Our Story

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At Fairdale, our goal is to share what makes bicycle riding special with as many people as possible. We want to give new riders the keys to that certain “something” that has kept us riding our whole lives. We find it hard to define that magic “something” but we know it’s there. It’s a tangible sensation of joy we experience during the most lazy neighborhood cruise, and it’s a feeling that’s there during the most grueling mountain climb. This is our source of inspiration when we’re designing our bicycles. We believe that through purposeful design we can make bikes that are easier and more fun for you to ride – bikes that will help you experience the “magic” of riding.

Our History

Fairdale was founded in 2010. It began as the brain child of World Champion BMXer Taj Mihelich. After many years as a pro rider Taj partnered up with long time sponsor Odyssey BMX to create the Fairdale brand. With Odyssey’s 30+ years of manufacturing and design experience powering the brand, Fairdale sprang to life. We are focused on making “adult” bikes that will give you the same sense of joy that you had when riding as child.

Taj’s Story of Fairdale

I’ve ridden a lot of bikes. As a pro BMXer I got to ride at a high level and push myself as far as I dared. I also developed a sincere and deep love for the simple machine that took me around the world. Jumping stuff and riding hard was very satisfying. I was always looking for the next obstacle to ride and constantly trying to create something new. It was all encompassing for me and took over all my thoughts. Somewhere along the way I picked up an old bike with a basket to use for grocery runs. To my surprise I got the same “buzz” riding that bike slowly through my neighborhood as I did airing a ramp. It actually played a part in changing my BMX riding. It brought me back to the very core of cycling; the simple pleasure that is just balancing on two wheels. All of a sudden rather than constantly stressing about the next trick, I could now appreciate just carving a ramp or simply flowing through a line of dirt jumps. I would just enjoy the sensation of the speed and the fun of the balance. After all, as a form of expression, BMX riding is all about “feel”. You have to use what feels right to you as a guide. Thanks to my old basket bike my riding changed for the better and it became more enjoyable for me. It also opened my mind to other types of cycling.

Taj from Odyssey’s Electronical video

After a spine injury forced me to give up pro-riding I went to work for my long time sponsor, Odyssey BMX. Working in the design office (OTX Design in Austin, TX) I got to see that almost anything was possible. Newly designed products rolled in often and I learned a lot about the manufacturing side of bikes. It wasn’t long before we started Fairdale. The genesis started with me thinking about how even after a lifetime of riding bikes my excitement about them hadn’t faded. I’d always wanted a way to share what I thought was so great about bikes with other people. I believed there was a way to create bikes so that even casual riders could tap into the mainline of happiness that bike riding can be.

The goal of Fairdale is to be the vehicle to pass that feeling on to other people. We try hard not to over complicate our bikes, since that can often cloud the very reason people like to ride bikes. The simple machine that is the bicycle is fun in large part because it is simple. Of course, as a rider’s experience grows they’re likely to have different demands for their bicycle and so that’s why we have different models spanning different intended uses. Even so, every bike we design is based around bringing out that core-feeling that we love so much.

I sincerely hope that our bikes will allow you to enjoy cycling as much as I do.

-Taj