The Inside Line Podcast - Vital MTB (Vital MTB)

Welcome mountain bikers. You’re listening to Vital MTB’s The Inside Line podcast and our guest today is industry legend, Mike Redding. Mike helped get the fastest and most exciting riders into Troy Lee gear back in the day, working with the likes of Steve Peat and Sam Hill just to name a few. He moved on to Fox, bringing that energy to their MTB marketing through big video projects and campaigns with Ratboy, Voreis, the McCauls and others. He’s currently consulting for Alpinestars, so we’re excited to see where he takes things there.  Sean ‘Griz’ McClendon walks with Mike through his story, battles with kidney failure and so much more. Mike, thank you, Griz, thank you, listeners, thank you! Enjoy the show!

The Inside Line is brought to you by Jenson USA, your one-stop shop for mountain bikes, products and riding gear. Use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items at jensonusa.com.

Maxxis Tires make our bikes and The Inside Line go. Spring is right around the corner, so make sure your bike has new rubber for primed riding conditions. Hit up maxxis.com to see which tire fits your riding conditions and style best.

Santa Cruz Bicycles is giving $1m over three years to trail projects and advocacy groups through their PayDirt fund. If you have a project worth supporting or if you want to see which projects have been helped, hit up santacruzbicycles.com/paydirt to get all the info you need.

Welcome mountain bikers! We're stoked to bring you an interview with one of America's most promising, up-and-coming downhill racers, Dakotah Norton. Lee Trumpore caught up with him at the Windrock Pro GRT to learn Dak's story, his struggles and how he's on an upward trajectory toward World Cup DH success in 2020. From a checkers-or-wreckers mentality that grew into a patient, calculated outlook, we can't wait to see how Dakotah goes this season.

Even after a fruitful World Cup- and National-level downhill race career over a decade ago, Kieran Bennett is still one of the fastest DH riders in New Zealand. The Kiwi pinner joins us on The Inside Line today to discuss how his mountain bike race campaign took shape, its highs, its lows, and where he's at today living in Nelson, NZ.

cover photo by Sven Martin

The Inside Line is supported by jensonusa.com, your one-stop shop for all things mountain biking. Use coupon code insideline at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items.

Thank you to Maxxis tires for making The Inside Line go 'round and keeping Kieran on the gas. Maxxis.com is the place to find the perfect mountain bike tire for your riding style and terrain.

Lastly, thank you Santa Cruz Bicycles for supporting The Inside Line. Kieran rides Santa Cruz Bicycles, and we get into his experience with the V10cc MX.

Mountain biker, Kyle Warner, joins us on The Inside Line for his second appearance. Kyle recently got back on the bike after being sidelined with an adverse reaction to the Covid-19 vaccine. It's a very personal discussion about loss, depression, recovery and hope.

Kyle is involved with ReAct19, a research-focused, grassroots organization made up of patients, scientists and physicians.

You can watch Kyle and April's mountain bike videos on their channel - www.youtube.com/c/KyleAprilRideMtb

The Inside Line is brought to you by Jenson USA, your one-stop-shop for mountain bikes, products and riding gear. Use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items at jensonusa.com.

Maxxis Tires make our bikes and The Inside Line go. Spring is here, so make sure your bike has new rubber for primed riding conditions. Hit up maxxis.com to see which tire fits your riding conditions and style best.

Santa Cruz Bicycles is giving $1m over three years to trail projects and advocacy groups through their PayDirt fund. If you have a project worth supporting or if you want to see which projects have been helped, hit up santacruzbicycles.com/paydirt to get all the info you need.

Scott Hart, fanatic mountain biker, fierce competitor and one to always follow his instincts, shares how he went from humble Indiana roots to becoming one of the premier editorial voices of American mountain biking. While many of you may not know who Scott is, he and Ralf Hauser created decline Magazine in the early 2000's. I had the privilege of working as a staffer at decline with Scott, Ralf and Mark Jordan after freelancing for them. decline has since come and gone, but the impact that magazine had on our community, specifically the gravity side of our family, is still evident today and that's largely because of Scott's voice and vision. His upbringing and experience as a struggling professional downhill and slalom racer, including highlights like competing in the first Red Bull Rampage, gave Scott the foundation and desire to make mountain biking look as appealing and rad to the masses as it really is. In addition to his racing history, we discuss the beginnings of Flow Magazine which eventually turned into decline under their newly-found publishing house. The ups, downs and ultimate end of Hart's run with decline is explored in addition to the founding and demise of the U.S. downhill initiative, Team America. We end up discussing his role at RockShox for a few years after leaving decline and where he thinks the future of mountain bike media is headed.

This is a re-issue of both parts 1 and 2 combined from July 2018. Scott asked that it be removed due to personal reasons, but we're stoked to have his permission to re-launch the interview.  I hope this episode will inspire you to work hard, enjoy riding bikes and persevere in the face of risk. -gordo

Vital's B Practice Podcast kicks off with a post-race show discussing the Lourdes World Cup Downhill. Dakotah Norton, 11th place finisher in Lourdes, joins former #USDH World Cuppers, Jason Schroeder, Austin Hackett-Klaube and Tanner Stephens to discuss the first round in France. They ask Dak about his transition from YT to Intense, riding a brand new bike at the race, track difficulties, race results across all categories, why all the kits seem to look the same, Dak's color palette to stoke out his grandmother who's been diagnosed with cancer, and Fort William coming up. Oh, they apologize for leaving Luca out of the discussion. He's so good, it wasn't a shocker, HA!

See all of Vital's Lourdes World Cup Downhill coverage

Ryan Condrashoff, a #USDH shredder, joins Griz on The Inside Line to discuss getting into mountain bikes, becoming a top U.S.-level rider, racing World Cups, dealing with injury and coming to grips with the reality that a professional race career is not in his future.

The Inside Line is brought to you by Jenson USA, your one-stop-shop for mountain bikes, products and riding gear. Use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items at jensonusa.com.

Maxxis Tires make our bikes and The Inside Line go. Spring is here, so make sure your bike has new rubber for primed riding conditions. Hit up maxxis.com to see which tire fits your riding conditions and style best.

Santa Cruz Bicycles is giving $1m over three years to trail projects and advocacy groups through their PayDirt fund. If you have a project worth supporting or if you want to see which projects have been helped, hit up santacruzbicycles.com/paydirt to get all the info you need.

Welcome mountain bikers! Thanks for listening to Vital MTB's Inside Line podcast. Our guest today is Noah Sears of MRP, but you may know him in the Vital forums and comments as NoahColorado. Today we discuss Noah's skills in the comment box, how he got into bikes, his eBay-bike-parts-sales career, blogging, working for Over the Edge Sports, how he found his way to MRP, ebikes, gravel bikes and more.

The Inside Line is brought to you by Jenson USA, your one-stop-shop for mountain bikes, products and riding gear. Use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items at jensonusa.com.

Maxxis Tires make our bikes and The Inside Line go. Spring is here, so make sure your bike has new rubber for primed riding conditions. Hit up maxxis.com to see which tire fits your riding conditions and style best.

Santa Cruz Bicycles is giving $1m over three years to trail projects and advocacy groups through their PayDirt fund. If you have a project worth supporting or if you want to see which projects have been helped, hit up santacruzbicycles.com/paydirt to get all the info you need.

An interview two years in the making finally happens in Reno, Nevada. Cam Zink is a pioneer in the sport of freeride mountain biking, and while it's easy to assume he's had a road of success paved with big money and big offers, I find out that was hardly the case. Cam has used his grit, hard work and experience on mountain bikes to push the limits of what is possible. His 360's and flips off the the biggest drops and over the biggest gaps have cemented him in the history books, becoming both a Red Bull Rampage winner and Crankworx Joyride winner. In the midst of these riding accomplishments, Cam has become an entrepreneur, starting Sensus Grips and, for a time, being the U.S. distributor for YT Industries. We talk history, challenges, fears, success and failures on all facets of life. Enjoy the episode!

Riding bikes and hanging out with friends as a kid has translated into riding bikes and hanging out with friends as an adult. Jeremiah work found fun and success racing BMX and building and riding trails in Texas. Eventually, he found his way into mountain biking through 4x racing, working his way up into the pro ranks of the Mountain States Cup and pushing on some heavy World Cuppers at a few select events. When his race career subsided, he shifted his focus with a desire to build the mountain bike community at home and in his region. He and his crew created the fun Trail Party race series that is going off. They recently announced the Downhill Rockies series which will bring #USDH racing back to the Rocky Mountain region this year with a race at Angel Fire and Purgatory and possibly 5 races in 2023. Listen to some great stories and get stoked to go rip some laps with friends.

www.trailparty.com

www.downhillrockies.com

The Inside Line is brought to you by Jenson USA, your one-stop shop for mountain bikes, products and riding gear. Use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items at jensonusa.com.

Maxxis Tires make our bikes and The Inside Line go. Spring is here, so make sure your bike has new rubber for primed riding conditions. Hit up maxxis.com to see which tire fits your riding conditions and style best.

Santa Cruz Bicycles is giving $1m over three years to trail projects and advocacy groups through their PayDirt fund. If you have a project worth supporting or if you want to see which projects have been helped, hit up santacruzbicycles.com/paydirt to get all the info you need.

Vital's B Practice podcast continues with a discussion about the last mountain bike World Cup Downhill in Fort William, Scotland. Jason Schroeder and Tanner Stephens get on the line with #USDH shredder, Dakotah Norton, to hear about his race experience and break down the other results of the weekend. The Leogang World Cup DH is next in line June 10 and 11.

Dakotah Norton, Jason Schroeder, Austin Hackett-Klaube and Tanner Stephens discuss all things UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill Leogang, Austria. #MTB #downhill #DH

We're going to take a trip back in time to 2018 with a previously aired Inside Line featuring Rob Warner. If you didn't know, after this 2022 season, Red Bull will no longer produce the Live webcasts of World Cup Downhill and Cross Country as the UCI sold those rights to the Discovery channel through 2030. Upon hearing the news, I asked Rob if he would still be involved as race commentator, hopeful for a "yes" answer because he has been such an integral part of what makes those shows so exciting to watch. This was his reply, "after this year, it's highly unlikely I'll be commentating on any UCI MTB World Cups for the foreseeable future." and he left it at that. With that answer, I thought it was a great time to revisit our interview from 4 years ago to showcase just how much passion he has for what he does.

Thanks to jensonusa.com for supporting The Inside Line. They have their Independence Day sale going on right now with big savings on bikes, components and riding gear. Summer is here, so make sure you and your bike are ready for shredding. Use coupon code InsideLine, all one word, at check out and receive 10% off qualifying items.

Maxxis tires are stacking wins this year with Richie Rude winning the latest EWS, Jesse Melamed winning the week before, Vali Holl taking a Crankworx DH win in Innsbruck and Matt Walker winning the Leogang World Cup downhill. Hit up maxxis.com to find the mountain bike tire that best suits your riding style and conditions and maybe you'll be on the podium at your next race, too.

Santa Cruz bicycles just launched the new Hightower 29er trail bike with 145mm of rear travel, internal frame storage and 5 size options. Hit our site to see our first ride review with our tech editor Jason Schroeder ripping the trail in Oakridge, Oregon, or hit up www.santacruzbicycles.com to learn more about this do-it-all trail smasher! Don't forget, they offer free, lifetime bearing replacement on their full-squish frames, too!

Engage time travel....now.

Will Washam, also known as Trill Will, is on the Inside Line podcast today. If you've raced a Downhill Southeast, watched one of their race replays or attended a recent National Champs gravity event, you have heard him making the calls as commentator. We talk about his journey into mountain biking, finding his way into announcing duties over the years and more.

Thanks to jensonusa.com for supporting The Inside Line. They have their Independence Day sale going on right now with big savings on bikes, components and riding gear. Summer is here, so make sure you and your bike are ready for shredding. Use coupon code InsideLine, all one word, at check out and receive 10% off qualifying items.

Maxxis tires are stacking wins this year with Richie Rude winning the latest EWS, Jesse Melamed winning the week before, Vali Holl taking a Crankworx DH win in Innsbruck and Matt Walker winning the Leogang World Cup downhill. Hit up maxxis.com to find the mountain bike tire that best suits your riding style and conditions and maybe you'll be on the podium at your next race, too.

Santa Cruz bicycles just launched the new Hightower 29er trail bike with 145mm of rear travel, internal frame storage and 5 size options. Hit our site to see our first ride review with our tech editor Jason Schroeder ripping the trail in Oakridge, Oregon, or hit up www.santacruzbicycles.com to learn more about this do-it-all trail smasher! Don't forget, they offer free, lifetime bearing replacement on their full-squish frames, too!

Dakota Norton qualified 2nd in Lenzerheide, was up at the splits and had an unfortunate slideout during his race run at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill. Jason Schroeder and Tanner Stephens, former World Cup downhill racers, talk with Dak about his race weekend and then the three of them dive into the performances of top finishers in all categories.

In this episode of The Inside Line podcast, Jason Schroeder sits down to interview his good friend and past landlord, Austin Smith, better known as Cheddar Child. Originally from Southern California and now residing in Boise, Idaho, Austin is first and foremost a ripping snowboarder. Introduced to mountain biking during his college years, his love for two wheels and digging trails have become his newfound passion. 

As the current Director of Innovations and Marketing at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area, he has played a huge role in growing Bogus’ new bike park, which has moved the needle forward for mountain bike trails in the greater Boise area. He’s a staple in the community who is constantly organizing dig days and trying to improve the experience of every rider who visits the park. He also has some of the sickest backyard dirt jumps you’ll likely never see and a love for music festivals and drum and bass. Austin is truly a one-of-a-kind individual whose intensity for life and motivated personality leaves an impact on everyone who crosses his path.

Have a listen as Austin discusses growing up being a snowboarder in Southern California, jumping beach cruisers at Sheep Hills, what a degree in Ski Business & Resort Management involves, the costs of operating a bike park, what it means to be a nonprofit mountain recreation area, and what it’s like being queer in action sports. Enjoy!

Thank you to
- jensonusa.com - Use coupon code “insideline” (all one word) at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items.
- maxxis.com
- santacruzbicycles.com 

Cover photograph by John Webster - @johnjwebster

Show Notes

• The inspiration for the name 'Cheddar Child'
• 2014/15 Snowboard Edit
• Air Awareness
• Building ‘Crackland’ Backyard Dirt Jumps
• Crankland 3.0 Session
• VitalMTB All Trails POV The Basin Gravity Park
• ‘Wish You Were Here’ Austin Smith 
• Bogus Basin Community Trail Build Day
• Pose TV Series
• Ballroom Culture 
• We're All Mental Community 
• 'Freedom From The Known' by Jidda Krishnamurti
• Mr Happy - DNB Song 
• Critical Crack Critters Anonymous Spotify Playlist

After two years, the World Cup circus returned to the heart of the Pyrenees Mountains for an exciting weekend of dry, hot, fast, and tight racing. With a brand new track on a completely different side of the mountain, gone were the steep, technical sections we are used to seeing in Andorra, and instead, the track was made up of blistering fast off-cambers and high-speed turns with no shortage of loose shale and dust. Times were tight, and the margin for error was even smaller.

This week, we discuss if World Cup downhill should assign permanent race numbers, if selling more downhill bikes is the answer to the longevity of the sport, the multiple death-defying sections on this year’s track, Loic Bruni's softer-than-average suspension setup, Jackson Goldstone having the fastest time of the day, plus our usual deep dive into results and overall standings. Enjoy!

Welcome mountain bikers.

Sometimes things don’t always go as planned. I was lucky to spend an hour and a half with Chris Conroy and Steve Hoogendorn at the sea otter classic to knock out an Inside Line. if those names aren’t familiar to you, they’re the owners of Yeti Cycles.

We posted up at a Sea Otter campsite on a gorgeous, sunny day to record the episode. Away from the crowds and chaos of the venue, without any shade, we battled sweaty armpits, were interrupted by various aircraft and walked away with a little sunburn. Despite the struggles, we had a great conversation about the Yeti brand, past, present and future.

Well, it turns out that technology and blazing California sunshine don’t always get along. About 45 minutes in to our interview, the electronics started acting up, and by 55-minutes in, the laptop said, “this is too hot, i’m done,” and cut off the last 20 minutes of our conversation. Gutted.

Fast forward a few weeks and an aircraft that may have been background noise and a cause of frustration in the original interview, had transported me to Golden, Colorado, and the home of Yeti Cycles.

Conroy and Hoog graciously stepped up for Inside Line 2.0. While there, I was able to talk with Sarah Rawley about women in mountain biking, as well as Damien Smith, who is responsible for some of the iconic racer selections on the Yeti team over the years.

I’d like to give a big thanks to Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line. Jenson is a Yeti Cycles dealer and a great place to shop online for all things cycling-related. Use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and get 10% off qualifying items.

Maxxis Tires also graciously supports this podcast, and they make the tires that you’ll find on Yeti’s line of mountain bikes. Hit up maxxis.com and make sure you have some fresh rubber this riding season.

Last but not least, thank you listeners. Without your stoke, what’s the point? Enjoy the show. -gordo

The mud at the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill in Snowshoe provided the drama, but the racers, fans and atmosphere were the highlight of the weekend. Trill Will got his hands on interviews from Bernard Kerr, Camille Balanche and Eliot Jackson, Ronan Dunne, Gracey Hemstreet, Superfan Alex Ohlman, Laurie Greenland, Matt Sterling, Preston Cline (Race Director for the Snowshoe World Cup) and Wyn Masters.

Back in the USA, baby! Last weekend, the World Cup circus headed across the pond for the first time this season to Snowshoe, West Virginia. After years of relatively dry racing, the east coast provided, welcoming riders with plenty of rain and slippery conditions. Not many made it down without having a near-death moment (or two), and it might have been the toughest track raced in years.  

This week, the crew discusses Dakotah’s now infamous race run inside line, how the Snowshoe track humbled the world’s best racers, the tripod corner that ended a few race runs, the rise of Ronan Dunne, who is responsible for track maintenance and safety during a race weekend, result breakdowns for each class, and then they close things out with some pre-Mont-Sainte-Anne chatter. Enjoy!

Welcome mountain bikers, let's jump back 5 years to a previously aired Inside Line featuring Eliot Jackson. This was the very first Inside Line ever and Eliot was kind enough to be the guinea pig for us. Needless to say it's been an awesome ride for the Inside Line and we're stoked for more. Eliot mentioned on his Instagram account that the Mont-Sainte-Anne Red Bull webcast with Rob Warner a week or so ago was his last World Cup commentary. We'll definitely miss his knowledge and enthusiasm on the broadcasts and are excited to see what his future holds. He's the founder Grow Cycling, doing great things there and always has something up his sleeve. 

Jenson USA has a Labor Sale going on right now. Bikes are on discount, parts, riding gear, you name it. It's a great time of year to save big and if you use coupon code inside line all one word at check out and receive 10% off qualifying items.

If you're lackin' the traction or wanna ride like Jackson (Goldstone), Maxxis tires will give you the grip. Hit up maxxis.com to find the mountain bike tire that best suits your riding style and conditions.

On the fastest, roughest World Cup DH track of the year, Santa Cruz bicycles took a 1st place and two 2nd places under Jackson Goldstone, Nina Hoffman and Laurie Greenland. The V10 is stomping DH and their Megatower and Hightower are new this year with internal frame storage. Don't forget, that any Santa Cruz bike comes free lifetime bearing replacement, too! Santacruzbicycles.com is where to find a local dealer.

Enjoy the show!

Two weeks ago, we attempted to record our usual post-race podcast after the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Mont Sainte Anne, but unfortunately we had issues with the recording upload. Oh, the joys of conducting a podcast with multiple people in various countries across the globe. As World Championships approaches, we decided to wait and record a pre-Worlds show, covering highlights from MSA and touching on the World Cup overall standings heading into the final round from Val di Sole, Italy.

We also chat about concussion protocol, Crankworx Whistler, the dangers of World Cup spectating, who is the sickest downhill racer currently, the updated Les Gets track, and speculate on the anarchy that could follow if a French racer wins on Saturday. Enjoy! 

Can this season get any more exciting!?! World Champs from Les Gets, France, was one for the record books, with Loic Bruni taking his 5th World title and France sweeping the Elite Men's podium. There were plenty of other highlights from the weekend, including Valentina Holl taking her first World title, upsets in the Junior field, custom bikes and gear, and one of the largest crowds we've ever seen.

This week the B Practice crew breaks down all the craziness from the weekend, discussing the mental approach to a one-off race like Worlds, favorite custom bikes, Greg Minnaar's Jamaican bobsled team kit, Loris Vergier's grip choice, why the French have been historically so successful at Worlds, and most importantly, what is up with riders cuffing their pant legs. All that, plus some insights into the gnarly Val di Sole track being raced this weekend for the final World Cup of 2022.

The 2022 UCI Downhill World Cup season has come to a close, and racing concluded on debatably the gnarliest track of the year in Val di Sole, Italy. Overall titles were crowned, bikes were pushed to the limit, and our co-host, Dakotah Norton, finished the year with a career-best 3rd place. It was a bitter-sweet ending to the season with Dak ending on a high note, Camille Balanche pushing through injury to wrap up her first Elite title, and Red Bull signing off on their last broadcast.    

This week, the B Practice crew breaks down all the craziness from the weekend, discussing Dak’s podium weekend, World Cup bonuses, UCI podium payouts, Rob Warner’s final race as the voice of World Cup downhill, Amaury Pierron’s dominating season, and ability to ride the edge, rumors of an A and B final next year at World Cups, plans for the podcast this offseason, plus lots of random banter. Enjoy!

The World Cup downhill season might have wrapped up last month, but there is always plenty of racing-related topics to podcast about! We have talked about wanting to interview people on the B Practice Podcast all season, and those hopes have come to fruition with our first guests: Dillon Lemarr and Austin Dooley. Dillon is the Team Manager of the Commencal North America Team, and Austin rides for Dillon's team and should need little introduction after his successful 2022 World Cup campaign. It was awesome to hear both of them reflect on the season from a manager and team rider perspective and touch on the struggles of elite racing, areas for improvement, and goals for 2023. But before we dove into the Austin and Dillon show, we did cover Dakotah's $15,000 win at the US Open, his ongoing home renovation and plans to visit SoCal, Proving Grounds, Dylan Stark at Rampage, and our 2022 Downhill Test Sessions. 

Thank you so much, Dillon and Austin, for taking the time to chat, and we hope everyone enjoys listening!

Take a trip back to 2018 in this archive episode of The Inside Line. All heart, all passion and all in. Eric Davies, founder of Deity components, has turned a life-long dream into a thriving independent mountain bike parts brand. From a unique childhood in Central America to stumbling across mountain biking in college, Eric worked his way from bike shop employee to industry insider. Eventually, he grew tired of helping others build something he didn't believe in and started Deity in late 2003 with his wife Sadie. The rest is patient, deliberate history and I hope you enjoy learning about that history in this week's podcast.

Jenson USA has everything you need for your mountain bike! It's a great time of year to save big and if you use coupon code inside line all one word at check out and receive 10% off qualifying items.

If you're lackin' the traction or wanna ride like Jackson (Goldstone), Maxxis tires will give you the grip. Hit up maxxis.com to find the mountain bike tire that best suits your riding style and conditions.

On the fastest, roughest World Cup DH track of the year, Santa Cruz bicycles took a 1st place and two 2nd places under Jackson Goldstone, Nina Hoffman and Laurie Greenland. The V10 is stomping DH and their Megatower and Hightower are new this year with internal frame storage. Don't forget, that any Santa Cruz bike comes free, lifetime bearing replacement, too! Santacruzbicycles.com is where to find a local dealer.

Watch this podcast with pictures and clips on Vital MTB or our YouTube channel.

Jordi Cortes, Race Team Manager for FOX, Marzocchi, Race Face and Easton joins us on The Inside Line Live podcast today. You probably know Jordi best from his appearances in FOX's Dialed series about World Cup Downhill racing.

The Inside Line podcast is proudly supported by
- www.jensonusa.com - use coupon code insideline at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items.

- Maxxis tires - hit up www.maxxis.com to search their line-up of mountain bike tires to see which best suit your riding style and terrain.

- Santa Cruz Bicycles - Santa Cruz offers free, lifetime pivot bearing replacement on all frames, and through their PayDirt Fund, they're giving $1 million over three years to trail projects and initiatives. www.santacruzbicycles.com

Follow Vital MTB
www.instagram.com/vitalmtb
www.facebook.com/vitalmtb

Braydon Bringhurst joins us live today on The Inside Line MTB podcast to discuss his new movie, 8600FT. The movie documents Braydon's achievement of attempting to climb the entire Whole Enchilada Trail in Moab, Utah, without walking any section, including the world-famous Snotch. 8600FT has premiered in select cities and will be launched live online on November 2. See www.8600ftfilm.com for details

Photos by @ToryPowers

View the live video on YouTube here

The Inside Line podcast is proudly supported by

• www.jensonusa.com - use coupon code insideline at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items.
• Maxxis tires - hit up www.maxxis.com to search their line-up of mountain bike tires to see which best suit your riding style and terrain.
• Santa Cruz Bicycles -  Santa Cruz offers free, lifetime pivot bearing replacement on all frames, and through their PayDirt Fund, they're giving $1 million over three years to trail projects and initiatives. www.santacruzbicycles.com

If World Cups are the pinnacle of downhill mountain biking, Red Bull Rampage is the absolute pinnacle of big mountain freeriding. After ten days of digging and testing, 16 riders lined up last Friday to carve their names into Rampage history. This year was filled with plenty of historical moments, the usual scoring controversy, and some added drama with wind complications and the live broadcast quality.

We sat down to discuss all the madness from the event, and pulled in our good friend Jon Simek, who attended the two-week event as a digger for Kyle Strait (get well soon, Kyle!). We chat with Jon about how riders approach building lines, the science of stacking dirt in the desert, riders running out of time to finish builds, and Kyle's crash and recovery. We then get into Rampage scoring and the need for more transparency, Dylan Stark's crank arm grind, wind and weather delays, ESPN+ coverage, tricks versus big lines, and much more. Enjoy!   

After supporting our Inside Line podcast series for years, Maxxis has stepped up to sponsor the B Practice Podcast moving forward. That's right; enough of you enjoy listening to us ramble about bikes and racing that we are starting to move up in the podcast world. Hopefully, now we can get Dakotah a hotspot for his potato phone and invest in some real mics. No promises. 

Maxxis has built its name through racing at the highest levels of the sport, claiming countless race wins, World Cup overall titles, and World Championships along the way. Visit your local shop or favorite online retailer to get the same tread patterns and compounds used by the fastest racers in the world. 

Welcome back to another episode of Vital's B Practice Podcast! In this episode, we chatted with professional downhill racer Frida Rønning. Originally from Norway, Frida became part of the #USDH scene after moving stateside for college and now resides in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she is working towards her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. On top of pursuing her education, she has chased World Cup racing for the past several years, and 2022 marked Frida's first season on a properly supported team - the UNION. 

We had a great time chatting with Frida and discovering how she balances school, racing, and continuing to live in the U.S., how she got into downhill racing, and what it was like transitioning from privateer support to racing for a legitimate World Cup team. We then broke down the crash that ended Frida's season and left her with a lengthy concussion recovery. Concussions are, unfortunately, a part of mountain biking, but the information surrounding rehab and healing is limited. We gained a ton of helpful insight from Frida's experience and recovery, and hopefully, anyone dealing with post-concussion symptoms finds this episode useful.

Thank you, Frida, for taking the time to chat with us, and we can't wait to cheer you on next season! 

After supporting our Inside Line podcast series for years, Maxxis has stepped up to also sponsor the B Practice Podcast moving forward. That's right; enough of you enjoy listening to us ramble about bikes and racing that we are starting to move up in the podcast world. Hopefully, now we can get Dakotah a hotspot for his potato phone and invest in some real mics. No promises. 

Maxxis has built its name through racing at the highest levels of the sport, claiming countless race wins, World Cup overall titles, and World Championships along the way. Visit your local shop or favorite online retailer to get the same tread patterns and compounds used by the fastest racers in the world. 

In this episode of the B Practice MTB Podcast, we rope in one of our favorite #USDH racers, Dante Silva. We've known Dante since he started popping up at popular shuttle zones in SoCal years before he could drive. Now a fun-spirited, high-energy 19-year-old, Dante has harnessed the natural talent he oozed at 12 to become one of the fastest U.S. downhill racers of the modern era.   

After racing as a supported privateer during his Junior years and first Elite season in 2021, Dante made the jump to the Canyon Collective Pirelli Team for 2022. Never one to waste a hard-earned opportunity, his 2022 season was filled with consistent results and a few moments of glory, highlighted by two top-20 finishes at the North American World Cup rounds. With racing behind him for the year, we chatted with Dante about off-season activities, helping develop Pirelli tires, having Fabien Barel as a line coach, crashing at the U.S. Open, being bored and dying his hair, pants vs. shorts, and so, so much more. We enjoyed this entertaining and at times hilarious conversation, and hopefully, you do too! 

#MTB #USDH #mountainbike #bikes

Colin Bailey is a former downhill racer, inventor of the Maxxis Minion DHF tire, mountain bike race mechanic for Giant Factory Off-Road, a craftsman and an artist. So many things describe Colin, but his straight-shooting style speaks for itself. I'm honored to have had the chance to sit down with him to discuss his history in mountain biking, his career as a racer and his bigger life story that eventually landed him back in our race scene as a mechanic. Enjoy the show with a true innovator within our community. A guest appearance from Kirt Voreis adds even more fun flavor to the episode.

If you've enjoyed a Maxxis Minion DHF, consider sharing your stoke by donating to the gofundme campaign I started for Colin Bailey without him knowing.

Thanks to Maxxis, Jenson USA and The Gravity Cartel or supporting The Inside Line podcast.

Welcome mountain bikers! Shawn Spomer and Jason Schroeder sit down with Nik Nestoroff who just announced that he's riding for Fezzari Bicycles. We discuss racing enduro full-time after a strong downhill career, competing in Fontana DH races at age 9, the Palmer Project, Intense Factory Racing and KHS Factory Racing. Great stories about buying a $400 Honda Civic in Scotland to tour Europe with Trevor Boldi come to light, and hacking the system as an 18-year-old to rent a van in the USA to go race make this one a great listen.

Follow Nik and Kailey on YouTube -  @niknestoroff
Follow Nik on Instagram
Vital MTB thanks
Jenson USA
- use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items

Maxxis Tires

Santa Cruz Bicycles

Show Contents
0:00 - Nik's Bootleg Canyon Crash
2:43 - Switch from DH to Enduro
4:37 - New Bike Sponsor - Fezzari
7:08 - Volcom MTB Riding Gear
8:20 - Enduro Compared to DH Racing
13:38 - Training for Enduro
16:22 - How Nik Got into MTB
19:50 - Nik's First Bike
20:50 - Racing Fontana DH at 9 Years Old
23:18 - Palmer Project and Intense Factory Racing
26:33 - KHS Factory Racing
28:49 - Shaun Palmer Stories
35:02 - Favorite / Least-Favorite DH Tracks
39:28 - World Champs Bikes and Race Results
41:22 - Enduro Trophy de Nations USA
53:04 - Buying a $400 Civic in Scotland
1:01:29 - Under 21 Rental Car Hack
1:01:40 - 2023 Race and Ride Goals

Jackson Goldstone and Greg Minnaar of the Santa Cruz Syndicate join us on The Inside Line mountain bike podcast. We met up with them at the Fox MTB headquarters as they were deciding on their new race kits for 2023 and debuting the new Union shoe. Jackson discusses his insane huck off a bridge at the Andorra World Cup. Greg talks about breaking his neck in Val di Sole, Italy, 20+ years of racing downhill, going from a super long V10 to reeling the length back in, the 45,000-Euro Showa forks on his Honda G-Cross downhill bike and more.

Next week, we'll continue the episode with all the members of the Santa Cruz Syndicate - Laurie Greenland, Nina Hoffman, Jackson, Greg and even Steve Peat! 

Vital MTB thanks
Jenson USA
- use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items

Maxxis Tires

Santa Cruz Bicycles

We sit down with all the members of the Santa Cruz Syndicate downhill mountain bike race team, Laurie Greenland, Nina Hoffman, Jackson Goldstone, Greg Minnaar, Steve Peat and Lee Huskinson, Laurie's mechanic. We talk about everything from impressive race performances to making sure that little adjuster knob on an airplane tray table is perpendicular to the ground.

Vital MTB thanks
Jenson USA
- use coupon code InsideLine at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items

Maxxis Tires

Santa Cruz Bicycles

Professional downhill mountain bike racer, Chris Grice, checks in from a training camp in France. He's recently moved from Specialized Gravity to Generation Specialized for 2023. We talk about that move, how he's training, what he thinks about the changes to the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup and World Series, meeting Aaron Gwin for the first time and his insane crash at Windrock while filming for Vital RAW.

These great partners support The Inside Line
www.jensonusa.com - use coupon code INSIDELINE and receive 10% off qualifying items.
MAXXIS TIRES - they've been with The Inside Line since day one and make the best-performing mountain bike tires for all styles and riding conditions.

It's a new year, and we have some exciting changes for the podcast! First, we are finally filming the show. Unfortunately, this means Dakotah can't cook dinner while we record and Austin will have to get out of bed. But we couldn't be more stoked to continue evolving the podcast and offering everyone entertaining and insightful conversations focused on downhill racing. If everything goes to plan, the plan is to pump out a weekly podcast. Wish us luck.

And second, we've managed to score some fantastic sponsors for the podcast this year. Somehow four friends bantering and bench racing has turned into a mildly successful passion project, so shoutout to everyone who's listened in the past and helped get the podcast to this point, and a big shoutout to Maxxis, Burgtec and Industry Nine for coming on board to support the podcast. We will do our best to keep these sponsorships from going straight to our heads and changing who we are. 

Team Robot, aka Charlie Sponsel, drops in for the first Inside Line Ride Along, where mountain bikers sit down with no real agenda to discuss life and bikes.

Bob Weber set out on a crusade to make the safest motorcycle and mountain bike helmets available and today they're celebrating their 10-year anniversary. Vital spent a morning with Bob and Derek from 6D riding bikes and then sitting down to discuss their journey. Their patented ODS helmet technology is explained along with Bob's philosophy about preventing concussions and minimizing injury from cycling and biking-related crashes.

Jason and Shawn rode in the 6D ATB-2T helmet earlier that morning and were surprised by its comfort and stability on the trail. The protection offered by the helmet, paired with the comfort and fit has them considering running it full-time.

These great partners support The Inside Line
www.jensonusa.com - use coupon code INSIDELINE and receive 10% off qualifying items.
MAXXIS TIRES - they've been with The Inside Line since day one and make the best-performing mountain bike tires for all styles and riding conditions.

In December last year, Warner Bros. Discovery announced fairly monumental changes to the format of UCI World Cup downhill racing. The introduction of a third points-paying race per round that will result in less elite riders in finals quickly stirred up a commotion. On today's episode, the crew sits down to discuss the details of these changes and the possible implications they will have when the season kicks off in June. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible:
Maxxis
Burgtec
Industry Nine 

0:00 Dakotah Norton's initial reaction as a World Cup racer
4:51 Breakdown and discussion of new semi-final and finals format
9:45 Impact of the new format on US DH racers
11:38 Why did Warner Bros. Discovery implement these changes?
16:27 Broadcasting top 30 vs. top 60 
17:30 Points breakdown per round  
19:07 How will more points per round affect racing? 
26:55 The dynamic of doing three race runs in a weekend
33:52 How to watch World Cups in 2023
36:05 Third-party media changes 
39:55 New protected rider rules  
50:09 The stresses of being a top 10 racer OR top 30-40 racer in semi-finals
52:10 Rumors of track standardization
53:40 Why not a B Final or last-chance qualifier?  
55:05 How season-long storylines could change with less racers in finals 
1:00:02 Will wildcard racers still be a thing?
1:00:14 Updates to replacement rider rules 
1:02:04 2023 Schedule breakdown 
1:08:04 Are all these changes just TV broadcasters taking over our sport?

Aaron Gwin's mechanic and potential 2023 Fontana 30-39 Expert champ, John Hall, joins Team Robot, Jason Schroeder, Jonny Simonetti and gordo on The Inside Line Ride Along. We spend three hours discussing everything from the unwritten rules of World Cup downhill warm-up spots, spoke tension myths, creating mountain bikes for consumers vs. pro racers, the new Intense M279 HP6 prototype,  Gwin's chainless victory in Leogang and plenty more.

These great partners support The Inside Line
www.jensonusa.com - use coupon code INSIDELINE and receive 10% off qualifying items.
MAXXIS TIRES - they've been with The Inside Line since day one and make the best-performing mountain bike tires for all styles and riding conditions.

Interview contents
0:00 - Intro / Semi-final World Cup DH format Impact on Mechanics
17:35 - How Many Tires Used at a World Cup DH?
21:15 - John Hall was Jason Schroeder's Mechanic
25:45 - Becoming Aaron Gwin's Mechanic
40:35 - Trying to Get 27.5 DH tires and wheels in 2013
47:57 - Spoke Tension Debates
53:25 - Prototypes and Different Rider Setups
1:00:54 - Recipe for Winning
1:15:47 - Will John Hall Be the 2023 Fontana Ex 30-39 Champ?
1:27:50 - Thoughts on e-Enduro Racing?
1:38:38 - Developing Bikes for Every Rider
1:59:13 - Bike Reviews Based on Incorrect Setup
2:11:14 - You Can't Scrub
2:14:36 - Don't Make Bets with Mitch Ropelato or Aaron Gwin
2:19:36 - John Tomac Stories
2:24:29 - Developing the Prototype Intense M279 HP6
2:43:18 - Suspension Platforms
2:54:45 - The Broken Chain Leogang Win Story
3:12:53 - SoCal Speed Team

It's a downhill bike. It's an enduro bike. It's a gearbox bike. It's a regular derailleur-based drivetrain bike. Learn all the details about Trinity's diverse and unique mountain bike with Mic Williams. Mic runs Williams Racing Products and is 1/3rd of the Trinity crew. 

Interview Contents
0:00 - Trinity and WRP Background
2:39 - Gearbox-Adaptable Trinity Design
7:15 - Steel and Aluminum Frame Build
9:30 - Modular Frame Flex and Compliance Tuning 
4:54 - Importance of Swingarm Flex
17:33 - Geometry - Matching Rear-center & Reach?
19:24 - Suspension Kinematics
23:44 - Modular Drivetrain Design
25:47 - WRP Gearbox Explained

Vital MTB's Brandon Turman is joined by none other than Paul Basagoitia for the next episode of Vital MTB's Inside Line podcast.

It took just a few short years for Paul "Bas" to become a freeride mountain bike icon. His entrance into the sport was explosive as he went from unheard of to a household name in the time it took to tail whip the finish drop at Crankworx in 2004. In that moment and over the next handful of years Paul would go on to essentially flip the script on slopestyle, opening riders eyes to a new world of possibilities.

In 2015, Paul suffered a devastating spinal cord injury while competing at Red Bull Rampage, and over the past 3.5 years he has forged ahead on a truly remarkable, inspirational path to recovery.

That brings us to today. Paul and Brandon were posted up in Telluride, Colorado – home of the Mountainfilm Festival and decades of mountain bike history – where his new film, "Any One of Us" premiered.

Brandon is honored to call Paul a friend, and was excited and a bit overwhelmed to be having this conversation. It's been a long time coming.

Rich Houseman forged a successful career as an American mountain bike racer in the late nineties and early 2000s. Taking wins in downhill, dual slalom, 4x and dual, Rich has seen all the different trends and changes that mountain bike racing has taken over the last two-and-a-half decades. As his race career wound down, he found himself at a company called Sponsorhouse, which managed athlete and brand sponsor partnerships. Sponsorhouse changed its name to Hookit and Rich has remained an integral part of the business for 19 years. He continues to oversee athlete and sponsor relations and discusses how Hookit uses data-driven information to help companies and riders succeed in their marketing efforts.

Thanks  to JENSON USA  and MAXXIS TIRES  for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast.

Watch this podcast on YouTube

Discussion Topics
0:00 - Introduction and Fontana
7:10 - BMX to Basketball to Downhill
16:50 - World Champs DH in Cairns
19:57 - First Sponsors, Racing for Tomac
24:54 - Slalom, Dual & 4X
30:59 - Bike Setup Back in the Day
34:28 - Why Did 4X Die?
35:56 - Proudest Racing Moment
38:08 - Making a Living Racing MTB
42:48 - Discovering Aaron Gwin
54:05 - Sponsorhouse to Hookit
1:00:17 - From MTB Racer to Desk Job
1:06:26 - Social Media's Impact on MTB Sponsorship
1:19:53 - What Makes a Successful Social Media Pt?
1:32:52 - Difficulties Female Athletes Face on Social Media
1:35:27 - Athletes Succeeding on Social Media
1:40:14 - Leticia Bufoni using Hookit
1:47:32 - Lew Buchanan Riding for OnlyFans
1:51:22 - Wyn Masters' Sponsor Value
1:56:11 - Dad Life

#MTB #Mountainbike #bike

U.S. downhill mountain bike racer, Charlie Harrison, joins us on The Inside Line to discuss his race career, injury and why he's decided to retire. Charlie has seen success with multiple World Cup DH podium results over the years. We talk about how he went from motocross racing to finding downhill MTB, career highlights, riding for Intense Factory Racing and Trek Factory Racing. As injury plagued the end of his time on the track, Charlie decided it was time to hang up the number plate and set his sights on a career in firefighting. He continues to ride regularly and does bike test work for Santa Cruz on occasion. #MTB #mountainbike #usdh 

Video contents
0:00 - Using PVC Pipe as Fake Roots on a DH Track
3:03 - What is SoCal Speed Team
6:37 - From Moto to MTB
13:06 - Will We Ever See Skatepark Chuck Again?
16:05 - DH Race Progression / Fontana
24:54 - World Cup Visions
28:14 - First World Cup DH Success
36:45 - Getting Comfortable at World Cups
39:06 - Riding for Intense Factory
46:08 - Breaking into Top 10 at the World Cup
49:57 - Moving to Trek Factory Racing
56:00 - Reece Wilson Story
1:00:45 - Plagued with Injuries
1:13:59 - Retiring from DH Racing
1:20:56 - DH Training Program
1:24:23 - Outside Hobbies and Overlanding
1:28:32 - Helping with Santa Cruz
1:32:52 - Embarrassing Crash

Watch the episode - https://youtu.be/WYbuPIpYCkI

Luca Cometti is a professional mountain biker and filmmaker from Southern California. He moved from BMX to MTB at an early age, hitting local races and making videos of his friends. As the years progressed, he turned that passion into becoming a Dual Slalom specialist, landing a ride on a factory team to race World Cup downhills, competing in Crankworx festivals all over the globe and creating film projects with some of mountain biking's most talented riders. Enjoy the show with one of the nicest riders in the game.

The Inside Line is supported by these great sponsors
Jenson USA
Maxxis Tires
FOX Racing Shox

See Luca on YouTube - @luca_cometti 
Follow Luca on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/luca_cometti

Show Contents
0:00 - The Coffee Setup
8:12 - Bonus for Beating Strait & Slalom Bike Setup
21:11 - Finding Bikes and Grom Video-making in San Diego
30:36 - DH Racing Progression & BetterRide Camps
36:46 - Pursing a DH Racing Career
43:43 - From Factory Racer to Privateer
52:56 - Pursing Crankworx Instead of World Cup
57:07 - Marketing as a Rider and Filmmaking
1:06:19 - Importance of Social Media Influence
1:11:04 - Quality of Content
1:22:44 - Brands Measuring Athletes with Promo Codes
1:27:37 - Video Project with Greg Minnaar
1:31:22 - Filming Kyle Strait's Back-breaking Rampage Crash
1:38:05 - Crankworx Hustle and Bernard Kerr's Success
1:44:21 - SURON Riders Wrecking Trails?
1:54:13 - Racing Big Mountain Enduro in 2023
2:00:30 - Why Isn't Dual Slalom a UCI Event?

#MTB #mountainbike #bike

Welcome mountain bikers, I’m excited to have Ben Plenge on the show today. He’s a rider, racer, but he’s also the founder and coach at The Strength Factory in the UK. We discuss how Ben found mountain biking and being a fitness coach as well as specific philosophies and techniques to become a stronger, fitter rider.

Episode Topics

0:00 - Intro
 2:34 - Getting into MTB and Joining the Army
 9:21 - Becoming a Fitness Coach and Founding the Strength Factory
 15:36 - Fitness for MTBers over 40 years old
 21:32 - Mental Health, Training and Empathy
 27:01 - Do You Need Weights or Tech Gadgets to Train Well?
 34:13 - Importance of Posture for MTB
 39:33 - Different Body Types and Training Based on Forward Riding Foot
 44:37 - Nasal Breathing for MTB
 50:26 - Being Successful with a Fitness Plan - Realistic Time Management
 59:28 - Benefits of Low-Intensity Aerobic Training
 1:10:48 - Does an E-Bike Make You Weak?
 1:14:36 - Racers Ben Admires
 1:16:56 - MTB Strength Programs

Strength Factory Promotions for Vital MTBers

• Use the code VITALMTB for 20% off the Complete MTB Programme
• Use the code VITALDH for 20% off the Complete DH Programme
• Use the code VITAL40 for 20% off the Over 40s MTB Programme

All discount codes expire on 31st May.

Instagram: @strengthfactory_coach
YouTube: @thestrengthfactory.

These great companies make The Inside Line possible
MAXXIS TIRES - JENSON USA - FOX

Breathing Information

• The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown
• Breath by James Nestor
• Follow @_brianmackenzie or his website: Shift Adapt

The B Practice Podcast is back after a small hiatus! Since our last recording a few months back, the crew has been busier than ever. Austin moved from Colorado to California to start a new role with Specialized, Dakotah has been in the thick of developing the latest Intense DH bike while continuing to build his house, Tanner’s been busy jump-starting his career as a producer, and I’ve just been doing what I can to keep pumping out cool content for the site. 

With the 2023 World Cup downhill season less than a month out, the good news is that we will soon be back to our normally scheduled post-race podcasting. This offseason has been longer and more action-packed than usual, and a lot of pre-season racing has ensued. We sat down to discuss how the current crop of elite racers are looking after these warm-up events, who will be contending for the win at Lenzerheide, find out how Dak is feeling heading into summer, highlight some fast up-and-coming #USDH racers, and speculate on what type of course tape will be used at the first round. 

As always, a huge shoutout to Maxxis, Industry Nine, and Burgtec for supporting the B Practice Podcast! Enjoy this episode, and we will see everyone the week after Lenzerheide for our post-race show. 

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!

• ​MAXXIS TIRES
• INDUSTRY NINE
• BURGTEC

In this episode of The Inside Line podcast Brandon Turman is pleased to bring you a conversation with one of the most controversial, outspoken, and perhaps most misunderstood riders mountain biking has ever seen.

He's an MTB Hall of Famer responsible for pushing the boundaries of what could be done on a bike. You likely grew up watching him in the movies, he's one of the only people to ever put a Super Monster fork to good use, and you'll all remember when he hit the infamous Jah drop.

He's a lifelong badass, and he's here to catch up, talk some history, reminisce, and make some BIG announcements regarding what he's been dreaming up for the last several years.

It's BENDER, ladies and gents!

Follow Josh on Instagram - @iceboxacres

Follow Vital MTB on Instagram - @vitalmtb

The Inside Line is supported by:

• Maxxis Tires
• Jenson USA - use coupon code insideline and get 10% off qualifying items
• The Gravity Cartel - your resource for Spank USA and iXS USA

These great companies make The Inside Line possible
Maxxis Tires | Jenson USA | FOX 

Love him or hate him, Taylor Sage, or TSage as many call him, has been a breath of fresh air in the mountain bike scene for nearly 20 years. He's raced XC and downhill, he was a main builder at the infamous Hidden Valley trails, he's filmed for multiple New World Disorder movies, dug at Rampage for Kyle Strait and Cam Zink, helped keep MTB real with the 2Six Stallions, films and builds with Brandon Semenuk and so much more. Oh, and he's not on Instagram.

Enjoy the show with a living legend who's all grown up now...sort of. 

#MTB #podcast #mountainbike 

Show Contents
0:00 - Strava, Lopes and Racing XC
5:43 - MTB history
9:18 - Meeting Kyle Strait
14:40 - Building Trails and MTB vs BMX
27:54: - Mike Hucker Clark
30:36 - Zink, Strait, 2Six Stallions, Filming for NWD
39:51 - Robbie Bourdon's Broken Neck
47:23 - Film, Digital and Battling The Collective with NWD
50:47 - 2Six Stallions vs The Bicycle Rockers
52:53 - Sage is Unmarketable and Being Blind in One Eye
1:04:36 - TSage and Cam McCaul Saw a UFO
1:12:50 - Losing His Index Finger
1:28:15 - No Social Media
1:41:29 - Camera Gear, Semenuk, Editing Process
1:48:42 - The Future and Reflecting on the past

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Industry Nine | Burgtec

​The B Practice Podcast is back! After some unfortunate technical difficulties last week that saw our post-Lenzerheide show evaporate from existence, the powers that be allowed our post-Leogang show to happen. Only two rounds into the UCI Downhill World Cup season, and we’ve been treated to tons of epic racing. We don’t know if there has ever been a season with as close of racing and so many potential winners. 

As always, Dakotah Norton brings you between the tape with his trackside insights and breaks down the excitement from Lenzerheide and Leogang with Tanner Stephens and Jason Schroeder. In this episode, the crew discusses initial impressions of the new race format, thoughts on the new broadcasting, the impressive crop of talent spread across each category, first-time category winners, Rachel Atherton’s legend status, and Loic Bruni’s futuristic gear. Thank you so much for listening, and we will see everybody after Val di Sole in a few weeks! Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Industry Nine | Burgtec

Holy cow, what a weekend of racing from Val di Sole! Arguably the gnarliest track on the circuit, this year provided spectacular racing thanks to some methodical course adjustments and bucketloads of new dirt. Racers were treated to periodic rain that really mixed things up as the track was ever-evolving, and bikes and bodies were put to the test, surviving the infamous Black Snake track. 

As always, Dakotah Norton brings you between the tape with his trackside insights and breaks down the excitement from Val di Sole with Tanner Stephens and Jason Schroeder. In this episode, the crew discusses if VDS should be the blueprint for a World Cup DH track, what it’s like being chased by livestream drones, Jackson Goldstone’s textbook technique and bike setup, Ronan Dunne ingesting six Red Bulls on race day, weights strapped to down tubes, Dakotah playing in the tape during Semi-Finals, and the speed Junior racers in 2023. Thank you so much for listening, and we will see everybody after World Champs in a month! Enjoy!

These great companies make The Inside Line possible
Maxxis Tires | Jenson USA | FOX 

Brian Cahal sits down with Dan and Steve from Vorsprung Suspension to discuss the trajectory of their business as they've grown from mountain bike suspension servicing and upgrades to creating their new MTB shock.

0:00 - From suspension service to making upgrade parts
10:46 - Making The Vorsprung MTB shock
17:04:- Vorsprung Suspension Problem Solving
24:53 - Future of MTB Suspension / Electronic Suspension
29:53 - What Would You Changet to Make MTB Better?
35:28 - When Will the Vorsprung Shock Be Available?

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Industry Nine | Burgtec

After the first stint of World Cup racing this year, we were overdue for a little #USDH coverage! Last weekend, the 2023 Gravity National Championships took place from Ride Rock Creek, North Carolina. Another bike park built by Neko Mulally and crew, the first time Nat Champs venue delivered quality tracks for downhill, slalom, and enduro racing. 

As always, Dakotah Norton brings you between the tape to break down his weekend, the track, and the current state of #USDH. Tanner Stephens and Jason Schroeder feed the questions, and the crew covers the rise and dominance of Asa Vermette, Rock Creek’s World Cup-caliber DH track, the cost of racing USNats, first-time National Champions, why you should book a trip to Morzine, and why Dak was an hour late to record this episode. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Industry Nine | Burgtec

World Champs, baby! This year, the chase for the elusive rainbow jersey went down on the legendary Fort Bill track, creating the perfect storm for some historical racing. Charlie Hatton (finally) took his first elite-level victory (becoming the 4th first-time winner in four races this season); Henri Kiefer secured his first Junior Men's victory after multiple podium finishes this year; Vali Höll became back-to-back World Champion in dominating fashion; and the Junior Women's field saw an all-New Zealand podium. What a year of racing we've all been treated to! And we can't wait to see how the back half of the World Cup season unfolds. 

As always, Dakotah Norton brings you between the tape with his trackside insights and is joined by semi-professional bench racers Tanner Stephens and Jason Schroeder. In this episode, the crew discusses when World Champs should take place each year, the short-comings of this year's broadcasting, confusing qualifying start orders, custom worlds bikes and kits, the Bentonville logo on the USA jerseys, where Charlie Hatton won the race, Dak taking a break in his race run, speculation on why Fort William isn't on the 2024 schedule, and finish with a recap of who finished where on race day. Thank you so much for listening, and we will see everybody after World Cup #4 from Andorra in a month! Enjoy!

These great companies make The Inside Line possible
Maxxis Tires | Jenson USA | FOX

Is it really possible to make carbon mountain bike frames, wheels and components cheaper in Canada than overseas? Dustin Adams, former World Cup downhill racer and owner of We Are One Composites says it is, and he is proving it. On this episode of The Inside Line podcast, we talk with Dustin, Nate Schumacher and Vlad Yordanov to hear about the journey of We Are One and how they're successfully making affordable and durable mountain bike parts in Kamloops, British Columbia. Dustin talks about the abrupt end to his seemingly successful downhill career as he was dropped by the Giant factory team, dealing with that life change, depression, multiple car accidents, and how he returned to find mountain biking.

Thank you listeners for making The Inside Line what it is today! Enjoy the show.

Show contents
0:00 - Why is Dustin Adams Fasting?
4:05 - Getting into MTB in Kamloops
7:25 - Move to Giant Factory Team and U.S. Racing
13:10 - Surprise End to His DH Career
20:35 - Finding Therapy for Depression
24:50 - The Beginnings of We Are One
32:42 - The First We Are One Rims are Built
44:30 - Making We Are One Bike Frames
53:17 - DH Bike Prototype for Testing Parts
1:01:25 - OEM Future?
1:11:27 - We Are One Name and Future

Watch the photos slideshow of this podcast on YouTube

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

After a seven-week break (interrupted by World Champs), the World Cup Downhill season resumed last weekend from Pal Arinsal, Andorra. The weekend was filled with ups and downs that saw some riders' seasons, unfortunately, cut short while others checked off career-first wins. The weather again played a huge factor all weekend and ultimately decided the Elite Men's race. The racing was as tight as ever, and the track was fast, straight, and loose!

Per usual, Dakotah Norton brings you between the tape with his trackside insights and breaks down the excitement from Andorra with Tanner Stephens and Jason Schroeder. In this episode, the crew discusses what the hell is going on with semi-final points, the struggle of rain delays on race day, Troy Brosnan running a 200mm front and 220mm rear rotor, if Andorra's track makes for good racing or just good broadcasting, Loic Bruni's impressive run against the elements, and speculate on the new Loudenville track for this coming weekend.

Thank you so much for listening, and we will see everybody next week after Loudenvielle! Enjoy!

Today the Junior World Cup Downhill race in Loudenvielle, France, was canceled. The race organizers claimed the track conditions were unsafe for competition due to overnight rain and the steep layout of the course.  Early in the morning, Junior riders struggled during practice, but as the day progressed, some riders were able to make safe top-to-bottom runs. Ultimately the race was canceled and qualifying results from the day before stood as final results.

Jack Rice speaks with riders and mechanics to get their opinion on the cancellation.   Marshy of Cube, Jorge Gomes of Transition Factory Racing, John Hall of IFR, Wyn Masters of GT Factory Racing, Tim Flooks, Ethan Craik and Dean Lucas share their insight.

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

For the first time, the World Cup circus stopped in Loudenvielle, France, for round #5 of the 2023 World Cup season. The week kicked off with last-minute schedule changes due to the weather and only got weirder from there. Luckily, an insane track and constantly changing conditions delivered some of the most exciting racing of the year. And to top it off, our boy Dak Norton finished second—his best World Cup result to date! 

Join Dak as he brings you between the tape with his trackside insights and breaks down the excitement from the fresh Loudenvielle track with Tanner Stephens and Jason Schroeder. In this episode, the crew discusses the precedent set by the schedule change in Andorra, why junior racing shouldn’t have been canceled, Aaron Gwin crushing it as a commentator, why Loudenvielle was a good DH track and not easy to ride, the Nina vs. Vali battle, Kade Edwards and Thibaut Dapréla doing tuck-no-handers mid-run, the river in the middle of the track, and so much more. 

Thank you so much for listening, and we will see everybody next week after Les Gets! Enjoy!

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Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

In case you have any doubts, Les Gets, France, still produces the best World Cup downhill races. The intensity of the track, the passion of the French crowd, and the ability of French racers to rise to the occasion make Les Gets a picture-perfect stage for iconic racing. Last weekend was no exception, as a dry and loose track delivered a race with less drama, more first-time winners, and a riot-inducing double French victory. 

Join Dak as he brings you between the tape along with professional bench racers Tanner Stephens and Jason Schroeder. In this episode, the crew chats about Dylan Maples filling in on Commencal Muc-Off, the toughness of Erice van Leuven, the challenge of racing a track like Les Gets that deteriorates so much, Vital's Shorts Bounty, the hardest part of Les Gets being the first two turns, Dean Lucas retiring, and the US Open happening in two weeks, and much more. 

Thank you so much for listening, and we will see everybody next week for some mid-season chit-chat!

It's hard to believe the first U.S. Open of MTB was held 20 years ago in 2023. The event has come a long way since then with a prize purse totaling $80,000 this year, all thanks to the hard work of Clayton Harper and his crew. Vital talks with Clayton and #USDH shredder, Neko Mulally, to discuss the event's history and what we can expect in 2023.

The 2023 U.S. Open of MTB takes place September 21-24 with Downhill, Enduro, Dual Slalom and Whip-off events at Killington Resort in Vermont. Amateur and open classes all use the same downhill track, making for a memorable experience for up-and-coming riders as they can compare their times to world-class pros.

Riders confirmed for 2023 include the Santa Cruz Syndicate, Dakotah Norton, Neko Mulally, Wyn Masters, Jill Kintner and more.

Vital is stoked to have the Gravity Cooperative filming a full race replay show that will air on Vital MTB. The Gravity Collective is the crew behind the awesome race replay shows from Downhill Southeast and the 2022 U.S. National Champs. We'll bring you a Vital RAW, POVs and race action from Jack Rice, too.

Hit up www.usopen.bike or follow them on Instagram @usopenmtb

On the eve of this Independence Day in America, we're stoked to bring you a discussion about downhill racing in the USA. A random crew of downhill racers and event hosts gathered at the NW Cup / Pro GRT in Tamarack, Idaho a couple weeks ago to talk big bikes.  Thanks to Casey Northern and Scott Tucker of the NW Cup for helping make it happen and for all the work they do with their series, We get to hear their story in the episode along with racer view points on how things are these days.

We'd also like to give credit to #USDH leaders who weren't in attendance, like clay harper who handles the U.S. open and other rad DH events, George Ulmer and his crew at the Eastern States Cup, Donnie Jackson of Southridge USA, Downhill Mike and his Bootleg races among others, and all the downhill race organizers keeping our sport fun and accessible. Thank you!

The Inside Line is brought to you to Maxxis Tires. We saw plenty of Assegais, Minions and High Rollers drifting through turns and smashing the rocks at Tamarack.

Jenson USA - if you're racing or riding hard this summer, you're going through parts and gear, so use coupon code Insideline at checkout and receive 10% off qualifying items

The Gravity Cartel - your source for Spank components like wheels, pedals, bars and stems as well as iXS protection and apparel.

If you haven't watched yet, hit up vitalmtb.com for the Snowshoe, West Virginia World Cup downhill track preview with Neko Mulally and Dakotah Norton...it's a doozy! And stay tuned to Vital MTB this weekend for Andorra World Cup DH coverage as well...the steeps are here!

Last but not least, a big thanks and audio hug to all you Inside Line listeners. We hope you're getting out on the trails and having a blast on your bike this summer. Without you, what's the point?

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Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

​With no racing to talk about this week, we called #USDH racer Dylan Maples to chat about his epic 2023 season! Dylan might have only started racing downhill a few years ago, but the Team NorCal rider has quickly become one of the most exciting American racers on the World Cup Circuit. 

We discussed his quick progression within the sport, what it's like being a DH racer from Sacramento, how his approach to racing has evolved as his confidence has grown, the importance of having time at home after being on the road for two months, going from a privateer program to having full-factory support with his fill-in ride with Commencal Muc-Off, riders he looks up to, who he hates getting beat by, and goals going into the last two World Cups. 

We hope you enjoy our conversation, and thank you, Dylan, for taking the time to talk with us! 

Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox

Welcome mountain bikers! Thanks for tuning into Vital MTB's The Inside Line podcast. We're going mobile today with Jack Rice in the pits at the Snowshoe World Cup Downhill. It's funny, Jack and I basically jinxed each other when we were texting, as we both wanted to cover the privateers at Snowshoe. The same old Elite Pit Bits galleries get a little old after so many back-to-back races. I figured we'd do a privateer Pit Bits, but Jack did what he does best. Instead of focusing on bikes, he got in there and helped tell the stories of U.S. Downhill's working class. Elite riders, juniors and team managers open up about the challenges and rewards of chasing their dreams. The interviews conclude with everyone's favorite commentator, Mr. Rob Warner. Rob's interview at the end does have some F-bombs dropped, so be aware if there are sensitive ears in the room. Long live #USDH

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:11 - Jack Pederson
• 3:27 - Austin San Souci
• 9:00 - Abigail Ronca
• 13:15 - Neko Mulally
• 18:13 - Anna Newkirk
• 23:16 - Doug Sharp, Gravity Academy
• 29:35 - Cory Rimmer, Gravity Academy
• 36:28 - Tyson Henrie, Outlaw United
• 43:58 - Chris Grice
• 46:48 - Decker Burnette
• 49:32 - Etan Bravard
• 51:40 - Mclure Bailey
• 53:50 - Titus Nicholson
• 56:01 - Rob Warner

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

The World Cup circus arrived in the U.S. two weeks ago and has provided some legendary racing! Big checks have been signed, more first-time winners have won, and World Cup overall titles have been handed out. But most importantly, our boy Dakotah Norton, aka Kubota, aka Stack Attack Dak, has been racking up the dough with a win at the Open and 3rd in Snowshoe. There was a lot to talk about, so get comfortable because we found nearly three hours of downhill-related topics to ramble on about. 

We open this episode by answering a question asked by Vital member kylestelzer in the comments of our Les Gets podcast that goes into how Dakotah maximizes his strengths as a racer, what he thinks are his weaknesses, and how dirt bikes are one of the biggest tools he uses to get better at downhill racing. We then discussed what Dak has done with his prize money from the last two racers, the economic state of downhill, and the value of riders in 2023. Disclaimer: if you just want to hear us talk about the Snowshoe World Cup, skip an hour into the episode.  

We then discuss the results of Vital’s Shorts Bounty, why Snowshoe is such a difficult and unpredictable track, the rise and bright future of Ryan Pinkerton, what has led to seven winners in seven rounds (and five first-time winners), the dominance of Vali in 2023, and close things out with overall title battles going into the final round in Mont Sainte Anne, Canada. 

Thank you so much for listening, and we will see everybody next week for the final post-race show of 2023!

Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox
We have another great Inside Line with passionate interviews from the ground at the last World Cup Mountain Bike Downhill of 2023 in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Jack Rice talks to Elite riders, mechanics and team managers and asks if they think downhill is in a better place now than it was a year ago after the change from Red Bull's involvement to Warner Bros/Discovery. Bernard Kerr, Loic Bruni, Abigail Hogie has a lot of insight, Jordi from FOX and more. There are timestamps of the individual interviews in the description below.

0:59 - Bernard Kerr
5:07 - Loic Bruni
16:14 - Abigail Hogie
25:03 - Jordi Cortes
31:59 - Colin Esquibel
38:43 - Aaron Gwin
44:10 - Wyn Masters
46:31 - Evan Warner
53:00 - Eddie Masters
57:21 - Jorge Gomes
1:03:10 - Nina Hoffmann
1:06:14 - Sian A'hern
1:09:02 - Danny Hart
1:13:07 - Mikayla Parton
1:14:35 - Chris Grice
1:18:46 - Jim Bland
1:21:07 - Austin Dooley
1:24:29 - Tyler Ervin
1:27:30 - Dave Richards


Everyone here at Vital would like to thank Jack, John Lawlor and Rick Schubert for their hard work during this World Cup season and we hope you're getting out on the trails. Enjoy the show!

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Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

The 2023 season is over! What a season. Eight races, seven winners, five first-time winners, and 22 points-paying races (if you include qualifying, semi-finals, and finals). Rachel Atherton made her return to DH and won another World Cup; Vali Holl became the first female to win Worlds and the World Cup Overall since Rachel in 2018; Loic Bruni took his third World Cup overall title; Ryan Pinkerton won the Junior Mens overall for U.S.A; Valentina Roa Sanchez became the first South American to win a UCI World Cup overall; and our boy Dak added two more podiums to his name. Arguably one of the most exciting World Cup seasons to date, it also brought a lot of change with Warner Bros/Discovery taking over the broadcasting, the addition of semi-finals, fewer riders in finals, and a bit of unknown looking towards the future of downhill. 

In this episode, the crew reflects on the good and bad from the 2023 season, Dakotah breaks down his best World Cup season yet, we speculate on what is really underneath the Specialized diaper that they are trying to hide, the conclusion of Vital's Shorts Bounty, Takis banners in the rock garden, why MSA is still the sickest track on the circuit, overall standings, break out rides by Gaetan Vige and Ethan Craik, how the hell Jackson goes so fast, and finish thing off with plans for the podcast going into the offseason.

Thank you for listening all season long, and we will be back for some off-season podcasts, so stay tuned!

Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox

Today we speak with Christopher Arruda, Brand Manager at NOBL Wheels. They've been producing carbon rims and wheelsets for mountain bikes since 2012 and continue to refine and develop their lineup. We wanted to hear about their journey and learn why they think a rider might choose carbon rims over aluminum.

Recently released is NOBL's G2 carbon rim range. The new hoops are more impact-resistant and durable while remaining lightweight and we find out how they landed on this current design. Additionally,  one of NOBL's specialties is custom wheel builds, and we unpack the variety of configurations available, including wheels using space-aged BERD spokes. 

Enjoy the show!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

The leaves are falling, debates surrounding Rampage results are smoldering, and speculation about who is riding for what team fills the forums; it must be the off-season! Between Tanner shooting feature films, Dakotah building furniture, and myself making editorial plans for 2024, we found some time to record a fresh podcast riffing about bikes and racing.

With the 2024 UCI Schedule just released, we discuss the cause and effects of a mostly European-based series and the complications of having a U.S.-based World Cup or National Series. We also chat about what trail bike I should get next (open to recommendations in the comments), touch on some team rumors, debate if bikes should be designed for the world's fastest racers or the average rider, Dakotah's contracts, and the importance of ex-racers being involved with brands and bike development. Enjoy!

Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox

We're honored to have Jack Rice on The Inside Line. You probably know Jack as a mountain bike race photographer with his work from the World Cups and #USDH races featured on Vital. He was also the team photographer for Transition Factory Racing this season. However, just a few years ago, Jack had no significant photography experience and very little time on a mountain bike. So how did he become a successful photographer in our scene in such a short time? Through grit, determination, and a desire to never go back to what he calls his old life.

Today Jack shares his story which includes growing up in Brooklyn, experiencing friends lost in the 9/11 terror attacks, tackling severe drug and alcohol addiction, and the power of community and family. We also talk about what it was like breaking into the World Cup MTB photography community and dig into what the future looks like.

There are heavy topics covered in this episode, so please be advised if there are sensitive or younger ears listening.

Thank you, listeners, for making Vital MTB such an incredible community. Stories like Jack's make us proud to be a part of this incredible two-wheeled family.

0:00 - Intro
3:57 - How I Met Jack
10:59 - First Vital Assignment
14:23 - Life in Brooklyn, School Sports Success
20:29 - Experiencing the 9/11 Attacks at Age 13 in New York
27:41 - Moving on from 9/11
31:50 - Introduction to Alcohol, Drugs and Dealing
37:58 - Drug Addiction, Rehab and Jail
49:06 - Going to Prison
53:35 - Recovering from Addiction
1:04:01 - Mountain Bikes Come Into Jack's Life
1:08:04 - Becoming a Mountain Bike Photographer
1:18:29 - Media Squids and Photography Etiquette
1:26:40 - The Community Buys Jack a Camera
1:37:22 - Being Transition Factory Racing Team Photographer
1:44:10 - The New Guard of MTB Media
1:46:04 - Valentia Roa Sanchez, World Cup Champ
1:51:25 - 2024 Outlook
2:09:13 - Questions from the Homies
2:14:18 - Warhammer Miniature Painting

Follow Jack on Instagram - @jackiericecakes

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

As a mountain bike fan, November is pretty boring. Everyone is patiently waiting for the new year to roll around to announce new team and sponsorship deals, and until then, not much happens. To help fill the void, we are back with another podcast to cover some really hard-pressing topics. 

Dakotah’s journey to home ownership in Tennessee has become public knowledge, but building the house is only part of the project. We open this episode discussing his plans to build a moto track, pit bike track, and pump track over the next month. All part of his master plan to have the ultimate training playground; we then talk about why he rides with shorter cranks, the effects of lever angle and bar roll, one-piece handlebars, why Dakotah doesn’t race on tires that are more than three runs old, and pick components or gear that we think riders overlook their importance. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to tell you the story of how Dakotah, Tanner, and I met through downhill racing. Chatting about racing and bikes hardly gets old, but we figured changing things up and providing some context on how the heck we all ended up together spitting nonsense into your headphones could be entertaining. It's not the craziest story, but it sure was a fun period in our lives, traveling the world and attempting to race bikes at the highest level. Enjoy!

Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox
Join us as we get to know Dan Critchlow, one of the founders of Burgtec. Burgtec is a mountain bike component manufacturer that started with some friends wanting stronger flat pedals in the early 2000s. As time went on and riders craved their product, they expanded their efforts and have turned Burgtec into a successful, premium MTB component brand with pedals, bars, stems and more.

Dan discusses his journey into mountain biking, racing downhill at the World Cup level, the formation and development of Burgtec, and even how he coached Josh Bryceland during the year Ratboy won the World Cup overall.

Enjoy the show!

Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox
Welcome mountain bikers! We're stoked to take you for a ride along during a conversation we had at the end of October during Vital's budget mountain bike test in Reno, Nevada. It was a special time because every Vital editorial staffer was present with some of our favorite contributors too. The primary discussion revolves around the bikes we were testing and how great it is to be a mountain biker with so many quality bikes and components. Whether beginner or experienced, it's really hard to go wrong with a mountain bike purchase these days. Eventually, we twist and turn our way onto the topic of Red Bull Rampage, which was fresh in our minds at the time, and ultimately to our favorite subject, World Cup Downhill racing.

Get to know the Vital staff a bit better, give a nod to budget-friendly mountain bikes and enjoy the show!

Watch Vital's $2,500 Mountain Bike Comparison

Darren Murphy, of PUSH Industries joins us on the The Inside Line podcast to discuss his journey from being the only mountain biker in a small, northern-Maine town to being the owner of a successful mountain bike suspension tuning and product brand. Known for their Elevensix coil shock and high-performance aftermarket fork upgrades, PUSH, which manufacturers their products in the U.S., has made steady, organic growth in the MTB scene since it was founded in the early 2000's. Our conversations touches on being at the right place at the right time, embracing opportunities and taking the risks necessary to achieve his goals. Enjoy the episode and stay tuned for Part 2 next week, when we ask Darren a wide range of suspension-specific questions.

Visit www.pushindustries.com to learn more about PUSH

The Inside Line is an exclusive podcast produced by Vital MTB, thanks to support from Maxxis Tires, Jenson USA and The Gravity Cartel.

Downhill mountain bike racing legend, Greg Minnaar, announced that he joined Norco Bicycles after 16 years with the Santa Cruz Syndicate. Minnaar has more Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill victories than any other Elite male racer. While 2023 was supposed to be his farewell season after two-and-a-half decades of racing, a flat tire at World Championships in Fort William left Greg with a poor result and a hunger to end his competitive career on a high note. When Santa Cruz decided to let Greg go, he found a new home at Norco. In this interview we talk with Greg about that change, the possible challenges of working with a new bike and team, as well as his expectations for the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup DH race season.

Video Contents
0:00 - Intro /  Is He on FOX or RockShox?
3:31 - Any Other Sponsor Changes?
4:21 - Why Didn't He Retire in 2023?
7:55 - Did He Try to Stay with Santa Cruz Syndicate?
10:50 - Norco's Race Engineering Program
13:09 - How Will He Adapt to the Norco Prototype DH Bike?
16:17 - From VPP to High-Pivot to DH Bike
20:20 - Does Suspension Platform Really Matter?
22:30 - The Source - Norco Junior Development Team
25:29 - What If He Doesn't Get Results or Gets an Injury?
30:44 - 2024 Race Goals
32:48 - Insight into 2024 World Cup DH Format
36:06 - Would He Wear the Fox One-piece Suit like Christian Craig?
36:58 - What Will He Miss Most about The Syndicate?

Thanks to Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA  for supporting Vital MTB's The Inside Line podcast.

#MTB #mountainbike #downhill

Thank you Maxxis Tires, FOX Suspension and Jenson USA for making The Inside Line possible.

Watch this interview and see riding clips on YouTube

In a sea of slashed budgets, folding teams and riders struggling to find a way to race downhill mountain bikes in 2024, Neko Mulally has expanded his Frameworks team with the addition of Spanish rider, Angel Suarez for 2024. In this Inside Line MTB podcast, we ask Neko how he was able to expand his team, increase budget and roll into the season with two podium contenders - Angel in Elites and first-year Junior, Asa Vermette. Neko candidly talks budget, bike development, the future of Frameworks and what the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup may look like.

Interview Contents

• 0:00 - Intro, Angel Suarez on Frameworks
• 5:45 - UNNO to Frameworks, Already a FOX Rider
• 9:39 - Sponsor Changes, Wheels and Tires
• 13:09 - Neko, Asa and Angel are the Same Height - Intentional?
• 18:20 - Increased Team Size, Not Budget Cuts. How?
• 21:24 - Frameworks with a GEARBOX?!
• 24:38 - Why Aren't Other Brands as Transparent as Frameworks?
• 28:15 - Outside Industry Sponsors?
• 29:34 - What is Frameworks Budget?
• 34:15 - Aaron Gwin and Frameworks?
• 35:39 - What's Frameworks' 5-Year Plan?
• 39:42 - Did Neko Start Frameworks to Extend His Racing Career?
• 43:45 - Success with Berm Peak Video on Frameworks
• 47:36 - Why Are Frames Raw and Not Painted?
• 49:09 - Biggest Single Surprise During Bike Development?
• 51:07 - Anti-Rise Experiences and Setup
• 54:52 - Any Insight into 2024 World Cup Race Format?

The #frecklegate conspiracy comes to fruition as Dakotah Norton officially joins the newly formed Mondraker Factory Racing Team. After two years of upward trajectory under Intense Factory Racing, Dak hopes to continue edging closer to that elusive first World Cup win while helping develop Mondraker's new DH bike alongside Ryan Pinkerton and Ronan Dunne.

Dak is a staple of our B Practice Podcast, so we had to hop on last week to discuss how the switch to Mondraker came about, what he was looking for in a new team, and how he feels heading into the season. Enjoy!

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Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

Interview Contents

0:00 - Intro, Crew Catch Up
6:29 - Norton Compound Update
10:48 - Dak Joins Mondraker Factory Racing!
11:30 - Why He Left Intense Factory Racing
14:53 - How Riding For Mondraker Came Together 
16:49 - What Was Dak Looking For in a New Team
18:43 - Getting Paid Fairly
23:48 - Difficulty Finding a Ride as a Top 10 Racer
31:28 - Aaron Gwin's Impact on Dak's Program 
36:33 - Things Learned from DH Racing
39:39 - The Draw of Riding for Mondraker 
42:45 - New Team, New Bike to Develop 
45:17 - Intense M1 vs. Prototype Mondraker 
49:46 - Offseason Plans to Prep for WC #1
53:02 - Having Ryan Pinkerton and Ronan Dunne as Teammates   
57:46 - Thoughts on Frame Stiffness vs. Compliance 
59:55 - How Much Stack We Rockin' on the Mondy?!
1:04:42 - Team Sponsors
1:08:25 - New Mechanic
1:14:20 - Would Dak Wear A Onesie?
1:16:08 - Will Dak Race in Shorts Next Year?
1:20:27 - Team Rumors Talk
1:25:42 - Dak Doing Hardline??

Thank you Maxxis Tires, FOX Suspension and Jenson USA for making The Inside Line possible.

Watch this interview on YouTube

Joe Bowman of The Union and Steel City Media gets on the mic to discuss sponsor and rider changes for the team in 2024. 2023 was an extremely successful year for the not-for-profit program with Chris Hauser grabbing a Junior World Cup DH win and team riders graduating to bigger factory teams. As a development team, The Union's goal is to help young and up-and-coming riders get experience at the World Cup level with hopes of building their future in the sport.

Follow @join.the.union on Instagram

Darren Murphy of PUSH Industries answers all of our mountain bike suspension-related questions in part 2 of his Inside Line podcast interview. Myths, mysteries, set-up tricks and tips are all discussed in this fun, informative episode. Some answers may surprise you, some may leave you wondering. Regardless of opinions and preferences, there's no doubt that the modern mountain bike is one incredible machine.

Hit the Vital MTB forums for interactive discussions and debates about mountain bike tech

Listen to Part 1 of Darren's Inside Line interview

Visit www.pushindustries.com to learn more about PUSH

The Inside Line is an exclusive podcast produced by Vital MTB, thanks to support from Maxxis Tires, Jenson USA and The Gravity Cartel.

Watch our video and see photos of the fork on Vital MTB and our YouTube channel.

Thank you Maxxis Tires, FOX Suspension and Jenson USA for making The Inside Line possible.

Vital first rode a prototype PUSH Nine.One inverted mountain bike fork a year ago in February of 2023. The same day, we recorded an interview with PUSH owner, Darren Murphy, getting all the details about the fork before its release. At the time, the scheduled release for the Nine.One was only a couple months away and PUSH eventually showed the fork at the Sea Otter Classic. A couple months turned into 4, then 7 then 8. Fast-forward 12 months later, and the fork is now available to the public.

Discussion Topics

• 0:00 - Intro (2024)
• 1:00 - (Feb 2023 Start) Why Make a Fork at All?
• 4:23 - Why Make an Inverted Fork?
• 8:43 - PUSH Nine.One Fork Specs & Features
• 10:21 - The "Grab the Bars Torsional Stiffness Twist Test" is Dumb
• 15:54 - Modular, Updatable Axle Lugs for Wheel Size, Offset and Brake Mounts, Travel Adjust
• 20:23 - Simple Fork Servicing Through Bleed Ports, Long-term Product Use
• 25:47 - Why is it a $2,600 Mountain Bike Fork? Weight, Fabrication Details
• 31:44 - Comparing Other Inverted Fork Designs, Why Not Carbon?
• 34:22 - Spring, Damper and Internals
• 38:20 - The Parking Lot Test
• 41:45 - Jason's Ride Experience on the PUSH Fork
• 44:57 - Purposefully Not as Torsionally Stiff as a Regular Fork
• 47:14 - Availability
• 48:47 - What About Stanchion Scratches / Guards?
• 51:47 - WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG? (2024)
• 1:00:44 - Did Anything About the Fork Change During the Year?
• 1:02:30 - Fork Specs (Again : )
• 1:05:14 - Four Years in the Making
• 1:06:58 - FIXED BUSHINGS and Why
• 1:09:51 - Would Darren Do It All Over Again?
• 1:11:53 - The Twist Test is Still Pointless
• 1:16:00 - What MTB Standard Would Darren Change?

At $2,600 USD, the coil-sprung Nine.One is made in the USA at the PUSH factory in Colorado. It features 140-170mm of user-adjustable travel in 10mm increments and uses modular axle lugs that can run 27.5 or 29-inch wheels with built-in brake mounts for 180mm or 200mm rotors. The damping technology is that of the PUSH Elevensix shock and oil can be changed and serviced through bleed ports at the top of the fork.

While most riders can't comprehend spending that much money on a fork, Darren and PUSH set out to make a highly refined piece of suspension that can last and be updated for years to come. We dive into why PUSH would make a fork, their philosophy on what makes good suspension, misconceptions of upside-down fork design, what took so long to finish production, and why someone may want such an expensive MTB fork.

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

With the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill season fast approaching, we talk with Aaron Gwin  about his move to Crestline Bikes,  how his 2023 injury is healing, why he has like 497 different jobs, including being the owner of  Windrock Bike Park , and how he thinks he'll handle racing this year.

Interview Topics
0:00 - Intro, Move to Crestline Bikes
3:05 - Did Aaron Spend Personal Money for the New Team?
4:27 - Why Did the News Take So Long?
5:57 - How'd He Keep the Team Rumor Secret?
9:10 - From Vee Tires to e.13 Tires - Is There Really a Difference?
11:42 - The Day He Realized He We Would Be Off Intense
16:17 - Did Aaron Try to Be a Part of Big Brand?
21:36 - Does the Frame's Suspension Platform Matter Any More?
24:55 - Gwin's Crestline DH Bike Weight
26:56 - Does He Still Run Firm Suspension?
32:32 - Dakotah Norton
35:51 - Are There Enough Crestline Frames for the 2024 Season?
41:39 - Windrock for World Cup DH Training and Making Trails Harder
45:32 - What Goes on at a Red Bull Athlete Camp?
53:39 - World Cup Snow DH, Cool or Lame?
54:18 - Aaron Gwin's 2023 Injury in Detail
1:07:02 - World Champs is Gwin's 2024 Goal and He Thinks He Can Win
1:09:35 - Does a Winning DH Run Have to Be Out of Control?
1:12:27 - Jackson Goldstone and How to Compete Against Him?
1:17:43 - Gwin Racing at the World Cups
1:20:17 - Why Aaron Gwin has Like 53 Different Jobs
1:26:55 - The Future of Windrock Bike Park - Host a World Cup? Get a Chairlift?
1:32:31 - Favorite Bike He's Ridden in the Past? YouTube Habits and Life Outside of California

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

The first major race of the 2024 #USDH season is here with the Tennessee National at Windrock Bike Park. Jack Rice hits the ground and meets up with racers, managers and the great people who make the event happen in this weekend's Inside Line.

0:00 - Aaron Gwin
5:41 - Luca Shaw
8:05 - Frida Ronning
10:38 - Sean Leader
14:52 - Alvaro Castillo
19:28 - Rachel Kelleher
26:51 - Seth Sherlock
29:28 - Rachel Pageau
33:34 - Jorge Gomes
35:44 - Joey Palmer
38:48 - Evan Warner
45:21 - Doug Sharp

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

The 2024 Tennessee National Downhill mountain bike race at Windrock Bike Park is in the books with Dakotah Norton and Frida Ronning taking Elite wins.  This was the first downhill event at Windrock since Aaron Gwin took over ownership of the park and racers and fans alike seemed stoked with the track and the way the event was run. Jack Rice checks in with racers and the people who make #USDH so great.

Asa Vermette was on pace to challenge the time of Dakotah but washed out in a corner injuring his hip and resulting in a DNF. In the Junior classes, Dane Jewett posted a time that would have been 2nd in Elite Men and Aletha Oostgard's time would have been 2nd in Elite Women.  Dig into the results, G-Out Project Photos and more on VitalMTB.com

Interviews
0:00 - Dakotah Norton
4:44 - Don Rogers
6:11 - Asa Vermette (pre-race run)
8:39 - Clay Harper
13:56 - Luca Shaw
15:51 - Angel Suarez
17:46 - Neko Mulally
21:31 - Ryan Griffith
22:42 - Frida's Mechanic, Josh Thwaite
24:42 - Jack Pederson
26:08 - Kale Cushman
28:21 - Lucas Dedora

The Redcar Rocket, Danny Hart, handles the dreaded 17 without a flinch. Watch the video of this interview

• Watch Danny's Vital RAW
• Watch Danny's Bike Check video

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

The first-ever Monster Energy Pro Downhill Series race took place at Ride Rock Creek in North Carolina this weekend. Clay Harper, founder of the series, has a vision to bring back national-level downhill mountain bike race events and round 1 has proven to be a strong start. Jack Rice was at the event and caught up with Clay and others to get their thoughts on the weekend. Our show concludes with the Pro Women's and Men's press conference audio which can also be watched on our site.

Contents
0:00 - Clay Harper, Race Director
9:39 - Sean Griz McClendon
13:26 - Callie Howrath
15:27 - Neko Mulally and Sean Leader
17:51 - Cory Rimmer
23:14 - John Hall
27:23 - Pro Women's Press Conference
37:51 - Pro Men's Press Conference

To learn more and hear our thoughts on the new Grip X2 damper, check out our First Ride review.

After years of mostly positive reviews intertwined with some shortcomings, FOX has ditched its Grip2 and FIT4 dampers for model year 2025 forks. In their place are three new dampers that seek to offer a heightened level of discipline-focused performance and features.

Grip SL - XC, short track, marathon
Grip X - all mountain, trail
Grip X2 - all-mountain, enduro, gravity

We joined FOX for a few days at their HQ in Scotts Valley, California, to get the run down from their engineering and development team on the new damper line and the goals surrounding each product.

0:00 - Overview of Grip dampers with Bill Brown, Head of Engineering
14:35 - Grip X2 details and development goals with Sergio Avanto, Manager of Product Performance
SUPERCROSS TALK WITH SERGIO
27:19 - Who was most difficult to work with (hint: the world's fastest German SX racer)
Epic insight into James Stewart during his prime 
45:49 - Jett Lawrence vs. James Stewart
50:13 - Similarities between supercross suspension and mountain bike suspension  
55:48 - Remi Gauvin of the Rocky Mountain Gravity Team talks about the differences in performance and setup between Grip 2 and Grip X2

Join Vital Tech Editor, Jason Schroeder, as he wanders the sea of vendor tents at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. From new products to athlete check-ins to Pro dual slalom practice, get a taste of what it's like to have boots on the ground at the event. 

Day 1 Photo Gallery #1 - https://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-1/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-1

Day 1 Photo Gallery #2 - https://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-1-part-2/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-1-part-2

Day 1 You Tube Video - https://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/features/sea-otter-classic-2024-crazy-and-cool-day-1

Join Vital Tech Editor Jason Schroeder as he wanders the sea of vendor tents at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. From new products to athlete check-ins to Pro dual slalom practice, get a taste of what it's like to have boots on the ground at the event. 

:53 - Tannus Inserts new Fusion 

3:08 - Ride Wrap

5:41 - DEITY Components - new grip and two new pedals (coming in June)

12:45 - Dakotah Norton - Slalom update

14:40 - Ari Bikes - custom slalom bike for Kyle Strait; updates on the new DH bike

17:45 - New Hunt Wheels coming this summer…

21:09 - Privateer Bikes now being sold in the US

23:48 - Interview with Braydon Bringhurst

More Sea Otter content:

Day 2 Photo Gallery #1 - https://www.vitalmtb.com/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-2

Day 2 You Tube Video - https://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/features/sea-otter-classic-2024-crazy-and-cool-day-2-slalom-practice-raw

vitalmtb.com

Join Vital Tech Editor Jason Schroeder as he wanders the sea of vendor tents at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. From new products to athlete check-ins to Pro dual slalom practice, get a taste of what it's like to have boots on the ground at the event. 

:35 - Derek Teel of Dialed Health
 4:03 - Nik Nestoroff chats slalom finals prep and Maven brakes
 6:11 - 2024 news with Industry Nine
 8:43 - New forks from SR Suntour
 14:43 - John Hall from Intense Cycles
 28:39 - Intense’s gearbox downhill bike
 40:33 - Transition Bikes
 49:06 - Checking in with Marco Osborne
 52:47 - Norco Sight and Optic link + 60-Year Anniversary
 55:54 - Dual Slalom Finals

Join Vital Tech Editor Jason Schroeder as he wanders the sea of vendor tents at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. From new products to athlete check-ins to Pro dual slalom practice, get a taste of what it's like to have boots on the ground at the event. 

1:28 - Checking in with Brandon Turman

5:15 - Crankbrothers SOS Tools

8:32 - B Zone loamers and Fort William predictions with George Browne

14:14 - Mondraker on moving to the U.S.

21:18 - Dillon Lemarr chats working at TLD and Fort William predictions

34:31 - Kiran MacKinnon from Santa Cruz Bicycles chats suspension tuning and bike development

On today's podcast, Tech Editor Jason Schroeder brings you a pulse check on the state of our beloved mountain bike industry. Last week, during the Sea Otter Classic, he chatted with some industry folks from Santa Cruz Bicycles, Maxxis Tires, Feedback Sports, Transition Bicycles, Industry Nine, Orbea, FSA Components, Trek Bicycles, Hunt Wheels, and Privateer Bikes. And asked one simple question: now that we are a few years past the COVID bike boom, what is the state of the industry? Are things good? Are they bad? And where do you see things going in the next 12-24 months? Here is what people had to say.  

:43 - Maxxis Tires 
5:57 - Santa Cruz Bicycles
8:21 - Trek Bicycles
9:52 - Hunt Wheels
17:00 Transition Bikes
21:27 - Feedback Sports
24:32 - FSA
26:52 - Industry Nine
32:11 - Orbea Bikes

More Sea Otter content: https://www.vitalmtb.com/tags/sea_otter_classic_event

More MTB news: https://www.vitalmtb.com/

WIN A ROCKSHOX BOXXER - Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy

Watch this interview - Ronan Dunne's 2022 season was going so poorly that his parents secretly signed him up for the army. Thankfully for us and Ronan, his results improved, he continued to race World Cup Downhill and now he's a podium finisher.

This year, we are bringing you pre-World Cup discussions as part of Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy. Each round we will break down which racers you should keep an eye on going into the weekend, who's gone fast in years past, and try to give you some extra insight to help make the best Fantasy picks. 

In this episode, join Vital's own Jason Schroeder, ex-World Cup mechanic John Hall, and podcast co-host and contributing editor Tanner Stephens as they discuss off-season team changes, pre-season races, and who to watch at round one in Fort William, Scotland. 

For all the details on how to play Vital's Downhill Fantasy, including what prizes are up for grabs EACH round - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

:26 - How to Play Vital Fantasy
12:00 - Off-Season Team Changes 
31:43 - Off-Season Racing Results
40:01 - Who’s Injured and Out of Round #1
51:44 - Fort William Track Analysis
56:10 - Junior Women Insights and  Predictions
1:00:53 - Junior Men Insights and Predictions
1:09:02 - Elite Women Insights and Predictions
1:14:47 - Elite Men Insights and Predictions

Win Prizes from RockShox, SRAM, Troy Lee Designs, FSA & Maxxis! https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

Ellie Hulsebosch of The Union is a first-year Junior on the World Cup Downhill circuit. She's been stacking up wins this off-season and is ready to slay Fort William this weekend.

#MTB #DH #bike

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

Jorge Gomes is a man dedicated to mountain bike racing. He is team manager for Transition Factory Racing, and the man behind Pro Builds mobile bike shop and Pro Builds Racing team, too. He tells us the story of how he became hooked on MTB which includes riding a dirt jump hardtail at Mountain Creek, how he became a bike assembler for Walmarts in his region and how he took his passion straight to the top by helping his rider, Valentia Roa Sanchez, earn the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup overall title in the Junior Women's class.

As the first round of 2024 approaches, enjoy the stories of overcoming adversity and learn what it takes to become a World Cup mountain bike race team manager.

0:00 - Intro and His first mountain bike
9:23 - Getting into DH Racing and Teams
17:09 - From Machine Operator to Bike Shop Employee
19:18 - The Reality of Assembling Bikes for Walmart
25:52 - Pro Builds Racing Grows
28:42 - Introduction to Valentina Roa Sanchez
33:26 - Meeting Valentina In-Person for the First Time
49:07 - Investing in Junior Women's Racing
55:54 - Transition Factory Racing's First Year
1:08:37 - 2023 Race Season Highs and Lows
1:16:02 - Loudenvielle Junior Race Cancellation
1:30:05 - Valentina Roa Sanchez Winning the World Cup Overall
1:43:00 - The Future of Non-Elite Teams at World Cups

Hear what racers have to say after the first World Cup Downhill mountain bike race of 2024 in Fort William, Scotland.

0:00 - Asa Vermette, Junior Men's Winner
0:55 - Heather Wilson, Junior Women's Winner
3:00 - Dakotah Norton
7:52 - Nina Hoffmann
10:47 - Tahnee Seagrave
13:23 - Kale Cushman
15:14 - Greg Williamson
17:59 - Myriam Nicole
20:25 - Cory Rimmer

The World Cup season has arrived, and with that, we are back with our regularly scheduled post-race banter! Fort William went off with a bang, providing one of the most thrilling and engaging season openers we've seen. Numerous team changes were finally put on display against the clock; the track was dry, fast, and ridiculously rough, and the level of racing in all four categories was tighter and more intense than ever. With plenty of topics to hit, like speed suits, electronic suspension lockouts, and Dakotah's mega-rise bars, it was awesome to have the crew back together to chat about elite downhill racing. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis Tires -  https://www.maxxis.com/us/
Industry Nine - https://industrynine.com/
Burgtec -  https://burgtec-usa.com/

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy  
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com

Welcome to another pre-World Cup discussion as part of Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy! The first race of the season in Fort William, Scotland, kicked things off with a bang! Now, just two weeks later, the excitement continues as we head to a completely new venue for the second round of the UCI World Cup downhill series. Without past results to make predictions, this weekend will offer a clean slate for racing. Who will be able to figure out the new track in a limited time and be the fastest on race day? Will more experienced riders still have an advantage? Or will up-and-coming racers be able to adapt and rise to the occasion? 

Join Vital's own Jason Schroeder, ex-World Cup mechanic John Hall, and podcast co-host and contributing editor Tanner Stephens as they discuss who's looking fast after Fort William, what to expect from the new track, and who to keep on your radar in Bielsko-Biala, Poland.

• 0:00 Intro & How to Play Fantasy
• 2:00 - John gives insight into how racers and teams approach a new track
• 5:49 - Bielsko-Biala track details and discussion
• 11:00 - Will electronic suspension systems be a thing again this weekend?
• 14:54 - Loic Bruni's setup speculation
• 22:32 - Will experience be an advantage this weekend?
• 24:42 - How teams find the best lines during practice
• 30:28 - Injury updates
• 34:50 - Fantasy notes and insights from Fort Bill
• 44:33 - Junior Women predictions
• 46:48 - Junior Men predictions
• 52:02 - Elite Women predictions
• 57:03 -  Elite Men predictions

For all the details on how to play Vital's Downhill Fantasy, including what prizes are up for grabs EACH round - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

With positions separated by just hundredths of seconds, the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill near Bielsko-Biala, Poland, was a fan and racer favorite even with it being a first-time venue. Listen to the podium finishers and more as they discuss how it all went down.

Interviews
0:00 - Ronan Dunne
2:10 - John Lawlor
3:47 - Dakotah Norton
7:02 - Marine Cabirou
8:35 - Asa Vermette
9:25 - Neko Mulally
10:35 - Heather Wilson
11:51 - Loic Bruni
14:04 - Camille Balanche
15:37 - Nina Hoffmann
18:16 - Loris Vergier
19:37 - Jess Blewitt
20:19 - Amaury Pierron
21:57 - Luca Shaw