DarkTide was born from a second chance.

After surviving a catastrophic racing accident in 2021 that left him trapped in a burning Corvette, burned over 35% of his body, and hospitalized for four months, founder Mark Petronis didn’t know if he would ever compete in a race car again. During recovery, he found himself watching Red Bull Hardline from his hospital bed. Inspired by the modern technology, speed, and level of riding, what started as a distraction became something bigger: if racing cars was no longer guaranteed, maybe two wheels could still offer a way back to a life of speed, consequence, and purpose.

For more than a decade, Mark and his team at AMT Motorsport have designed, tested, and manufactured mission-critical components for Corvettes built for serious track use — and proven them through years of wins, championships, and track records. These are parts trusted at speed, under load, and in environments where weak components get exposed quickly. That same obsession with strength, precision, materials, and in-house American manufacturing became the foundation for DarkTide.

In 2023, after 27 surgeries, years of therapy, and the long process of rebuilding his body, a trip to Whistler reignited Mark’s obsession with two wheels and planted the seed for something new: a component company focused entirely on the part of mountain biking that makes us feel the most alive — the ride down.

DarkTide builds brutally strong mountain bike components for riders who push hard and need their equipment to survive it. Pedals, stems, cranks, chainrings, and beyond — designed, machined, and tested in-house at our facility in Clifton Park, New York, using premium U.S.-sourced materials. Our obsession with the details is what allows us to stand behind everything we make with a Lifetime Warranty. If you manage to break it, we’ll make it right. That confidence comes from precision-built components engineered by riders, racers, and machinists who believe strength and durability are the foundation of performance.

At DarkTide, we believe the best rides are the ones that scare you a little — the ones that remind you what it means to be alive, and to live with passion and purpose.

Thanks for trusting us with the ride down.