Vital Mtb - Speaking Of Mountain Biking

Vital's Forum Discussion on the FOX PodiumCharlie's FOX Podium ReviewPodium Tech Talk with FOX product developersVital's FOX Podium fork review dropped on Tuesday and our tester, Charlie Sponsel, encouraged you to leave any questions that remained. Sorting through dozens of great inquiries, the highlights have been pulled and Charlie answers them so you can learn more about this expensive, heavy, but incredibly-performing enduro fork. 0:00 - Intro, baggage fee avoidance struggles10:00 - Charlie's Zeb setup (it's not stock)13:46 - Is This basically a prototype for sale?16:40 - Did the CSU Creak?19:06 - Why is it 29er only and does it matter?20:03 - Is the FOX 38 really just the 38SL and Podium is burlier version?21:19 - Won't the stanchions be really easy to damage?27:28 - Podium's crown, weight and why no 180mm33:25 - Would you run 180mm if they offered it?34:07 - Why is it so heavy?36:16 - Could a lighter fork be as stiff?37:48 - Currently compatible 20mm hubs?39:26 - Why n

After plenty of drama and mild discontent surrounding the first three races of the season, it was nice to have a good old-fashioned downhill race in Val di Sole. No one complained about the track being too straight or too easy. There were plenty of fresh sections and line choices. And the racing was as competitive as ever. Our main man Dak was back for his second race of the season, and his weekend was nothing short of a battle. We discuss how Dak’s feeling at this stage of his recovery, as well as Jackson’s ‘bouncy’ riding style, Reece Wilson’s 6D windshield goggles, Team Points, what to do with the Junior categories, Dak’s experience going from Shimano XTR/Saint brakes to SRAM Maven’s, and more. Plus, the usual race recaps. Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!0:05 - Bring back 4X Racing5:48 - Content and Media Landscape10:05 - Where’s the culture??14:53 - After party tales19:56 - B Practice does Whistler22:29 - Dak is filming a Vital RAW24:26 - Dak’s war stories from VDS 31:07 - Dak’s approach after getting two rac

Host, Charlie SponselWatch this interview - https://youtu.be/Z5CN3pD_7YgFOX Podium Review - https://youtu.be/UEW1tMYVM20The Podium isn't FOX's first foray into the upside-down MTB fork market. In 2011, they developed a prototype downhill fork that used an inverted design for 26" wheels. It was heavy and flexy, so they dropped it. Fast-forward 14 years later and their single crown Podium inverted fork has dropped and we wanted to see why. Charlie Sponsel sits down with Ariel Lindsley, Jordi Cortes and Neko Mulally to learn how the FOX Podium inverted MTB fork came to be.0:00 - Ariel Lindsley - 2011 FOX 26" inverted DH fork prototype, Podium development story28:43 - Jordi Cortes - Why he was against an inverted fork and what does he think now?43:29 - Neko Mulally - on trail performance of the FOX Podium

A lot of people who mountain bike also snowboard, and vice versa. Two tools with different jobs but a shared goal—provide an experience that evokes excitement and creativity. With so much time spent with a bike or board between our two feet, we were curious if these vessels of stoke had more in common than meets the eye. At the end of the day, they strive to solve many of the same problems, balancing comfort with performance, specificity with versatility, and durability with weight and price. Not to mention balancing consumer demands and industry trends to create products that riders actually want. To discuss this topic, we tagged in Ryan Burney, engineer and long-time downhill racer; Evan Finses, design engineer at Burton Snowboards; and Austin Smith, Director of Innovations and Marketing at Bogus Basin Ski Resort. Tag along as Vital Tech Editor Jason Schroeder finds out how the engineering behind snowboards and mountain bikes is a lot closer than one might think.  

If there is one thing we can almost guarantee, it's that Leogang will provide some incredibly tight racing. This year was exceptionally snug. Dry conditions and a similar track layout as years before meant little time was spent sorting out line choices or using the brakes. The recipe was simple: rally the main line with confidence and tuck-to-win on the motorway. And what transpired was some of the most competitive racing we've ever seen and a lot of talk about the safety, speeds, and simplicity of tracks. Tag along as we discuss the validity of these concerns, along with how Dak's first race back went, the back-to-back Canadian double victories, 510s athlete summit, Y2K freeride fashion, and more. 0:13 - What is 510's athlete summit all about? 3:50 - How Dak as an athlete benefits from the summit8:42 - Balancing expectations and deliverables with sponsors10:25 - Dak follows Danny Hart in Schladming11:51 - When are the 510 Desert Storm boots coming back??13:11 - Freeride fashion = Y2K14:32

The second round of the 2025 World Cup from Loudenvielle, France, produced some of the fastest racing we've seen in recent memory and was (somehow) filled with more funny drama than the first round in Poland. But it turns out a dry, straight track makes for iconic Hail Mary race runs, and the UCI/Warner Bros/Discovery not knowing how to enforce their own rules makes for good podcasting banter. We had fun this week chatting about the ongoing #polegate disputes, Dak's panic after watching racing from the sideline and rushed last-minute prep before Leogang, the Henry Keifer situation, the Stan Nisbet situation, Ronan showing why we ride with tires on our rims, track safety and the need for more turns, and most importantly, the tightness of riding pants. We have been treated to some iconic racing thus far this season, and Leogang this weekend will surely be exciting. Now let's just hope our co-host-extrodinare can make it past Q2! 0:13 - The Dak Update3:10 - Dak's panic from watching people ri

In this episode, the crew covers all the hot tea from the first World Cup in Poland, but most importantly, gets an update on Dak's highly anticipated return to racing. We hope you enjoy the show, and we will see everyone next week for a post-Loudenvielle podcast! 0:00 - Intro / Crew Updates5:32 - Dak Injury Update13:37 - Dak's return to racing??16:30 - Post-injury fears getting back to racing?19:13 - Transparency while recovering22:14 - Bike setup post-injury 25:34 - Is there too much coverage per race weekend? 30:27 - #polegate #bringbacktape 36:05 - Ryan Gilcrest going around the start wand at Crankworx 40:29 - Course marking inconsistencies 42:40 - Q1 and Q2 thoughts and strategy 47:27 - Pit boards in qualifying50:16 - 3 person podiums: yay or nay?53:54 - Rotor guards: so hot right now55:23 - Fenders vs. mudguards 58:07 - Lit Kit & Worst Kit in Poland1:01:41 - Maxxis Make or Brake Section1:04:01 - Riders looking tired mid-run 1:04:42 - Tire choice for the weekend1:05:45 - Is Poland too one-li

Ahead of the Tennessee National taking place this week, we sat down with Sea 'Griz' McClendon to run through some USDH names to watch on the national circuit this year. Of course, we had to get the Griz update and hear how he ended up spittin' heat on the mic at Downhill Southeast races and in the booth with the Gravity Coop doing post-race shows. We also touched on all the Americans racing World Cups this year, which World Cup racers are coming over to race this weekend at Windrock, and a bunch of other nonsense mostly related to downhill racing. Enjoy!If you want to race downhill, check out these regional series!NW Cup (Washington, Idaho, Montana)Southwest Downhill (SoCal) Southridge USA (SoCal)Downhill Rockies (Colorado, New Mexico)Eastern States Cup (Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania)Downhill Southeast (North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia)Monster Energy Pro Downhill (North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia)

With most team rumors debunked or made public, we wanted to discuss which changes are most exciting and who's posed to go fast in 2025. Of course, like any good B Practice Pod, we floated between topics, mixing in chit-chat about Supercross, racers racing longer nowadays, Gates' $100k belt drive bounty, the cause and effect of setup changes, and why Dak should never read the comments. Enjoy!0:00 Rambling intro9:00 - Supercross bench racing16:22 - Developing a race bike first, then going to production 25:20 - chasing small gains in bike performance mid-season30:45 - cause and effect of testing and changing setup36:08 - comparing setups with other pro DH racers37:48 - final team change news for 202546:08 - what happens to the few names stuck in the middle52:28 - Biggest team change of 2025??1:03:08 - Most excited to see at the races in 2025??1:14:22 - Will we see more racers racing into their 30s in the future?1:20:55 - Dak injury update1:25:02 - Thoughts on Gates $100k belt drive competition1:37:52 -

Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside LineMax Beaupre is a ball of energy on and off the bike. Taking a moto heritage to mountain bikes, Max grew into a national enduro powerhouse before making the move to e-enduro. But don't pigenhole him as a single discipline specialist. He rides everything and rides everything well. On top of that, he's a becoming a premier trail builder and is pushing his moto talent by opening up an e-moto future, too.Thanks to Jack Rice for the interview!Interview contents0:00 - Some history10:08 - Hitting Highland, Meeting Kyle Strait,  National Champs16:44 - Always enduro22:00 - Racing with a broken leg24:12 - Dropping out of school33:07 - Getting into a machine for the first time37:18 - Getting on Cannondale, U.S. EWS races51:20 - Sponsors and bike setup57:08 - Racing e-bikes, work ethic, faith in God1:01:18 - Wrist injury, riding for Surron, riding in Monster Jam1:31:30 - Back to Europe for E-EDR and World Champs1:45:54 - 2025 plans, getting

The past few months have flown by. And somehow, we haven't recorded a B Practice Podcast since the last World Cup back in October. We were overdue for a catchup to discuss the many series and team changes and, of course, our main man Dak's gnarly off-season injury. We get into all the details of what happened, his recovery, and why he's in a better place than before to handle such a setback. We then get into all the team rumor gossip, Continental series gossip, career numbers, and finish things off with a debate on what is the ultimate dream sponsor. Enjoy!Show Notes0:00 - Intro3:10 - Dak injury details, update, recovery14:45 - Thoughts on the risk of riding moto during the offseason18:17 - Dak's headspace during his injury21:39 - How Dak's program has changed to avoid fatigue, over-training, and stress26:26 - Where Dak started to find solutions to his health problems31:12 - Finding confidence and happiness in your life41:10 - Dak getting hurt at his house43:19 - Dak's new video

Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line#USDH ripper, Lucas Dedora, shares his story of going from a diehard XC grom to his first year racing World Cup Downhill. In the middle of the season, Lucas graduated high school and managed to hit 19 different races around the globe. Jack Rice was there all summer with Lucas as photographer for Transition Factory Racing and they talk about the highs and the lows of it all.Podcast contents0:00 - "I wanted to be Nino Schurter"4:44 - School and finding enduro11:54 - Racing his first National Champs with a torn ACL24:32 - Early DH career32:20 - Aiming for the World Cup with Pro Builds Team39:57 - Being friends with and racing against Asa Vermette42:33 - Dealing with injuries and P.T.50:24 - First European World Cup season and the Ft Bill Crash59:15 - Poland and his last physical day of school1:05:56 - Val di Sole struggles and Valentina Roa Sanchez1:11:30 - Graduating high school mid-season1:19:00 - Junior World Cup Les Gets race d

Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside LineToday we're joined by Jeff Brines, a long-time mountain biker, Litter Mag and Vital MTB fan. He's also educated and versed in finance. He kicked off a forum thread on Vital MTB that asked "Will more companies be shutting down in the next 12-24 months?" At a year old, the thread has over 100,000 views with nearly 800 replies as news about our industry has broken. We discuss the past and current state of the bicycle industry through his analysis and tools and see if we can figure out where we're headed.Thank you Vital listeners!THIS IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE.Podcast Contents0:00 - Intro, who is Jeff and what are we discussing?6:11 - Why start a Vital MTB forum post about bike companies shutting down?11:07 - Why did the *money people* think MTB would make them rich during Covid?17:30 - Is it just greed and ego?19:55 - Why did bikes stop selling?23:49 - Why don't brands save money for slow times?27:54 - Most of the

The 2024 World Cup season is over. And what a whirlwind the past five months have been, with all-time racing across the board. It's a shame things have to come to an end, but the hype is already building for next year. Mont-Sainte-Anne was very par the course for how the 2024 season has gone, with wet conditions on race day. Luckily, the classic Canadian course holds moisture like a champ, and besides some slick rocks and fresh sections, it was game on. Our dude Dak was having another promising weekend, and the odds were looking good that he could close out the year with another podium. That was until a damn track pole had other plans. #polegate2024Enjoy listening to the crew discuss all kinds of nonsense, from arm pump surgeries to e-bike training for DH, Greg Minnaar's retirement, the odds of needing a work Visa to race World Cups next year, rule changes for next year, and, of course, race highlights from the weekend and overall standings. A massive thank you to everyone who listened to us banter

Jack Rice wraps up the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup with interviews from racers, mechanics and MTB filmers and photographers to see how their season went, to find out what the future looks like and to continue the question, "why downhill?"Thanks to Jack, John Lawlor and Rick Schubert for all the hustle this year at the World Cups. And thank you listeners for helping us keep the stoke for DH alive.Interviews0:00 - Intro1:11 - Greg Minnaar4:44 - Marine Cabirou6:06 - Sven Martin11:59 - Tahnee Seagrave13:17 - Vali Holl16:11 - Aaron Gwin18:41 - Finn Iles22:31 - Abigail Hogie29:52 - Brad Blackwell33:21 - Alex Presant37:41 - Swen Heil39:32 - Tyler Ervin40:47 - Kale Cushman43:06 - Nick Robertson49:11 - Ross Bell55:59 - Roman Tunbridge59:55 - Tommy Krause1:03:44 - Andy Vathis1:11:20 - Carson Fletcher1:13:31 - Jack Tennyson1:14:54 - Jorge Gomes1:17:23 - Rachel Pageau1:21:25 - Steve Estabrook1:22:56 - Zack Harper

Did you believe the hype? Coming into the 2024 World Cup season, Asa Vermette was an obvious favorite in the Junior Men's category. He'd been fast domestically for a few years, and with the support of Frameworks and guidance from Neko Mulally and Angel Suarez, he seemed poised to have a successful debut on the international stage. Then, at the first round in Fort William, Asa waxed everyone by 6 seconds. You tack on the fact that he won after sitting on the couch for weeks prior healing a broken hip, and the hype became simple facts. The next generation is always faster than the last, and Asa is leading the latest charge. Fast forward to now, and we've been lucky to watch Asa and Max Alran exchange blows all year. Each has three wins, and Mont Sainte Anne was teeing up to be an epic final round between the two. Unfortunately, Asa's crash in Loudenvielle left him more battered and bruised than initially suspected, putting an end to his first World Cup season. A bittersweet conclusion to an

This is a special episode of The Inside Line as we had Jack Rice at the 2024 U.S. Open of Mountain Biking in Killington, Vermont.See photos from the event - https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/why-ride-downhill-u-s-open-mountain-bikingThanks to FOX, Maxxis Tires and Jenson USA for supporting The Inside LineIt was the season ender to the Pro Downhill Series and with the final World Cup DH in Mont-Sainte-Anne next week, the field was stacked with Elite level pros from around the globe. Instead of the usual questions with only the top riders, we had commissioned Jack to search the pits and ask amateur riders a simple question - Why Downhill?While plenty of answers resonate with the excitement and action of what DH is, an overwhelming response praised the community as a reason for coming back to ride. It's the people that make our sport so great and it's our hope that the comradery of the #USDH community continues to grow.Interview contents0:00 - Intro1:09 - Meredith Burnette2:25 - Jamie Tate3:18 - Dusty

Would it even be a World Cup without a natural event playing a major role in the outcome? Loudenvielle, the sixth World Cup of the season, was the third race to be heavily affected by rain on race day. We saw ideal conditions for the Juniors and 98% of the Elite Women's field before Deja vu struck and the skies opened up for fastest qualifier, Tahnée Seagrave. And oh boy, did it get spicy as the rain continued to fall throughout the Elite Men's final. Gnarly conditions always foster spectacular displays of bike handling, and some racers put on a clinic this weekend. We also got to witness Vali and Bruni each wrap up another Elite title, a bunch of young Kiwis filling the podiums in the junior fields, and a ton of feel-good results, like Benoit taking the win after crashing here last year, Reece Wilson landing on the podium after so many setbacks, Aaron Gwin back racing after two years, and Myriam Nicole taking her first win after missing all of last season to a concussion. We chat about all of this,

The unpredictable Loudenvielle World Cup Downhill venue proved to keep everyone on their toes again in 2024. As conditions changed on an hourly basis, it was a crapshoot for some riders and a calcuated risk for others. Jack Rice gets some perspective from the racers in France.Contents0:00 - Disclaimer and Benoit Coulanges1:54 - Myriam Nicole4:01 - Loic Bruni6:47 - Reece Wilson9:12 - Phoebe Gale10:07 - Amaury Pierron11:36 - Andreas Kolb12:40 - Aaron Gwin17:41 - Dakotah Norton20:28 - Finn Iles28:39 - Luca Shaw31:53 - Ronan Dunne33:34 - Valentina Roa Sanchez35:17 - Wyn Masters

What could have been…our grassroots podcast almost came home with a World title in Andorra. We won't say we are disappointed in our co-host superstar Stack-Attack-Dak for throwing it away in the second to last turn, but dang, did that one sting. This week, Jason Schroeder chats with Dak about his week in Andorra, what happened in his race run, the tuned mass dampers strapped to his bike, and how he's dealing with the highs and lows of almost winning World Champs. Then, Tanner Stephens and John Hall jump on to discuss what stands out from Worlds, and who's looking poised to have a strong result this weekend in Loudenveille. Enjoy!Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy More mountain bike news and reviews - vitalmtb.com3:06 - Dak's wild week at Worlds4:56 - Race day game plan7:52 - Where it all went wrong (pull out could end at 12:15) (or 14:01)15:08 - Dealing with the heartbreak of crashing at Worlds23:29 - Bike setup for Andorra23:48 - Loudenveille setup and approach