The Jump: OQUO goes from house brand to World Cup DH wins with FMD

World Cup downhill is often referred to as the F1 of mountain biking. The demands on equipment are just so extreme compared to even the demanding landscape of cross country or enduro that it can be intimidating. OQUO, the wheel and component brand of Spanish brand Orbea, landed in DH in the best way possible: with a win under FMD Racing’s Tahnée Seagrave.

Success wasn’t always so certain, though. Despite OQUO’s history in racing. New equipment, especially unproven equipment, led to some anxiety about how the brand would make the jump to downhill. Now, Orbea’s telling that story in The Jump. 

Debut doubts

“To go into the season with a brand that hasn’t raced to the highest level, that was a huge risk,’ admits Tony Seagrave, Orbea FMD’s Director.

FMD isn’t a small team, either. With Tahnée Seagrave and Martin Maes on the team, every weekend is a can’t-miss chance to win, not a testing opportunity.

OQUO, though, was ready. “At OQUO, we stepped into DH with full confidence. We know our product meets the standard, and we wanted to prove it,” says Ioritz Sasiain, OQUO Communication Manager.

Wheels are always important to a bike, obviously. But in downhill, they’re often the point of failure, and often visibly so. There’s nothing worse for a rider than walking off the course with a flat. And nothing worse for a brand trying to establish a name in downhill than the live stream cameras zooming in on that wheel. After lab tests and development in enduro with Maes, OQUO’s MC32 Team wheels were ready.

“We were unsure about the wheels, but after three descents we realized that the wheels are great,” said Tahnée Seagrave, Orbea FMD Racing rider, recalling the early pre-season training camps.

So was Seagrave. She launched into the season with a World Cup win in Poland, giving OQUO a big victory in its first downhill race. Maes would add a podium of his own, making a remarkably successful debut season for OQUO.

The Jump: FMX x OQUO