothills of Cali while he was riding one of his first ever built bikes? You basically discovered him. Pretty cool story if true.
  • 15 3
 RC,

Honestly, Brent Foes did have cred. Which he systematically destroyed, and it's all been customer service/satisfaction that caused it. shops ordering bikes, not getting them for 9+ months. Owners having bikes that repeatedly fail in the exact same spot, which then takes 9 months to get a replacement part. All the while, charging prices that beggar belief, and leaving their sales reps out in the cold to try to explain the problems. While the design is certainly a concern in this day of complicated suspension linkages, it's not really a deal breaker until you see the price tag, and compare it to what those dollars will buy you from another brand that doesn't have the negative reputation Foes does.
  • 13 13
 There are many DHers who rode a Foes at one stage of their careers. Many of them went on to factory sponsorship and became some of the world's fastest riders. Publicly, they will say "My [insert current ride here] is the best DH bike ever.", but very privately, they will say their Foes was the best DH bike ever.

And you can all thank Brent Foes for the low-speed damping in your shocks.
  • 6 2
 That tallies exactly with my experiences with Foes owners: the only ones who were happy were sponsored riders.
  • 6 3
 Until I see a photo of it on the scales, there is no way I will believe that thing is 38 pounds: 888s, a huge shock, a huge steel spring... None of these parts tend to be found on 38 pound race bikes.
  • 4 4
 no way 38lbs
  • 9 2
 My 2011 Hydro weighs 38lbs. These frames are no where near as heavy as people seem to think. Im not a sponsored rider and I love the bike and am extremely happy with Foes. I will be replacing mine with a 2014 Hydro frame soon!
  • 2 0
 My guess on the weight of THIS build is 41 or 42lbs. The Bontrager wheels are heavy, the Sain/Zee drivetrain is middle of the road weight wise, but very durable. An XO build with modern wheels, or other similar options would get you well under 40lbs.
  • 9 3
 The Hydro comes in at about $300 less than the latest/greatest, Taiwanese, milti-pivoting, super link of the moment, some marketing team convinced you was gonna make you faster this time, DH frame. ...Not that it should though.
And how is Foes' hand making frames in the US for 20+ years somehow a BAD thing?
  • 14 2
 being made in the USA isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't AUTOMATICALLY make it a great thing either.
  • 4 0
 Exactly my take - the eastern factories are just bringing new frames for the sake of marketing pig cylce to market. No real invention and no real understanding makes them a shallow product. The western stickerbrands go along and pick catalog bikes and slightly customise as not to upset cost-unit and overinflate customerpricing. Greeddriven. Intense, Foes, Knolly and some others do better and have iterative design cycle, over a period of four or five product cycles they incrementally improve the design. That is why those bikes work better than Treks, Specs and all the other China inc massmarketbikes. Hard work, engineer-biker and superior thinking gives superior products. I prefer to give my dollars to local makers and not support the Walmart principle.
  • 7 1
 Foes haters gone wild! Don't mind the fact that these are handcrafted in california and they are still less $$ than the china crap being pushed by mega bike companies. Don't mind the fact that foes set many of the trends still being followed by the rest of the industry. U probably have seen pics of broken foes cuz a lot of the hardest riders rock them. All bikes will break when pushed hard enough. U dont see many stories of busted 8k spesh frames cuz it's 99.9% yuppies who ride a pavement grade single track 1 day on month on those bikes. Ive never owned a foes but been around tons of really fast hard chargers on them over my 20 years of riding and most guys seem to love them.
  • 3 1
 I have been to the mega evil Specialized headquarters and seen how much R&D and testing they do (for theirs and for most of the bike industry as well) and would comfortably say they pump more money and testing hours into their frames than Foes can.
  • 9 1
 ka-brap, you don't get his point 'cause you ain't been around long enough, go find some old MBA magazines and do your homework. Brent Foes and crew basically invented the whole long travel AM trail bike movement. He was pushing the 'one bike' philosophy in the 90's when everyone else thought only a dedicated DH rig should have more than 4 inches of travel. My first decent bike was a '96 Stumpjumper, but the bike everyone wanted was the Weasel, nothing else came close to it. Was lucky enough to own an '06 FXR 2:1, loved that bike. Climbed better than my Heckler, and handled better bombing back down. The faster you went the more stable it felt, they're not called Curnutt 'Racing Shocks' for nothing.

Look at this young privateer, with his second best Zee derailleur and 2011 Evo Ti triple clamps (I have the same 66's on my VP-Free, they're fkn insane), this is what mtb is all about, not the corporations who use the sport as a vehicle to enrich their shareholders. The Foes Slammer was the privateer's DH rig of choice back in the day, and I'm sure Foes has a bright future ahead with new bikes which continue their great tradition of innovative design. Keep up the good work Foes.
  • 1 0
 For starters, I bought by first GT XCR 4000 in '99 so I have been around plenty and am all about supporting privateer racing- my buddy from the USA is over here in Europe racing world cups and IXS, so I know exactly what you are referring to. And Specialized is still a privately controlled company, without shareholders. Looks like you need to do your own homework.
  • 3 0
 No, you still have no idea, we're talking apples and oranges here. Besides that, the GT XCR 4000 is not a classic bike, not even close mate.
  • 1 0
 Never said it was a classic, just informing you that I have been around long enough. You are just assumed since my join date is relatively new that I am new to mountain biking or this thing called pinkbike.
  • 3 1
 I was not trying to single out specialized, but yes they are evil. They price gouge based on marketing hype. They use cheap overseas labor to inflate their massive profit margins. I work in American manufacturing, and yes it can be done but not with the same profit margins because the worker in america demands respect. Foes is a small, innovative company that could have been massive if they had used their name to set up factories in china, but they chose to do the right thing and stay local. Also, sad to see that with all that R&D money spesh still cant seem to build a decent race bike...
  • 1 0
 yeah, bikes that land on the podium of a world cup are decent at all...
  • 12 3
 Foes is fo hoes
  • 9 1
 is that a trophy truck rear shock?, lol, either way I still like Foes.
  • 2 1
 strangely that rear shock is the same size as the wilson's but it looks insanely huge
  • 1 0
 The Gambler uses that length too, but they both hide it well compared to this hey?
  • 2 0
 curnutt started making off road racing suspension so you are technically correct, you can get the hydro with a trophy truck spec shock lol
  • 9 3
 It wasn't hard to guess what kind of comments this would be getting: smart@sses clowning, loyal owners defending, peeved owners hating.
  • 8 1
 i love how the comments are all jokes
  • 2 4
 ... just like the design :O
  • 4 0
 Wow, what a bunch of divas on PB. It "Looks Ugly", "Dated Technology", "Same ol' same ol'", yada yada whatever. I'm surprised you're not bitching about the looks of airplanes, trucks, or the actual monitors you look at
  • 7 4
 It looks like a generic dh bike. I bet if you somehow did a blind test between that and some other bikes you wouldn't be able to notice it. That said it looks ugly. Anyone know the price? I'm more interested in a company that can produce a cheaper but still good quality bike like the status.
  • 9 4
 I have a foes fly it totally f****** rocks It can handle anything and takes to the air just like its name
  • 4 0
 foes 4-ever! its not a bike for a stupid boring a-line, it's a bike for damn f*** rockfields and poor DH's with massive steps, you can build a house on it!!
  • 5 0
 "Whistler Mountain's ever-growing network of braking bumps and bomb craters"
My mid 40s joints concur!
  • 4 0
 Amen brother! One of those NYC sized craters phucked me up a couple of days ago. And some of the runs are barely fun anymore thanx to the braking bumps.
  • 7 1
 "Foes uses a special nut...." Classic. Lol.
  • 7 1
 2014? Looks identical to the one I had 2yrs ago....
  • 2 0
 Seeing as there are tons of single pivot iterations out there I find it crazy that people call this "outdated". Specialized has been using their same crappy FSR design for 15 years but have millions in marketing funds to make people believe its top notch or ever evolving. I ride a carbine 275, but can crush anyone on my 2006 FXR 2:1. Stiffness and shock performance go a long way if the rider is good and can really push the bike hard . Go foes
  • 13 9
 f****** people got to be kidding me they make some of the best bikes out there
  • 6 1
 looks a little on the heavy side!
  • 1 0
 use to own the original mono, just finished building a hydro up and so far love it. really nimble bike that feels much more alive then the old mono. didnt like the way it looked at first but eventually grew on me. i dont have much seat time on it yet but seems to be a great all around dh/freeride set up for me. if i could go back i would still build up another in a heart beat. great bike
  • 8 4
 I guess it's throwback Thursday. Seriously everything about looks ten years old!
  • 6 0
 That's a beast!
  • 13 9
 Fuck you guys about it being a design from 2005, i think the Hydro is a very cool design and it looks pretty good.
  • 5 5
 You're really showing your age right now.
  • 5 0
 John Buckle Rips! You should check him out on you tube. Beltbuckled
  • 5 0
 i ride Foes for a couple of years now, and belive me i stay with them.....
  • 5 0
 I would not exchange anything for a Foes....
  • 1 0
 I had a Foes Weasel back in 2001 and it was an amazing looking frame. Monocoque frame and nice polished swingarm. Rode prety strong but when the boxxer head tube protection rubber started to hit the frame the compressed the bad positioned cable housing and destroyed the frame in the first month. Tryed warranty and got nothing an after that no more Foes for me... looks like they stoped in time. Shame to see a historic brand lost in time...
  • 1 0
 I had a foes for a while, it never broke and the geometry suited me perfectly, but it pedalled pretty badly and slowed down sooo much through stutter bumps/rock gardens... levelled the bumps well but lost far too much speed and also jumped really badly, not nearly as heavy as they look though.
  • 3 0
 the Hydro will be my next bike..ditching my M9 for this. ive had nothing but good luck with my prior Foes frames and they all ride amazing.
  • 1 0
 I have a 04 DHS Mono and every once and a while I like to dust her off and go for a ride, I still love the way it rides. The Hydro was a step in the wrong direction IMO and I think Ol' Brent shoulda refined the Mono and he would have still been in the DH game, selling more bikes.
  • 1 0
 As if VPP or FSR (real name Horst Link) is modern technology.

I gotta say the reason the bike looks like it's from 2005 is because the bike looks like it was pieced together from spare parts, beat up and dirty. Plus, the bars are "Old skool" high. You gotta remember, just because your sponsored doesn't mean that you don't have to buy your own bike.
  • 1 0
 Always associated Foes and Curnutt together. I remember reading an article in Dirt about how the XTD fork was the future of suspension and that nothing could come close. Anyone know what happened there?
  • 1 0
 It was too expensive, then the weight became an issue.
  • 1 0
 saying the curnut XTD was too expensive is like saying the Great wall of China is a garden hedge. That fork was so beyond unreasonably priced that it makes the DVO look positively affordable, even after 10 years of inflation.
  • 1 0
 The major suspension manufacturers started offering similar forks for way less money. When it came out, it was mind blowing. Remember, at that time the Boxxer was a flimsy POS, the 888 was just springs and oil (pedaled like crap), the Fox 40 didn't exist yet, Manitou had the Dorado but still hadn't put the SPV valving in it, and the Sherman which was a mediocre fork at best.

Since then, other DH forks have gotten really good, still not on par with the XTD, but people didn't want to spend what the Curnutt costs when they could get a fork 80% as good for 40% less money. Makes it doubly hard to sell when the fork says Foes on it, not many people know that they fit, and work on any bike, not just a Foes.
  • 1 0
 @maxyedor You've ridden one then? And you say the current offering from the major brands still aren't on par with the XTD? That's incredible. But so is nearly $4000 for a fork I guess.
  • 1 0
 Yep, spent lots of time riding an XTD on my Fly. It's much closer to an MX works fork than an MTB fork, tuning can be a mission, but if you take the time to get it dialed in, it will amaze you. I've ridden the Fox 40, 36, Marz. Monster T, 888, Shiver, Manitou Sherman, and Dorado on the bike, and the XTD was by far the best. Took the XTD off my Fly since I rarely do much more than trail-riding (honestly should have built an Inferno instead), and wanted to save weight, sold it to a friend for his DHS Mono.

Putting a $4k fork on a $3k frame means you're easily going to be over $10k for the build, that's simply out of reach for most people. I wouldn't have been able to afford my Fly with the XTD had I not worked at a Foes dealer at the time.
  • 3 2
 Oh, Foes..... How far you have fallen. then climbed up the ugly tree repeatedly just to throw yourself down it......again and again ome back when you've had a facelift and have something new to say please
  • 3 3
 I suppose almost everybody on this site likes GT because Gee is winning on it right now! The fury by the way looks like a 2007 Commencal. Foes makes great bikes and I have never had any problem dealing with them. So stop your bitching and just go ride.
  • 1 2
 I would never be seen on a Garbage Truck!
  • 2 2
 The fury has virtually nothing in common with a commencal, but they are both great bikes. People like GT because they make good bikes, and always have been. The i drive design is one of the best performing suspension designs out there, and GT is constantly finding ways to improve it. Foes hasn't really made any improvements in recent time, which is why they aren't prominent at the professional level.
  • 2 1
 I'm sorry but the original I-drive was one of the all time worst designs ever produced in mtb, next to the sling shot and URT. I've ridden them back to back with other brands and it was shocking how shitty the Garbage Trucks were.
  • 1 1
 Oh really? I'm curious, what makes it the worst design? In my experience the I-drive is top notch. Even the original design (which had numerous flaws) still performed as designed. It's super efficient while pedalling, yet active for small bumps and big hits alike.
  • 1 1
 My results were different than yours Smile
  • 2 0
 I ride my Hydro since 2011! A will never ride an other Bike! I am happy! Thats why i have 3 other Foes!
  • 8 6
 that's even uglier than an Ibis, but if it can sail over those fcuking brake bumps then it's worth at least a test ride.
  • 8 7
 Hey - Ibis makes some beautiful bikes!
  • 4 1
 Bike looks diesel. Its gotta be plush with that gigantic shock.
  • 4 1
 Brand new but looks so dated
  • 4 0
 Looks wank!
  • 2 0
 I love my hydro and would buy another in a heartbeat. Without question. Awesome bike!
  • 1 0
 It happened again. Someone just said someone is around for long time. I guess Chuck Norris is hiding somewhere between Foes and Intense.
  • 1 2
 I used to have a 2:1 dh heavy but sticks like glue to the ground it was good looking bike better than this walmart look alike bike , I think Foes should go back to the original 2:1 DH and make it lighter and bring it to today specs ,
  • 2 0
 Never ridden a Foes. But I for one do NOT want to see the death of aluminum frames or 26 inch wheels.
  • 1 0
 Funny how many people comment on the looks and weight. If it snaps, that's a problem, but otherwise it's hard to judge how a bike rides by a picture......
  • 1 0
 Way to go Jon! Have fun in Ecuador. I rode there a couple years ago, there's some nice trails just outside Quito and I think there's some DH trails in Banos!
  • 3 1
 I think there's one of those in the back room of boomtown for $600.
  • 3 0
 Eff yeah Buckell!!!
  • 2 1
 Sup Jon it's me Darvy Simmons, cheers buddy nice bike and keep up the good work.
  • 2 1
 So not sponsored by Trek and running Bontrager tires on a DH bike....? That's a new one.
  • 6 6
 Just purchased a hydro my 5 foes and all l can say is they are the Lamborghini of dh rigs,riders are just spoiled with cheap arse Taiwanese crap.What ever rocks your world.
  • 4 3
 I hear you! Problem is that the Tai Crap is twice the price.
  • 4 1
 That looks heavy.
  • 2 0
 2005 foes, notice the "modern geo" www.pinkbike.com/photo/956819
  • 2 2
 Wow dated.... Looks big and heavy compared the new class of DH bikes out there.... Definitely doesn't look like a Session! Smile
  • 2 4
 Blimey are these people still making bikes? It looks 10 years out of date! Its about time they at least give up on thier own suspension too and use proven brands that are easy for customers to get fixed and maintain. Having said that though who in their right mind would buy one of these given the competition out there?
  • 2 2
 Just noticed they have given up on their own suspension so I take that back!
  • 1 0
 theyve been making it work for 20+ years. why pay for some other over hyped crap?
  • 1 3
 Just because they have been making the bikes for 20 years doesn't mean it's good. Rover produced many cars for many years and they were always shit that's why they went bust!! Come on be honest......how many people do you see riding them??? Would you really buy one? ...honestly?
  • 2 0
 comparing Rover to Foes is probably the funniest thing ive read in god knows how long. thanks, that made my week. i see a lot of people riding them and ive been on and off one of their bikes for 13+ years now. they make simple bikes that handle like they are on rails. have you actually ridden one or are you just going off what some people on the internets have said?
  • 2 1
 I've never ridden one but I know someone who had two foes DH bikes and had nothing but trouble with them. He gave foes a good chance but gave up on them. Last time I saw him he was sporting a nice Santa Cruz V10 carbon. Your obviously a fan of the brand but the vast majority of riders out there certainly aren't.
  • 1 0
 so your one friend accounts for "the vast majority of riders out there?" good to know
  • 1 0
 Now your being a bit daft! Good luck with Foes mate!!
  • 1 0
 aww, you get called out and then start with the name calling. and its YOURE, not your. now whos being daft?
  • 1 0
 Hardly a name, but a suppose "daft" in American could mean something else.....who knows we're just "Brits" on this little island over the Atlantic lol. By the way forgive my original punctuation that was so bad of me but just to point out it's "you're" not "YOURE". Enjoy your Foes buddy, I hope it tracks the trail real good!
  • 1 0
 3 words: UGLY AS f*ck.

Ellsworth and Foes need to take a drive together... off cliff.
  • 1 0
 loving the xc pedals on that beast!
  • 2 1
 Tough crowd, Buckell represent So Cal!
  • 1 0
 If foes are so big why don't we see them raced at World Cup ?
  • 1 0
 Ps I brought a foes from BELFA UK . never deal with them again bunch of toss pots . Brought a foes shaver frame from them pivots all loose never got a recept after many many phone calls asking for one . Frame had bad rear end flex pivots came loose . Bad practice from BELFA uk how can they not give a receipt for a £1100
  • 2 1
 Worldcup: Massmarketbikes only. Race on Sunday, sell on monday. Racers race them because they get paid to do so - not because the bikes are good.
  • 2 0
 My mate got his foes from Balfa Uk too , they fucked him over big time , still owe him loads of money and 2 Ti springs , avoid this shop at ALL costs. They serviced his Curnutts for him , got the bike back and rode it , hit a jump and the thing threw him off and ended up in hospital , turns out the knob who serviced them assembled some thing wrong leaving him with no high speed rebound damping , the twat denies it too...
  • 2 0
 Yep they are really bad to deal with . MSG to anyone in the uk is that BELFA uk are the uk importers of foes nice to deal with when your spending cash after care is unreal . Stuck up there own ass . This is not how a company should behave . Wrong just wrong .DO NOT USE THEM. In fact if I ever meet the guy who I spoke to on the phone . Well Nuffield said
  • 1 0
 @wakaba- world cup isn't only made up of brands that are mass market: Santa Cruz (while big, definitely not mass market), Intense, Evil, etc. If Foes wanted to put up money (which granted is a lot) to fund a team, they could do so like these other smaller brands. Plus, the fact that world cup athletes compete with these bikes is a sign that they are good, even if some are on protos or one-offs. But that goes for every industry involved with racing.
  • 1 0
 Yep my mate has the same feelings for jamie at Balfa UK , I hope for his sake my mate don't bump into him.
  • 2 0
 @ka-brap: World cup athletes ride what they are told to ride and get money for that. Has nothing to do with quality of the bike. There are factory teams, chainstore teams, shop teams, privateers. Lots of money for factory teams to funding every thing out of your own pocket for privateers. A factory raceteam is not the answer to making a great bike. It is only the right answer for a marketing team without much talent and dedication and no long term goals.

If you ride a Session - more than 1000$ of your bikes price went into funding marketing - the act of making you buy the bike.

I`d rather not pay for a raceteam and instead get a bike at a fair price that has a long development time and is not the latest greatest "dare to be different" bike made out of a set of chinese catalog tubes. BTW: Taiwan variety is grossly overpriced.
  • 1 0
 sick rig where is the factory shock?
  • 1 1
 Looks like Madison Saracen
  • 1 1
 RED BULL RAMPAGE FEELINGS
  • 2 2
 That stand over height looks scarily high :?
  • 2 2
 This rig belongs in a museum, not a DH race course!!!
  • 1 1
 Sweet cross country bike! Can you get full extension on that seat post?
  • 3 4
 i would be embarrassed to ride that
  • 4 3
 shows how much you know.
  • 1 0
 Or how much you don't know.
  • 1 1
 It. Is. UGLY
  • 2 4
 at least it doesn't have a curnutt
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