Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

Ryan Leech is a mountain bike trials riders who has starred in many mountain bike films over the years and has performed live in front of audiences around the world. He’s also a mountain bike skills coach and trainer, offering online programs covering topics like wheelies, cornering, and jumping. In this interview, Ryan opens up about the mental stress of performing mountain bike tricks, and also the physical toll it’s taken over the years. He fills us in on how yoga has helped heal both the mind and body, and how community makes his online mountain bike skills training and coaching program, the Ryan Leech Connection, unique. We also find out what it was like to perform in Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba show and how he came to launch a motivational speaking tour for teenagers call The Trials of Life. Connect with Ryan and learn more about his training program at ryanleech.com. This podcast is sponsored by Gloworm Lites.  Gloworm is a mountain bike light brand founded almost a decade ago by two mountain bikers in New Zealand, and today the company offers some of the most customizable, highest quality bike lights on the market. Gloworm’s complete line of lights start at 1200 lumens and range up to a blinding 3400 lumens, all at reasonable prices.  glowormlites.co.nz Save 15% off all light systems on the Gloworm website with the coupon code SINGLETRACKS2020. Shop for lights here: https://www.glowormlites.co.nz/product-category/lights/ --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Enduro World Series founding board member Chris Ball talks about how he get into mountain biking, and the motivation for creating a race series outside of XC and DH competition. We find out how the first year of the UCI partnership went, and talk about EWS Travel, a program that lets riders experience iconic EWS destinations around the world. Chris shares the thinking behind adding the new e-bike race format to the EWS, the future of team competitions like the Trophy of Nations, and mountain bike safety. We also get Chris’s take on the best bike for enduro racing and his own personal favorite places to ride. This podcast is sponsored by Gloworm Lites. Gloworm is a mountain bike light brand founded almost a decade ago by two mountain bikers in New Zealand, and today the company offers some of the most customizable, highest quality bike lights on the market. Gloworm’s complete line of lights start at 1200 lumens and range up to a blinding 3400 lumens, all at reasonable prices.  glowormlites.co.nz Save 15% off all light systems on the Gloworm website with the coupon code SINGLETRACKS2020. Shop for lights here: https://www.glowormlites.co.nz/product-category/lights/ --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Sometimes, you just gotta vent.  Matt, Gerow, and Jeff talk about the mountain bike stuff that has us stoked right now, and the things that are bumming us out. From gear to trail access, we cover it all including e-bikes, flow trails, stage racing, slopestyle mountain biking, and even health insurance. With so many topics on the table, every listener is bound to agree and disagree with our staff writers on at least one item! This podcast is sponsored by Gloworm Lites. Gloworm is a mountain bike light brand founded almost a decade ago by two mountain bikers in New Zealand, and today the company offers some of the most customizable, highest quality bike lights on the market. Gloworm’s complete line of lights start at 1200 lumens and range up to a blinding 3400 lumens, all at reasonable prices. Save 15% off all light systems on the Gloworm website with the coupon code SINGLETRACKS2020. Shop for lights at https://www.glowormlites.co.nz/ --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Rémy Métailler is a professional mountain bike racer who competes in both DH and freeride competitions around the world. He also posts skills videos and ride reports regularly on his popular YouTube Channel. We ask Rémy about how he got started in mountain biking, downhill and freeride competition, and what it’s like to ride in an urban DH race. Rémy shares his thoughts on the new Redbull Rampage qualifier format, Whistler Bike Park, and YouTube and social media. Connect with Remy at youtube.com/c/remymetailler and on Instagram @remymetailler. This podcast is sponsored by Gloworm Lites. Gloworm is a mountain bike light brand founded almost a decade ago by two mountain bikers in New Zealand, and today the company offers some of the most customizable, highest quality bike lights on the market. Gloworm’s complete line of lights start at 1200 lumens and range up to a blinding 3400 lumens, all at reasonable prices.  Save 20% off all light systems on the Gloworm website with the coupon code SINGLETRACKS19. Shop for lights here: https://www.glowormlites.co.nz/product-category/lights/ --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Darren Kinnaird is the general manager for the Crankworx World Tour and a board member of both the Enduro World Series and the Freeride Mountain Bike Association. We ask Darren about how Whistler has changed over the past decade, and how Crankworx has become a part of international mountain bike culture. In this episode we also talk about the possibility of slopestyle mountain biking becoming an Olympic sport, how freeride is getting more women into riding, and additional Crankworx stops in the future. For more information about Crankworx, visit crankworx.com. To get exclusive online retailer coupons and to find deals on your favorite mountain bike products, go to singletracks.com/deals. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Jenny Corso is a cyclist and R&D Scientist who has studied exercise nutrition and physiology through various undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs. She’s also a licensed USA Cycling coach, and has written many articles for Singletracks on topics including fitness, nutrition, and travel. Topics Discussed: How is exercise metabolism separate from just everyday metabolism? How are nutritional needs different for athletes? How do you look at studies regarding the health of certain foods, which are often contradictory, and what’s the best way to take this into account when making decisions about what to eat? Is gluten bad for athletes, or people in general? Nutrition and exercise clearly go hand in hand in terms of health. But does one win out over the other in terms of outcomes? Is intermittent fasting good for athletes? Why do you think nutrition is so difficult for many people to get right? Connect with Jenny for coaching and consultation through her website, truphys.com where she delivers objective information on scientific research on nutrition and exercise. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Cam McCaul is a legendary slopestyle mountain biker who has helped grow and shape the sport for amost twenty years. He’s won numerous freeride competitions including Crankworx Colorado and the Bearclaw Invitational. He’s also been featured in some of the biggest mountain bike films and is a regular announcer at Red Bull mountain bike competitions. We talk with Cam about the history of freeride, his career, and his newest sponsor, PlusCBD Oil. In addition to sharing his sense of humor and how he looks at risk, Cam also opens up about dealing with bike-related injuries and navigating health insurance choices as a professional mountain biker. We even get his take on building challenging mountain bike trail features. Follow Cam McCaul on Instagram @cammcaul and check out his latest videos on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/user/camwmccaul --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Most, if not all mountain bikers are nature lovers too. For many of us, it’s the main reason we ride off road. This week, we want to share our stoke for nature and perhaps inspire others. Topics Discussed How important is the natural aspect of mountain biking to you? Has your interest in nature grown since you started riding? What do you find most interesting on the trail — trees, plants, vistas, rocks, wildlife, or something else? What is your favorite type of ecosystem for mountain biking? What are some places you’ve ridden where the natural beauty surrounding the trail really stands out? What are some natural highlights you’ve experienced on the trail? Do you see any tension between having a love and respect for nature and riding or building trails? Do you think there are ways mountain bikers can be better natural stewards? What do you think about the fight between various recreation groups over land access? Is there at least common ground we can recognize? Sponsored by TripOutside.com which makes finding, comparing, and booking rental gear quick and easy. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Darcy Wittenburg is a partner, director, producer, and cinematographer at Anthill films. Anthill has produced some of the most iconic mountain bike films in recent memory, including Return to Earth, Unreal, and Strength in Numbers. I ask Darcy what is it about mountain biking that he finds interesting, and how all the movie pieces of a major film like Return to Earth comes together. We talk about the challenges and the most exciting moments of making a mountain bike movie, and how much risk athletes take to nail their tricks. What are some tricks of the trade? What make a mountain bike film a success? What other projects is Anthill working on this year? Listen in to find out!  To learn more, go to Anthillfilms.com. Look for Return to Earth on AppleTV, Google Play, and Amazon.com. Sponsored by TripOutside.com which makes finding, comparing, and booking rental gear quick and easy. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Sonya Looney is a four time, national collegiate 24 hour racing champion, and was crowned the 24 hour world champion in 2015. She’s also notched wins at big endurance races like the Breck Epic (twice), Trans Andes, Brasil Ride, and La Leyenda Del Dorado in Columbia. She hosts her own podcast, called the Sonya Looney Show, where she talks about psychology, nutrition, and physiology. We talk about how Sonya got into mountain biking and how she was able to make time to train for ultra endurance races as a student and later as an engineer working full time. Sonya gives tips for gaining confidence and taking risks, and discusses what she’s learned about nutrition and plant-based diets over the past few years. Sponsored by TripOutside.com which makes finding, comparing, and booking rental gear quick and easy. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks