Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

Cam McCaul is a legendary slopestyle mountain biker who has helped grow and shape the sport for amost twenty years. He’s won numerous freeride competitions including Crankworx Colorado and the Bearclaw Invitational. He’s also been featured in some of the biggest mountain bike films and is a regular announcer at Red Bull mountain bike competitions. We talk with Cam about the history of freeride, hi...

Most, if not all mountain bikers are nature lovers too. For many of us, it’s the main reason we ride off road. This week, we want to share our stoke for nature and perhaps inspire others. Topics Discussed How important is the natural aspect of mountain biking to you? Has your interest in nature grown since you started riding? What do you find most interesting on the trail — trees, plants, vistas,...

Darcy Wittenburg is a partner, director, producer, and cinematographer at Anthill films . Anthill has produced some of the most iconic mountain bike films in recent memory, including Return to Earth, Unreal, and Strength in Numbers. I ask Darcy what is it about mountain biking that he finds interesting, and how all the movie pieces of a major film like Return to Earth comes together. We talk about...

Sonya Looney is a four time, national collegiate 24 hour racing champion, and was crowned the 24 hour world champion in 2015. She’s also notched wins at big endurance races like the Breck Epic (twice), Trans Andes, Brasil Ride, and La Leyenda Del Dorado in Columbia. She hosts her own podcast, called the Sonya Looney Show, where she talks about psychology, nutrition, and physiology. We talk about h...

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, we share our experiences and tips for choosing your next (or your first) mountain bike. Where do you start? How do you know when it’s time for a new mountain bike? Is buying a used bike a good idea? Is it better to buy an expensive bike, or a cheap one to upgrade down the line? How do you decide to pull the trigger? Sponsored by TripOutside.com which&nb...

Greg Jacob is a self-described “regular” guy who decided to attempt the Navad 1000 , a 621-mile, single-stage mountain bike race across Switzerland with more than 100,000ft. of climbing along the way. He’s here to talk about how he went from basically zero mountain bike experience to completing a grueling race in just a short time. In this episode, Greg shares: His background in terms of fitness a...

Matt, Gerow, and Jeff talk about the link between mental wellness and mountain biking. Mountain bikers are using the sport to deal with depression, PTSD, learning disabilities, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder, and lack of confidence in inspiring ways, and we look at how this might work. We also discuss some specific programs that use mountain biking to address learning disabilities and improv...

Gerow, Matt, and Jeff share updates and impressions from recent and upcoming mountain bike tests, from gravel and XC to trail and enduro bikes. Plus, we preview other bikes we’ll be testing and reviewing later this year. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

James Wilson has been helping mountain bikers all around the world get strong and fit since 2005 through his online training programs and podcast. He’s also designed his own flat mountain biking pedal called the Catalyst to help riders improve both power and comfort on the bike. In this episode, we ask James for mountain bike training tips, and talk about why flat pedals are better than clipl...

Note: This episodes contains language some listeners may find offensive. Mark Weir is a legend in the mountain bike world, having won the Downieville Downhill eight times and making his mark at WTB as a demanding product tester over two decades. He even has a mountain bike tire named after him, the WeirWolf. In this wide-ranging interview, we talk about enduro racing, climbing a million vertical f...

I was recently a guest on the Curiosityness podcast  with Travis DeRose on the topic of getting started in mountain biking. If you’re listening to the Singletracks podcast, chances are you’re already a mountain biker, but you probably have friends and family members who are not (yet). So whether you’re looking for ways to convince your friends to join you, or you know someone who could benefi...

Dylan Renn is the lead coach at A Singletrack Mind where he teaches mountain bike skills to riders of all abilities. He’s been gravity racing since 1994 and has served as head coach for a two high school mountain bike teams. In this episode, Dylan shares his tips for descending on a mountain bike. Whether you’re interested in racing downhill or just want to gain some confidence, these are the skil...

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Gerow, Jeff, and Matt discuss trail advocacy news from the North America and Europe, and share the results from recent trail etiquette surveys. * Riding wet trails * Pirate trails going legit * Who yields: climbers or descenders? * Is skidding still cool? * Trail terrorism * IMBA EU * Mountain bike impact review * New bikes in Wilderness legislation * N...

We’ve dedicated a couple Singletracks podcast episodes to mountain bike tires already, but things are changing fast! Based on popular demand, Matt and I talk about the latest in tire widths (is a 2.5″ tire mid-plus?), tread patterns, sealants, and tire inserts. Want more? Go back and listen to our show about choosing the best mountain bike tires for conditions and our interview with Bobby from Max...

Simon Lawton is the founder of Fluidride , a world-class mountain bike instructional school located in Seattle, WA. He’s helped riders all over the world in person and through his online videos. He’s also a tireless mountain bike trail building advocate and his nonprofit has helped disabled riders get back in the saddle. I ask Simon about his overall approach to mountain bike skills instruction an...

No other man is as well positioned to talk about where mountain biking has been, and where it’s going in the future, than Gary Fisher. From organizing the first mountain bike races at Repack, to building an eponymous mountain bike brand and his current role at Trek , Gary is an outspoken and enthusiastic advocate for biking. Listen in as Gary recounts the early days of mountain biking and weighs i...

Professional mountain bike racer Payson McElveen shares how he got started in the sport and talks about his favorite places to ride. His latest competitive projects involve establishing the fastest known times (FKTs) for iconic mountain bike routes like the White Rim Trail in Utah. We ask Payson for his training tips and how racing against the clock is different from racing the field. Follow Payso...

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast I talk with Mike Brcic about the best ways to share the mountain bike experience with others, whether that’s leading a group ride or promoting mountain bike tourism in local communities. Plus, we talk about some of Mike’s favorite places to mountain bike around the world, including some up-and-coming spots to put on your radar. Mike is the founder of Sac...

In this episode, Gerow gives us the low down on some of the mountain bike trails he’s discovered in Italy so far. We talk about mountain bike culture in this part of Europe, and discuss some interesting European mountain bike brands that may not be familiar to US listeners. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Hans Rey is a mountain bike trials legend and global ambassador for the sport, exploring and documenting exotic locations around the world by bike. His non-profit, Wheels4Life, provides bicycles for transportation to folks in developing countries.  He was inducted in the mountain bike hall of fame in 1999, and is an IMBA honorary board member. I talk with Hans about how he got started in moun...

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Matt, Gerow, and Jeff talk about recent, current, and future mountain bike review tests. We share impressions and thoughts on the following bikes: * GT Force * Ancillotti Scarab Evo 29 * Ibis Ripley * Salsa Spearfish * Orbea Rallon * Orange P7 * Fezzari Signal Peak * Cannondale Jekyll 29 * Diamondback SyncR carbon --Keep up with the latest in mountain b...

A National strategy for developing mountain biking in Scotland has been in place since 2010 and an updated comprehensive plan for the next 6 years is set to be released any day. We talk with Graeme McLean, project manager from Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS), about how well the plan has worked so far, and what DMBinS has in store for the future. Any group looking to develop mountai...

Matt and Jeff recap all the new products and news from Sea Otter 2019 in Monterey, CA. We share impressions of the mountain bikes we tested, cover notable product releases, and talk about some of the wackier things we found. Sea Otter was bigger and better than ever before, so we discuss what that might mean for mountain bike culture. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.co...

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Matt, Gerow, and Jeff talk about what enduro is, and why it matters to the sport of mountain biking. From athletes and races to bikes and gear, enduro is a reflection of how many of us approach riding. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Jeff Kendall-Weed is a mountain bike content creator on a mission to grow the sport and inspire others to get involved in mountain bike advocacy. His popular YouTube series, Local Loam, showcases rad trails, rad riding, and the rad people who make it all happen. In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, I ask Jeff about his inspirations, favorite places to ride, skills progression, and how he m...