The UNION is on TREK - New Riders and Sponsors - The Inside Line - Mountain Bike Feature

Joe Bowman of The Union and Steel City Media gets on the mic to discuss sponsor and rider changes for the team in 2024. 2023 was an extremely successful year for the not-for-profit program with Chris Hauser grabbing a Junior World Cup DH win and team riders graduating to bigger factory teams. As a development team, The Union's goal is to help young and up-and-coming riders get experience at the World Cup level with hopes of building their future in the sport.

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Union Press Release

Three years already?! Where did the time go?

Coming into 2024 it feels like we’ve graduated high school and we’re off to college. Anxious yet excited, we’ll be on our worldwide travels again soon, feeling a little older, wiser and maybe even slightly more mature.

We’ve chosen a new school, met our roommates and literally bought a cheap van to move all our stuff in. It’s going to be a hell of a summer.

There’s nothing permanent except change, and for 2024 we’re stoked to announce our new partner in crime, Trek Bikes, as our frame and title sponsor.It’s rad to think that we’ll be included amongst their lineup of insane teams and athletes, whilst the wider brand support means we can think bigger and faster as we head into the future.

We’re also so stoked to say that we’ll be spoiled by SRAM and RockShox for drivetrain, brakes and suspension. We’ve always looked up to both brands in how they support, market and develop everything from products to athletes, so being a part of that family now is a crazy-good feeling. Main bonus? Their coffee machine is way nicer than ours too.

Handmade in the USA and rounding out the new partners will be ENVE wheelsets and keeping Hauser’s chainring straight will be E-Thirteen guides. Phew.

First up in the class of 2024 is our newest crew member and first year junior, Ellie Hulsebosch of Tauranga, New Zealand. Turning heads on the national scene, whilst balancing training, school and everything else in between is no easy feat, but we’re stoked to support this mature, young kiwi on her journey through the next few seasons.

We’ve managed to keep the rest of the gang mainly together, with Chris Hauser returning to light up his second year in juniors, whilst Lachie Stevens-Mcnab is healthy and ready to give Elite a proper go this time round. Our resident engineer and favorite nerd Frida Rønning, will be back splitting time between shaving off seconds on track and separating atoms in the lab.

Steel City Media is beyond proud to help and hustle on behalf of this crew of riders and wider staff members, with the goal of providing a legitimate not for profit, development pathway for up-coming talent on the World stage. We’re stoked that the following brands continue to share this mantra as well:

Fox Racing
Maxxis Tires
Deity
Vital MTB
Crankbrothers
Peaty’s Products
HKT Products

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, stopped by or helped the UNION's cause so far. Come by the pits and say Ciao, Hej or Ey Bro anytime and we’ll catch you all in May at the first UCI World Cup Downhill in Fort William!

To keep up to date with the crew and to support the cause further, hit up the links below:

Get Union Merch (100% of profits go back to the team)

Instagram: @join.the.union #jointheunion #saveourpits