Contra Bikes was born out of my love for mountain biking and unwavering obsession with the technologies that improve our ride.

I started mountain biking 22 years ago and right away I was intrigued by how different equipment could positively or negatively affect our ride experience.

Something as simple as choosing the right tires took me from being a mid-pack finisher at the races, to getting my first national-level podium in downhill. This was a perfect example of the impact of technology when riding a bike. It was eye opening…

It wasn’t just tires that made a big difference…I managed to win the semi-pro Downhill National Championships by nearly 14 seconds the first time racing with a fork cartridge I designed. This only further reinforced my belief that technology could elevate performance, comfort, and speed on a bike.

I'm proud to say that at one point in my life I was able to ride fast enough to qualify for World Cup downhill races. I even had the chance to represent the U.S. at the 2006 Downhill World Championships, which was a highlight of my racing career.

After many years spent racing downhill, I decided I needed a change, and the rise of enduro racing piqued my interest. I gave the Enduro World Series a solid try as a self-supported privateer, but ultimately couldn't quite break through to make a living from racing.

Racing has been and will always be a passion of mine. It helped shape me into the person I am today and I wouldn’t trade my time spent “chasing the dream” for anything else. Although I rarely spend time between the tape anymore, I still like going fast. And it’s a hell of a lot more fun going fast on a dialed bike!

I created Contra Bikes because I wanted to create something better. I felt that there was a lack of innovation in the bike industry. The focus had shifted towards maximizing profits and the passion that once drove innovation was dead.

Some people say that we've hit a bit of a plateau…that there really isn’t that much further to go, and that only small incremental changes are left. I disagree with these people.

I believe that we have a long way to go still. There are BIG innovations and improvements to come, and with Contra Bikes I intend to show this to the world.

This is just the beginning…It’s gonna be a great ride!

- Evan Turpen