Vital Mtb - Speaking Of Mountain Biking

It's with sad hearts that we mourn the loss of Jordie Lunn. Jordie lost his life during a mountain biking accident a few days ago, stunning friends, family and the MTB community. The Inside Line focuses on his giving heart and his adventurous nature through stories told by fellow riders and friends. Rest in peace, Jordie. We miss you. #longlivejordie

Days before the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, current DH champ, Loic Bruni spends some time with Enduro World Series racer, Martin Maes. Though Martin focuses on enduro racing, he is in Mont-Sainte-Anne to compete in the downhill event at Worlds. Last year, the young Belgian mountain bike racer won the La Bresse World Cup downhill even though he was competing in a full EWS season. Loic and Martin discuss World Championships, returning to racing at the Northstar EWS after a suspension due to the recent doping incident Martin went through, and what it means to be a world-class MTB competitor.You can also watch the interview on our YouTube channelThanks to Fox MTB for supporting the Outspoken series.

After a few days shooting photos and getting to know his family in Buena Vista, Colorado, Brandon Turman had the chance to sit down with none other than Mick Hannah, also known as "Sik Mik." With a mountain bike career that spans nearly two decades and well over two hundred results, you've no doubt seen this man lighting up the races. While some of today's younger riders may know Mick as the guy that throws a perfect suicide every race, there's a whole heap of history to talk about. We cover everything from his formative years in Australia, growing up racing BMX, and his first DH races to how mountain biking has evolved, what the future holds, burnout, racing with a sibling, and integrating his family and the sport he loves so much. Mick is a truly genuine individual with a strong work ethic and dedication that keeps him firing on all cylinders. 

Your three-time consecutive (4-time total) UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Champion and 2019 World Cup Downhill series winner, Loic Bruni, sits down with his race team manager, Laurent Delorme and the manager of Canyon Factory Racing, Gabe Fox. Laurent and Gabe have been involved with winning World Cup downhill teams for years and they share their insight about what it takes to earn the rainbow stripes and race wins. Gabe Fox has been instrumental in scouting talent like the late, great, Stevie Smith and continues to build race-winning programs. At Vital, we are honored that Loic committed to this incredible interview series this year in the midst of defending his racing accomplishments. His interview skills and personable demeanor have made Outspoken a must-watch and must-listen for any mountain bike race fan. Thank you to Aaron Bartlett of Creative Concept for producing the programs and Fox MTB for their support behind the project.

Welcome mountain bikers! We're proud to bring you an Inside Line episode with a wonder grom of #USDH, Chris Grice. The 16-year-old from North Carolina is amped to ride and race mountain bikes, driving across the country multiple times a year to get it done at the national level. We caught up with him on August 1, a week after he won his second U.S. National Championships DH race in the 15-16 Junior Cat 1 category. The race was in Winter Park, Colorado, and he was road-tripping through Idaho on his way to Crankworx with his dad and JD Swanguen. Chris isn't the only superstar of the up-and-coming downhill MTB race scene. The junior classes at local mountain bike races are growing like wildfire, often being the largest classes at events. We're glad to share some of the stoke around the future of our sport!Thanks for listening and enjoying The Inside LineThe Inside Line is an exclusive mountain bike podcast produced by Vital MTB with support from Maxxis Tires, Jenson USA and The Gravity Cartel.#USD

Was this the greatest downhill mountain bike race ever? Steve Peat thinks so, and he's seen almost every one of them! The final race of the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill season concluded in Snowshoe, West Virginia, with Danny Hart taking the race win and Loic Bruni narrowly edging out Amaury Pierron for the World Cup overall Championship of 2019. Loic would need a third place finish to keep the overall if Amaury won the race. Amaury was leading the race with an early run that seemed unbeatable. Loic dropped in and ended up in 3rd place with only Danny Hart remaining. If Danny landed in 2nd, Amaury would win the overall. If Danny won the race, Loic would win the overall. Danny's split times were so close the entire way down his run, that until he crossed the line, no one was sure what the outcome would be. Danny eventually beat Amaury by just .656 seconds, winning the race and leaving Loic with the title. Tracey Hannah earned the women's overall championships victory, but not after M

It often seems those young, natural talents, who have so much promise and future, end up struggling with the biggest hurdles. Finding success in something easily at a young age can cripple the growth and maturity of an individual, leaving them wondering what happened when opportunities finally close and success can't override questionable personal choices. JD Swanguen tasted success in mountain biking at a young age. The San Diego native was around the right people thanks to his father, John, who is one of the unsung pioneers of freestyle BMX. When JD found an interest in mountain biking, that interest was fostered through family support and eventually sponsorship. His style was honed through dirt jumping and skatepark riding and his downhill racing results were rising. Without ever seriously training, and in the face of some hard partying, JD managed to earn a silver medal at the Junior World Championships in Fort William, 2007. As his career blossomed, his decisions as young man still in his teens, wou

The current Downhill Mountain Bike World Champion, Loic Bruni, is interviewing the rider of his choice at each World Cup DH round in 2019 for his Outspoken series on Vital MTB. This episode features the Greatest Of All Time, Greg Minnaar. Following a horrific start to the season in Maribor, where Greg failed to qualify for race day (a career first), he sits down with Loic to discuss all aspects of mountain bike racing. Career longevity, bike tech like 29ers in downhill, being on the Santa Cruz Syndicate with Steve Peat, Nathan Rennie and Josh Bryceland, the boredom of training and even the art of crying are touched on. When the person conducting the interview knows the elite-level stresses and struggles as well as the subject, incredible insight is the result.

This may be the most insightful look into what it means to be a modern downhill mountain bike racer. Troy Brosnan, tied for 2nd place in the 2019 UCI World Cup DH overall, sits down with Loic Bruni, the current leader in the downhill race series. Troy is known for his consistency at the races, regularly placing 2nd or 3rd. He's won two World Cup downhills in his career, but Loic questions Troy if it's time to push harder for the win. The two discuss race technique, the mountain bike community, being teammates with Sam Hill, Aaron Gwin and Fabien Barel, junior racing and bike setup (with Troy racing a 29-inch front wheel for the first time in Val di Sole this weekend). The interview concludes with the two discussing pro racing contract negotiation and the secrecy behind it all. Truly a fascinating and candid interview with two of the fastest mountain bikers on the planet in the latest Outspoken interview.We are honored at Vital to be a part of this incredible interview series with Loic this year. Aar

Loic Bruni, the current World Cup DH overall leader and reigning downhill World Champion, interviews Brendan Fairclough at the Lenzerheide race. He and Brendan discuss what it means to be a pro downhill racer, competing in Red Bull Rampage and the future of the sport. Brendan recently missed qualifying at the Lenzerheide World Cup, but still agreed to sit down with Loic for the discussion. Yeah Brendan!

We're excited to have Logan Binggeli on The Inside Line this week. Logan is a former U.S. National Downhill mountain bike champion and Red Bull Rampage podium finisher. Growing up in Utah with a motocross background, he found his way to mountain bikes and downhill racing, rising to the top national ranks. Living in Saint George, Utah, near the site of the Red Bull Rampage, he found his way into the event, comfortable on the local terrain. Logan finished in 3rd place at the 2012 Rampage event ahead of some of the sport's biggest freeriders. He broke his femur at Rampage in 2013 when he got off line flipping a massive drop. He discusses injury, recovery, success, failure, rider support and his dedication to KHS, the bike brand that he's been with for years.The Inside Line is an exclusive mountain bike podcast produced by Vital MTB with support from Maxxis Tires, Jenson USA and The Gravity Cartel.#USDH

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 techListen to Part 1 of Darren's Inside Line interviewVisit www.pushindustries.com to learn more about PUSHThe Inside Line is an exclusive podcast produced by Vital MTB, thanks to support from Maxxis Tires, Jenson USA and The Gravity Cartel.

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

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 T

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 - @iceboxacresFollow Vital MTB on Instagram - @vitalmtbThe Inside Line is supported by:Maxxis TiresJenson USA - use coupon code insideline and get 10% off qualifying itemsThe Gravity Cartel - your resource for Spank USA and iXS USA

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

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.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

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!

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 even