Singletracks Mountain Bike News

It’s been more than two years since we dedicated an entire show to the topic of electric mountain bikes, and a lot has changed since then. In this episode, we talk about how electric mountain bikes have evolved, where current regulations regarding eMTBs stand, and how mountain bikers opinions are slowly shifting. ★ If you’re enjoying the Singletracks podcast, please leave a quick review on iTunes. And if you’re not enjoying it, we’d love to hear why!

Perhaps the number one question we get on social media, via email, and on the Singletracks forums is this one: Which bike should I buy? Choosing a new mountain bike is a big decision, so we’ve dedicated this entire episode to sharing our personal recommendations for mountain bikes in the following categories: * Hardtail * XC Race * Trail 27.5 * Trail 29er * Enduro * DH * Bikes above $4,000 * Bikes under $1,500 For the first six categories, we each choose bikes that retail for less than $4,000 (and in some cases, much less.) We also provide our recommendations for ultra-expensive bikes and budget bikes in the final two categories. ★ If you’re enjoying the Singletracks podcast, please leave a quick review on iTunes. And if you’re not enjoying it, we’d love to hear why!

In this episode, Greg and I share our tips for getting out on your mountain bike this winter without spending a lot of money on specialized gear and equipment. ★ If you’re enjoying the Singletracks podcast, please leave a quick review on iTunes. And if you’re not enjoying it, we’d love to hear why!

Do mountain bike companies conspire to create new standards just to sell more gear? Are electric bikes being pushed down our throats so others can get rich? We explore these and other myths about how the bike industry works. ★ If you’re enjoying the Singletracks podcast, please leave a quick review on iTunes. And if you’re not enjoying it, we’d love to hear why!

In this special episode of the Singletracks podcast, ride with Aaron as he pedals nearly 300 miles along some of the best singletrack in North Georgia and Southern Tennessee. Listen in on the highs and lows in this raw audio diary recorded over 3 days of mountain biking through rugged terrain.

With concern about concussions and traumatic brain injuries growing in sports like football, we explore how the bike industry is poised to deal with this serious issue. We start our conversation by explaining what concussions are and how they are caused. Then, we talk about how bike helmet designs seek to address the risk of concussions, and what this risk could mean to the future growth of mountain biking. The following is a transcript of our conversation about concussions. Jeff: Hey everybody welcome to the singletracks podcast. My name is Jeff and today Greg and I are going to be talking about head injuries among mountain bikers. This is a pretty serious subject but one that we think we can share some good information about, but we have to say at the very beginning here that we’re not doctors. Obviously we are mountain bikers, and so as such we’re not giving any kind of medical advice or treatment advice or anything like that. So just take what we have to say as information only. And again this is information that we have gathered in our research and experience. So we’re going to be talking specifically today about concussions and traumatic brain injuries. What the symptoms and signs are, what some of the causes are, and then the things that are being done to prevent or treat those injuries. We did a similar podcast episode about helmets where we dived into some of this but this is going to be a more detailed discussion. So let’s get started. So to start off Greg, what is a traumatic brain injury or TBI? Greg: Basically TBI cover all sorts of impacts and injuries to the brain it can be minor up to very serious. According to Wikipedia TBI can result in physical cognitive social emotional and behavioral symptoms. And you know you can easily recover completely or it could lead to permanent disability or death. So TBI is a pretty broad term. Jeff: Yeah definitely. And it’s a term we’re hearing in the media these days as well, especially as it relates to football players. There’s been a lot of research and there have been cases of people who are injured who have exhibited a lot of these behaviors that weren’t really understood before. You know people’s personalities seem to change. And yet there’s a lot of things associated with TBI that we’re seemingly just starting to discover. So let’s drill down a little further. You know most people aren’t going to get a full on traumatic brain injury the first time out mountain biking, but what about concussions–these seem to be a little more prevalent. What is a concussion? Greg: So basically a concussion is often referred to as a mild traumatic brain injury or TBI for short. But usually you just hear people say concussion is the most common type of TBI. It’s generally defined as a head injury that results in a temporary loss of brain function. And this can be a very small loss of brain function. It doesn’t need to be much to qualify as a concussion. You know potentially if you hit your head really hard and you have a headache you could have a concussion. But the level of concussion does vary on a pretty big scale. So you’ve got relatively minor ones, and potentially more serious ones. Jeff: OK. So what causes a concussion? When you hit your head, why do you get concussed. Greg: So basically you want to think about the brain as basically floating in your head and there’s a bunch of fluid around your brain that essentially keeps it from rattling around too much. But if you hit your head hard enough, or sometimes you don’t even need to hit your head to get a concussion, like whiplash or something of that nature. It jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. So if your brain is floating in the skull imagine your head stops reall...

It’s been over a year since we talked about enduro mountain bikes on the podcast, and a lot has changed over the past 15 months! In this episode we share our experiences testing some of the top enduro bikes of 2017, and talk about the mainstreaming of long travel bikes.

Warning: this episode contains adult language. There are countless coaches and videos out there to help with bike handling and wrench skills, but soft skills are just as important for mountain biking. In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, we offer tips for getting along with your fellow mountain bikers, other trail users, and even your spouse. However, please note that if you’re getting relationship advice from Singletracks, you may be in more trouble than you realize.

Today we talk with Walt Bready, professional trail builder and educator, about how mountain bike trails are built and maintained. Walt describes the approval process and construction techniques, and also shares some of his favorite tools and resources for learning more. Contact Walt at B Ready Trails with your trail building questions or to schedule a consultation.

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, we talk about essential bike tools for setting up your home work shop. We also discuss nice-to-have bike tools and tools which no one really needs to own. In addition, we offer tips for storing tools, recommended shop supplies, and resources for learning how to wrench at home.

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, I talk about key survival techniques mountain bikers can use in case of a backcountry emergency. No one goes out for a day trip planning to get lost or to spend the night on the trail, but it can (and does) happen. Listen in to brush up on the basics of survival so you’ll be prepared.

Another Interbike is in the books, and while this year’s show wasn’t as big or as well attended as events in years past, there was still much to be seen. In this episode of our podcast, Aaron, Greg, and Jeff set the scene at Interbike 2017, talk about the most interesting products on display, and recap news and reviews from the show. Editor’s Note: This podcast was recorded about a week ago, and just released today. The timing with yesterday’s tragedy at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas is purely coincidental. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the families of the victims of that tragic shooting.

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, we talk with Ross Martin, a PhD candidate at the Texas State University, about his research into the environmental impact of mountain biking. Ross is a mountain biker and a scientist who is working to understand how mountain bikes affect everything from plants and animals to soils and society at large. We get down and dirty in our discussion on erosion, and ask Ross what he thinks about potentially allowing mountain bikes in Wilderness areas.

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, ultra-endurance mountain bike racer and record holder Eddie O’Dea talks about what it takes to be a bikepacking champion. (Hint: it involves staying awake for long periods of time.) Eddie holds course records in the Stage Coach 400, Trans North Georgia, and Huracan 300 ultra endurance mountain bike races, with more bikepacking course records than any other racer. This year he completed the Tour Divide and raised nearly $20,000 for the Georgia state high school racing league along the way. Eddie talks about the unique skills that come into play in ultra-endurance racing and explains some of the tactics and strategies he’s found effective over the years. We also ask Eddie why he does what he does and talk about what he’s up to when he’s not riding his bike all day and night. Related links: * The Georgia Interscholastic Cycling League * Endurance House Atlanta * Eddie O’Dea on Twitter

Summer is a busy time at Singletracks, with mountain bike events and trips seemingly booked solid from May to September. It’s a tough life, but someone has to do it. Greg and Aaron have been particularly busy over the past several weeks, so I thought it would be good to catch up with them and learn what they’ve been up to.