Explore every episode of the podcast The Inside Line Podcast - Vital MTB

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 Notes
0:00 - Intro
3:10 - Dak injury details, update, recovery
14:45 - Thoughts on the risk of riding moto during the offseason
18:17 - Dak's headspace during his injury
21:39 - How Dak's program has changed to avoid fatigue, over-training, and stress
26:26 - Where Dak started to find solutions to his health problems
31:12 - Finding confidence and happiness in your life
41:10 - Dak getting hurt at his house
43:19 - Dak's new video with GoPro' In Their Element'
45:11 - Mondraker doing a fill-in for Dak?
47:20 - Confirmed team changes for 2025
1:02:08 - Rumored team changes for 2025
1:19:28 - New team rules pushing out smaller teams and screwing 'bubble' riders
1:22:35 - Continental Series chit-chat and what it takes to make it to World Cups now
1:27:41 - Chit-chat about U.S. Series carrying weight against World Cups
1:39:01 - What career number would Dak pick?
1:40:37 - More team rumor talk
1:46:15 - Why Dak doesn’t wear gloves + what grips he runs
1:52:59 - Dream sponsor?

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 contents
0:00 - "I wanted to be Nino Schurter"
4:44 - School and finding enduro
11:54 - Racing his first National Champs with a torn ACL
24:32 - Early DH career
32:20 - Aiming for the World Cup with Pro Builds Team
39:57 - Being friends with and racing against Asa Vermette
42:33 - Dealing with injuries and P.T.
50:24 - First European World Cup season and the Ft Bill Crash
59:15 - Poland and his last physical day of school
1:05:56 - Val di Sole struggles and Valentina Roa Sanchez
1:11:30 - Graduating high school mid-season
1:19:00 - Junior World Cup Les Gets race day canceled
1:25:04 - Getting on Transition Factory Racing
1:30:25 - National Champs, Rest in Peace Scott Huntley
1:36:17 - Competing in 19 races, Joakim and World Champs
1:44:33 - Loudenvielle and weather issues, Recovery, US Open, MSA
1:57:50 - 2025, no contract and the USDH scene and World Cup challenges

Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line

Today 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 Contents
0:00 - 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 bike industry is privately held
32:52 - Companies that went under, does the investment money just disappear?
38:05 - Original owners buying a company back, Family Office and Private Equity
46:25 - Private equity and how it works
51:54 - Is going bankrupt expected with venture capital investors?
53:51 - The lunacy of VanMoof being worth $500 million
1:04:23 - What does the bike industry future look like?
1:12:41 - Is there any incentive to get into the bike industry now?
1:15:41 - Is there an ideal company size?
1:17:48 - Will the business world repeat the same mistakes 10 years from now?
1:21:31 - Tools to learn about the bike industry
1:26:10 - Vital audience survey

Check out Jeff's slideshow presentation here (Google Slides)

Vital MTB Audience Surveys (scroll to bottom of page)

https://wtfhappenedin1971.com/

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. #polegate2024

Enjoy 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 all season—we love bringing you these conversations, and we appreciate the support! 

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.

Interviews
0:00 - Intro
1:11 - Greg Minnaar
4:44 - Marine Cabirou
6:06 - Sven Martin
11:59 - Tahnee Seagrave
13:17 - Vali Holl
16:11 - Aaron Gwin
18:41 - Finn Iles
22:31 - Abigail Hogie
29:52 - Brad Blackwell
33:21 - Alex Presant
37:41 - Swen Heil
39:32 - Tyler Ervin
40:47 - Kale Cushman
43:06 - Nick Robertson
49:11 - Ross Bell
55:59 - Roman Tunbridge
59:55 - Tommy Krause
1:03:44 - Andy Vathis
1:11:20 - Carson Fletcher
1:13:31 - Jack Tennyson
1:14:54 - Jorge Gomes
1:17:23 - Rachel Pageau
1:21:25 - Steve Estabrook
1:22:56 - 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 otherwise successful year, we wanted to know how Asa felt about his season—the highs, the lows, the lessons learned, and the goals for 2025. We talked about a whole lot more, so enjoy getting to know more about the calm kid from Durango who's damn fast on a bike.

0:00 - Intro
1:37 - Why Asa isn't racing MSA
4:24 - Injuries collected throughout the season
5:19 - The balance of pushing and crashing
8:06 - Did he feel the pressure going into the season?
12:00 - Key takeaways from his first World Cup season 
13:38 - Why keeping racing fun is key
14:51 - Asa's pump-up music of choice 
15:51 - Advice from Neko and Angel
17:05 - How Asa gets up to speed and breaks down tracks
21:10 - Favorite country he visited this year 
22:50 - Favorite track of the year
23:33 - Getting used to riding in the mud
25:32 - Injury updates going into the offseason
28:05 - How Asa passes the time when he's hurt 
29:46 - Favorite Elite racer
30:55 - Asa explains his nasty whips
31:56 - Doing a flip in a race run??
36:17 - Who's got the best whips?
38:29 - Things to improve on this offseason
40:22 - Training program chit-chat 
 42:21 - What Asa rides day-to-day
42:04 - Asa's perfect riding day
43:36 - Freestyle Asa
44:52 - Winter riding plans
45:48 - 2025 Goals
46:49 - 5 Years from now, where will Asa be… 

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-biking

Thanks to FOX, Maxxis Tires and Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line

It 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 contents
0:00 - Intro
1:09 - Meredith Burnette
2:25 - Jamie Tate
3:18 - Dusty Mason
4:10 - Kerry Marshall
5:02 - "Scott and the fam"
6:33 - Jacob Dyke
8:57 - Bailey Gunter
11:04 - Cole Bernier
13:40 - Jack Burnette
21:54 - Tyson Henrie
23:55 - Tabias Spencer
24:59 - Lachie Stevens-Mcnab (Race Winner)
25:47 - Nina Hoffmann (Race Winner)
29:23 - Max Beaupre and Why NOT Downhill
31:51 - Tegan Heap
33:00 - Dylan Conte
36:20 - Lucas Dedora
36:57 - Anna Newkirk
38:37 - Chris Grice
39:50 - Clay Harper

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, plus get the inside scoop on why our dude Dak was off the pace last weekend, points battles leading into MSA, RockShox Kashima knock-off, Asa Vermette's bike size, mass dampers (obviously), and a bunch of other nonsense. Enjoy!

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.

Contents
0:00 - Disclaimer and Benoit Coulanges
1:54 - Myriam Nicole
4:01 - Loic Bruni
6:47 - Reece Wilson
9:12 - Phoebe Gale
10:07 - Amaury Pierron
11:36 - Andreas Kolb
12:40 - Aaron Gwin
17:41 - Dakotah Norton
20:28 - Finn Iles
28:39 - Luca Shaw
31:53 - Ronan Dunne
33:34 - Valentina Roa Sanchez
35:17 - 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.com

• 3:06 - Dak's wild week at Worlds
• 4:56 - Race day game plan
• 7:52 - Where it all went wrong (pull out could end at 12:15) (or 14:01)
• 15:08 - Dealing with the heartbreak of crashing at Worlds
• 23:29 - Bike setup for Andorra
• 23:48 - Loudenveille setup and approach
• 26:22 - Tire choice in Andorra 
• 27:31 - Dak's "stock" tire pressure
• 30:39 - Unintentional Maxxis sponsor plug - DH casing convo
• 33:47 - Tuned mass damper hearsay 
• 42:36 - New (Shimano) brakes
• 46:27 - Dak's current bar height, stem length, stack height
• 57:06 - Industry Buzz Report: John's thoughts on tuned mass dampers
• 1:03:42 - pranks in the pits
• 1:06:27 - Fav Worlds Kit
• 1:09:06 - MTB TMZ
• 1:11:29 - Why Bruni isn't fast just because of his bike
• 1:25:58 - Importance of team environment 
• 1:34:17 - Junior results, race highlights, Loudenveille predictions
• 1:38:46 - Loic going top 3 in the last split after crashing…
• 1:40:35 - Back to Junior discussion
• 1:49:30 - Elite results, race highlights, Loudenveille predictions
• 2:05:52 - Burgtec Labour of Love

Jack Rice checks in from Andorra and the 2024 UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships with interviews from the podium riders and Greg Minnaar, who continues to troll us about possible retirement.

0:00 - Loris Vergier
2:33 - Vali Holl
3:15 - Greg Minnaar
7:55 - Myriam Nicole
9:09 - Finn Iles
12:48 - Tahnee Seagrave
13:41 - Benoit Coulanges

After almost a two-month break since the last World Cup, elite downhill racing returns to the Pyrenees Mountains of Andorra for World Champs this week. Rejoice! Tag along with Jason Schroeder, Tanner Stephens, and John Hall as they refresh your memory of who’s been fast this year, what happened during the long summer break, and discuss who will be in contention for the elusive rainbow stripes. 

0:00 - The crew catches up
3:30 - Monster Energy Downhill - Snow Summit / US National DH scene
8:30 - The growth of national series in the coming years
11:19 - Why no Aaron Gwin on the US Worlds team? + Aaron’s return to racing
18:09 - Richie Rude the DH racer
19:20 - Do racers share more info with each other at World Champs amongst fellow countrymen?
21:24 - How country federations play a part in World Champs
27:16 - 2024 season thus far…
37:40 - Races that happened during the summer break
50:24 - Fantasy info for World Champs
54:36 - Andorra track notes
1:02:35 - Fantasy Picks - Junior Women 
1:04:55 - Fantasy Picks - Junior Men
1:09:45 - Fantasy Picks - Elite Women
1:12:55 - Fantasy Picks - Elite Women

There's a new national-level downhill mountain bike race series in the U.S. — Clay Harper has ushered in the Monster Energy Pro Downhill and is in its inaugural year, landing in Big Bear this weekend. Clay, our guest on The Inside Line this week, is no stranger to downhill finding his love for the sport back in 1996 with the likes of Kyle Ebbett, Lars Tribus, Todd Bosch, Ken Avery, Aaron Chase and more. The farm-raised New Jersey native is also responsible for creating one of America's most legendary bike parks by building the first trails at Mountain Creek. He was behind the founding of the U.S. Open of Mountain Biking and continues to run the event today. Let's not forget he even puts on the X Games Real MTB contest. If it involves downhill in the USA, there aren't many things Clayton hasn't done and his push to grow the sport in our country through the Pro Downhill Series is a testament to his dedication to the community. Enjoy this interview with an instrumental figure in #USDH...it's just the tip of the iceberg.

Learn more about Clay, the Pro Downhill Series and the U.S. Open

• @clayharper1
• @prodownhillseries
• @usopenmtb

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA  for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast!

While visiting Mountain Creek Bike Park in New Jersey, for a Vital Enduro Fork Test Session project, I caught up with local legend, George Ryan. I met George in person about 20 years ago, but knew of him before that because of his online persona in old-timey forums and his presence in videos like the Chain Reaction series. Over the years we'd see each other at events or on photo shoots, so it was a massive pleasure to sit down with him and hear his full story. To my surprise, he's a big-time MTB keepsake collector and he showed up with old jerseys, DVDs, magazines and even a Shaun Palmer baseball card. We discuss his journey into mountain biking, turning pro and eventually becoming the main man in charge of trails at Mountain Creek. Enjoy the episode and hit up Vital MTB to soak up some of his old relics he has stashed away. I've put some of my photos from 2005 decline work down below too. Thanks so much, Muffin!

(If you want to see epic late 90s early 2000s downhill race TV broadcasts that he recorded as a kid, hassle him on Instagram so he'll get them uploaded : )

If Val di Sole delivered an exciting and memorable race, then Les Gets bumped things up a notch. Our guy stack-attack Dak was having a perfect weekend until the weather had a different plan, and some miscalculated race prep led to an underwhelming finish. It was still a solid weekend for the world's fastest podcast co-host, but the limelight was stolen (again) by Amaury Pierron, who executed a legendary race run on home soil (again).  

With our crew spread out across the world this week, it was just Dakotah and I who linked up to chat about the weekend. We chatted about what happened with his visor and goggle setup in the rain, how Amaury did what he did, where Dak went wrong with his race prep, why mud races are the best, escaping the finish corral, and where overalls sit going into the last two rounds of the season. Enjoy!

An all-time day of World Cup Downhill racing in Les Gets, France, ends with post-race interviews from winners and podium finishers by Jack Rice.

Interviews
0:00 - Amaury Pierron
1:59 - Eleonora Farina
3:28 - Mille Johnset
6:47 - Andreas Kolb
9:12 - Greg Minnaar
16:21 - Tahnee Seagrave
18:01 - Remi Thirion
21:01 - Myriam Nicole

What could have been! After a long stint in the hot seat with a time that bested the season's biggest names, the last man down the hill squashed our tall bar savior's dreams of winning his first World Cup. We were filled with mixed emotions as reality set in that we'd have to wait a little longer to see Dak take that elusive first win, but what a treat to watch Amaury Pierron piece together a historic run that cemented his return to the top of the sport.

We chatted a lot about the wet, slippery conditions that made Val di Sole particularly difficult this year. Dak weighed in on where Amaury made up so much time and how he adapted his bike for the steep, technical track. We speculated on why time gaps are always so big down the Black Snake, and how much Dak made in bonuses from his 2nd place finish. We also cruised the results sheet from each class, dissecting who had standout riders and where overalls stand going into the fifth round of the year in Les Gets. Enjoy!

0:00 - Intro
4:31 - What was going through Dak's mind sitting in the hot seat?
7:08 - How Did Amaury go almost 5 seconds faster than everyone?   
10:48 - How conditions affected finals
13:48 - Why are time gaps always so big at Val di Sole?
17:48 - Was this the gnarliest Val di Sole track to date?
2:09 - How Dak picked lines on a track with ever-changing conditions
28:45 - People were getting sketchy this weekend
29:59 - Commencal chainstays
29:36 - Dak's bike changes for the VDS track and what he gained from watching Amaury's run
37:28 - Dak almost pulling a Sam Hill in the last corner
40:45 - Tire pressure, inserts, and wheel chit-chat
48:09 - New e*thirteen hub?
53:34 - What's in the box on Dak's down tube
54:18 - Peak extender for race run mud
55:15 - Dak's earnings on the weekend $$$
57:28 - Do you use more rear or front brakes? Dak weighs in.
1:09:21 - Ronan Dunne sounds just like Rat Boy
1:09:48 - Bernard Kerr: out with an injury 
1:12:38 - Maxxis Make or Brake Section
1:15:00 - Why do they add so much dirt to the track each year?
1:16:20 - Junior Women race recap & overall standings
1:20:22 - Junior Men race recap & overall standings
1:26:36 - Elite Women race recap & overall standings
1:34:40 - Elite Men race recap & overall standings
2:02:03 - Burgtec Labour of Love Award
2:05:51 - Les Gets thoughts!
2:07:50 - Should Vital do a MTB Moto race?
2:09:50 - Dak makes more money from an amateur moto race than a UCI World Cup

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Visit Jenson USA  - FREE BONUS CARD valued at up to $1000 with the purchase of eligible Santa Cruz bikes & frames!

Passionate interviews from the Val di Sole World Cup Downhill today as Amaury Pierron and Tahnee Seagrave return to the top of the podium!

Interviews
0:32 - Tahnee Seagrave
1:26 - Amaury Pierron
6:21 - Dakotah Norton
8:24 - Marine Cabirou
8:58 - Cory Rimmer (Dak's trackside coach)
11:54 - Finn Iles
14:16 - Myriam Nicole
16:15 - Troy Brosnan
18:44 - Luca Shaw
21:55 - Loic Bruni

After years of success, RockShox has updated its trail and gravity suspension lineup with some new internals for model year '25. The latest Charger 3.1 damper is now found across all fork models, while rear shocks gain an XL air can option and a high-flow main piston for Super Deluxe models. They have also re-introduced the Vivid Coil shock with some technology derived from the Vivid Air released last year. 

We sat down with Chris Mandell from SRAM and RockShox to help make sense of all  the technical. We discussed the motivation behind the changes made, how they were achieved, and how they make an impact out on the trail.

Learn more about everything discussed in this video - https://www.vitalmtb.com/news/press-release/rockshox-announces-charger-3-1-damper-vivid-coil-and-updates-super-deluxe
Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

A track on the circuit that always provides dramatic, legendary race runs, this year at Leogang was fairly uneventful. A business as usual World Cup, you could say. Rain throughout the week provided some of the most changing and challenging conditions hit the #notabikepark track, with the lower woods being the deciding factor on race day. There was exciting racing across each category, highlighted by a dominating victory in both women’s fields, an upset in the Junior men’s race, and another elite men’s podium filled with new and returning names.

With a tight turnaround heading into Val di Sole this weekend, reigning in our co-host extraordinaire Dakotah Norton took longer than usual. Apparently, getting to the next race, interviews, physio appointments, and dinner all come before our podcast. Up against a tighter time crunch than usual, Tanner and I recorded the post-race show Tuesday, while Dakotah and I chatted after track walk on Wednesday to hear about his mediocre weekend in Austria and gain insight into what could be the gnarliest Val di Sole track we’ve seen in years. 

0:00 - Intro
2:08 - Dak Update and Leogang recap
33:15 - Val di Sole track walk notes and thoughts
51:04 - Debate over braking more with your rear or front brake
58:09  - Discussing the live coverage from the weekend
1:00:56 - Commentators this season 
1:03:18 - 15 World Cups next year?
1:05:15 - Privateers at World Cups in 2025
1:09:23 - Is interest in World Cup downhill less than it was during the Red Bull days?
1:11:12 - Another chat about electronic suspension
1:20:07 - Will we see electronic suspension systems in VDS?
1:22:09 - Loic’s cockpit buttons
1:23:17 - Why pressing a lockout mid-run isn’t that difficult
1:26:42 - Podium payout complaints 
1:32:34 - Maxxis Make or Brake Track Analysis
1:38:50 - Junior Women - race recap
1:43:05 - Val di Sole predictions
1:46:21 - Junior Men - race recap
1:59:36 - Val di Sole predictions
2:04:36 - Elite Women - race recap
2:14:37 - Val di Sole predictions
2:18:18 - Elite Men - race recap
2:32:50 - Val di Sole predictions
2:35:41 - Burgtec Labour of Love

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com

See what the top riders of the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup DH in Leogang, Austria, have to say about their race weekends. A familiar track was made tricky with varying conditions thanks to overnight rains. Interviews by Jack Rice.
Interviews
0:00 - Loic Bruni
4:52 - Anna Newkirk
7:49 - Neko Mulally
10:52 - Vali Holl
11:54 - Max Alran
13:28 - Erice van Leuven
14:41 - Ellie Hulsebosch
16:18 - Finn Iles
18:37 - Myriam Nicole
21:50 - Lachie Stevens-Mcnab
23:14 - Oisin O'Callaghan
24:25 - Lisa Baumann
25:33 - Benoit Coulanges
29:11 - Marine Cabirou
30:32 - Lucas Dedora
32:49 - Andreas Kolb

Loic Bruni has five different electronic buttons on his prototype Specialized Demo downhill bike, and we're not even talking about shift levers. He, his mechanic Jack and Ohlins are all pretty tight-lipped about the functions they serve, but today we got a bit of information from the current World Cup DH leader himself.

SuperBruni confirms the buttons are not Skittles, he seemingly teases that they're for playing music, and then says their function should be pretty easy to figure out. When asked if using them is confusing, he admits that keeping track of them is not easy and there are risks associated with hitting the wrong button at the wrong time. Regardless of their function or trickiness in pressing, Loic's in the lead right now, and that's really all that matters.

GoFundme to support Seton Tuning DH Team

Phil Seton, manager of Pole Factory Racing, shares the story of keeping his team alive after Pole Bikes went into administration a week before Fort William. All team budget was pulled and they were left with a decision to race or pack it up. Phil decided to use his personal money to get Onni Rainio and Dan Slack to Fort William and Poland. Onni had a personal best at Fort William and Dan Slack had his best-ever finish making finals and breaking the beam with a 28th in Poland. With the help of a GoFundMe, they're successfully attending Leogang this week and are halfway to earning enough money to race Les Gets. Jack Rice gets the scoop from Phil as race life rolls on!

What a start to the 2024 World Cup downhill season we've had! Fort William properly kicked things off with a gnarly track and insane racing, followed by a new venue in Poland that produced one of the best tracks and tightest races we've seen in years. Now, after a brief two-week pause, racing resumes this weekend in Leogang, Austria. A classic track that always delivers dramatic racing, there are exciting stories shaping up in each category that will be fun to watch play out over the weekend. 

Join Vital's own Jason Schroeder, ex-World Cup mechanic John Hall, and podcast co-host and contributing editor Tanner Stephens as they discuss who will contend for the win this weekend in each category, what makes the historic Leogang track so tricky, and highlight some potential dark horses who could mix things up come race day. 

0:00 - Intro
2:04 - Southwest Downhill Series this weekend 
8:43 - Leogang venue & track analysis 
13:33 - Is Leogang a bike park track? 
17:48 - Why Leogang is so difficult in the wet
20:17 - Breaking down the motorway section
22:05 - John discusses Aaron Gwin's chainless win at Leogang in 2015  
33:11 - A fan trying to sell John Aaron's broken chain for $3,000  
38:25 - Weather report
39:03 - Injured reserve list for this weekend 
44:33 - Fantasy strategy
49:10 - Junior Women race predictions
57:28 - Junior Men race predictions
1:04:15 - Elite Women predictions
1:18:30 - Elite Men predictions

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy 
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com

After a rocky (literally) start to the 2024 season in Fort William, a fresh track with a good mix of features and fluctuating speeds greeted racers for the second round in Poland. Speculation surrounding speed suits and electronic lockouts was replaced by the buzz of line choice and rut formation. In the end, it was a battle for thousandths of a second, and who could predict and adapt to the ever-evolving conditions best after some race day rain. The cream is definitely beginning to rise to the top in each category, but holy cow, there are a lot of names fighting for the podium!

Our guy Stack-Attack set the pace most of the weekend, but a slippery flat corner put an end to his winning hopes. We break down Dak's headspace during and after the weekend, where the race was won or lost, thoughts on electronic shifting in downhill, the return of shorts in downhill, and chit-chat about how racing unfolded in each category. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis Tires -  https://www.maxxis.com/us/
Industry Nine - https://industrynine.com/
Burgtec -  https://burgtec-usa.com/

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy  
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com

With positions separated by just hundredths of seconds, the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill near Bielsko-Biala, Poland, was a fan and racer favorite even with it being a first-time venue. Listen to the podium finishers and more as they discuss how it all went down.

Interviews
0:00 - Ronan Dunne
2:10 - John Lawlor
3:47 - Dakotah Norton
7:02 - Marine Cabirou
8:35 - Asa Vermette
9:25 - Neko Mulally
10:35 - Heather Wilson
11:51 - Loic Bruni
14:04 - Camille Balanche
15:37 - Nina Hoffmann
18:16 - Loris Vergier
19:37 - Jess Blewitt
20:19 - Amaury Pierron
21:57 - Luca Shaw

Welcome to another pre-World Cup discussion as part of Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy! The first race of the season in Fort William, Scotland, kicked things off with a bang! Now, just two weeks later, the excitement continues as we head to a completely new venue for the second round of the UCI World Cup downhill series. Without past results to make predictions, this weekend will offer a clean slate for racing. Who will be able to figure out the new track in a limited time and be the fastest on race day? Will more experienced riders still have an advantage? Or will up-and-coming racers be able to adapt and rise to the occasion? 

Join Vital's own Jason Schroeder, ex-World Cup mechanic John Hall, and podcast co-host and contributing editor Tanner Stephens as they discuss who's looking fast after Fort William, what to expect from the new track, and who to keep on your radar in Bielsko-Biala, Poland.

• 0:00 Intro & How to Play Fantasy
• 2:00 - John gives insight into how racers and teams approach a new track
• 5:49 - Bielsko-Biala track details and discussion
• 11:00 - Will electronic suspension systems be a thing again this weekend?
• 14:54 - Loic Bruni's setup speculation
• 22:32 - Will experience be an advantage this weekend?
• 24:42 - How teams find the best lines during practice
• 30:28 - Injury updates
• 34:50 - Fantasy notes and insights from Fort Bill
• 44:33 - Junior Women predictions
• 46:48 - Junior Men predictions
• 52:02 - Elite Women predictions
• 57:03 -  Elite Men predictions

For all the details on how to play Vital's Downhill Fantasy, including what prizes are up for grabs EACH round - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

The World Cup season has arrived, and with that, we are back with our regularly scheduled post-race banter! Fort William went off with a bang, providing one of the most thrilling and engaging season openers we've seen. Numerous team changes were finally put on display against the clock; the track was dry, fast, and ridiculously rough, and the level of racing in all four categories was tighter and more intense than ever. With plenty of topics to hit, like speed suits, electronic suspension lockouts, and Dakotah's mega-rise bars, it was awesome to have the crew back together to chat about elite downhill racing. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis Tires -  https://www.maxxis.com/us/
Industry Nine - https://industrynine.com/
Burgtec -  https://burgtec-usa.com/

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy  
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com

Hear what racers have to say after the first World Cup Downhill mountain bike race of 2024 in Fort William, Scotland.

0:00 - Asa Vermette, Junior Men's Winner
0:55 - Heather Wilson, Junior Women's Winner
3:00 - Dakotah Norton
7:52 - Nina Hoffmann
10:47 - Tahnee Seagrave
13:23 - Kale Cushman
15:14 - Greg Williamson
17:59 - Myriam Nicole
20:25 - Cory Rimmer

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

Jorge Gomes is a man dedicated to mountain bike racing. He is team manager for Transition Factory Racing, and the man behind Pro Builds mobile bike shop and Pro Builds Racing team, too. He tells us the story of how he became hooked on MTB which includes riding a dirt jump hardtail at Mountain Creek, how he became a bike assembler for Walmarts in his region and how he took his passion straight to the top by helping his rider, Valentia Roa Sanchez, earn the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup overall title in the Junior Women's class.

As the first round of 2024 approaches, enjoy the stories of overcoming adversity and learn what it takes to become a World Cup mountain bike race team manager.

0:00 - Intro and His first mountain bike
9:23 - Getting into DH Racing and Teams
17:09 - From Machine Operator to Bike Shop Employee
19:18 - The Reality of Assembling Bikes for Walmart
25:52 - Pro Builds Racing Grows
28:42 - Introduction to Valentina Roa Sanchez
33:26 - Meeting Valentina In-Person for the First Time
49:07 - Investing in Junior Women's Racing
55:54 - Transition Factory Racing's First Year
1:08:37 - 2023 Race Season Highs and Lows
1:16:02 - Loudenvielle Junior Race Cancellation
1:30:05 - Valentina Roa Sanchez Winning the World Cup Overall
1:43:00 - The Future of Non-Elite Teams at World Cups

Win Prizes from RockShox, SRAM, Troy Lee Designs, FSA & Maxxis! https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

Ellie Hulsebosch of The Union is a first-year Junior on the World Cup Downhill circuit. She's been stacking up wins this off-season and is ready to slay Fort William this weekend.

#MTB #DH #bike

This year, we are bringing you pre-World Cup discussions as part of Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy. Each round we will break down which racers you should keep an eye on going into the weekend, who's gone fast in years past, and try to give you some extra insight to help make the best Fantasy picks. 

In this episode, join Vital's own Jason Schroeder, ex-World Cup mechanic John Hall, and podcast co-host and contributing editor Tanner Stephens as they discuss off-season team changes, pre-season races, and who to watch at round one in Fort William, Scotland. 

For all the details on how to play Vital's Downhill Fantasy, including what prizes are up for grabs EACH round - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

:26 - How to Play Vital Fantasy
12:00 - Off-Season Team Changes 
31:43 - Off-Season Racing Results
40:01 - Who’s Injured and Out of Round #1
51:44 - Fort William Track Analysis
56:10 - Junior Women Insights and  Predictions
1:00:53 - Junior Men Insights and Predictions
1:09:02 - Elite Women Insights and Predictions
1:14:47 - Elite Men Insights and Predictions

WIN A ROCKSHOX BOXXER - Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy

Watch this interview - Ronan Dunne's 2022 season was going so poorly that his parents secretly signed him up for the army. Thankfully for us and Ronan, his results improved, he continued to race World Cup Downhill and now he's a podium finisher.

On today's podcast, Tech Editor Jason Schroeder brings you a pulse check on the state of our beloved mountain bike industry. Last week, during the Sea Otter Classic, he chatted with some industry folks from Santa Cruz Bicycles, Maxxis Tires, Feedback Sports, Transition Bicycles, Industry Nine, Orbea, FSA Components, Trek Bicycles, Hunt Wheels, and Privateer Bikes. And asked one simple question: now that we are a few years past the COVID bike boom, what is the state of the industry? Are things good? Are they bad? And where do you see things going in the next 12-24 months? Here is what people had to say.  

:43 - Maxxis Tires 
5:57 - Santa Cruz Bicycles
8:21 - Trek Bicycles
9:52 - Hunt Wheels
17:00 Transition Bikes
21:27 - Feedback Sports
24:32 - FSA
26:52 - Industry Nine
32:11 - Orbea Bikes

More Sea Otter content: https://www.vitalmtb.com/tags/sea_otter_classic_event

More MTB news: https://www.vitalmtb.com/

Join Vital Tech Editor Jason Schroeder as he wanders the sea of vendor tents at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. From new products to athlete check-ins to Pro dual slalom practice, get a taste of what it's like to have boots on the ground at the event. 

1:28 - Checking in with Brandon Turman

5:15 - Crankbrothers SOS Tools

8:32 - B Zone loamers and Fort William predictions with George Browne

14:14 - Mondraker on moving to the U.S.

21:18 - Dillon Lemarr chats working at TLD and Fort William predictions

34:31 - Kiran MacKinnon from Santa Cruz Bicycles chats suspension tuning and bike development

Join Vital Tech Editor Jason Schroeder as he wanders the sea of vendor tents at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. From new products to athlete check-ins to Pro dual slalom practice, get a taste of what it's like to have boots on the ground at the event. 

:35 - Derek Teel of Dialed Health
 4:03 - Nik Nestoroff chats slalom finals prep and Maven brakes
 6:11 - 2024 news with Industry Nine
 8:43 - New forks from SR Suntour
 14:43 - John Hall from Intense Cycles
 28:39 - Intense’s gearbox downhill bike
 40:33 - Transition Bikes
 49:06 - Checking in with Marco Osborne
 52:47 - Norco Sight and Optic link + 60-Year Anniversary
 55:54 - Dual Slalom Finals

Join Vital Tech Editor Jason Schroeder as he wanders the sea of vendor tents at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. From new products to athlete check-ins to Pro dual slalom practice, get a taste of what it's like to have boots on the ground at the event. 

:53 - Tannus Inserts new Fusion 

3:08 - Ride Wrap

5:41 - DEITY Components - new grip and two new pedals (coming in June)

12:45 - Dakotah Norton - Slalom update

14:40 - Ari Bikes - custom slalom bike for Kyle Strait; updates on the new DH bike

17:45 - New Hunt Wheels coming this summer…

21:09 - Privateer Bikes now being sold in the US

23:48 - Interview with Braydon Bringhurst

More Sea Otter content:

Day 2 Photo Gallery #1 - https://www.vitalmtb.com/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-2

Day 2 You Tube Video - https://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/features/sea-otter-classic-2024-crazy-and-cool-day-2-slalom-practice-raw

vitalmtb.com

Join Vital Tech Editor, Jason Schroeder, as he wanders the sea of vendor tents at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. From new products to athlete check-ins to Pro dual slalom practice, get a taste of what it's like to have boots on the ground at the event. 

Day 1 Photo Gallery #1 - https://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-1/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-1

Day 1 Photo Gallery #2 - https://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-1-part-2/pit-bits-sea-otter-2024-day-1-part-2

Day 1 You Tube Video - https://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/features/sea-otter-classic-2024-crazy-and-cool-day-1

To learn more and hear our thoughts on the new Grip X2 damper, check out our First Ride review.

After years of mostly positive reviews intertwined with some shortcomings, FOX has ditched its Grip2 and FIT4 dampers for model year 2025 forks. In their place are three new dampers that seek to offer a heightened level of discipline-focused performance and features.

Grip SL - XC, short track, marathon
Grip X - all mountain, trail
Grip X2 - all-mountain, enduro, gravity

We joined FOX for a few days at their HQ in Scotts Valley, California, to get the run down from their engineering and development team on the new damper line and the goals surrounding each product.

0:00 - Overview of Grip dampers with Bill Brown, Head of Engineering
14:35 - Grip X2 details and development goals with Sergio Avanto, Manager of Product Performance
SUPERCROSS TALK WITH SERGIO
27:19 - Who was most difficult to work with (hint: the world's fastest German SX racer)
Epic insight into James Stewart during his prime 
45:49 - Jett Lawrence vs. James Stewart
50:13 - Similarities between supercross suspension and mountain bike suspension  
55:48 - Remi Gauvin of the Rocky Mountain Gravity Team talks about the differences in performance and setup between Grip 2 and Grip X2

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

The first-ever Monster Energy Pro Downhill Series race took place at Ride Rock Creek in North Carolina this weekend. Clay Harper, founder of the series, has a vision to bring back national-level downhill mountain bike race events and round 1 has proven to be a strong start. Jack Rice was at the event and caught up with Clay and others to get their thoughts on the weekend. Our show concludes with the Pro Women's and Men's press conference audio which can also be watched on our site.

Contents
0:00 - Clay Harper, Race Director
9:39 - Sean Griz McClendon
13:26 - Callie Howrath
15:27 - Neko Mulally and Sean Leader
17:51 - Cory Rimmer
23:14 - John Hall
27:23 - Pro Women's Press Conference
37:51 - Pro Men's Press Conference

The Redcar Rocket, Danny Hart, handles the dreaded 17 without a flinch. Watch the video of this interview

• Watch Danny's Vital RAW
• Watch Danny's Bike Check video

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

The 2024 Tennessee National Downhill mountain bike race at Windrock Bike Park is in the books with Dakotah Norton and Frida Ronning taking Elite wins.  This was the first downhill event at Windrock since Aaron Gwin took over ownership of the park and racers and fans alike seemed stoked with the track and the way the event was run. Jack Rice checks in with racers and the people who make #USDH so great.

Asa Vermette was on pace to challenge the time of Dakotah but washed out in a corner injuring his hip and resulting in a DNF. In the Junior classes, Dane Jewett posted a time that would have been 2nd in Elite Men and Aletha Oostgard's time would have been 2nd in Elite Women.  Dig into the results, G-Out Project Photos and more on VitalMTB.com

Interviews
0:00 - Dakotah Norton
4:44 - Don Rogers
6:11 - Asa Vermette (pre-race run)
8:39 - Clay Harper
13:56 - Luca Shaw
15:51 - Angel Suarez
17:46 - Neko Mulally
21:31 - Ryan Griffith
22:42 - Frida's Mechanic, Josh Thwaite
24:42 - Jack Pederson
26:08 - Kale Cushman
28:21 - Lucas Dedora

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

The first major race of the 2024 #USDH season is here with the Tennessee National at Windrock Bike Park. Jack Rice hits the ground and meets up with racers, managers and the great people who make the event happen in this weekend's Inside Line.

0:00 - Aaron Gwin
5:41 - Luca Shaw
8:05 - Frida Ronning
10:38 - Sean Leader
14:52 - Alvaro Castillo
19:28 - Rachel Kelleher
26:51 - Seth Sherlock
29:28 - Rachel Pageau
33:34 - Jorge Gomes
35:44 - Joey Palmer
38:48 - Evan Warner
45:21 - Doug Sharp

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

With the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill season fast approaching, we talk with Aaron Gwin  about his move to Crestline Bikes,  how his 2023 injury is healing, why he has like 497 different jobs, including being the owner of  Windrock Bike Park , and how he thinks he'll handle racing this year.

Interview Topics
0:00 - Intro, Move to Crestline Bikes
3:05 - Did Aaron Spend Personal Money for the New Team?
4:27 - Why Did the News Take So Long?
5:57 - How'd He Keep the Team Rumor Secret?
9:10 - From Vee Tires to e.13 Tires - Is There Really a Difference?
11:42 - The Day He Realized He We Would Be Off Intense
16:17 - Did Aaron Try to Be a Part of Big Brand?
21:36 - Does the Frame's Suspension Platform Matter Any More?
24:55 - Gwin's Crestline DH Bike Weight
26:56 - Does He Still Run Firm Suspension?
32:32 - Dakotah Norton
35:51 - Are There Enough Crestline Frames for the 2024 Season?
41:39 - Windrock for World Cup DH Training and Making Trails Harder
45:32 - What Goes on at a Red Bull Athlete Camp?
53:39 - World Cup Snow DH, Cool or Lame?
54:18 - Aaron Gwin's 2023 Injury in Detail
1:07:02 - World Champs is Gwin's 2024 Goal and He Thinks He Can Win
1:09:35 - Does a Winning DH Run Have to Be Out of Control?
1:12:27 - Jackson Goldstone and How to Compete Against Him?
1:17:43 - Gwin Racing at the World Cups
1:20:17 - Why Aaron Gwin has Like 53 Different Jobs
1:26:55 - The Future of Windrock Bike Park - Host a World Cup? Get a Chairlift?
1:32:31 - Favorite Bike He's Ridden in the Past? YouTube Habits and Life Outside of California

Watch our video and see photos of the fork on Vital MTB and our YouTube channel.

Thank you Maxxis Tires, FOX Suspension and Jenson USA for making The Inside Line possible.

Vital first rode a prototype PUSH Nine.One inverted mountain bike fork a year ago in February of 2023. The same day, we recorded an interview with PUSH owner, Darren Murphy, getting all the details about the fork before its release. At the time, the scheduled release for the Nine.One was only a couple months away and PUSH eventually showed the fork at the Sea Otter Classic. A couple months turned into 4, then 7 then 8. Fast-forward 12 months later, and the fork is now available to the public.

Discussion Topics

• 0:00 - Intro (2024)
• 1:00 - (Feb 2023 Start) Why Make a Fork at All?
• 4:23 - Why Make an Inverted Fork?
• 8:43 - PUSH Nine.One Fork Specs & Features
• 10:21 - The "Grab the Bars Torsional Stiffness Twist Test" is Dumb
• 15:54 - Modular, Updatable Axle Lugs for Wheel Size, Offset and Brake Mounts, Travel Adjust
• 20:23 - Simple Fork Servicing Through Bleed Ports, Long-term Product Use
• 25:47 - Why is it a $2,600 Mountain Bike Fork? Weight, Fabrication Details
• 31:44 - Comparing Other Inverted Fork Designs, Why Not Carbon?
• 34:22 - Spring, Damper and Internals
• 38:20 - The Parking Lot Test
• 41:45 - Jason's Ride Experience on the PUSH Fork
• 44:57 - Purposefully Not as Torsionally Stiff as a Regular Fork
• 47:14 - Availability
• 48:47 - What About Stanchion Scratches / Guards?
• 51:47 - WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG? (2024)
• 1:00:44 - Did Anything About the Fork Change During the Year?
• 1:02:30 - Fork Specs (Again : )
• 1:05:14 - Four Years in the Making
• 1:06:58 - FIXED BUSHINGS and Why
• 1:09:51 - Would Darren Do It All Over Again?
• 1:11:53 - The Twist Test is Still Pointless
• 1:16:00 - What MTB Standard Would Darren Change?

At $2,600 USD, the coil-sprung Nine.One is made in the USA at the PUSH factory in Colorado. It features 140-170mm of user-adjustable travel in 10mm increments and uses modular axle lugs that can run 27.5 or 29-inch wheels with built-in brake mounts for 180mm or 200mm rotors. The damping technology is that of the PUSH Elevensix shock and oil can be changed and serviced through bleed ports at the top of the fork.

While most riders can't comprehend spending that much money on a fork, Darren and PUSH set out to make a highly refined piece of suspension that can last and be updated for years to come. We dive into why PUSH would make a fork, their philosophy on what makes good suspension, misconceptions of upside-down fork design, what took so long to finish production, and why someone may want such an expensive MTB fork.

Thank you Maxxis Tires, FOX Suspension and Jenson USA for making The Inside Line possible.

Watch this interview on YouTube

Joe Bowman of The Union and Steel City Media gets on the mic to discuss sponsor and rider changes for the team in 2024. 2023 was an extremely successful year for the not-for-profit program with Chris Hauser grabbing a Junior World Cup DH win and team riders graduating to bigger factory teams. As a development team, The Union's goal is to help young and up-and-coming riders get experience at the World Cup level with hopes of building their future in the sport.

Follow @join.the.union on Instagram

The #frecklegate conspiracy comes to fruition as Dakotah Norton officially joins the newly formed Mondraker Factory Racing Team. After two years of upward trajectory under Intense Factory Racing, Dak hopes to continue edging closer to that elusive first World Cup win while helping develop Mondraker's new DH bike alongside Ryan Pinkerton and Ronan Dunne.

Dak is a staple of our B Practice Podcast, so we had to hop on last week to discuss how the switch to Mondraker came about, what he was looking for in a new team, and how he feels heading into the season. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis | Burgtec | Industry Nine

Interview Contents

0:00 - Intro, Crew Catch Up
6:29 - Norton Compound Update
10:48 - Dak Joins Mondraker Factory Racing!
11:30 - Why He Left Intense Factory Racing
14:53 - How Riding For Mondraker Came Together 
16:49 - What Was Dak Looking For in a New Team
18:43 - Getting Paid Fairly
23:48 - Difficulty Finding a Ride as a Top 10 Racer
31:28 - Aaron Gwin's Impact on Dak's Program 
36:33 - Things Learned from DH Racing
39:39 - The Draw of Riding for Mondraker 
42:45 - New Team, New Bike to Develop 
45:17 - Intense M1 vs. Prototype Mondraker 
49:46 - Offseason Plans to Prep for WC #1
53:02 - Having Ryan Pinkerton and Ronan Dunne as Teammates   
57:46 - Thoughts on Frame Stiffness vs. Compliance 
59:55 - How Much Stack We Rockin' on the Mondy?!
1:04:42 - Team Sponsors
1:08:25 - New Mechanic
1:14:20 - Would Dak Wear A Onesie?
1:16:08 - Will Dak Race in Shorts Next Year?
1:20:27 - Team Rumors Talk
1:25:42 - Dak Doing Hardline??

Thank you Maxxis Tires, FOX Suspension and Jenson USA for making The Inside Line possible.

Watch this interview and see riding clips on YouTube

In a sea of slashed budgets, folding teams and riders struggling to find a way to race downhill mountain bikes in 2024, Neko Mulally has expanded his Frameworks team with the addition of Spanish rider, Angel Suarez for 2024. In this Inside Line MTB podcast, we ask Neko how he was able to expand his team, increase budget and roll into the season with two podium contenders - Angel in Elites and first-year Junior, Asa Vermette. Neko candidly talks budget, bike development, the future of Frameworks and what the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup may look like.

Interview Contents

• 0:00 - Intro, Angel Suarez on Frameworks
• 5:45 - UNNO to Frameworks, Already a FOX Rider
• 9:39 - Sponsor Changes, Wheels and Tires
• 13:09 - Neko, Asa and Angel are the Same Height - Intentional?
• 18:20 - Increased Team Size, Not Budget Cuts. How?
• 21:24 - Frameworks with a GEARBOX?!
• 24:38 - Why Aren't Other Brands as Transparent as Frameworks?
• 28:15 - Outside Industry Sponsors?
• 29:34 - What is Frameworks Budget?
• 34:15 - Aaron Gwin and Frameworks?
• 35:39 - What's Frameworks' 5-Year Plan?
• 39:42 - Did Neko Start Frameworks to Extend His Racing Career?
• 43:45 - Success with Berm Peak Video on Frameworks
• 47:36 - Why Are Frames Raw and Not Painted?
• 49:09 - Biggest Single Surprise During Bike Development?
• 51:07 - Anti-Rise Experiences and Setup
• 54:52 - Any Insight into 2024 World Cup Race Format?

Downhill mountain bike racing legend, Greg Minnaar, announced that he joined Norco Bicycles after 16 years with the Santa Cruz Syndicate. Minnaar has more Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill victories than any other Elite male racer. While 2023 was supposed to be his farewell season after two-and-a-half decades of racing, a flat tire at World Championships in Fort William left Greg with a poor result and a hunger to end his competitive career on a high note. When Santa Cruz decided to let Greg go, he found a new home at Norco. In this interview we talk with Greg about that change, the possible challenges of working with a new bike and team, as well as his expectations for the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup DH race season.

Video Contents
0:00 - Intro /  Is He on FOX or RockShox?
3:31 - Any Other Sponsor Changes?
4:21 - Why Didn't He Retire in 2023?
7:55 - Did He Try to Stay with Santa Cruz Syndicate?
10:50 - Norco's Race Engineering Program
13:09 - How Will He Adapt to the Norco Prototype DH Bike?
16:17 - From VPP to High-Pivot to DH Bike
20:20 - Does Suspension Platform Really Matter?
22:30 - The Source - Norco Junior Development Team
25:29 - What If He Doesn't Get Results or Gets an Injury?
30:44 - 2024 Race Goals
32:48 - Insight into 2024 World Cup DH Format
36:06 - Would He Wear the Fox One-piece Suit like Christian Craig?
36:58 - What Will He Miss Most about The Syndicate?

Thanks to Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA  for supporting Vital MTB's The Inside Line podcast.

#MTB #mountainbike #downhill

Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox
Welcome mountain bikers! We're stoked to take you for a ride along during a conversation we had at the end of October during Vital's budget mountain bike test in Reno, Nevada. It was a special time because every Vital editorial staffer was present with some of our favorite contributors too. The primary discussion revolves around the bikes we were testing and how great it is to be a mountain biker with so many quality bikes and components. Whether beginner or experienced, it's really hard to go wrong with a mountain bike purchase these days. Eventually, we twist and turn our way onto the topic of Red Bull Rampage, which was fresh in our minds at the time, and ultimately to our favorite subject, World Cup Downhill racing.

Get to know the Vital staff a bit better, give a nod to budget-friendly mountain bikes and enjoy the show!

Watch Vital's $2,500 Mountain Bike Comparison