Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

The Singletracks staff has tested a ton of gear this year, and this week we’re looking back at some of our favorites. Listen in to hear what impressed us about each of these items, from clothing and accessories to complete bikes. Some of the products covered in this episode: MTB components * TRP G-Spec brakes* Teravail Honcho tires * Schwalbe Magic Mary tires* Formula Selva R fork * Hope Fortus 30 wheels * Versus tires* MRP Raven fork * Ohlins TTXAir shock * And four more favorite tires tested in 2020 MTB accessories * Topeak Burrito seat pack * Thule Roundtrip duffel bag * Garmin Forerunner 235 watch * Polar Grit X watch * Topeak Tubi 18 mini tool * Topeak DA mountain pump * Fidlock bottles * Camelbak Chase hydration vest * Topeak Prepstand Pro work stand Clothing and wearables * Pactimo Ridgeline hoodie * Gore C5 All-mountain shorts * Tasco gloves * Giro Ventana shoes * Endura MT500 jacket * Fox Speedframe helmet --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Dr. Chris Leatt is the founder of the eponymous bike and moto protection brand based in South Africa. The company’s bike product line has expanded over the years to include helmets, pads, goggles, and even hydration packs, all designed with a focus on safety and protection. We find out how the Leatt company got its start, and what the brand is doing to help athletes stay safe. Dr. Leatt explains how everything from neck braces to helmets and body armor are designed to work, and offers tips for reducing risk on the bike trail. This episode is sponsored by Boeshield (boeshield.com), makers of Boeshield T-9, a lube designed to waterproof your bike chain, lubricate cables, and prevent rust with its unique and effective all-in-one formula. This month Boeshield is giving away a free prize pack to a lucky listener! Visit singletracks.com/Boeshield to enter — open to anyone the contiguous United States, no purchase necessary. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Mike Bush is the President of Stans, a brand whose founder Stan Koziatek pioneered the use of tubeless tires in mountain biking. Today the Stans brand designs and markets its own line of popular wheels and tubeless tire accessories to keep mountain bikers rolling. For most mountain bikers, tubeless tire sealant is basically magic, and Mike gives us one of the best explanations we’ve heard for how the stuff actually works. Of course tire sealant is just one piece of the inflation puzzle, so we spend a lot of time talking about rims and also tires. Is carbon a better material for building rims than aluminum? Are 30mm-wide rims becoming the standard? Listen in to hear the answers to these questions and more. There’s also additional info about the Stans brand at NoTubes.com. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Vittorio Platania is the marketing manager for the Formula group based in Italy, and he’s here to fill us in on everything we need to know about mountain bike brakes. We’ll discuss how hydraulic disc brakes work, and the factors that going into making a more powerful brake. Vittorio explains why brakes need to be bled, how hose selection plays into the overall system, and how rotor and pad selection can affect the feel of a brake. We’ll also get tips for braking and talk about potential areas of improvement for modern mountain bike disc brakes. Info about Formula brakes at rideformula.com This episode is sponsored by Boeshield (boeshield.com), makers of Boeshield T-9, a lube designed to waterproof your bike chain, lubricate cables, and prevent rust with its unique and effective all-in-one formula. This month Boeshield is giving away a free prize pack to a lucky listener! Visit singletracks.com/Boeshield to enter — open to anyone the contiguous United States, no purchase necessary. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

David Juarez, known to mountain bikers around the world as Tinker, is a 2-time Olympian, 4-time 24 Hour Solo series champ, and Mountain Bike Hall of Famer from California. Long-sponsored by Cannondale, he’s been racing mountain bikes professionally for 31 years and continues to compete in ultra endurance racing at the highest level. Tinker talks about his BMX background, growing up in southern California, and his transition to cross country and later ultra endurance mountain biking. We ask whether winning races is more about physical or mental strength, and get Tinker’s tips for staying fit and fast at 59 years old. Tinker also shares his most difficult races, and reflects on the 24 Hour race scene. Find out more about the Tinker Classic race at gropromotions.com/tinker-classic/ This episode is sponsored by Backcountry.com, an online outdoor gear & apparel retailer carrying thousands of brands and products for mountain biking and your everyday outdoor lifestyle. Not only does Backcountry have the widest assortment of gear and apparel, but the heart and soul of the company lies with their Backcountry Gearheads. These Gearheads are former pro-athletes, Olympians, and all-around experts that are available 24/7 by phone/email/chat for one-on-one service, product recommendations, and to ensure you have everything you need for your next outdoor adventure. For the entire month of August, Backcountry is running their Semi-Annual Sale, which only happens twice a year. Take advantage of the final days of summer and save up to 50% off on huge brands like Patagonia, The North Face, Arc’teryx and more. Go to www.backcountry.com/singletracks and use the code SINGLETRACKS15 to get 15% off your first purchase (some exclusions apply). --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Alastair Beckett is a mechanical engineer and bike race mechanic based in the United Kingdom. His firm Redburn Design helps small bike brands expand “their product range through innovative and award winning product development and manufacturing process refinement.” Listeners may be familiar with one of Alastair’s most recent design projects, the new 161 enduro bike from the Privateer brand. We learn how frame designers like Alastair work with bike brands to create unique mountain bike designs, and talk about the constraints and tradeoffs that need to be made along the way. Alastair also weighs in on the limits of “long, low, slack” geometry and the convergence of enduro and DH geometry. Connect with Alastair at redburndesign.com. This episode is sponsored by Backcountry.com, an online outdoor gear & apparel retailer carrying thousands of brands and products for mountain biking and your everyday outdoor lifestyle. Not only does Backcountry have the widest assortment of gear and apparel, but the heart and soul of the company lies with their Backcountry Gearheads. These Gearheads are former pro-athletes, Olympians, and all-around experts that are available 24/7 by phone/email/chat for one-on-one service, product recommendations, and to ensure you have everything you need for your next outdoor adventure. For the entire month of August, Backcountry is running their Semi-Annual Sale, which only happens twice a year. Take advantage of the final days of summer and save up to 50% off on huge brands like Patagonia, The North Face, Arc’teryx and more. Go to www.backcountry.com/singletracks and use the code SINGLETRACKS15 to get 15% off your first purchase (some exclusions apply). --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

In this episode we share an interview Singletracks podcast host and editor-in-chief Jeff Barber recorded with Gareth Beckett from the MTB Tribe podcast. Gareth and Jeff chat about the mountain bike industry, swap notes about how trail access works in the US compared to parts of Europe, and discuss general mountain bike culture. Be sure to check out the MTB Tribe podcast on iTunes and Spotify, or visit the website at mtb-tribe.com. This episode is sponsored by Boeshield (boeshield.com), makers of Boeshield T-9, a lube designed to waterproof your bike chain, lubricate cables, and prevent rust with its unique and effective all-in-one formula. This month Boeshield is giving away a free prize pack to a lucky listener! Visit singletracks.com/Boeshield to enter — open to anyone the contiguous United States, no purchase necessary. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Harry Molloy is the brains behind the Flow Style World Cup DH racing team, and runs the Flow Style riding apparel brand. He has been racing top level downhill for over ten years. In this episode, we find out what it takes to put together a professional mountain bike team racing at the World Cup level. Harry shares the strategies involved in competition and how race teams like Flow Style are financed. We discuss how Covid-19 is affecting the current downhill race season and the athletes on his team. This episode is sponsored by Backcountry.com, an online outdoor gear & apparel retailer carrying thousands of brands and products for mountain biking and your everyday outdoor lifestyle. Not only does Backcountry have the widest assortment of gear and apparel, but the heart and soul of the company lies with their Backcountry Gearheads. These Gearheads are former pro-athletes, Olympians, and all-around experts that are available 24/7 by phone/email/chat for one-on-one service, product recommendations, and to ensure you have everything you need for your next outdoor adventure. For the entire month of August, Backcountry is running their Semi-Annual Sale, which only happens twice a year. Take advantage of the final days of summer and save up to 50% off on huge brands like Patagonia, The North Face, Arc’teryx and more. Go to www.backcountry.com/singletracks and use the code SINGLETRACKS15 to get 15% off your first purchase (some exclusions apply). --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

In this episode, the Singletracks staff talks about the process we use to the evaluate the mountain bikes and gear we review regularly. * What are some things to consider when testing a piece of gear?* How are bike reviews different from component or accessory reviews?* Are there questions that can’t be answered in the review process?* What happens if a sample breaks, and how do press camps work? For a sampling of reviews, browse our mountain bike review and gear article archives. This episode is sponsored by Backcountry, an online outdoor gear & apparel retailer carrying thousands of brands and products for mountain biking and your everyday outdoor lifestyle. Not only does Backcountry have the widest assortment of gear and apparel, but the heart and soul of the company lies with their Backcountry Gearheads. These Gearheads are former pro-athletes, Olympians, and all-around experts that are available 24/7 by phone/email/chat for one-on-one service, product recommendations, and to ensure you have everything you need for your next outdoor adventure. For the entire month of August, Backcountry is running their Semi-Annual Sale, which only happens twice a year. Take advantage of the final days of summer and save up to 50% off on huge brands like Patagonia, The North Face, Arc’teryx and more. Go to www.backcountry.com/singletracks and use the code SINGLETRACKS15 to get 15% off your first purchase (some exclusions apply). --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Jason Finnell is a mountain biker who works with the The Schejola Foundation and PedalUp, an organization that is working with Boys and Girls Club locations to start onsite mountain bike programs. We talk about how the program got started, and how it’s using pump tracks and funding for bikes to empower disadvantaged kids. The group is currently reviewing applications from Boys and Girls clubs around the USA to fund more programs like the ones already in place in locations all around the southeast. Jason also gives us an update on the mountain bike scene in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee and in Dalton, Georgia, home of the Snake Creek Gap time trial. This episode is sponsored by Boeshield (boeshield.com), makers of Boeshield T-9, a lube designed to waterproof your bike chain, lubricate cables, and prevent rust with its unique and effective all-in-one formula. This month Boeshield is giving away a free prize pack to a lucky listener! Visit singletracks.com/Boeshield to enter — open to anyone the contiguous United States, no purchase necessary. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks