Sometimes you just know that you’re making history. One of those times was the day we released our first FOXY. Launched back in 2004 to meet a growing trend in mountain biking that until then Mondraker hadn’t been a part of: Enduro. Twenty years on and we’re celebrating that event with the FOXY CARBON UNLIMITED 20th ANNIVERSARY. Mondraker’s 20-year involvement in Enduro encompassed in a very special build of our most iconic bike.
Knowing where you come from is key to understanding where you are and where you’re going. Back in 2004, barely two years after Mondraker started out, our full suspension line-up was the short-travel PENSACOLA (XC), the CURVE (freeride) and the burly PETROL (DH). That’s when the FOXY arrived, with its 140mm of travel from a traditional four-bar suspension system (the Zero Suspension System was yet to come).
Then, in 2011 the FOXY adopted the Zero Suspension System and two years later it became our first ever bike with Forward Geometry. 2015 saw the first carbon fiber FOXY hit the trails and since 2019 the FOXY went all-in on 29” wheels.
Foxy’s the perfect bike to show how modern mountain bikes have evolved over the last 20 years. The timeline passes through aluminum frames with 26” wheels with four-bar suspension layouts, to the Zero Suspension System, Forward Geometry, carbon fibre and 27.5” and 29” wheels; which is where we find ourselves today.
20 YEARS, 20 FOXY UNLIMITEDS
The FOXY CARBON UNLIMITED 20th ANNIVERSARY has been released to commemorate the 20 years the FOXY has been shredding trails around the world. Just 20 numbered bikes will be available worldwide, 20 bikes inspired by the aesthetics and the design of the 2013 FOXY XR, the first model ever produced with FORWARD GEOMETRY.
Who could forget the legendary looks of the 2013 FOXY XR with its hydroformed alloy frame, offset by Kashima coated Fox suspension and those oh-so-unique Crank Brothers Iodine 3 wheels? Our in-house paint shop has taken the same colourway of black (Black Diamond), white and gold (Foxy Gold) to make the FOXY CARBON UNLIMITED 20th ANNIVERSARY really pop. Each of the 20 numbered bikes is hand painted, one by one, and include details on the forks, the shock and the wheels. One of the most eye-catching details is the succession of each and every FOXY logo from the last 20 years captured along the top-tube.
As with our other UNLIMITED series, the 20 numbered FOXY CARBON UNLIMITED 20th ANNIVERSARY bikes come with a case containing a booklet outlining the history of the model, touch-up paint for your frame and a certificate of authenticity proving that you are one of only 20 fortunate people worldwide to own the most exclusive FOXY to date.
20 YEARS OF FOXY AND 10 WITH FORWARD GEOMETRY
Of the 20 years FOXY has been in production, the last 10 have seen Forward Geometry incorporated into the design. So, let’s take a moment to reflect on just what this ground-breaking tech has done to improve the performance of modern mountain bikes.
When FG dropped in 2014 it was an all-new design concept in mountain bike geometry, and once the benefits had become clear it lit the fuse for a groundswell change in bike design industry-wide.
TIME FOR MODERN GEOMETRY
Our 2013 FOXY together with the SUMMUM of the same year, was the archetype of the implementation of Forward Geometry in the global market.
It rewrote the decades-long pre-established rules of geometry regarding what worked and what didn’t for mountain biking. Simply speaking, modern geometry wouldn’t exist, or would have arrived years later, if it hadn’t been for a model like the FOXY. So, the 20th anniversary of the FOXY is a date that commemorates not only one of our most legendary bikes, but also the technological shake-up triggered by a technology so closely linked to that model as to be inseparable.
Forward Geometry design is based around three key points which are still fully implemented in all of our latest models, none more so than in the FOXY CARBON UNLIMITED 20th ANNIVERSARY.
- Longer reach: A longer reach better centres a rider between the wheels, increasing stability and control especially downhill and over rough terrain.
- Shorter stems: Having a longer reach allows for the use of a shorter stem, in turn providing better steering response.
- Longer wheelbase: Increasing the distance between the front and rear wheel axles improves stability, especially over rough terrain and at high speed.
ADVANTAGES OF FORWARD GEOMETRY
- Greater stability: The longer reach and wheelbase gives greater stability, especially over rough terrain.
- Increased control: Using a shorter stem, together with a slacker head angle, improves steering precision while inspiring greater confidence.
- Improved climbing characteristics: A steeper seat tube centres the rider over the bottom bracket increasing pedalling efficiency and traction on climbs.
- Versatility: Forward Geometry makes for a more versatile, more manageable bike over more types of terrain and for more styles of riding.
FG10 AND FG30 STEMS INCLUDED
A point to note with the FOXY CARBON UNLIMITED 20th ANNIVERSARY is the use of the FG10 STEM, at just 10mm it’s the same length at the one that graced the cockpit of the first ever bike to adopt Forward Geometry.
To further the generational theme, it carries a logo inscribed with “20th ANNIVERSARY FOXY” and the years “2004-2024” all the better to celebrate the 20-year evolution of one of our most relevant technologies.
Additionally, all 20 of the FOXY 20th ANNIVERSARY model bikes will come with a spare FG30 stem for you to experiment with if you choose.
More info.
View key specs, compare bikes, and rate the new Mondraker Foxy models in the Vital MTB Product Guide.
View replies to: Foxy Carbon Unlimited 20th Anniversary
Comments