Singletracks Mountain Bike News

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.

Andrew Taylor is a professional freeride mountain biker who set out last year to ride his mountain bike in all 48 Continental US states. He’s still on the road with just a few more states to go and joins us to talk about his motivation for the trip and the equipment he’s using to make it happen. Andrew also shares some of his favorite mountain bike trails and destinations so far, and the surprising things he’s learned along the way. You can watch videos from the trip on Andrew’s YouTube channel.

SRAM recently announced a wireless mountain bike drivetrain and dropper post, which got us thinking: What does going wireless and electronic mean for mountain biking? In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Matt and I discuss the various wireless, electronic controls for drivetrains, suspension, dropper posts, and even brakes.

Jake Pantone is the Vice President of Product and Consumer Experience at Enve, a Utah-based company that makes carbon fiber bike parts. We ask Jake where the name Enve comes from and why high-quality carbon mountain bike parts cost as much as they do. We also get an inside look at what it takes to be successful in the bike industry and talk about Jake’s favorite places to ride in Utah.

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Matt and Jeff explain the pros and cons of different types of mountain bike pedals. We also offer tips for learning to ride with clipless pedals and discuss some of the performance considerations when choosing a mountain bike pedal type.

Mountain biking is riding a wave of popularity at the moment, and it’s a good time to be a rider. We’re seeing progression in everything from bikes and trails to racing, so we thought it would be helpful to give our take on some of the trends we’re tracking in 2019. Matt and Jeff discuss some of the positive trends we’re seeing, along with some of the potentially negative things that could affect mountain biking in the future. We also touch on some of the trends that we predict will fade this year.

Huw Oliver and Annie Lloyd-Evans are outdoor educators based in Scotland. The couple has raced and bikepacked all over the planet, and recently completed a winter fat bike expedition above the Arctic Circle in Sweden. The story of their adventure, Lemonade in Lapland, was recently published at Discover Interesting.  Singletracks talks to Huw and Annie about their adventure, and what drives them to visit new places and to face extreme outdoor challenges. We also get their invaluable tips for mountain biking in cold, winter conditions.

Todd Branham lives, works, and plays in the Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina as a professional trail builder. He also directs the Pisgah Stage race, a 5-day, fully-supported mountain bike race that showcases 140 miles of the best singletrack in the forest. I ask Todd to share his tips for designing and building great trails and about what makes the mountain biking in Pisgah National Forest so special. Todd talks about why building flow trails is so important, and spills the beans on some under-the-radar trails in Pisgah few will ever ride, but more should.

  In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Matt and Jeff talk about the most recent mountain bike advocacy news. * Mountain bike access in Wilderness Study Areas like the Bitterroots, Montana. * Updates on the bill to allow mountain bikes in select Wilderness areas. * The impact of forest fires in California on mountain bike trails. * A new(ish) state-level mountain bike advocacy model being used in Vermont, Michigan, and other states. * MTB-related bills being supported by IMBA that are (or were recently) under consideration.  

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Jeff and Matt share their experience with six long term bike reviews completed recently. Get inside info on how Singletracks conducts bike reviews, and hear our extended thoughts on the bikes listed below. * Pivot Firebird (29er enduro) * Norco Sight (29er trail bike) * Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt (alloy trail bike) * Cannondale Scalpel SE2 (aggressive XC build) * Marin San Quentin (trail/DJ hardtail) * Ritchey Ultra (steel trail hardtail)

In this re-share from the Singletracks podcast, we talk with professional mountain bike instructor Richard La China from Ninja Mountain Bike Performance about the number one skill mountain bikers need help with, plus the biggest mistakes mountain bikers make when it comes to building technical skills. We also get the low down on how riders are able to progress from small jumps to nailing huge gaps. We’ll be back in 2019 with a fresh slate of podcast interviews and mountain bike topics for the New Year, so Happy Trails until then!

In this podcast re-share, we talk about 1X vs. 2X mountain bike drivetrain configurations, gearing, and performance. Not only that, we talk about electronic shifting, oval chainrings, belt-driven drivetrains, and internally geared setups. We’ll be back in 2019 with a fresh slate of podcast interviews and mountain bike topics for the New Year, so Happy Trails until then!

Mountain biking has a lot of momentum going into 2019, but if we’re honest there are things all of us can do to make our sport even better. Whether you’re new to the MTB community, or you’re comfortably established, we want to reflect on some ways to give back during this season of giving. If mountain biking had a wish list for Santa, these are the things that would be on it. In this episode, we’ll suggest ways we can all speak, give, share, and help the mountain bike community.  Here are the action steps we suggest for 2019: Take 5 minutes to submit a letter to your rep or to sign a petition the next time one hits your inbox or news feed. Give to you local MTB club this year. It costs less than a single new tire. Share something on Singletracks. Offer help or encouragement to someone who is just starting out.

We get inside the head of Ibis’ product designer, Roxy Lo, to find out what it takes to design iconic, high-performance mountain bikes like the Mojo, Ripmo, and new DV9.

Phil Kmetz is a 3-time Collegiate National mountain bike champ who has podiumed at several US National Championships and has competed in UCI World Cup events.  His popular YouTube channel, Skills with Phil, has more than a quarter of a million subscribers. In this episode, we talk with Phil about Youtube, mountain bike skills, urban downhill racing, and his vision for a mountain biking wonderland.