The Fairdale Elevator: When BMX Meets Mountain Biking (And It Actually Works)

Kirby Wisdom
Nov 5
3 min read

Remember when mountain bikes were fun? Not "spend-three-grand-on-a-carbon-layup-consultation" fun, but actual "I-can't-believe-I-just-manualed-through-that-rock-garden" fun? Well, Fairdale remembers. And they've built a bike that's here to remind you what riding is supposed to feel like.

The BMX Company That Said "Let's Make a Mountain Bike"

Here's the thing about Fairdale: they're not your typical mountain bike company trying to make every bike longer, slacker, and more "planted." Founded in 2010 by World Champion BMXer Taj Mihelich in partnership with Odyssey BMX, Fairdale has spent over a decade making bikes designed to recapture the simple joy of riding. After a spinal injury ended his pro BMX career, Taj found himself walking into bike shops feeling completely alienated by the complexity and over-engineering of modern bikes. So he did what any reasonable person would do: started his own company.

For years, Fairdale has been known for their commuters, cruisers, and that perfect do-everything bike that just makes sense. But a hardtail mountain bike? That's new territory. And honestly, it's kind of perfect that their first MTB is basically a love letter to their BMX roots.

Geometry That Zigs When Everyone Else Zags

Let's talk about what makes the Elevator different, because it's really different. While the mountain bike industry has been obsessed with going long and low, the Elevator features a super short 406mm chainstay length that's focused on nimble maneuverability rather than just plowing through obstacles.

To put that in perspective: most modern 29ers are running chainstays in the 430-450mm range. Fairdale chopped off nearly two inches. That's massive. The Elevator uses an investment cast yoke and unique seat tube configuration to achieve this incredibly short rear end with a 29-inch wheel.

What does this mean when you're actually riding? You can easily throw a manual, quickly adjust your line on technical terrain, and the bike responds instantly to your input. It's playful in a way that most modern hardtails just aren't. The bike wants to pop off features, change direction mid-corner, and generally do bike things instead of just rolling over stuff.

The geometry also includes a 65.5° head tube angle, 76° seat tube angle, and a 50mm bottom bracket drop—numbers that balance the bike's playfulness with actual climbing and descending capability. It's not a novelty; it's a well-thought-out design that happens to prioritize fun.

Built Like It Came From the BMX World (Because It Did)

The Elevator is built from 100% chromoly steel with a straight seat tube that allows you to fully insert a dropper post for maximum drop. No proprietary routing nightmares. The cable routing is external and removable, making assembly and maintenance actually pleasant. Imagine that.

The complete bike comes spec'd with parts that make sense: a RockShox Pike fork with 130mm of travel, SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain, SRAM DB8 hydraulic brakes, and Maxxis Minion DHF and DHR II tires. It's the kind of build where you could actually just ride the bike instead of immediately planning your upgrade path.

Limited Edition Black: Because Good Things Don't Last Forever

And here's some news that'll either excite you or stress you out: Fairdale just dropped the Elevator in a new limited edition black colorway. If you've been waiting for the perfect stealth look to match those BMX roots, this is your moment. But fair warning—limited means limited. These aren't sitting around forever, and once they're gone, you'll be stuck explaining to yourself why you didn't pull the trigger when you had the chance.

Why This Bike Matters

Look, the mountain bike industry has gotten really good at making bikes that are incredibly capable. They'll descend like freight trains and climb like they're on rails. But somewhere along the way, a lot of bikes started feeling like you're just along for the ride—a passenger, not a pilot.

The Elevator's philosophy is simple: be a rider, not a passenger. It's a bike that rewards your input, responds to your movements, and makes you feel like you're actually riding instead of just managing a machine. Fairdale's whole goal is to make bikes that recapture the simple joy of riding that you had as a kid, and with the Elevator, they've brought that philosophy to the trail.

In a world of increasingly similar mountain bikes, it's refreshing to see something genuinely different from a company with the BMX chops to actually pull it off.

Want to experience the Elevator for yourself?

The crew at The Shad Co. can get you sorted—including that limited edition black if you move fast. Because sometimes the best way forward is to remember what made riding fun in the first place.