Singletracks Mountain Bike News

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, his career, and his newest sponsor, PlusCBD Oil. In addition to sharing his sense of humor and how he looks at risk, Cam also opens up about dealing with bike-related injuries and navigating health insurance choices as a professional mountain biker. We even get his take on building challenging mountain bike trail features. Follow Cam McCaul on Instagram @cammcaul and check out his latest videos on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/user/camwmccaul --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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, rocks, wildlife, or something else? What is your favorite type of ecosystem for mountain biking? What are some places you’ve ridden where the natural beauty surrounding the trail really stands out? What are some natural highlights you’ve experienced on the trail? Do you see any tension between having a love and respect for nature and riding or building trails? Do you think there are ways mountain bikers can be better natural stewards? What do you think about the fight between various recreation groups over land access? Is there at least common ground we can recognize? Sponsored by TripOutside.com which makes fi

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 the challenges and the most exciting moments of making a mountain bike movie, and how much risk athletes take to nail their tricks. What are some tricks of the trade? What make a mountain bike film a success? What other projects is Anthill working on this year? Listen in to find out!  To learn more, go to Anthillfilms.com. Look for Return to Earth on AppleTV, Google Play, and Amazon.com. Sponsored by TripOutside.com which makes finding, comparing, and booking rental gear quick and easy. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podc

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 how Sonya got into mountain biking and how she was able to make time to train for ultra endurance races as a student and later as an engineer working full time. Sonya gives tips for gaining confidence and taking risks, and discusses what she’s learned about nutrition and plant-based diets over the past few years. Sponsored by TripOutside.com which makes finding, comparing, and booking rental gear quick and easy. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 makes finding, comparing, and booking rental gear quick and easy. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 and spending time outdoors His inspiration for signing up for the Navad 1000  How he prepared himself for the race. The biggest challenges he faced in his training. What surprised him about mountain biking relative to other sports he’s more familiar with, like road cycling. How turning 40 this year puts him at a disadvantage for adventures like this, but also gives him some advantages. Plans for mountain bike adventures in the future. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 improve mental wellness. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 clipless for many riders. Connect with James at bikejames.com. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 feet in a year, his near heart attack, trail advocacy, and electric bikes. Mark is an entertaining guest who could easily host his own podcast, so you won’t want to miss this one. It’s already one of our favorites! Here are some of the questions we asked. * How is downhill endurance racing different from the more traditional, UCI-style downhill mountain bike racing? * How does enduro racing connect with the ethos established in the early days of mountain biking? * How and when did riders like yourself bring the French enduro race format to the US? Was there a natural transition from races like the Downieville Classic

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 benefit from this discussion, we hope you find this helpful. In this interview, I talk about trying mountain biking for the first time, trail dos and don’ts, how to shop for a bike, and how to find the best trails to ride. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 skills you need. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 * Natural Resources Management Act --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 Maxxis about plus tires. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 and he shares tips for cornering and manuals. We also talk about trail advocacy, favorite places to ride around the world, and how video is changing mountain bike skills instruction. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 in on where our sport is headed today. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 Payson on Instagram @paysonmcelveen and check out his podcast, The Adventure Stache, available in podcast apps and on his website. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 Sacred Rides, one of the top providers of mountain bike tours around the world. He’s an educator with the Adventure Travel Association, and a Co-founder of Bikes without Borders, a non-profit dedicated to empowering marginalized communities through bike-related solutions. Mike’s latest venture, Mastermind Adventures, hosts small-group adventures for entrepreneurs in top outdoor destinations. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support

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 mountain bike trials, and how trials riding is related to freeriding. Hans shares his secrets for staying strong on the bike after all these years, his favorite places to ride around the world, and why he’s such a big fan of flow trails. We also talk about the work his non-profit Wheels4Life is doing globally, and how mountain bike video production and distribution has changed since the VHS days. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/singletracks/support