(a brief un-authorised bio - by the webmaster) With an experience of the bicycle industry that got its first roots established very deep in the good old '90s, Alain's always been on the field. Between racing bikes, wrenching bikes, selling bikes, traveling for work and making biker friends every where, the same passion always fueled him whatever he was doing : a passion for a sport that's more than just «working» in this industry. Alain's never been the 9 to 5 kind of guy who'd feel just fine with a pay check once every two weeks... With a passion so strong, you never quite get enough... And in the end, that's a good thing actually. From the bike shops, to other countries, to importing, repping and distributing, all of these great experiences contributed in gathering knowledge and capabilities to reach what seemed to be the ultimate challenge, and also somewhat an illusive goal : running his own bike company. With a «freeriding» backgroud that's mostly made of many years leading 24 Bicycles in North America and living to the beat of the MTB street and park scene since its very first steps foreward, you can't really see the industry the same way as most bigger companies do, you can't really be fueled by the same motivations, and you cannot stare at the same kind of goals... It's not for better or worse, it's just a different attitude that some will understand, some won't, but each and everyone can't ignore. Mat is an artist. And that's not just a «cliché». Those who personnally know real artists know what I mean. They see things differently, they have quite an unusual attitude, they usually are great guys to hang out with, as long as you can leave them enough air to breath... hehehe... And Mat is just that kind of guy. If you want to make sure you'll appreciate your job, find one that you can apply to something you love... Some kids who love riding their bikes will say «I want to run my own bike shop» or «I'd like to be a pro-rider»... Do you really want to bug your mind counting money all the time, or put an X on partying and having a real life just to spend months training and being on the road? Mat wanted to be a welder, and he knew he could eventually apply his talent to the MTB industry... See what he does now. In the early 2000's, Mat got his first real job welding bikes when he got hired at Balfa. Only then he realised how really bad he wanted to do this for a living. A perfect weld can be the strongest part of a frame, a bad one can turn into the weakest link, and once you really start experiencing the infinite possibilities of melting metal, you discover a whole new way of seeing everything in your life. Sounds cocky, but that's a fact. ... And the rest is «HISTORY» !