Singletracks Mountain Bike News

Hunter Allen has been coaching cyclists since the mid-1990s and went on to co-found TrainingPeaks in 2004. He was an early proponent of using power data to inform training, and today his company, Peaks Coaching Group, helps athletes around the world.When you retired from pro cycling in the mid-90s and decided to become a coach, why did you start with mountain bikers specifically?When you first looked at power meter data from cyclists, was it obvious that this data could be useful for training? How did you analyze it?What are mountain bikers missing with an informal approach to getting faster/stronger/fitter?How does the way you coach a mountain biker in their 40s differ from how you'd coach the same rider at 25?How do we know if a fitness metric — like heart rate, power, or HRV — is useful or not?How do you know how much recovery you need after any given effort?What does measuring blood glucose levels tell you about an athlete?If someone's listening right now and wants to become more intentional about

Martyn Ashton is a four-time British BikeTrial Champion and World Expert BikeTrial Champion, and has been a regular on-camera presenter for the Global Mountain Bike Network, GMBN. His Road Bike Party videos have racked up tens of millions of views and just last year he established RideAble Now, a non-profit group dedicated to adaptive mountain biking.What drew you into motorcycle trials as a kid? How is mountain bike trials different from BMX or motorcycle trials?Where did the idea for Road Bike Party come from?Prior to your injury, what did you know about adaptive biking?Tell us a bit about your new Gen2 Bowhead RX.Adaptive bikes are very expensive, so how is RideAble Now is working to make it easier for folks to afford them?What's the experience like for first-time adaptive riders?What are some of the barriers to creating adaptive mountain bike trails?There's a misconception that adaptive trails will be boring. How do you counter that perception?What's your goal for RideAble Now video and podcas

In this bonus mini-interview, we speak with world-famous trials rider Danny MacAskill about his latest video project, The Impossible Bike Obstacle Course Race. Danny shares his tips for riding skinnies and talks about his approach to challenging situations. If you haven't seen the video yet, be sure to watch before listening so there are no spoilers!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SChm4DyivOU

Geoff Kabush is a three-time Olympian and professional cross-country mountain bike and cyclocross racer with multiple Canadian National titles to his name. He's also a two-time winner of BC Bike Race and recently finished seventh this year against a stacked field that included Nino Schurter.Tell us about your very first bike race. Why did you decide to sign up?  Did you think you'd still be racing mountain bikes at age 49? In 2021, after multiple attempts, you set the FKT on the Repack DH course. What surprised you about the project? Would you ever consider giving it a try on a Klunker?You've been experimenting with 32-inch wheels, and recently picked up a Naked Bicycles 32er gravel bike. What do you think about the emerging wheel size? How substantial are the performance benefits?Do you have a favorite race format? Has that changed for you over the years?What was it like racing the BC Bike Race this year? Do you plan to race the new format next year? What's your secret to staying fast into yo

Aaron Roger is the founder and CEO of Rock Solid Trail Contracting which provides planning, consulting, design, and build services for projects mostly around the US. Rock Solid has built thousands of miles of trails in the US since 2014, in iconic destinations like Bentonville and Copper Harbor.What was the first mountain bike trail you ever built?Before starting Rock Solid, you were the president of the Copper Harbor Trails Club. What was the vision for the trails in Copper Harbor at that time?What makes for a quality mountain bike trail? How do trail builders create memorable trails? Do riders want to ride difficult trails, or just trails that appear to be difficult?When it comes to tourism, are high-quality trails alone enough to bring visitors?How has trail building changed since your time as a Trail Specialist at IMBA?Why do you think so many riders prefer hand-built trails over machine-built ones? Is it possible to make a machine-built trail feel like a hand-built one?What are some of the projects you a

Rick Vosper has been in the bike industry since the 1980s, serving in marketing and communications roles for some of the biggest brands in the business. His company, RVMS, provides creative services to consumer products and outdoor companies, and he's a regular contributor to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. What was your first job in the bike industry? How did you land that job?Is cycling now, or has it ever been, a growth industry? What are the main participation drivers?For bike brands, how realistic is it to grow overall participation vs. market share?Why are mountain bikes so expensive? Is anyone getting rich by selling bikes?What do you make of Chinese brands like Avinox and X-LAB entering the US market? Is vertical integration a threat to existing bike brands?Is the local bike shop doomed? What is working for the more successful bike shops?Between brands, retailers, and consumers, who wields the most power in the bike industry?Is it that some US bike brands are seeing 50% or more of their sales

Cy Turner is the founder and owner of UK-based Cotic Cycles. The Cotic brand got its start in 2003 and is known for high-quality, handcrafted steel bikes, ranging from hardtails to full-suspension bikes to gravel bikes. What were you looking for in a hardtail in 2001 that you couldn't find back then?Where does the Cotic name come from?Why build mountain bikes from steel? Why did you stop using titanium?Why does it seem like so many British bikes made from steel? Are most of your buyers located in the UK, or do you see a decent amount of demand internationally? Why move away from matched 29" wheels for the recently updated Cotic Jeht trail bike?Do you see mountain bike geometry continuing to evolve, or is it pretty well optimized at this point?Have you ridden a bike with 32-inch wheels? What's your perspective on the bigger wheel size?The Cotic Rocket is one of the few high-end electric bikes with a steel frame. What made you want to design an e-bike? What's next for Cotic?Learn more about Cot

Sam Garrett is a teenage mountain biker and inventor living in Rapid City, South Dakota. He was recently awarded a design patent for a tubeless tire plug tool that fits inside a standard mountain bike thru axle.How did you get into mountain biking?When did you start wrenching on your own bike?Why did you decide to create your own tubeless tire plug tool? What did you think you could improve about existing tire plug tools?Walk us through the process from idea to finished product. What were the biggest challenges along the way?Why did you decide to call it Every Rider's Must (ERM)?What have you learned about patents? Why go for a design patent instead of a utility patent?What did you think when you saw the Robert Axle Project tire plug tool that also fits inside a front axle? What makes the ERM different?Do you have any tips or tricks for making fast and effective puncture repairs on the trail?As a young rider, what's your outlook on the sport of mountain biking? Which aspects of mountain biking get you

Yuri Hauswald is a former 24 Hour Solo mountain bike racer who won the Unbound Gravel 200 in 2015 at age 45. In 2023, he was inducted into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame, and this year, he's hoping to raise $50K to support cycling in Emporia, Kansas through a unique fundraiser.You didn't turn pro until you were 36 years old. How did you get into cycling?What attracted you to gravel racing after all those years of mountain bike racing?Tell us about your Unbound 200 win in 2015. How did that unfold?How did the Bantam Classic gravel race in Petaluma, CA get started? How does the event compare to Unbound or, say a UCI gravel race? Do you think gravel racing has changed over the years, particularly since 2022 when the UCI added gravel events?Do you think there's an opportunity to young riders into gravel riding in the same way NICA has introduced them to mountain biking?How have gravel bikes changed since you started riding? Is the line between gravel bikes and drop bar road bikes becoming blurred? Wh

Jeff Cayley started Worldwide Cyclery in 2011 when he was just 21 years old, and today he's also the founder and CEO of two more brands, KETL Mountain Apparel and Trail One Components. Jeff is based in Nevada, where he also co-hosts a podcast known as the MTB Podcast. In this episode, we ask:What was happening in the bike industry when you started Worldwide Cyclery that made you think it was the right moment to launch an online retailer?What made you focus specifically on the high-end, enthusiast market?Is content creation and media an important part of selling bikes?What Covid-era effects are retailers like Worldwide Cyclery still seeing today?As someone who loves bikes, how do you square the convenience and price advantage of ordering online with wanting to support your local bike shop?In 2019, you acquired KETL Mountain Apparel when it was still in its infancy. What was the vision behind growing that brand?In 2021, you co-founded Trail One Components with a giving component attached to every sale. How

Thomas Turner is a professional mountain bike racer who's been competing at the top level of gravel and mountain bike racing for nearly two decades. He's been sponsored by Jamis since 2010, was the 2012 Cyclocross Masters World Champion, and has notched multiple National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Race Series podium finishes along the way. He just got back from racing El Reto del Quetzal in Guatemala, and he's here to talk about stage racing, training, and what it's like to rides bikes around the world.How did you first get into mountain biking and racing?You've been with Jamis since 2010 — what's been the key to making that relationship last so long?You've raced BC Bike Race, La Ruta, Pisgah Stage Race, even gravel events like Unbound and The Crusher — what is it about adventure races, and stage races in particular, that keeps drawing you back?What does it take to be competitive in a stage race?How do you choose which races to enter each year?You just raced El Reto del Quetzal

Leo Kokkonen is the founder of Pole Bicycles, a boutique mountain bike brand based in Finland that's known for its innovative design and construction techniques. Founded in 2013, the brand was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2024, but now they're back with a brand new prototype and a desire to continue pushing the envelope.Why start a bike company in 2013? What did you want to do that wasn't already being doneHow did the mountain bike community react to your geometry ideas back then?In 2017, you were planning to produce a carbon fiber bike. But then you decided not to. WhyHow did you come up with your process for machining frames out of aluminum?What are the advantages of designing and manufacturing bikes in Finland? What are the challenges?What are the MTB trails like in your area of Finland?Tell us about the challenges Pole faced that ultimately led to bankruptcy. What happened? What did you learn?What can you tell us about the latest prototype you're working on?How has your production meth

Gabriel Wibmer is a 23-year-old Austrian free ride and trials rider who's built a massive YouTube following with his creative urban riding videos, including the viral late for school series that's racked up nearly 25 million views, sponsored by Canyon bikes and hailing from East Tyrol, Austria, Gabriel has proven himself both as a Downhill Racer and as one of the most innovative content creators in mountain biking today.How did motocross and trials riding shape your mountain biking style? Who are your biggest influences?How has YouTube changed since your "Late for School" video in 2019? Do you think it is harder to go viral now?Is it true you came up with the "Wibmer Impossible" concept after having a bike stolen in Prague?Do you usually start with a location and build a story, or does the concept come first?What was the most challenging trick in "Wibmer Impossible"?How is your Canyon Torque DH bike set up? What modifications do you make?How did you prepare for the tricks

Josh Whitmore is the founder of the MTB Skills Factory (mtbskillsfactory.com) in Brevard, North Carolina. He's a Level 4 certified mountain bike coach and he’s spent more than 25 years helping riders, from total beginners to professional racers, improve their skills and confidence on the trail. We'll dig into what makes riders better: how to train your instincts, how to practice effectively, and what separates skill from fitness on the trail.What makes the best mountain bikers great? Is it line choice, body position, mental focus, or something else?How can riders recognize whether their biggest limitation is technical or mental?What does “failing forward” mean when it comes to learning new skills?What’s the biggest mistake riders make when they’re trying to practice skills?If someone only has an hour to practice each week, what’s the most effective way to use that time?What subtle habits separate a “pretty good” rider from someone who’s really dialed?How do you balance fitness and skill in your own tr

Today we’re talking with Nick Ryan, the Trails Coordinator for the Copper Harbor Trail Club in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Copper Harbor has been on mountain bikers’ radars for years, both for its remote location and its incredible trail quali. With some exciting new projects underway and a lot of lessons learned over the years, we get up to speed on Copper Harbor with Nick.An automated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today.Follow Singletracks on Instagram ⁠⁠@singletracks⁠⁠ to keep up with the latest mountain bike news.

Jarrod Harris is the co-founder of Jarrod's Place bike park in Summerville, Georgia. We'll be diving into what it takes to open a bike park, the challenges and rewards of building trails, and we'll talk about Trail Armor, an innovative product that was actually developed right there at Jarrod's Place.What's your background? How does someone end up starting a bike park?How did you learn to build trails?Were there any parks or trails that inspired you and your team when you were first starting out?Is owning and operating a bike park a good business?Trail Armor is a product that was developed at Jarrod's Place. What is it, and how does it work?Beyond Jarrod's Place, where is Trail Armor being used?Can you describe how the park is laid out? What are the most popular trails?What's the mix of riders you see at the park? Are you getting many locals, or do people travel from further away?Is there an off-season at the bike park?How much of your time goes into trail maintenance versus bu

The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has been providing independent safety ratings for sports helmets since 2011, and today we’ll hear from Dr. Barry Miller about how their testing works, why their rating system stands apart from standard certifications, and how the system has pushed manufacturers to improve designs over time.In this episode we discuss the following questions.Why did the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings program get started?How do your ratings differ from certification standards like CPSC?How are bike helmets tested in your lab, and who performs the testing?How well do lab results correlate with real-world crash data and field studies?With so many models out there, how do you choose which helmets to test?The 5-star rating scale was recently recalibrated, making 5 stars harder to earn—why?Have the ratings influenced helmet companies to improve designs?How unsafe is it to mount accessories (lights/cameras) on a helmet?How do bike helmets compare tech-wise to helmets for other sports like football?What are t

Alex Larson is a registered dietitian who works with endurance athletes, including cyclists, helping them fuel smart both on and off the bike. In this podcast episode we’ll be tackling some serious nutrition questions—like how much protein do you actually need?—and some not-so-serious ones—like if hot dogs make for a good pre- or post-ride meal.When should athletes choose hydration mix over plain water?How do you know if you need more electrolytes?What role does sugar play in fueling rides? Do non-pro cyclists benefit from sugar mid-ride too?Among mountain bikers there does seem to be a sense that because we're so active, we don't need to be as concerned about avoiding junk food as less active individuals. Is that fair?What are some effective and inexpensive alternatives to traditional energy/fueling products?Is it “OK” to indulge in a giant burrito and a couple beers after a ride? Any nutritional guidance around post-ride meals?Do you have a rule of thumb for how much protein athletes—especially cycl

Miles from Mullet Cycles has carved out a unique niche in the bike industry by going against the grain. From his brash and unconventional approach to bikes to his knack for creating one-of-a-kind accessories, Miles has been challenging industry norms for years.He's dedicated himself to perfecting the mixed-wheel format for mountain bikes, and he’s also the creative force behind Miles Wide Industries, which offers clever, rider-focused accessories. Today we’ll talk about his path into the cycling world, why he’s sticking with mixed-wheel setups, and what’s next for his two companies.When did Mullet Cycles officially get its start? Were mixed-wheel bikes considered a novelty at the time?A lot of riders use the words “mullet” and “mixed-wheel” interchangeably, but your company actually trademarked the term Mullet as it relates to bikes. Why did you go that route? How has the rise of the term 'mullet' affected your marketing efforts?What makes Mullet Cycles’ bikes different from mixed-wheel bikes from

Behind the scenes, it takes a lot of planning and hard work to keep a massive trail network like Coldwater Mountain in great shape. That responsibility falls to Marcus Tillman, who works with the Northeast Alabama Bicycle Association and the city of Anniston as Recreation Trails Director for Coldwater Mountain. Today we’ll hear from Marcus about what it takes to maintain such a large system, what’s involved, and what’s in store for riders in the coming months.In this episode we ask:What does a recreation trails director aka "trail boss" do on a day-to-day basis?How much maintenance is involved in keeping up a trail system the size of Coldwater Mountain?Are you able to rely on volunteers to accomplish a significant amount of the work?Can you give us a little history of Coldwater Mountain and how the trail system came to be?What’s one thing you wish riders knew that would make your job easier?For an experienced rider visiting Coldwater for the first time, what route do you recommend?How are you prepar