It seems like you stepped away from producing complete bikes for a year there. Can you tell us what happened?

Well I had arrived at United just as the 2018 run of bikes were releasing in 2017. There seemed to be a massive flood of bikes on the market that never really had a place. They all just seemed to hit the stores then a huge sale comes in devaluing some amazing bikes on the market. There was just too much at once.

We wanted to take a back seat and take the year out to really dissect and re work our complete bike range rather than keeping up with the year in year out complete bike rat race.

Who are these new models aimed at?

Our range of bikes go from the 16” all the way up to a fully specced Martinez complete.

We want people on bikes whatever their level. We want to make bikes for people on all different levels, from beginner right through to pro.

For anyone that’s growing up and wanting to get on a BMX early we want to make sure they start off right and have the choice get on the recruit 16".

It’s a great foundation to start with, all our bikes have sealed Mid BB’s and Sealed cassette hubs so this is going to last any beginner and get them wanting to get a bigger bike when the time comes. This could be stepping up to the 18” version that we often see, the build quality of these bikes follows suit throughout.

Before jumping to the 20” range bikes we have the Recruit JR. This bike is specced for someone that’s out grown the 18” but isn’t quite the size for a 20” top tubed bike. You still have the 20” wheels but the frame comes in that slight bit shorter offering a much better fitting bike resulting in a nicer ride.

Once you get through the “smaller bikes” we work up to the Supreme and Motocross that we put in our in intermediate range. The Supreme’s being the all rounder that can be found in the street or at the park where as the Motocross is more for the trails and has the dirt bike inspiration shining through.

This leads us to our Pro model, the Martinez complete. Corey is a staple name here at United and is a named that’s certainly well known and for good reason. The Martinez complete is fully loaded, as with all our bikes each model is loaded up with United aftermarket parts such as tyres grips and pedals. The Martinez comes with the street inspiration and features a free coaster hub on the rear, sealed female front wheel, Team grips, the list goes on.

We have created this range of bikes to really go from the beginner just getting on a bike all the way up to the rider that wants to go into the aftermarket world.

We are even offering up the chance to build a completely custom aftermarket bike that will be available for purchase online only.

Which on the new models are you most stoked on?

The Motocross is a very stand out model, the little Bicycle Union nod of approval with the top tube pad down to the bigger gearing for the trails enthusiast. We love the look and feel of this trails ready bike. We are very pleased with the 16 and 18” recruit bikes as well. You can notice they are both laced with after market parts like our very own tyres and grips. They come with sealed mid bb as standard along with a sealed cassette hub. We want these bikes to be ridden.

What’s the most important thing for you to get right on your completes?

We think that it’s important to produce a great all round bike and a very important part for us we believe, is getting a sealed mid bottom bracket and a sealed cassette hub on all the bikes and be able to offer these bikes at a really good price point. We don’t want to be producing a bike that’s going to fall apart from having loose ball bearings and 1 piece cranks. We don’t want someone to come into BMX and lose the spark because his or her bike just falls apart and ends up in a shed for the remainder of its life.

They have to ride and feel like an aftermarket bike, they need to be something you can really trust and most importantly something that will provide you with endless amounts of fun.

Are the specs improved upon previous years?

We took great care on having these completes as dialled in as possible.

We looked at the dimensions to each model and re jigged them to have correct and relevant geometry that can be found in the aftermarket products that are available across the industry. Little details such as bar sweeps and rises. Back end geometry. We fine-tuned everything.

We had a full set of 12 completes made into samples and then stripped them apart upon arrival, you can see things so much better when there’s an actual product in front of you.

Everything had been checked and checked again.

You’ve always been big advocates of supporting local distros and bike shops. Can you explain what that is so important for you?

We all want to have the fun and freedom a bike gives you. Without the support of the local Distro and shops then there wouldn’t be a leg for brands to stand on and for us to continue to do what we do. It’s really important for people to invest in their local shop. Go create that relationship with your shop and support the brands that really are doing it for the right reasons. Shops help produce the riders and make them aware to the brands. We have always believed this. A great example is Harry Mills-Wakley and The Boarding House in Exeter, UK. Tim Ruck put us on to Harry and he has been a solid part of the team since the beginning. Shops and distros are the backbone to any scene, and without them... then you haven’t got much.

"The Martinez is our top level Corey Martinez signature model. Featuring fully sealed bearings, full cro-mo tube set and loaded with our aftermarket parts, this not your average ‘off the shelf’ complete bike." - UNITED BIKE CO

COLOUR: TRANSPARENT BLACK

TOP TUBE LENGTH: 21”

FRAME: Full Cr-Mo frame with Removable Brake Mounts, Integrated Head Tube, Mid BB, Embossed Logo Gussets

GEOMETRY: HT 75, CS 13.25”, SO 9”, BB 11.8”, ST 71

FORKS: Full Cr-Mo, 1pc. Steerer Tube with Integrated Bearing Race, Tapered Legs with Angled End Caps

BARS: 9” x 28.5” Full Cr-Mo - 1° Up Sweep 12° Back Sweep

GRIPS: United Team Grips with Push In Bar Ends

HEADSET: United Integrated Sealed

STEM: United Supreme Top Load 50mm Reach

LEVER: Alloy

BRAKE: 990

CRANKS: 3pc. 175mm heat treated, 8 Spline with United Stamped Logo

BB: United Sealed Bearning Mid

SPROCKET: 25T Steel

PEDALS: United Supreme Nylon Pedals

CHAIN: x410

REAR RIM: Alloy 36H Single Wall

FRONT RIM: Alloy 36H Single Wall

REAR HUB: 36H Sealed United Supreme Freecoaster 14mm Axle 9T Driver

FRONT HUB: 36H Sealed United Supreme Front Hub 10mm Female Axle

REAR TYRE: United Direct Tyre 20” X 2.4” - 65 psi

FRONT TYRE: United Direct Tyre 20” X 2.4” - 65 psi

SEAT: United Quilted Fat Tripod

SEAT POST: Alloy Tripod

SEAT CLAMP: Alloy

PEGS: x4 United Stealth Plastic pegs 110MM

"The Motocross pays homage to our friends over at Bicycle Union, featuring inspiration and input from our shared team riders. With a trails style geometry, sealed bearings throughout and a ton of aftermarket parts, the Motocross is ready to hit the trails or park straight out of the box." - UNITED BIKE CO

COLOUR: Raw

TOP TUBE LENGTH: 21”

FRAME: Cromo Top Tube , Welded brake mounts, integrated head tube, mid bb, CNC seat stay bridge embossed logo down tube gusset

GEOMETRY HT: 74.5° / CS: 13.25” / SO: 8.5” / BB: 11.6” / ST: 71°

FORKS: Cromo steerer tube, integrated bearing race, tapered 1020 hi tensile steel legs

BARS: 9” x 29” 1020 hi tensile steel with 1° up sweep, 12° back sweep

GRIPS: United Jimmy grips & United Bar Ends

HEADSET: United integrated sealed bearing

STEM: United 50mm reach top load stem with embossed United logo on faceplate and forged detailing on sides

REAR LEVER: Alloy

REAR BRAKE: 990

CRANKS: 3pc 170mm, tubular cromo, 8 spline, printed United logo

BB: United sealed bearing mid

SPROCKET: 28t Steel

PEDALS: United Supreme PC

CHAIN: x410

REAR RIM: Alloy 36h, single wall

FRONT RIM: Alloy 36h, aero, single wall

REAR HUB: 36h United Supreme sealed alloy cassette hub with 14mm axle, sealed bearing 9t driver, 4 pawl, ultra loud mechanism

FRONT HUB: 36h alloy, sealed bearing, 10mm FEMALE axle

REAR TYRE: United In-direct 20 x 2.10”

FRONT TYRE: United In-direct 20 x 2.35”

SEAT: United Padded Seat/Post Combo with custom sewn patch on rear

SEAT POST: Integrated with seat

SEAT CLAMP: Alloy

"The Supreme is our all round complete bike, suitable for street, park and trails. Available in two top tube sizes with classic geometry and featuring removable brake mounts, a female front hub and sealed bearings throughout, this model is not to be overlooked." - UNITED BIKE CO

COLOURS: Trans Brown & Trans Green

TOP TUBE LENGTH: 20.75” (Trns Brn) & 20.5" (Trns Grn)

FRAME: Cromo Top Tube , Removeable brake mounts, integrated head tube, mid bb, CNC seat stay bridge embossed logo down tube gusset

GEOMETRY: HT: 75° / CS: 13.25” / SO: 8.25” / BB: 11.8” / ST: 71°

FORKS: Cromo Steerer tube, integrated bearing race, tapered 1020 hi tensile steel legs

BARS: 9” x 28.5” 1020 hi tensile steel with larger radius bends, 2.5° up sweep, 11° back sweep

GRIPS: United Team Grips & United Bar Ends

HEADSET: United integrated sealed bearing

STEM: United 50mm reach top load stem with embossed United logo on faceplate and forged detailing on sides

REAR LEVER: Alloy

REAR BRAKE: 990

CRANKS: 3pc 170mm, tubular cromo, 8 spline, printed United logo

BB: United sealed bearing mid

SPROCKET: 25t Steel

PEDALS: United Supreme PC

CHAIN: x410

REAR RIM: Alloy 36h, single wall

FRONT RIM: Alloy 36h, single wall

REAR HUB: 36h United Supreme sealed alloy cassette hub with 14mm axle, sealed bearing 9t driver, 4 pawl, ultra loud mechanism

FRONT HUB: 36h alloy, sealed bearing, Female Axle 10mm axle

REAR TYRE: United Direct 20 x 2.3”

FRONT TYRE: United Direct 20 x 2.3”

SEAT: United Padded Seat/Post Combo with custom sewn patch on rear

SEAT POST: Integrated with seat

SEAT CLAMP: Alloy

The Recruit is our entry level complete, broken down into four key sizes to ensure a size is available for a wide range of riders. The 20” wheel Recruit comes in either a 20” or 18.5” top tube sizes, then we have our 18” wheel and 16” wheel sizes for those who are not quite ready for a 20” wheel. All sizes of the Recruit feature’s a sealed mid BB, sealed cassette hub and come with some of our premium design aftermarket parts. - UNITED BIKE CO

COLOUR: Champagne / Trans Purple

TOP TUBE LENGTH: 20” (Champagne) / 18.5" (Trans Purple)

FRAME: 1020 hi ten, welded brake mounts, 1 1/8” head tube, mid bb, embossed logo top tube gusset

GEOMETRY: HT: 75° / CS: 13.25” / SO: 7.8” / BB: 11.8” / ST: 71°

FORKS: Cromo steerer tube, 1020 tapered hi tensile steel legs

BARS: 8.25” x 27” 1020 hi tensile steel with 1.5° up sweep, 11° back sweep

GRIPS: United Team Grips & United Bar Ends

HEADSET: 1 1/8” A Headset painted to match bike frame colour

STEM: United 50mm reach top load stem with embossed United logo on faceplate and forged detailing on sides

REAR LEVER: Alloy

REAR BRAKE: 990

CRANKS: 3pc 165mm, Tubular, 8 spline, printed United logo

BB: United sealed bearing mid

SPROCKET: 25t Steel

PEDALS: United Supreme PC

CHAIN: x410

REAR RIM: Alloy 36h, single wall

FRONT RIM: Alloy 36h, single wall

REAR HUB: 36h sealed alloy cassette hub with 14mm axle, sealed bearing 9t driver, 4 pawl, ultra loud mechanism

FRONT HUB: 36h, Looseball Bearings, 10mm axle

REAR TYRE: United Direct 20 x 2.1” 65psi

FRONT TYRE: United Direct 20 x 2.3” 65psi

SEAT: United Padded Seat/Post Combo with custom sewn patch on rear

SEAT POST: Integrated with seat

SEAT CLAMP: Alloy

COLOUR: Trans Teal / Pearl White

TOP TUBE LENGTH: 18" / 16”

FRAME: 1020 Hi-Ten, Welded Brake Mounts, 1 1/8” Head Tube, Mid BB, Embossed Logo Down Tube Guesst, 10mm Axle Slot

GEOMETRY: HT 75, CS 11”, SO 6.75”, BB 9.75”, ST 71

FORKS: Cromo Steerer Tube, 1020 Hi Tensile Steel Legs

BARS: 7” x 22.5” 1020 Hi Tensile Steel

1.5° Up-Sweep 11° Back Sweep

GRIPS: United Mushroom Jr & United Bar Ends

HEADSET: 1-1/8” A Headset Painted To Match Bike Frame Colour

STEM: United 40mm Reach Top Load Stem

REAR LEVER: Alloy

REAR BRAKE: 990

CRANKS: 3pc 127mm Tubular , 8 Spline with Printed United Logo

BB: Mid BB

SPROCKET: 25t Steel

PEDALS: Jr Size Plastic

CHAIN: x410

REAR RIM: Alloy 20h Single Wall

FRONT RIM: Alloy 20h Single Wall

REAR HUB: 20h Sealed Cassette Hub With 10mm Cromo Axle 9t Driver

FRONT HUB: 20h 10mm Axle

REAR TYRE: United Direct 16” x 2.10” - 65psi

FRONT TYRE: United Direct 16” x 2.10” - 65psi

SEAT: United Recruit jr railed with United sewn patch on rear

SEAT POST: Steel w/guts 25.4mm

SEAT CLAMP: Alloy