Chris Froome & HUP bikes on the Col de la Madone

Every child has their hero’s. Back in 2016 our 6-year old ‘Mini-Froome’ Fraser only had one, Chris Froome. From chasing the Tour every year to watching any Team Sky footage he could find, he loved it - racing Road and Cyclo-cross himself from the age of 4, he was a mad-keen little cyclist.

Every evening after watching the live TdF coverage, he was desperate to jump on his little bike, in his little yellow jersey. The evening after Chris’ now famous aero tuck break on the descent into stage 8, Luchon, when he took the yellow jersey - was even more inspirational, with Fraser copying his hero for a few seconds, before dad’s screaming couldn’t be ignored! Boys will be boys.

Fast forward 6 years and Chris finding out the parents of the little boy who copied his aero tuck, had since created a bike brand specialising in custom-built kids and small adult bikes, was a happy coincidence! The industry didn’t really provide for young kids who wanted to ride properly back then, so HUP Competition Cycling began in 2017 with the launch of handmade Italian lycra kit, child-specific components, hand-built carbon wheels and highly developed cyclo-cross, road, triathlon, gravel adventure, track and MTB bikes.

After discussing their requirements, we were more than happy to custom-build bikes for Chris’ children: a 37cm (700c) HUP evo for his 7-year old son and a prototype HUP evo 24 for his 5-year old daughter. Chris specified the components for use on road and gravel, including rider-sized cranks and handlebars, plus our hand-built carbon wheelsets. Both bikes are lightweight at just under 7.5kg, with gearing suitable for the climbs on the Cote d’Azur.

We couldn’t turn down the invite to Monaco to meet Chris and head out into the hills around the French Riviera for a ride up the Col de la Madone, an old training haunt for Team Sky. Probably not the best idea after Mont Ventoux the day before, but thankfully Chris took it easy on us! During a cafe stop and some insights into the pro lifestyle, Chris presented Fraser with his signed 2016 TDF yellow jersey, which was very special. With Fraser loving his Enduro and Downhill these days, the comment of the day had to be “…he descends pretty quick!”. He’s probably the world’s best on a road bike, like you saw in 2016 Fraser! ;-)

After the Froome family’s first ride, Chris added “…the bikes are a HUGE hit with the kids, and there is definitely room to grow into with both of them, so these bikes will serve for a good few years!” Many thanks to Chris for a great day on the bike and we hope you enjoy some memorable cycling with the family on their HUP bikes in the years to come.

Видео Chris Froome & HUP bikes on the Col de la Madone канала Kids Racing