Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has been providing independent safety ratings for sports helmets since 2011, and today we’ll hear from Dr. Barry Miller about how their testing works, why their rating system stands apart from standard certifications, and how the system has pushed manufacturers to improve designs over time.In this episode we discuss the following questions.Why did the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings program get started?How do your ratings differ from certification standards like CPSC?How are bike helmets tested in your lab, and who performs the testing?How well do lab results correlate with real-world crash data and field studies?With so many models out there, how do you choose which helmets to test?The 5-star rating scale was recently recalibrated, making 5 stars harder to earn—why?Have the ratings influenced helmet companies to improve designs?How unsafe is it to mount accessories (lights/cameras) on a helmet?How do bike helmets compare tech-wise to helmets for other sports like football?What are the main limitations of your testing and rating methodology?Any upcoming testing updates, categories, or research directions riders should know about?An automated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today.Follow Singletracks on Instagram @singletracks to keep up with the latest mountain bike news.

Alex Larson is a registered dietitian who works with endurance athletes, including cyclists, helping them fuel smart both on and off the bike. In this podcast episode we’ll be tackling some serious nutrition questions—like how much protein do you actually need?—and some not-so-serious ones—like if hot dogs make for a good pre- or post-ride meal.When should athletes choose hydration mix over plain water?How do you know if you need more electrolytes?What role does sugar play in fueling rides? Do non-pro cyclists benefit from sugar mid-ride too?Among mountain bikers there does seem to be a sense that because we're so active, we don't need to be as concerned about avoiding junk food as less active individuals. Is that fair?What are some effective and inexpensive alternatives to traditional energy/fueling products?Is it “OK” to indulge in a giant burrito and a couple beers after a ride? Any nutritional guidance around post-ride meals?Do you have a rule of thumb for how much protein athletes—especially cyclists—should actually need to consume each day?How accurate are calorie estimates from smart watches and fitness apps?Is weight loss really just “calories in vs. calories out,” or is there more to it?What role does AI currently play in nutrition planning and advice? Should athletes be cautious or curious?Learn more and connect with Alex at alexlarsonnutrition.com and on Instagram @alexlarsonnutrition. An automated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today.This episode is sponsored by Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.If you’re looking for your next mountain bike destination that offers just about everything, put Sandpoint, Idaho at the top of your list! The Lower Basin trail system serves up world-class riding through towering timber and across massive granite rock slabs, with trails for every rider — from technical black diamond descents to fast, flowy cross-country loops.For excellent park-style riding, head up to Schweitzer Mountain Resort with dedicated downhill trails and e-bike access to more than two dozen trails. Or pedal from town to the Pine Street Woods trail system where the trails range from flowy to technical.When you’re ready to take a break from the trails, Lake Pend Oreille is right there for camping, boating, swimming, or even standup paddleboarding. And after a big day outdoors, head into the town of Sandpoint where you'll find a great selection of bars and restaurants to relax and refuel. Get all the details to plan your perfect getaway at ⁠⁠⁠visitsandpoint.com⁠⁠⁠. The trails and the good times are waiting for you when you Visit Idaho!

Miles from Mullet Cycles has carved out a unique niche in the bike industry by going against the grain. From his brash and unconventional approach to bikes to his knack for creating one-of-a-kind accessories, Miles has been challenging industry norms for years.He's dedicated himself to perfecting the mixed-wheel format for mountain bikes, and he’s also the creative force behind Miles Wide Industries, which offers clever, rider-focused accessories. Today we’ll talk about his path into the cycling world, why he’s sticking with mixed-wheel setups, and what’s next for his two companies.When did Mullet Cycles officially get its start? Were mixed-wheel bikes considered a novelty at the time?A lot of riders use the words “mullet” and “mixed-wheel” interchangeably, but your company actually trademarked the term Mullet as it relates to bikes. Why did you go that route? How has the rise of the term 'mullet' affected your marketing efforts?What makes Mullet Cycles’ bikes different from mixed-wheel bikes from other brands?Unlike most bike brands, you don't publish complete geometry tables for your bikes. Why not?How does your experience as a jewelry designer influence your approach to building bikes?What’s the idea behind a Mullet gravel/adventure bike, and how is that project coming alongWhy don't you offer any of your frames in carbon fiber?An automated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today.This episode is sponsored by Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.If you’re looking for your next mountain bike destination that offers just about everything, put Sandpoint, Idaho at the top of your list! The Lower Basin trail system serves up world-class riding through towering timber and across massive granite rock slabs, with trails for every rider — from technical black diamond descents to fast, flowy cross-country loops.For excellent park-style riding, head up to Schweitzer Mountain Resort with dedicated downhill trails and e-bike access to more than two dozen trails. Or pedal from town to the Pine Street Woods trail system where the trails range from flowy to technical.When you’re ready to take a break from the trails, Lake Pend Oreille is right there for camping, boating, swimming, or even standup paddleboarding. And after a big day outdoors, head into the town of Sandpoint where you'll find a great selection of bars and restaurants to relax and refuel. Get all the details to plan your perfect getaway at ⁠⁠visitsandpoint.com⁠⁠. The trails and the good times are waiting for you when you Visit Idaho!

Behind the scenes, it takes a lot of planning and hard work to keep a massive trail network like Coldwater Mountain in great shape. That responsibility falls to Marcus Tillman, who works with the Northeast Alabama Bicycle Association and the city of Anniston as Recreation Trails Director for Coldwater Mountain. Today we’ll hear from Marcus about what it takes to maintain such a large system, what’s involved, and what’s in store for riders in the coming months.In this episode we ask:What does a recreation trails director aka "trail boss" do on a day-to-day basis?How much maintenance is involved in keeping up a trail system the size of Coldwater Mountain?Are you able to rely on volunteers to accomplish a significant amount of the work?Can you give us a little history of Coldwater Mountain and how the trail system came to be?What’s one thing you wish riders knew that would make your job easier?For an experienced rider visiting Coldwater for the first time, what route do you recommend?How are you preparing the trails for the big Lifetime race happening in October?How do you ensure trails are safe and that emergency services have access to the trails?Coldwater is open to e-bikes. Have you had any issues with speeding, user conflicts, or trail impact?An automated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today.This episode is sponsored by Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.If you’re looking for your next mountain bike destination that offers just about everything, put Sandpoint, Idaho at the top of your list! The Lower Basin trail system serves up world-class riding through towering timber and across massive granite rock slabs, with trails for every rider — from technical black diamond descents to fast, flowy cross-country loops.For excellent park-style riding, head up to Schweitzer Mountain Resort with dedicated downhill trails and e-bike access to more than two dozen trails. Or pedal from town to the Pine Street Woods trail system where the trails range from flowy to technical.When you’re ready to take a break from the trails, Lake Pend Oreille is right there for camping, boating, swimming, or even standup paddleboarding. And after a big day outdoors, head into the town of Sandpoint where you'll find a great selection of bars and restaurants to relax and refuel. Get all the details to plan your perfect getaway at ⁠visitsandpoint.com⁠. The trails and the good times are waiting for you when you Visit Idaho!

This week we're joined by Greg Heil, Managing Editor at Singletracks. Over the years, Greg has shared stories from trails all over North America—and for two of those years, he was doing it all while living full-time on the road in a van.We’re going to talk about what that experience was like: the incredible places he rode, the highs and lows of vanlife, and what ultimately led him to settle down again. Whether you’ve been dreaming of hitting the road yourself or you’re just curious about what it takes to live that lifestyle, there’s a lot to learn here.What inspired you to hit the road and live out of a van full-time in the first place?Tell us about your van setup—what kind of vehicle were you working with, and how did you configure it for full-time living, working, and mountain biking?Were there any must-have upgrades or clever hacks that made life easier?How did you manage your work as a writer and editor while constantly on the move?Were there any unexpected gems—places that surprised you or exceeded your expectations? What about well-known spots you ended up leaving early?What were some of the biggest challenges you faced?Are there any common mistakes people make when they're just starting out?After a couple of years on the road, you decided to settle in one place again. What led to that decision?What’s one thing you packed in the van that you never ended up using?What’s one item you couldn’t live without on the road?This episode is sponsored by Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.If you’re looking for your next mountain bike destination that offers just about everything, put Sandpoint, Idaho at the top of your list! The Lower Basin trail system serves up world-class riding through towering timber and across massive granite rock slabs, with trails for every rider — from technical black diamond descents to fast, flowy cross-country loops.For excellent park-style riding, head up to Schweitzer Mountain Resort with dedicated downhill trails and e-bike access to more than two dozen trails. Or pedal from town to the Pine Street Woods trail system where the trails range from flowy to technical.When you’re ready to take a break from the trails, Lake Pend Oreille is right there for camping, boating, swimming, or even standup paddleboarding. And after a big day outdoors, head into the town of Sandpoint where you'll find a great selection of bars and restaurants to relax and refuel. Get all the details to plan your perfect getaway at visitsandpoint.com. The trails and the good times are waiting for you when you Visit Idaho!

If you’ve ever watched a World Cup downhill or cross-country race at Mont Sainte Anne, you’ve seen Mountain Bike Hall of Famer Pat Drouin's work. And if you’ve ever wondered how a venue like that gets selected—or what it takes to actually host one of these massive events—we’re going to dig into that today.We’ll also talk about the riding in and around Quebec City, which you might be surprised to learn is one of North America's most vibrant mountain bike destinations.How would you describe the mountain biking scene in and around Quebec City?Are there any lesser-known trails in the region that visitors might want to check out?What does it actually take to host a UCI World Cup or World Championship event?Beyond the race course itself, what factors does the UCI look for in a venue?In your experience, what are the key ingredients for a successful race weekend?Is there a particular year or moment that stands out as especially memorable in your career?Looking back on your 30+ years in the sport, what are you most proud of?Are there any innovations in the sport—like e-MTB racing—that you think are especially important for the future?What’s one lesson you’ve learned from organizing bike races that might surprise people?What advice would you give to someone who wants to organize their own local mountain bike event?If you're heading to Quebec, check out the Auberge & Campagne tavern and inn, which is owned and operated by Pat and his family.Photo: Drouin pictured with his GESTEV business partner, Chantal Lachance.An automatically generated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today.This episode is sponsored by Trailbot. Trailbot is the smarter way for trail managers to communicate updates without relying on social media. Don’t let The Algorithm bury your posts—easily share conditions and closures to your web site, social media and the app all at once. Best of all, it’s free.Trailbot is used by over 260 trail systems in 17 states and growing fast. Over 50,000 riders have installed the free iOS and Android apps to get official updates with optional push notifications, without having to see what their weird relative posted on social media. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠trailbot.com⁠⁠⁠.

If you follow the bike industry, you probably saw the news earlier this year that Revel was shutting down. It caught a lot of people off guard, including customers, fans, and even some insiders. But just a few months later, found Adam Miller announced he was buying the brand back and relaunching Revel with a new vision. So today, we’re going to talk about that journey—why Revel is going direct-to-consumer, what Adam learned during his time away from the company, and why he believes now is the right time to double down on building bikes again.Why bring Revel back now, especially given the challenges facing the bike industry?What were you doing between stepping away from Revel and deciding to buy the brand back?Why move to a direct-to-consumer model with the relaunch?What’s wrong with the traditional dealer/distributor model for selling bikes?What financing options are available for building and growing a bike company today?How do you see smaller brands like Revel competing with the big players in the industry?What makes Revel different from other bike brands, especially in such a competitive marketWhat’s one thing you’re doing differently this time around based on your past experience?An automatically generated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today. More info about Revel at revelbikes.com.This episode is sponsored by Trailbot. Trailbot is the smarter way for trail managers to communicate updates without relying on social media. Don’t let The Algorithm bury your posts—easily share conditions and closures to your web site, social media and the app all at once. Best of all, it’s free.Trailbot is used by over 260 trail systems in 17 states and growing fast. Over 50,000 riders have installed the free iOS and Android apps to get official updates with optional push notifications, without having to see what their weird relative posted on social media. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠trailbot.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you want to get better at jumping, or you’re trying to progress your riding without a mountain in sight, this episode is for you. Tadas Puodžiūnas is the founder of MTB Hopper, a Lithuanian company that designs and sells portable bike ramps.What was it like learning to mountain bike in Lithuania?How did the idea for MTB Hopper come about?Do you think growing up in a flat place gave you any advantages as a rider?Why is it generally easier to follow someone into a jump than to try it solo?How do you figure out how much speed you need to clear a jump?Is there a good way to ‘test’ a jump without hitting it full-send the first time?How much suspension travel do you really need for small to medium-sized jumps?How do MTB Hopper ramps help with that progression? And how do they compare to DIY setups?Are there any MTB trails in Lithuania you can recommend for someone visiting the country?An automatically generated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today. More info about MTB Hopper at mtbhopper.com.This episode is sponsored by Trailbot. Trailbot is the smarter way for trail managers to communicate updates without relying on social media. Don’t let The Algorithm bury your posts—easily share conditions and closures to your web site, social media and the app all at once. Best of all, it’s free.Trailbot is used by over 260 trail systems in 17 states and growing fast. Over 50,000 riders have installed the free iOS and Android apps to get official updates with optional push notifications, without having to see what their weird relative posted on social media. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠trailbot.com⁠⁠⁠.

Joe is the Calirado Kid, a Sacramento-based mountain bike content creator known for posting hilarious bike-related videos on Instagram, TikTok and Youtube. This summer he's teaming up with a nonprofit organization called Adventure Scientists to encourage riders to help document biodiversity in California.How did you first get into mountain biking?Do you think mountain bikers take riding too seriously? Why do you think mountain bikers like to make so many excuses about riding? What are some of the most effective ones you use yourself?What do you do when you catch yourself making an excuse during a group ride?Tell us about Adventure Scientists and the California Biodiversity project.How exactly do mountain bikers collect biodiversity samples? What does that process look like on the trail?What types of samples are being collected, and how will they actually be used to support conservation?What’s the weirdest or most interesting thing you've encountered on a mountain bike trail?How do you balance entertainment with making a positive impact?What’s your favorite trail system to ride in California?What else are you working on right now — anything exciting coming down the pipeline for your social media channels?Get involved at adventurescientists.org and follow @caliradokid on Instagram.An automatically generated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today.This episode is sponsored by Trailbot. Trailbot is the smarter way for trail managers to communicate updates without relying on social media. Don’t let The Algorithm bury your posts—easily share conditions and closures to your web site, social media and the app all at once. Best of all, it’s free.Trailbot is used by over 260 trail systems in 17 states and growing fast. Over 50,000 riders have installed the free iOS and Android apps to get official updates with optional push notifications, without having to see what their weird relative posted on social media. Learn more at ⁠⁠trailbot.com⁠⁠.

Joey Klein has been involved in mountain bike trail design for more than 30 years, and has worked for the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) longer than anyone else. This year he's being inducted into the mountain bike hall of fame in recognition of his contributions to the sport.How did you first get involved in trail design?What it like to be a part of the Subaru-IMBA Trail Care Crew program for three years in the late 90s/early 2000s? Do you think a program like that would be effective today?What was the idea behind launching IMBA Trail Solutions?How has trail design and planning evolved over the past two decades?Is this the golden age of trail building?How will the trails of the future be different from the trails we ride today?Do modern bike designs drive trail designs, or is it the other way around?Why do you think a lot of long-time riders don't like flow trails?Among the many projects you've been involved with over the years, which ones are your favorites?What is the biggest misconception riders have about trail design?What's next for you, and for IMBA Trail Solutions?Get more information about IMBA and IMBA Trail Solutions at imba.com.An automatically generated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today.This episode is sponsored by Trailbot. Trailbot is the smarter way for trail managers to communicate updates without relying on social media. Don’t let The Algorithm bury your posts—easily share conditions and closures to your web site, social media and the app all at once. Best of all, it’s free.Trailbot is used by over 260 trail systems in 17 states and growing fast. Over 50,000 riders have installed the free iOS and Android apps to get official updates with optional push notifications, without having to see what their weird relative posted on social media. Learn more at ⁠trailbot.com⁠.