Bad Ass Bikes/Kona Enduro Team
2014 see’s the launch of the most exciting range of Kona bikes for a decade, the Process range. To put them through their paces Kona have teamed up with Bad Ass Bikes and sponsored the Sowden brothers who will be riding their process bikes at every round this year. The identical twins are being coached by the man ‘Box’ from Bad Ass Bikes and in return they are beasting him into shape . These 17 year olds are no strangers to the race scene coming from a strict XC and cyclocross back ground and have countless wins under their belts so they are serious double trouble in the junior cat this year. It takes a while to get your head around a discipline change in cycling so coming to Enduro is a brave move for two who could be contenders for elite xc national glory.This shows how serious Enduro is being taken by all other disciplines as people seem to be jumping ship from DH And XC to join us
Harry Sowden
I’ve ridden bikes ever since I can remember, me and my identical twin brother Jack used to love tearing up the garden on my 16inch with stabilisers knocking over plant pots! I started racing cross country when I was 14 and raced it up until last year, first off it was just a hobby but when your parents are driving you up and down the country it starts to get serious. So the last 2 years things I knuckled down and results started to show by getting decent national results (4th) and podiums at regional rounds.
I decided to make the switch to enduro because of a holiday in the alps, sessioning uplift runs on the downhill bikes, and it clicked just how fun it is, so after that I was hooked and me and Jack decided to switch. We started training with Box from Bad Ass and realised how fun this coming season will be. We knuckled down to some solid winter training and are really looking forward to the first round!
For this coming season I am really pleased to be riding for Bad Ass Bikes and have also obtained a sponsorship from Kona bikes Uk. Couldn’t ask for anything more from these guys as I’m confident i’ll be on the best bikes and will be backed by the best bike shop possible. We will be at all the Uk gravity enduro rounds so come and say hello to the bright orange Kona gazebo (you can’t miss it) and have a chat.
Jack Sowden
I have been riding bikes for as long as I can remember. I have been racing cross country competitively for the past 3 seasons, I raced the British, southern and south west xc’s in which my best result was a 10th place at a British cross country.
I have decided to make the jump from xc to Enduro due to a experience i had on a family holiday in Morzine, where we took the downhill bikes and had a fortnight of uplifts and shredding, this made me realise that I didn’t really want to race up climbs anymore, Also training with box has reassured that me and Harry have made the correct decision to change to Enduro as it will be a lot more fun and way more chilled out than xc . Training with box is really good motivation for the coming season which has made me and Harry put a really solid winters full of training in for the up and coming season.
For the 2014 season I am really privileged and extremely excited to have obtained sponsorship from Kona bikes UK and also from Britain’s best bike shop, Bad Ass Bikes. These sponsors have given me all the confidence that I will be on the best possible bikes and have the best support from the best bike shop. Me and Harry will be at all the UK Gravity Enduro rounds and will be in a bright orange Kona gazebo along with the whole of the Bad Ass Bike Intense team so be sure to pop round for a chat.
My main aims for this season are just to have a laugh and just enjoy myself. Oh, and to beat my brother, of course.
