Singletracks Mountain Bike News

Sean Leader is the founder of Windrock Bike Park and Southern Gravity, a Tennessee-based company that builds ramps and shuttle vehicles for bike parks. Not only that, Southern Gravity recently released a prototype steel DH mountain bike that's being tested by top elite and junior DH riders. You've worn many hats in the mountain bike world. When was the moment you realized you could make a living in the sport? How did Windrock Bike Park get started?  What were some of the challenges you faced as a bike park operator? Why build your own DH bike? What are the advantages of a steel DH bike frame compared to other materials? Did the expiration of the DW-Link patent figure into your design plans? Tell us about the Southern Gravity Racing team. Who are the athletes on the team, and which races are you targeting? How would you describe the southern DH mountain bike scene today? How has it evolved? What do you say to folks who think the southeast doesn't have quality trails or challenging

Joel Smith is the Brand Leader for Reserve, a Santa Cruz, CA brand that designs and markets wheels for everything from downhill to road biking. Steel Wisdom-Wilhelmsson is engineering lab technician responsible for lab-conditions wheel testing.  In this episode we ask: How are MTB wheels assembled? For high-end wheels, is most of it done by hand? How does rim construction contribute to ride feel? Is a shallower rim better than a deep rim for ride feel? What are the advantages of a high engagement freehub? Is there a number that most riders will find meets their needs or is more always better? Are wheel sizes and standards continuing to evolve? What about rim widths?  Are today's carbon rims stronger and more durable than aluminum? How do the weights compare? What other advantages does carbon have over aluminum rims? How much stronger does a DH wheel need to be compared to a lightweight XC wheel? Front vs. rear?  What is the most common mode of failure when it comes to mountain bike wheels? What

Carol Baldwin is the founder of Flownetic MTB Skills and is a PMBIA Level 3  certified mountain bike skills instructor. She's also a Singletracks contributor and product tester.  In this podcast we ask Carol: Have you alway mountain biked with flat pedals? Was it difficult to switch from clipless to flat pedals? Why? What are the advantages of flat pedals compared to clipless? What are the disadvantages of flats compared to clipless pedals? Are bigger and/or wider pedal platforms better? What's the right number of pins per side? What is your favorite shoe, or type of shoe for mountain biking? What is your favorite flat pedal? Are aluminum pedals better than composite? Are there certain types of rides that are better or worse for flat pedals? For people who have only used flats, is it worth giving clipless a try? Is riding on flats more fun? Learn more and connect with Carol at flowneticmtb.com. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @

Tom Prochazka is a co-founder and director at Gravity Logic, a bike park design and development company based in Whistler, British Columbia. He served as the manager of the Whistler Bike Park from 2001 to 2007 and designed the iconic Top of the World Trail which opened in 2011. Since then he's worked on bike parks all over the world from the western US to Europe and South America. In this podcast interview we ask Tom: How did you get involved in mountain bike trail building? What do you think makes Whistler such a special place? What drove the huge increase in Whistler visits between 2001 and 2007? How did Gravity Logic get its start? Tell us how the Top of the World Trail came together. How is it different from the other trails in the bike park? What's your definition for the term "bike park"? Are for-profit park operators able to get a decent return on investment on a bike-only, ground-up build? How much work is involved in keeping bike trails running during the season? 

Rhett Jones is a high school mountain biker living in the Austin, Texas area. He's the founder of Station Bike Park, a new private park he developed on 150 acres of former ranchland northwest of Austin. Singletracks first shared Jones' story in a November feature article on our website; this interview adds more detail and dives into the economic and operational aspects of running a for-profit, private mountain bike park. How long have you been riding mountain bikes?  Tell us about the free bike, public bike park you built in 2022. How did that get started?   Are there many places to mountain bike in and around Austin, TX? What is the mountain bike scene like in the area? In the state? How much money did you raise, and how did you raise it? Were you able to stay on budget? Are bike parks good businesses? Were you able to use any successful bike parks as an example? How do most bike parks actually make money: tickets, rentals, repairs, or sales?  Was getting insurance a challenge?  Is t

Jeff and Matt look back at some of the best bikes and mountain bike gear tested in 2023, and talk about some of the most interesting new releases this year. Along the way we'll also hit on some of the trends we're following and highlight some of the reviews you might have missed. Listen to our conversation as a podcast, or read a tightly edited transcript and find photos at singletracks.com. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/singletracks/support

John Calendrille has spent decades designing and patenting everything from derailleurs and shifters to dropper posts and brake levers. He's consulted for industry brands including TRP and Box, and now he’s got his own company, Vivo, that sells a customizable 12-speed shifter, the Vivo F3. How did you first get into designing bike components? What are some of the limitations of existing mechanic mountain biker shifters? What makes the Vivo F3 an improvement? Have you found that many riders struggle with the ergonomics of off-the-shelf mechanical shifters? One of the patents you hold is for a combination brake/shifter lever, a design that's pretty much standard for gravel and road bikes today. Where did this idea come from? Are bike cockpits becoming cluttered again with all the controls riders need for dropper posts, motors, etc.?  With electronic drivetrains becoming more common, a lot of riders are wondering if mechanical systems will eventually go away. What's your take? Is there st

Kurt Refsnider is a cycling coach and the founder of Bikepacking Roots, an organization that advocates for bikepacking and the environment. He's the only person to have won all three events in the Triple Crown of Bikepacking, and he recently became one of only a few people to have biked the entire Continental Divide Trail (CDT), a 3,300-mile route stretching from Canada to Mexico.   Are you glad to be off the trail after three months of riding? How is the Continental Divide Route different than the 2700-mile Great Divide Route that runs from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico? How is the CDT currently managed and administered? Are there groups working to connect the dots? What does it mean to be a responsible bikepacker?  How did you approach sections of the route that go through Wilderness areas where bikes aren't allowed?  Are there communities along the route that benefit from the CDT running through town? Is there much overlap with towns along the Great Divide Route? Which s

Matt Harvey is the co-founder of Enduro Bearings, a company dedicated to producing premium, high quality bearings for the bicycle industry. He's been working in bike shops starting as a teenager and later for industry brands like Gary Fisher and Bianchi. What was your 'aha' moment for forming Enduro Bearings? What makes bicycle bearings different from bearings used for other purposes? What are the challenges involved in designing high performance bicycle bearings? Which parts of a mountain bike will benefit the most from high quality bearings?  How do you know when your bearings are worn out, or need maintenance? Are bearings generally serviceable, or are home mechanics better off replacing them? What kind of grease should you use for bearings? What's the advantage of ceramic bearing balls? Where are most bearings products produced? Why do you think Pressfit bottom brackets have such a bad reputation? Aside from bottom brackets, it seems like the bearings in pedals tend to

The patent for the acclaimed DW-Link suspension design recently expired, and we wanted to know: What does its expiration mean for the mountain bike industry? Matt and Jeff interviewed several industry experts, including those involved in licensing the DW-Link patent, to make sense of it all. Originally published online as an article, this audio version includes snippets from select conversations that were featured as quotes in the written version. Words by Jeff Barber and Matt Miller. Photo by Matt Miller. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/singletracks/support

Ben Plenge is a professional mountain bike coach and founder of The Strength Factory. He's trained pro riders and also hundreds of amateurs over the years both in person and online.  Why did you choose to focus on strength and fitness training for mountain bikers specifically? According to your website your most popular workout program is Bodyweight Strength. Is there a limit to the effectiveness of these simple exercises? What are some ways to improve riding fitness that don't take time away from "just for fun" rides? What's different about how pro athletes train versus amateurs? Are some riders born faster than others? What's different about MTB strength training in your 40s versus your 20s? Why do riders tend to experience more pain as we age? Does becoming a better climber make you a faster descender? (enduro, personal experience) Is there a certain body type that works best for certain types of riding? What's the #1 misconception mountain bikers have about strength

Dylan Johnson tells us why he believes his drop bar hardtail is the perfect bike for the Leadville 100 in this audio story. Written and narrated by Matt Miller. This story first appeared on Singletracks.com on August 29, 2023. Photo credit: Dylan Johnson The Singletracks podcast is brought to you by TPC -- The Pro’s Closet. Spring is the perfect time to upgrade, and TPC has an industry-leading selection of new and Certified Pre-Owned bikes, plus frames, wheels and accessories. Each Certified, Pre-Owned bike is inspected, tested and serviced, and every bike includes thirty day returns. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tpc.bike/singletracks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and enter code Singletracks40 to save forty dollars on every order over two hundred. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/singletracks/support

Angi Weston is the founder of Radical Roots MTB, a group that provides "fun, safe, mountain bike skills progression" through various lessons, programs, events, and group rides. In addition to working with riders, Angi also trains MTB skills coaches and is based in Bellingham, WA. What led you to launch Radical Roots in 2018? What can riders learn from riding flats that they can't learn riding clipless pedals? Do you think it's better to learn skills on a hardtail than a FS bike? Are the junior riders you work with looking to develop different skills from the adults that attend your other camps?  How much does having a good mountain bike contribute to rider confidence, and perhaps even skill? How do you know if you need to upgrade your skills vs. your bike? What are the skills your students are most interested in learning? Is there a fundamental skill or skills everyone should learn first? What are the skills you're working on personally? Are there things you wish you could d

Nichole Dandrea-Russert is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and the author of The Vegan Athlete's Nutrition Handbook. Her website Purely Planted offers tips for adding more plants to our diets, and she's based right here in Atlanta. How did you get interested in nutrition? Have you always been an athlete? For the vegan athletes you work with, is improving performance a primary reason for adopting a plant-based diet, or are other considerations that tend to come first? How does a plant-based diet help athletes with recovery and reducing inflammation? How does eating less saturated fats and cholesterol improve athletic performance? Is it helpful for endurance sports like cycling? How do you know if you are not getting enough fat? What are some good plant-based sources of protein? What are some other advantages of a plant-based diet for cyclists? Do you have any tips for keeping to a healthy diet while traveling? How big of a factor is diet in athletic performance?   Can mountain bike

In this episode, Matt and Jeff talk about the latest mountain bike drivetrain developments from electronic shifting to Eagle Transmission. What are the advantages of electronic shifting? What are the disadvantages? How does the new SRAM Eagle Transmission wireless electronic drivetrain compare to AXS? What's the deal with dropouts? Is UDH going to be the standard? How have consumers and readers responded to the Eagle Transmission news? How do you think Shimano will respond? We'll also recap some of the latest mountain bike trail and gear news at the top of the show. Let us know what you think! The Singletracks podcast is brought to you by TPC -- The Pro’s Closet. Spring is the perfect time to upgrade, and TPC has an industry-leading selection of new and Certified Pre-Owned bikes, plus frames, wheels and accessories. Each Certified, Pre-Owned bike is inspected, tested and serviced, and every bike includes thirty day returns. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tpc.bike/singletracks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and enter co

Yvonne Kraus is the executive director of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, a mountain bike organization dedicated to creating, maintaining, and protecting sustainable mountain biking opportunities in Washington. Evergreen, if you don't know,  is one of the largest, if not the largest, statewide mountain bike association in the US with 8 regional chapters and thousands of members. How did Evergreen get its start? How does Evergreen divide responsibilities between its chapters and the top-level organization? How have the challenges facing mountain bikers in Washington changed since the group was first formed? What are some of the most popular trail systems in the state? What does e-bike trail access look like in the state of Washington currently?  Do you have any new MTB trails in the planning stage, or currently under construction? Is there much of a push for mountain bike tourism in Washington? What are the primary funding sources for Evergreen? What’s the biggest constraint that Evergreen

Nate Zukas is a bike frame builder living in Augusta, GA. He's been building bikes since 2011 and works in steel, titanium, and aluminum. How'd you get started as a frame builder?  Is it unusual for a frame builder to work in both steel and aluminum? What's different about working with the two materials? As a frame builder, how much are you able to affect a bike's ride feel and performance? How do you do it? What do you look for in a project or a client? How much of a frame build is your vision versus the client's? In terms of what you bring to the build, how much of it is artistry versus practicality and experience? What trends are you seeing in terms of the types of frames buyers want? Which projects are you most proud of? Have you ever had a project that was a disaster, or one that surprised you in another way? Is Augusta a good place to be a frame builder? What's the riding community like there? What's your vision for the future of Zukas Cycles? Is expansio

Lachlan Morton is a professional cyclist and mountain biker from Australia, currently riding for  UCI WorldTeam EF Education–EasyPost. He's notched podium finishes at the Leadville 100, rode the Fastest Known Time for Kokopelli's Trail in 2020,  and set the Everesting cycling world record in 2020. He also completed the Alt Tour in 2021, cycling the entire Tour de France route unsupported, beating the peloton by five days. In this interview we ask: Congrats on your podium finish at Unbound earlier this month. Were you thinking there might be such a close finish from the beginning of the race? How did you get into cycling competition initially? Has your motivation for racing changed? What did you learn while riding and filming Thereabouts in 2014?  We've heard that you're hoping to make a run at the record for circumnavigating the world by bike. Is an attempt still on your radar? Have you mapped out a potential route? How long do you think it would take? Is it risky to publicize an FK

Travis Tomczak is the Global Marketing Director at Forge + Bond. The company manufactures bike wheels and accessories using a lightweight material known as FusionFiber. How does carbon fiber rim manufacturing generally work?  What are some of the challenges associated with carbon fiber manufacturing? Are there limitations in terms of how the material can be used, or how it performs? How is FusionFiber different from carbon fiber in terms of the materials used and the manufacturing process? How are sheets of FusionFiber manufactured? How is a sheet of FusionFiber shaped into a product at Forge+Bond, for example a rim? Are there any performance advantages of FusionFiber over traditional carbon fiber? Is it more expensive to manufacture rims from FusionFiber than carbon fiber?  Is FusionFiber infinitely recyclable, or does the material degrade each time it's recycled? Can the scraps or recycled rims, for example, be used to create new rims? Where can consumers recycle their FusionFiber rim

Chris Mandell is the North American Public Relations Manager for SRAM where he's worked for the past 8 years. He currently lives and rides in Bellingham, Washington.  Is mountain biking suspension harder to design than say suspension for cars or motorcycles? What's different? How much of RockShox testing is real world vs. lab based? Is shock heat management important for the average rider? What is the advantage of larger diameter fork stanchions? What's the idea behind the electronic suspension controls in SRAM Flight Attendant? Why aren't there more inverted fork designs? What are some common misunderstandings about mountain bike suspension? Are suspension designers as focused on reducing weight as they have been in the past? By loosening weight requirements, what improvements can be made? What's your method for setting up a new fork? Which suspension innovations are you most stoked about? A full, edited transcript is available at singletracks.com. The Singletracks pod