Brian Foster: Fit BF Stem

Brian Foster is one of the riders people mean when they talk about timeless BMX style. Dirt, transition and speed all look effortless under him. He has influenced generations of riders without needing to chase whatever the latest trend happened to be. Proper trail riding exposes everything. You need enough speed, good timing and the confidence to let the bike move without trying to correct every little thing in the air. The jumps only work because people have spent time digging, watering and keeping the line alive, so the riding and the work around it are tied together. A good trails rider makes all of that look simple. The shape is right, the bike stays calm and the whole line carries on instead of becoming one trick followed by a panic pedal. That style never really dates. BMX changes, bikes change and tricks get bigger, but someone flowing through a good set of jumps will always be worth watching. There is no need to turn it into a motivational speech. Brian Foster is simply very good at riding a BMX in a way that feels unmistakably personal. That is harder than it sounds. The tricks matter, but the way they are used is what gives the riding a bit of life and keeps people coming back for the next video.

Fit Bike Co. BF Stem. No pointless windows machined through it just to save a few grams and make it look busy. A stem looks like a small block holding the bars, but it controls an important part of the cockpit. Reach, rise and whether it is front load or top load all change where the bars sit and how the front of the bike feels. Riders notice those little differences because the hands are connected to the bike through them every second. A signature stem normally reflects a position the rider has settled on after plenty of trial and error. That is useful context, not a rule. Compare it with what you already ride and decide whether you actually want the bars higher, lower, closer or further away before changing the setup. If you are thinking about changing your setup, compare the actual measurements and compatibility first. A product can be excellent and still be wrong for your bike. Brian Foster's build is a good look at one end point, but the best setup for you is the one that feels right once the session gets going. Watch: BF-it - A Brian Foster Documentary Hero image: Fit Bike Co. BF-it video still.