The demands on the resilience of a mountain bike are getting higher and higher. We have reached a point where riding ability and courage are the only limiting factors. "Not quite," explains Christian Evers, Brand Manager at BiXS. "To get to this point, we have to have the courage to go beyond our limits and expose ourselves to a new environment. Having the courage to discover and eliminate weaknesses is the key to developing a great mountain bike."

For this reason, BiXS will make its debut at the UCI Downhill World Cup in Leogang next weekend. Riders Abby Hogie and Anna Newkirk from the Beyond Racing Team will be racing on Lane DH prototypes. The Lane was developed by BiXS for enduro use and will soon be available to the public.

For the downhill prototype, minor adjustments were made to the Lane's rocker and seat stay, increasing the rear suspension travel from 160 to 200 millimetres and giving the bike a different geometry and kinematics. Compared to the Enduro version, the steering angle has been slackened by one degree to 63.5 degrees, the wheelbase has increased by 13 millimetres, while the reach has been shortened by twelve millimetres.

Bringing a downhill bike onto the market is not BiXS' goal for the time being. The main objectives of the project lie in research and development. The findings from this will flow into future new and further developments, and the World Cup races should show what the Lane Enduro frame is capable of. "Despite the focus on R&D, we don't want to forget our great passion for progress, racing and mountain biking," adds Evers.

bixs.com/beyond-racing-team