Name SERGIO LAYOS
Age 37 Years
Nationality SPANISH
Discipline FREERIDE | BMX
Awards
Winner of three Pro Cups (2017, 2018 & 2019) in Sydney, Australia
Runner up Pro Cup Alemania 2019
Third place Pro Cup Málaga 2017
Third place Pro Cup México 2017 & 2018
Winner Battle of Hastings 2019 & 2022
Winner Happy Ride Weekend 2016, 2017 & 2018
Winner Ride Further Tour 2018
Winner O’marisquiño 2018
FULL VIDEO
37 years old | Madrid
Sergio LayosOne of the biggest names on the world BMX scene, has signed up as a new Mondraker rider to keep styling it up on a bike like nobody else does.
Sergio, 37 years old and born in Madrid, has a super-extensive track record in international BMX and in recent years he’s brought those skills over to mountain biking in spectacular fashion, participating in events such as the FEST SERIES.
From BMX to MTB
Sergio’s got plenty of style on a mountain bike. It’s a style that comes from being a BMX legend. One of the best riders in the world, who now rides with Mondraker. This is Sergio Layos, from BMX to mountain biking, naturally.
MONDRAKER: Sergio, welcome to Mondraker. So how come you started earning a living from BMX when you were only 14 years old?
SERGIO: Well the truth is that it was something very organic, very natural. At that time I didn’t consider it a job. I was a kid and I did it because I loved it. Somehow, I didn't know if I should start charging for doing something I enjoyed, you know, in case I changed my mind and stopped liking it. The FLYBIKES brand I competed with in BMX began to take me to all the events in Europe. Sometimes we even went in a van with the whole family and we slept there. It was all an adventure. At the age of 11 I started riding and at 14 I was already traveling halfway around the world, to Japan and with contacts with brands such as Oakley or Red Bull.
MONDRAKER: And all this while based in Majadahonda, Madrid?
SERGIO: Yeah, I’ve always had strong ties to where I was born. I tried living in the USA for a year, in Austin, and although being there helped me a lot regarding work and sponsors, I felt I wasn’t entirely happy either. I decided to return to Madrid where I have family and friends, and this has been my base camp for most of my life despite traveling continuously for work, which is something I love as well.
How did the move to mountain biking come about?
MONDRAKER: And from elite BMX, as one of the best riders in the world, how did the move to mountain biking come about?
SERGIO: Well, the truth is that even though I’d never tried it I had many friends who rode mountain bikes, and due to a tibia and fibula injury I bought a mountain bike to start my rehabilitation and to start to get back to pedalling a bit. That's how it all started. That was about 2016 more or less, so, yeah, relatively recently. A good friend who now works at Mondraker was recommending different models to me, but he was sure that I’d end up with an enduro model, and he wasn’t wrong... So about 4 years ago is when I started to take mountain biking more seriously, building up a specific bike and really wanting to ride mountain bikes as well as BMX. It was a very natural step to keep enjoying my riding. Let's just say the perfect day is when I go out mountain biking in the morning and then go BMXing in the afternoon.
MONDRAKER: Another issue is how different a mountain bike is from a BMX, right?
SERGIO: Without a doubt. A BMX has much sharper handling and doesn’t let you make any mistakes at all. If you're wrong, you pay. The margin for error is very, very small. However, mountain biking lets you get away with murder in comparison, and over time that’s given me more confidence. Did I mention that I tried Moto-X? It’s got a lot in common with mountain biking, with really fast tracks and huge jumps, but although it gave me that greater margin for error, I felt that I wasn’t the one in control. With the mountain bike, I get that feeling of being able to get away with more, but still being far more in control of the bike.
Over time, I've also had to learn how to jump again on a mountain bike, as compared to how you jump on a BMX. Think about events like the FEST SERIES with giant jumps, where it took me a couple of days to get the hang of it. The inertia of the huge, heavy wheels of a mountain bike has nothing to do with that of a BMX and that’s very noticeable what with all the time you spend in the air on a jump or a transition. It was a bit crazy.
I even make some changes sometimes, like putting a lighter tyre on the front wheel to save some weight and better control the overall balance of the bike when it’s in the air or doing tricks.
MONDRAKER: And now we are lucky to have you. What Mondraker models have you chosen?
SERGIO: I'm super happy. I’ve chosen three models. FOXY CARBON RR for enduro, SUMMUM CARBON RR for downhill, and a RAZE ALLOY R to be able to do tricks since the routing of the cables is more forgiving, like for example if I want to do a bar spin.
"I felt how they live and breathe mountain biking there"
MONDRAKER: How about the visit to Mondraker’s headquarters?
SERGIO: Unreal! The new facilities are incredible and everyone treated me super well. I saw the assembly line and I felt how they live and breathe mountain biking there. For me the human and ethical components are very important when working with a bike brand and Mondraker has them both. I can’t wait to go back.
MONDRAKER: Lastly, Sergio, what are your plans for 2023?
SERGIO: Well, as I do every season, I’ll be signing up for everything I can. I want to go to the FEST SERIES with the mountain bike, and to some BMX events too. I also have some really interesting video projects in the pipeline. At the end of March, we’re going to do a photo session with my FOXY CARBON RR and then the FEST events in Poland, Royal Hills, and later on I’ll try to go to the one in South Africa as well.
MONDRAKER: Good luck for 2023 Sergio and welcome to the Mondraker family. It’s an honour to have a rider like you riding with us.
SERGIO: Thanks for counting on me. We’re going to do some super interesting things together.
For this season, Sergio will be sending it on three of our most important models.
This size table is only an estimation, the optimum frame size depends on your personal preference and riding style
