Advertise on podcast: Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

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 are your thoughts on tire inserts?  How have rim profiles changed over the years? What role does spoke lacing and the number of spokes play in a wheel's strength and ride feel?  Is a Super Boost wheel a better wheel? What's the deal with mountain bike wheel warranties? Generally speaking, do riders make many claims? What's your advice to mountain bikers when choosing a wheel upgrade? Check out reservewheels.com to learn more about the brand. This episode of the Singletracks podcast is sponsored by Explore Brevard. Where else can you choose from over 300 miles of epic singletrack against a backdrop of soaring mountains and cascading waterfalls? Where else can you explore 100,000 acres of public lands laced with hundreds of miles of backcountry gravel roads? Your best mountain biking adventure ever begins in Brevard, North Carolina, home to Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Recreational Forest. Four primo bike shops will get you sorted, whether you need a rental, service, or some cool swag. Top it off with an array of craft breweries, cafes, and gathering spots that have earned Brevard the title as one of America’s coolest small towns. It all adds up to one of the premier mountain biking destinations in the U.S. Find out more atExploreBrevard.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

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 @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/singletracks/support

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?  Does a trail ever work exactly as planned on paper? Do builders and designers need to make adjustments once they see how people are riding the trail? Are there many tradeoffs between safety and fun when it comes to mountain bike trail design? It seems like most bike park visitors prefer flowy, jumpy trails to raw, technical lines. Why do you think so many mountain bikers like to complain about flow trails?  What are some of the latest trends you're seeing in bike park design today? Do you have a favorite park or trail that you like to ride? More information: Whistlergravitylogic.com Cover photo provided by Tom Prochazka. --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

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 there a benefit to being close to a more established bike park like Spider Mountain Bike Park? What are the economics of a fixed lift system? Is the cost feasible for the average bike park? What's your favorite part of owning a bike park? What are your plans for the bike park and for yourself in the future? Find out more at stationmountain.com. Photo provided by Rhett Jones. --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

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 still room to improve mechanical derailleurs? Do you think moving away from front derailleurs has been a positive development? Is 12 (or 13) speeds enough? Are there technical issues that prevent us from going beyond 13 gears, or is it more of a practical consideration? What makes (or made) derailleur hangers necessary? Bikes have been around for more than 100 years and the basic form hasn't changed a lot. Aside from e-bikes, is the pace of innovation in the bike world slowing or accelerating? How important are patents in the bike industry?  You're manufacturing and assembling your Vivo F3 shifters in the USA. How's that going? Do you foresee challenges with scaling domestic production? What's next for Vivo? Learn more and connect with John at vivocycling.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

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 sections would you want to revisit to ride without all the gear on your bike? How will the Biking on Long Distance Trails (BOLT) Act help trails like the CDT? What is the latest status of the legislation?  Were you surprised that it took three months to complete the trail? Why isn't the CDT more popular with mountain bikers? What does a trail assessment look like? What are you hoping to do with the info you collected on your CDT ride? How was your bike setup different for this ride compared to what you might use on the Great Divide route? Was going full suspension the right call for such a long ride? What's your next adventure? Connect with Kurt and learn more 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://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/singletracks/support

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 give riders problems over time. Why is that? What's next for Enduro Bearings? Is there still potential for innovation and improvement in bicycle bearings? Learn more at cycling.endurobearings.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

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 and fitness training? Connect with Ben and learn more at thestrengthfactory.uk. --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

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 do better? What makes someone a successful MTB skills coach? Visit radicalrootsmtb.com to connect with Angi and find out about upcoming clinics. Photo: Katie Sox. 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