Singletracks Mountain Bike News

Larry Pizzi is the Chief Commercial Officer for Alta Cycling Group, the parent company of wll known bike brands including Diamondback, Raleigh, and Ghost. He is also a board member at People for Bikes, a non-profit organization dedicated to making bicycling “safer, easier to access and more fun.” In this episode, we get Larry’s take on gravel biking: Who are gravel bikers? How much are they spending on bikes? What does gravel advocacy look like? Will we see a gravel biking World Cup someday? Larry also talks about electric bikes and the challenges facing local bike shops today. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Ken Avery is the Vice President of product and marketing for Vittoria, the world’s leading producer of bicycle tires. As an industry insider for many years, Ken has a wealth of knowledge on everything from mountain bike product design to marketing. In this episode, we talk about how mountain bike tire design and technology evolved over the years, the tradeoff between tire weight and traction, and how preferences for lower tire pressures have influenced tire design. Ken goes over the basics of tire construction and talks about current demand for various widths and diameters. We also discuss tire inserts, sealant, and get the inside story about Ken’s involvement in the introduction of the original Maxxis Minion. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

It’s an understatement to say Covid-19 has changed the world as we know it. Mountain biking is no exception. In this episode, Matt, Gerow, and Jeff talk about what’s going on in Colorado, Italy, and Georgia, respectively. We discuss the latest on mountain bike racing, athletes, tourism, brands, and of course everyday trail riders. If you haven’t been paying attention to mountain bike news lately — and we don’t blame you if you’ve been preoccupied — this will serve as a good recap. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Paul Howard has been coaching mountain bikers all around the world for over 20 years now. He’s a co-founder of the Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association (PMBIA) and is the owner and head coach at ZEP Mountain Bike Camps in Whistler. In this episode, Paul shares the #1 skill mountain bikers actually need to work on, and how that’s often different from the skills they think need improvement. We talk about mountain bike skills myths, how mountain bike skills and fitness are related, and whether watching videos online can be a substitute for in-person skills coaching. Paul also fills us in on the PMBIA and its role in improving coaching in the mountain bike world. Learn more about ZEP at zeptechniques.com. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Greg Williams is the founder of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, a non-profit group based in California that’s dedicated to the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of recreational trails. The group’s Connected Communities plan offers an innovative roadmap for bringing tourism through trails to former timber and mining towns. We talk about how the group formed, and how their trail work is impacting the local economy. Greg shares some of the strategies the group has used to bring various trail user groups together that are applicable in other communities facing similar challenges. We also discuss the ways mountain bikers can help the trail communities they visit and how groups like the STBS measure success. Learn more at sierratrails.org. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Chris Cocalis is the founder and president of Pivot Cycles based in Tempe, Arizona. Pivot is known for creating cutting-edge, high performance mountain bikes and also for sponsoring many talented athletes over the years while giving back to the community. In this episode we talk about the mountain bike design process and how bikes are manufactured. Chris fills us in on current trends in the bike world, the benefits of sponsoring and working with pro-level riders, e-commerce challenges, new technologies, and why Pivot doesn’t offer builds priced less than $5,000. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Maurice and his partner Elaine started Dirt Rag back in 1989. For decades the magazine documented the sport and for many carried with it the very soul of mountain biking. Maurice talks about how mountain bike gear and culture has evolved over the past three decades, and his recent decision to cease operations at the iconic publication. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

In 2012, Kate was the first American woman to win a UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Junior title. Then in 2017, she won the Under 23 World Cup Overall title. In 2018, she won gold at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, and then the next year she took the overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup title. Recently, Kate was named to the 2020 Olympics team for cross country mountain biking. This episode is sponsored by Boeshield (boeshield.com), makers of Boeshield T-9, a lube designed to waterproof your bike chain, lubricate cables, and prevent rust with its unique and effective all-in-one formula. This month Boeshield is giving away a free prize pack to a lucky listener! Visit singletracks.com/Boeshield to enter — open to anyone the contiguous United States, no purchase necessary. Please visit Singletracks.com for the full transcript of this interview with Kate.  --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sin

Chris Sugai is the co-founder and President of Niner Bikes, a brand which was an early adopter of the now ubiquitous mountain bike wheel size. Over the years Chris and Niner have worked with incredible athletes, produced countless innovations, and generously supported the International Mountain Bike Association. We get the inside scoop on how Niner got its start and talk about the current state of the mountain bike wheel size debate. Chris talks about building a culture and a brand, and what’s changed now that Niner is part of a larger parent company. We ask about gravel bikes and also what’s next for the bike industry. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Oskar Blues is known primarily as a beer company, but the brand also has a big toe in the mountain bike world with the Reeb bike brand based in Lyons, Colorado. We geek out about beer with senior marketing manager Aaron Baker and also hear from Reeb sponsored rider Jeff Lenosky who fills us in on all the different bikes in the line. In addition to the bike and beer brand, Oskar Blues also operates a bike shop in Longmont, Colorado and a place called Reeb Ranch with access to some of the best mountain bike trails in Dupont State Forest near Pisgah. The company opened a second brewery in North Carolina near the Pisgah National Forest about 8 years ago and also puts on popular events each year. This episode is sponsored by Mountain Biking Park City. As the world’s first IMBA Gold Level Ride center since 2012, Park City, Utah is a premier mountain biking destination. What makes Park City a gold-level ride center? For starters, the immediate area boasts a diverse variety of trails spread across 450 miles with ev

Rebecca Rusch is a 7-time World Champion in cycling, adventure racing, and cross country skiing events, a best-selling author, and a passionate community activist. She’s also an Emmy award winner for her documentary Blood Road which highlights the problem of unexploded ordnance in Laos that her Do Good foundation is working to solve. In this episode we dive into the life equations Rebecca has figured out like “blood flow = brain flow” and “passion = payoff,” and how these apply both on and off the bike. Rebecca shares how she approaches challenges, talks about why gravel riding is so attractive to all types of riders, and tells us about what her foundation is doing to help others around the world. We also ask Rebecca to weigh in on why women’s performance in ultra endurance events is more evenly matched with men than in other sports, and what it’s like riding for her new sponsor, Liv/Giant. Learn more about the Be Good foundation and keep up with Rebecca at rebeccarusch.com This episode is sponsored by Bo

Ryan White is the senior product designer at cycling apparel company Pactimo based in Denver, Colorado. He studied industrial design at Wentworth Institute of Technology and has been designing soft goods for almost a decade. In this episode, we dig deep into the design decisions that go into creating clothing that mountain bikers want to wear. If you’ve ever wondered why mountain bike apparel costs as much as it does, or what the true benefits are to wearing jerseys and shorts designed specifically for biking, this show will answer those questions and more. Learn more at Pactimo.com. This podcast was not sponsored, influenced, or directly supported by Pactimo in any way. Let us know if you’d like to hear more episodes like this one where we talk shop and geek out about gear! --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

If you’re a mountain biker, chances are you’ve seen Paris’s brilliant photography online and in your favorite magazine. He’s spent more than a decade capturing mountain bike culture through the eyes of its athletes and brands in locations around the world, and his highly regarded work is routinely showcased in both commercial and editorial features. In this episode, Paris talks about how he got started as a mountain biker, and later a mountain bike photographer. We hear stories about lost memory cards, dropped cameras, and one particularly unusual technique he’s used to get perspective in his shots. He’ll also share some great tips for budding photographers. View Paris Gore’s work online at ParisGore.com and follow him @ParisGore on Instagram. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Keri Hatley is the head coach at Shred Science Nutrition, a program designed to help clients lose weight and build lean muscle to unlock their optimum performance. She’s an athlete who has competed in everything from running and cycling to powerlifting and holds a certificate in Nutrition coaching. We’ll find out what macro nutrients are, and how tracking them can help mountain bikers — and anyone really — reach their fitness goals. Keri weighs in on current diets and intermittent fasting, muscle imbalance in cyclists, and the idea that food is fuel. We also talk about the ideal pre- and post-ride foods. If you want to get faster or feel better this year, listen in for some ideas to try! Learn more and connect with Keri at shredsciencenutrition.com This episode is sponsored by Boeshield (boeshield.com), makers of Boeshield T-9, a lube designed to waterproof your bike chain, lubricate cables, and prevent rust with its unique and effective all-in-one formula. This month Boeshield is giving away a free prize

There are few topics in the world of mountain biking more controversial than electric mountain bikes. While one side believes anything with a motor goes against the spirit of the sport and could have a devastating effect on trail access, the other side argues the new tech helps disabled riders and makes mountain biking even more fun. So who is right? Like most issues, the truth lies somewhere in between the extreme views on either side, and none of us know for certain how this will all shake out in the future. This is a debate that’s been going on for several years, yet today we’re starting to see how some of the early predictions of the impact e-bikes might have are coming true in terms of trail access and riders’ health. In this episode I’ll share two recent stories about e-bike trail access and a study that looks at the health benefits of riding an electric mountain bike, and how riders’ perceptions change (or don’t change) after riding one. You can read all three of these articles, written by Matt Mille

Today I’ll be talking about mountain biking on a budget and ways to make mountain biking more affordable. The format for this week’s show is going to be a little different than usual. Instead of interviewing a guest or having a discussion, I’ll be reading a few reviews and articles and providing some commentary on this topic based on our readers’ comments. The reviews in this show include an affordable drivetrain from Box, a knock-off 4K helmet camera from VanTop, bikes from Marin and Raleigh. I’ll also share nine tips for saving money from Singletracks contributor Ray Southwick. View the latest hand-selected deals on mountain bikes and gear at singletracks.com/deals --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Kurt Refsnider is a badass bikepacker who is the only person to have won all three events in the Triple Crown of Bikepacking — the Tour Divide, the Arizona Trail 750, and most recently, the Colorado Trail Race. He’s also a former professor of geology, a cycling coach, and the founder of Bikepacking Roots, an organization that advocates for bikepacking and the environment. We talk with Kurt about competition, bikepacking, and seeking out personal challenges. Kurt shares his tips for mountain bike training, and his favorite piece of gear for any bikepacking expedition. We also learn about Bikepacking Roots and discuss the fight for bike access in Wilderness areas. Connect with Kurt at Ultramtb.net and bikepackingroots.org. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

Jeremiah is an 18-time member of the USA Cycling National Team who has won countless cross-country, ultra-endurance, and mountain bike stage races all around the world, including gold at the Pan American games in 2003, overall wins at the Breck Epic and Pisgah stage races, National titles in both short track and marathon, and multiple overall wins in the National Ultra Endurance Series. He’s currently a member of the Canyon-Topeak racing team and lives in Harrisonburg, VA. We ask Jeremiah to share his tips for racing and recovery and how he deals with riding at altitude. As a long-time pro, we get Jeremiah’s perspective on modern mountain bikes and the riding scene in Harrisonburg. We also talk about some of the projects he’s involved in like Luv Trails (luvtrails.com), a program designed to raise funds for local trail groups. Learn more and keep up with Jeremiah at JeremiahBishop.com. This episode is sponsored by Boeshield (boeshield.com), makers of Boeshield T-9, a lube designed to waterproof your bike c

This week we’re re-sharing one of our listeners’ favorite episodes from 2019. On January 6 we’ll be back with fresh episodes including some big interviews you won’t want to miss. Stay safe and happy trails! In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Gerow and Jeff share tips for making mountain bike repairs in an emergency. From packing the right supplies (duct tape!) to finding creative ways to get rolling again, you don’t want to miss this helpful episode. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

This week we’re re-sharing one of our listeners’ favorite episodes from 2019. On January 6 we’ll be back with fresh episodes including some big interviews you won’t want to miss. Stay safe and happy trails! In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, we talk about the three main considerations when designing a set of mountain bike wheels, and break down the pieces that make up a wheelset from the rims to the hubs. We’ll also share some tips for troubleshooting and repairing wheels, and offer our thoughts on various rim diameters and widths. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support