Lennard Zinn on the Physics of Mountain Biking, Bike Fitting, and Fitness

Lennard Zinn is a bike designer and frame builder with a shop  in Louisville, Colorado. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic cycling team and worked with Tom Ritchey on some of the earliest mountain bikes. He’s also the author of Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, one of the world’s best selling guides to mountain bike repair.

In this episode we ask:

• How did you get into designing and building bikes?
• Zinn and the Art of MTB Maintenance was first published in 1996, and it’s now in its 6th edition. What’s changed over the years?
• Are today’s bikes easier to work on than bikes were 10, or 20 years ago? Why?
• What are the challenges involved in fitting taller riders?
• What have you learned about crank lengths over the years?
• Do tall cyclists have any particular advantages when it comes to power or bike handling?
• What are the considerations in terms of frame design for bigger and heavier riders? Is any of this applicable to more aggressive mountain bike designs, and vice versa?
• What are the main factors that influence a bike tire’s rolling resistance?
• What led you to write about heart conditions in athletes in your latest book, heart conditions in athletes? What did you learn through researching the book? Did your own heart condition influence your decision to build your first e-bike?
• Is there room for further bike fit improvements in the future? Which tech trends are you excited about?

Find out more at zinncycles.com or order Haywire Heart from Amazon.