FORESTAL eMTBs – freeride legend Cédric Gracia’s new brand?
European production, Russian investors and a large team of experienced developers and industry experts – the rumor mill is spinning. We’ve reached out to several key players in the industry to find out whether we will see a new E-MTB brand from Andorra in the near future!
After it was announced that Cédric Gracia won’t be riding for Santa Cruz Bikes anymore earlier this season, the speculation started: which bike brand will sign the charismatic Frenchman and freeride legend? Recently, pictures of Cédric Gracia have surfaced, showing him riding a camouflaged prototype bike. Now it has become clear: Cedric Gracia has started his own bike brand under the name of FORESTAL BIKES, or at least he seems to be the brand’s co-owner. The seat of the company, which is registered under the name of Smile Riding S.L.U. is Andorra.
The above video shows Cédric Gracia fighting his own doubts about taking this new path, and finally eliminating the doubting voices within himself. This could be a possible hint to the fact that he will fully devote himself to eMTBs in the future. And by the well-known faces on FORESTAL BIKES’ Instagram page, it looks like he is taking a full-throttle approach. We’ve reached out to several key players in the industry and apparently, FORESTAL BIKES have hired a large number of designers and developers (probably more than 10) from bike companies and development offices in the area. Furthermore, there are rumors that the financing of the start-up comes from a Russian investor who earns his money with video games and is now strongly involved in funding the brand. In an official press release, FORESTAL BIKES’ introduced themselves, however, no details of any future bikes were announced:
Here at the newly formed Forestal we’re pioneering a new cycling brand that enables us to deliver our knowledge, passion and philosophy to cyclists the world over. Our unique team has a credible professional background that fuses veterans of the cycling industry, motorsports industry leaders, aeronautic professionals and accomplished IT trailblazers, and we believe our unique combinations will bring a new dimension to the world of cycling. As well as being innovators and manufacturers we are passionate cyclists.
Based in Andorra, heart of the Pyrenees, Forestal has one clear vision; we want to be the bicycle company that inspires the world with the unimaginable. To do so, we are designing, engineering and manufacturing our own bikes in what will be one of the most technologically advanced factories in the European Continent.
According to FORESTAL BIKES, we can expect an official announcement in the coming months. Meanwhile, on the FORESTAL BIKES Instagram account, you can see how an aluminium prototype is wrapped in camouflage foil.
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Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: Unknown
