The last few weeks have been jam-packed with outstanding Downhill racing, so Noah Bodman and David Golay sat down to talk about all the action at World Champs, including Greg Minnaar further cementing his status as the GOAT; the incredible Val di Sole course; mind-blowing saves & returns from injury; the Lenzerheide World Cup, including utter domination by the French; Vali Holl finding her form, and more. We also discuss a whole bunch of new suspension bits that we’ve been testing from Fox, ...
Sep 09, 2021•34 min•Ep. 82
Mountain biking with inadequate brakes is terrifying, if not downright unsafe, but the role of pads and rotors is often underappreciated. So we sat down with Daryl Simmons of Galfer USA to go deep on brake pads and rotors, including differences in pad materials and why the classic metallic vs. organic debate doesn’t tell the whole story; what factors influence wet-weather performance and heat resistance; rotor design and how to think about choosing rotor sizes; and a whole lot more. TOPICS &...
Sep 02, 2021•45 min•Ep. 81
Chris Porter is one of the most interesting and most opinionated figures in the mountain bike world, he’s back on Bikes and Big Ideas this week. There was a lot we weren’t able to cover in our first conversation a few months ago, so this week we discuss the Geometron G1 & how Chris chooses to set up his personal bike; dual-crown Enduro forks & how we both wish they were more common; EXT suspension, including the Era fork and custom G1-spec Storia shock; & much more. TOPICS & TIME...
Aug 26, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 80
Our summer biking season is flying by and we’ve been spending a ton of time on a lot of very interesting bikes and gear — with a lot more to come. So we decided to check in with several of our reviewers to hear about the gear they’ve been most impressed by so far this year; the new products they’re most excited to check out; and along the way we talk about mullet bikes, bike shop pranks, and unveil several genius new ideas that we definitely shouldn’t be giving away for free. TOPICS & TIMES:...
Aug 19, 2021•50 min•Ep. 79
Our guest this week is Steve Vanderhoek , who just put out one of the best video edits of the year , in which he and Yoann Barelli rode nearly all of the gnarliest features in the Sea to Sky Corridor in one truly wild day. So we sat down with Steve to talk about everything that went into making that day happen; the mental challenges of riding scary, high-consequence lines; filming and riding with Yoann and Remy Metailler; balancing all that with his career as a paramedic and firefighter; and a w...
Aug 12, 2021•51 min•Ep. 78
Today we have Blister Bike Editor David Golay talking to reviewer Dylan Wood about all the bikes and gear they’ve recently been spending time on, including some A-B comparisons of short-travel, DW-link bikes at both ends of the price spectrum; a range of longer-travel Enduro bikes both fairly conventional and quite unusual; some very intriguing pedals; and they mix in some thoughts on the importance (or lack thereof) of bike weight, and the current state of the Shimano vs. SRAM drivetrain wars. ...
Aug 05, 2021•49 min•Ep. 77
Sabra Davison grew up ski racing and running, but when she got into mountain biking, she saw girls participating at far lower rates — so she decided to do something about it. Sabra (along with her sister, World Cup XC racer and two-time Olympian, Lea) founded Little Bellas to get girls into riding bikes, and develop the confidence to keep with it. We sat down with Sabra to talk about Little Bellas; how to make skill building fun; removing barriers to participation in what is an expensive sport; ...
Jul 29, 2021•33 min•Ep. 76
When he was in his 20s Matt Gilman lost his sight due to diabetes, but that hasn’t stopped him from riding trials — and maybe even more remarkably, working as a bike mechanic. His story is an incredible one, so we sat down with Matt to talk about his approach to riding; how he manages to ride by feel; his career as a bike mechanic and how he adapted to doing that blind; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES: Matt’s biking background (0:41) Vision loss & getting back on a bike (4:25) Blind...
Jul 22, 2021•56 min•Ep. 75
The first-generation Manitou Dorado turned a lot of heads more than 20 years ago, in large part thanks to its inverted layout and wild-looking carbon chassis. The all-new, fourth-generation Dorado is a major update to what Manitou calls “the longest-standing inverted downhill fork” — including a return of the carbon chassis, after more than a decade hiatus. But there’s a whole lot more going on, too, so we sat down with Manitou’s Phil Ott to discuss the past and present of the Dorado; the advant...
Jul 15, 2021•44 min•Ep. 74
Few (if any) riders have the power, balance, & creativity of Brad Simms . So you might assume it’s been a pretty quick and easy path to prominence for someone this unique. But it hasn’t been an easy road, and in this conversation, Brad spells it all out; talks about how close he came to calling it quits; his new partnership with Canyon bikes; his interest in all types of riding; and more. TOPICS & TIMES: Brad’s history (1:53) Early influences & riding styles (14:33) Fear (22:39) Comp...
Jul 08, 2021•49 min•Ep. 73
Which ski brand is most similar to Transition? Guerrilla Gravity? Specialized? Which bike company is most like K2? ON3P? Moment? We answer all of these questions and more in Part 2 of Bikes vs. Skis. Check it out, and let us know your answers in the comments section on our site. TOPICS & TIMES: Transition (2:04) Propain (5:35) Guerilla Gravity (7:08) Commencal (11:22) Q: Cool Kid Co.s: Does size matter? (15:03) Rossignol (20:31) Trek (23:28) Head Skis (24:49) Giant (28:21) Santa Cruz (29:14)...
Jul 01, 2021•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 72
Which bike & ski company would you buy stock in right now? Which company is currently holding the “Cool Kids Belt”? Who is currently overhyped, and who is flying under the radar? Who do other brands secretly wish they could trade places with? We answer all these questions and more in our latest edition of Bikes vs. Skis. Check it out, and tell us your answers to these questions in the comments section of the show notes to this episode on our website. TOPICS & TIMES: Who is offering the m...
Jun 24, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 71
This week on Bikes and Big Ideas, Jonathan Ellsworth, David Golay, and Eric Freson sit down to give an update on their various injuries; discuss the latest news in races big and small; discuss the bikes they’ve been spending time on; go deep on mullets; and get weird talking about the bike analog of telemark skiing. TOPICS & TIMES: Injury Updates (1:38) Race News (8:20) New Trek Session (15:00) Pivot Trail 429 (17:30) Ibis Ripley AF (19:03) Santa Cruz Nomad (22:26) Santa Cruz Bronson goes mu...
Jun 17, 2021•40 min•Ep. 70
Hannah Bergemann just got back from the 2nd year of Red Bull Formation, so we caught up with her to get her take on the event; hear how it was similar to and how it was different from the 1st year of Formation; talk about her work with Transition; and her future plans. TOPICS & TIMES: The evolution of Formation (2:47) Collaboration vs. Competition (7:44) Digging & building lines (12:35) Traction & bike mods for desert riding (14:44) Line choices (17:26) Coaching & visualization (...
Jun 10, 2021•45 min•Ep. 69
Yesterday, we talked with Claudio Caluori who had just returned from Israel. The conflict between Israel and Palestine had escalated while Claudio was there, and we wanted to learn more about the work he was doing in Israel; why he stayed to finish the project; and what he learned by virtue of being on the ground there. We also discuss a really exciting project that Claudio breaks the news about during this conversation. TOPICS & TIMES: Velosolutions update (1:48) Building pump tracks in Isr...
Jun 03, 2021•38 min•Ep. 68
We’re talking with Miranda Miller about starting her new YouTube channel, MGM Alternative , with Remi Gauvin and Jesse Melamed ; choosing riding partners; racing Enduro vs. racing DH; espresso machines & World Cup wins; books; & more. TOPICS & TIMES: Getting injured riding bikes (1:41) MGM Alternative (6:28) Choosing our riding partners (11:04) Brutus vs Poacher (13:06) Best & trickiest parts about making videos (18:58) Miranda’s background & getting into bikes (23:46) DH Wor...
May 27, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 67
We just released our first-ever Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide. You can find it for free on our website , and here, you can listen to David Golay, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about why it isn’t your typical buyer’s guide; how long it's been in the works; and why we thought that something like it was really needed by everyone from brand-new to expert riders. TOPICS & TIMES: The story behind our new MTB Buyer’s Guide (1:58) How we organized the guide (11:34) How it works ...
May 21, 2021•27 min•Ep. 66
Vero Sandler just competed in the first-ever REAL MTB event, so we caught up with this Kiwi with the French name who lives in Wales to talk about the experience and get her thoughts on being the first (and only) female in the comp; the importance of checking your junk (???); the art of “getting slidey”; her current big idea; and more. TOPICS & TIMES: Electric fences, sharks, & cows (1:54) X Games Real MTB (5:59) Check Your Junk! (9:34) Being the only woman in REAL MTB (13:52) Women’s fre...
May 13, 2021•49 min•Ep. 65
Chris Porter has long been known as one of the earliest and most vocal proponents of the longer/lower/slacker trends in mountain bike geometry, and his Geometron bikes have pushed the envelope further than just about anything else out there. Chris has opinions on a whole lot more than just bike geometry, though, and in our recent conversation we got his takes on wheel sizes, eBikes, suspension tuning, Vladimir Putin(?), and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES: Background & motorcycles (2:16...
May 06, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 64
Carson Storch is one of the most talented freeriders in the world, but it is his intense passion for mountain that might actually be the most notable thing about him. We recently caught up with Carson about how his recovery is going from a recent injury — and how he approaches rehab in general; his background and his ascendance in slopestyle and freeride mountain biking; his plans for 2021; and more. TOPICS & TIMES: Injury update (0:00) The MTB scene in Bend, OR (15:04) Slopestyle (22:21) Fi...
Apr 29, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 63
We talk with the pioneer of women’s freeride about growing up in the bush of New Zealand; her first bike (it was a mullet??); moving to Revelstoke; choosing mountain biking over skiing; career detours; being “toothless & ruthless”; Rampage; Formation; the future of women’s freeride; & more. TOPICS & TIMES: Growing up in the bush of New Zealand (3:00) First bike: a mullet?? (10:49) Moving to Revelstoke (15:16) Choosing mountain biking over skiing (21:03) Gaining support as a mountain ...
Apr 22, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 62
Blister reviewers David Golay and Noah Bodman talk about trends in modern bikes, including a possible ceasefire in the geometry wars; the relative consistency of Downhill bike geometry; the decline of weight weenie-ism; an outrageously long bike from 30 years ago; how all bikes should be sized to fit Noah Bodman; and a whole bunch more. TOPICS & TIMES Trail bike geometry, and a ceasefire in the geometry wars Downhill bikes, and their progression Trails changing bikes, or vice versa? A chicke...
Apr 15, 2021•50 min•Ep. 61
We talk to Steve Mathews of Vorsprung Suspension about moving to Whistler and breaking everything in the bike park; studying automotive engineering as the closest thing to getting a degree in bikes; founding Vorsprung and developing suspension products; leprechauns(??); magic bikes(???) and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES Growing up in Melbourne & racing DH (1:37) Studying automotive engineering as the next best thing to a degree in bikes (2:18) Founding Vorsprung to avoid working outsi...
Apr 08, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 60
We talk to Blister bike editor, David Golay, about 4 longer-travel enduro bikes from Privateer, Santa Cruz, Rocky Mountain, & Marin that he’s been spending time on in the PNW. TOPICS & TIMES Privateer 161 Update (1:10) Rocky Mountain Altitude (3:25) Marin Alpine Trail (8:01) Santa Cruz Nomad (13:53) Bikes & Ice Cream (19:01) RELATED LINKS Ep. 51: Privateer: Origins, Philosophy, & Trajectory Ep. 53: Privateer 161, Suspension, & Wheel Size Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...
Apr 04, 2021•24 min•Ep. 59
We talk to Kera Linn about her rather meteoric rise in the mountain biking world — from her first time on a mountain bike, to her recent signing with Cannondale. We also talk about her equally interesting backstory (which includes playing all of the sports and going to all of the colleges), so we cover all of that and more in this really fun conversation. TOPICS & TIMES: PSA: Mango Mouth (1:44) Current MTB interests (8:10) Kera’s background (11:12) Falling in love with DH in Crested Butte (3...
Mar 25, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 58
Cassie Abel is the co-founder and CEO of Wild Rye , which is a company that creates apparel for women-identifying outdoor-lovers, regardless of age, background, size, or skill level. But Cassie is not only running a women's apparel company, she is working to change the entire business landscape for women. TOPICS & TIMES: What is Wild Rye & why the name? (2:11) Cassie’s background (3:49) Operating out of Ketchum, Idaho (10:48) Call-out culture (24:50) Sustainability (31:47) Women-Led Wedn...
Mar 18, 2021•57 min•Ep. 57
Rémy Métailler has described himself as someone who is “just trying to be as responsible as he can while doing stupid stuff.” So we wanted to talk to him about his approach to riding super steep, gnarly lines , and what allows him to get comfortable on these “stupid” lines. We also talk about his background, filming, Rampage, mullet bikes, and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES: Growing up in France riding bikes & skiing (10:13) Moving to Whistler / the bike park scene (18:18) Red Bull Ram...
Mar 12, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 56
There’s a whole lot of talk these days about becoming more “sustainable,” but there’s a big difference between talking and actually taking action. And Endura is a bike brand that is taking concrete steps to dramatically reduce their carbon footprint. We’re talking with Pam Barclay about Endura’s pledge to plant one million trees every year for the next 10 years to cancel out all of the emissions produced over the entire history of the company; how Endura is working to offset their transportation...
Mar 04, 2021•45 min•Ep. 55
Blister editors Noah Bodman and David Golay join Jonathan Ellsworth to talk about the major rider and team moves in the world of men’s DH and women’s DH; we place our $1000 bets on the upcoming season; and we discuss some of the news and moves in the freeride and enduro scene, too. TOPICS & TIMES: Big changes in the DH world (1:38) Our $1,000 bets for men’s DH (16:29) More news in women’s DH (20:50) Our $1000 bets for women’s DH Freeride news (27:03) EWS Updates (32:24) Hosted on Acast. See ...
Feb 25, 2021•39 min•Ep. 54
We discuss the Privateer 161; offer more fork and shock comparisons; wrap our heads around Marin’s ‘aggressive hardtail’ called the El Roy; and our bike editor makes the case for why you might want to reconsider swearing allegiance to one particular wheel size. TOPICS & TIMES Privateer 161 (1:11) Suspension Roundup (14:06) Ohlins RXF36 m.2 Air (14:31) Ohlin TTX22 (19:34) Marin El Roy (23:01) David’s Big Idea: Wheel Size (32:55) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 19, 2021•39 min•Ep. 53
