Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

Chris Akrigg is known around the world for his incredible bike handling skills and his creative approach to riding on anything with two wheels. His latest series of videos, The Process, focuses on creating fun and challenging bike features out of natural surroundings. I talk with Chris about how he keeps his trials riding skills sharp and fresh, and what makes technical trail challenges so appealing to him. Chris speaks about injuries over the years, and how he approaches recovery with the same competitive, can-do spirit as his riding. We also talk about taking risks, his favorite projects over the years, and what Chris has in store for the future. Watch Chris in action on his YouTube channel and on the Mongoose channel. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Gerow, Matt, and Jeff share mountain bike race tips learned over many seasons of racing and watching the pros. We touch on training and preparation before the event, and offer advice for setting up your bike for the big day. Listen to avoid some of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen racers make, and also some of the smartest things we’ve observed. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Andrew Taylor is a professional freeride mountain biker who set out last year to ride his mountain bike in all 48 Continental US states. He’s still on the road with just a few more states to go and joins us to talk about his motivation for the trip and the equipment he’s using to make it happen. Andrew also shares some of his favorite mountain bike trails and destinations so far, and the surprising things he’s learned along the way. You can watch videos from the trip on Andrew’s YouTube channel. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

SRAM recently announced a wireless mountain bike drivetrain and dropper post, which got us thinking: What does going wireless and electronic mean for mountain biking? In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Matt and I discuss the various wireless, electronic controls for drivetrains, suspension, dropper posts, and even brakes. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Jake Pantone is the Vice President of Product and Consumer Experience at Enve, a Utah-based company that makes carbon fiber bike parts. We ask Jake where the name Enve comes from and why high-quality carbon mountain bike parts cost as much as they do. We also get an inside look at what it takes to be successful in the bike industry and talk about Jake’s favorite places to ride in Utah. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Matt and Jeff explain the pros and cons of different types of mountain bike pedals. We also offer tips for learning to ride with clipless pedals and discuss some of the performance considerations when choosing a mountain bike pedal type. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Mountain biking is riding a wave of popularity at the moment, and it’s a good time to be a rider. We’re seeing progression in everything from bikes and trails to racing, so we thought it would be helpful to give our take on some of the trends we’re tracking in 2019. Matt and Jeff discuss some of the positive trends we’re seeing, along with some of the potentially negative things that could affect mountain biking in the future. We also touch on some of the trends that we predict will fade this year. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Huw Oliver and Annie Lloyd-Evans are outdoor educators based in Scotland. The couple has raced and bikepacked all over the planet, and recently completed a winter fat bike expedition above the Arctic Circle in Sweden. The story of their adventure, Lemonade in Lapland, was recently published at Discover Interesting. Singletracks talks to Huw and Annie about their adventure, and what drives them to visit new places and to face extreme outdoor challenges. We also get their invaluable tips for mountain biking in cold, winter conditions. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Todd Branham lives, works, and plays in the Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina as a professional trail builder. He also directs the Pisgah Stage race, a 5-day, fully-supported mountain bike race that showcases 140 miles of the best singletrack in the forest. I ask Todd to share his tips for designing and building great trails and about what makes the mountain biking in Pisgah National Forest so special. Todd talks about why building flow trails is so important, and spills the beans on some under-the-radar trails in Pisgah few will ever ride, but more should. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Matt and Jeff talk about the most recent mountain bike advocacy news. * Mountain bike access in Wilderness Study Areas like the Bitterroots, Montana. * Updates on the bill to allow mountain bikes in select Wilderness areas. * The impact of forest fires in California on mountain bike trails. * A new(ish) state-level mountain bike advocacy model being used in Vermont, Michigan, and other states. * MTB-related bills being supported by IMBA that are (or were recently) under consideration. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks