Thanks to record rainfall, the Southern California hills are alive like never before. This sudden explosion of flowers is called a Super Bloom, and there is a bunch of science to explain the phenomenon, but we’ll leave that to those more qualified. We just knew it was an awe-inspiring landscape we wanted to experience for ourselves… and on two wheels.
When we decided to explore the rolling green and orange hills, we reached out to the Enduro Lyfe boys (they’re always down for a good time). We set out after work and rode until the setting sun told us to stop. We, of course, brought along our resident photo guru, Gordon Dooley, to capture every moment.
STOP AND SMELL THE POPPIES
The fields were blanketed as far as the eye could see. Cresting each hill unveiled a myriad of flowers dotting the landscape. We had to stop numerous times just to sit and take in the view. Even though Southern California is a popular center of life, and highway traffic and crowds are the norm, out in the rolling hills we felt a million miles from anywhere.
This is why offroad embodies everything we love about riding. Enduro bikes are freedom machines. As soon as your tires hit the dirt, the concerns of daily life fade. There is nothing more valuable than these moments. Remember, you don’t have to travel to some far away land to escape, you can find freedom in your own backyard.
If you'd like to check out the equipment used during the ride:
- Legion Offroad Jersey: The perfect balance of lightweight stretch and trail-ready functionality.
- Legion Offroad Pants: 4-way stretch meets Cordura® fabrics and essential storage pockets.
- Legion Offroad Jacket: 2-in-1 convertible jacket versatile enough for a full day of riding.
- Bomber Light Glove: Minimalistic palm for maximum bar feel pair D3O® armored knuckles.
LEGION: (FLOWER) FIELD TESTED
You might remember the initial launch of our Fox MX19 Legion Offroad gear last fall, where it was put to the test by Carey Hart and Ricky Carmichael. The Goat gave it his stamp of approval, but just for good measure, we equipped the Enduro Lyfe guys with a Legion Kit each to test a new set of conditions – proving this offroad gear has 4-season versatility.
The Offroad jersey is durable yet lightweight and breathable – brains and brawn. Thanks to Cordura® sleeves, it brushes off unexpected encounters with bushes, tree branches, and, when things get real sideways, the dirt. The Offroad pants have the same performance chassis as the beloved 360 pants, but with reinforced Cordura® Ripstop paneling to protect from trail-related wear and tear. Plus, a smart pocketing system gives you a place to store your keys, cell phone… maybe a snack. Basically, anything you want to keep within arm’s reach.
Rounding out the Legion collection is a convertible jacket, which gives you the versatility of a vest and jacket in one. As a vest, it adds wind and abrasion resistance to your gearset without overheating. When the sun dropped below the mountains, attaching the sleeves gave us the additional coverage we needed as temperatures fell. And when it was time to switch on the headlights, the reflective trims kept everyone visible.
Sunny with a chance of rowdy. The perfect conditions to put our new Spring MTB Collection to the test. In our Made for Your Ride video series, we ask our pros two simple questions: where do you want to ride? And, what do you want to wear? For our second episode, Loic Bruni matched the fast and technical terrain of La Garriga, Spain with a tough-as-nails Defend kit. The result, as you just witnessed, was pretty fun and very fast.
“Riding in a kit this comfortable will make your day. I love the blend of durability, stretch and ventilation. Plus, red sure makes you look fast."
- Loic Bruni – UCI DH World Champion
LOIC BRUNI’S GEAR
Well said, Loic. We couldn’t agree more. Red can make you look fast standing still. And, in our totally-nonscientific opinion, will cut at least a few hundredths off your time.
It may have been hard to see, but that red blur in the video was the all-new Defend jersey and pants. Defend, as in defending you and the garment from abrasion and trail-related wear and tear. In our arsenal of mountain bike apparel, it’s the go-to for the perfect balance of durability and comfort. All thanks to the abrasion-resistant fabric, strategic stretch zones, and smart venting.
WHAT’S YOUR NEXT RIDE?
Mirroring the Made of Your Ride video series, we now pose you a similar set of questions: where do you ride? And, which features would make it the best ride ever? The choice is yours:
Flexair – super breathable and wonderfully forgettable; it’s the next best thing to bringing an AC along for the ride. Ranger – a discrete lunch-ride kit with a casual aesthetic which conceals exceptional moisture-wicking properties. It’s a kit that says “yeah I ride” but will blend in with the crowd when you're enjoying a couple of cold ones at the local brewery. Defend – an mtb kit that would make Tony Stark jealous. Not only is it armored with durable fabrics like Kevlar®, but it also has intelligent features like targeted venting and strategic stretch.
To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.
MOTO
