Post-Qualifying Racer Interviews - Val di Sole World Cup DH

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

Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox
Join us as we get to know Dan Critchlow, one of the founders of Burgtec. Burgtec is a mountain bike component manufacturer that started with some friends wanting stronger flat pedals in the early 2000s. As time went on and riders craved their product, they expanded their efforts and have turned Burgtec into a successful, premium MTB component brand with pedals, bars, stems and more.

Dan discusses his journey into mountain biking, racing downhill at the World Cup level, the formation and development of Burgtec, and even how he coached Josh Bryceland during the year Ratboy won the World Cup overall.

Enjoy the show!

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

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to tell you the story of how Dakotah, Tanner, and I met through downhill racing. Chatting about racing and bikes hardly gets old, but we figured changing things up and providing some context on how the heck we all ended up together spitting nonsense into your headphones could be entertaining. It's not the craziest story, but it sure was a fun period in our lives, traveling the world and attempting to race bikes at the highest level. Enjoy!

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

As a mountain bike fan, November is pretty boring. Everyone is patiently waiting for the new year to roll around to announce new team and sponsorship deals, and until then, not much happens. To help fill the void, we are back with another podcast to cover some really hard-pressing topics. 

Dakotah’s journey to home ownership in Tennessee has become public knowledge, but building the house is only part of the project. We open this episode discussing his plans to build a moto track, pit bike track, and pump track over the next month. All part of his master plan to have the ultimate training playground; we then talk about why he rides with shorter cranks, the effects of lever angle and bar roll, one-piece handlebars, why Dakotah doesn’t race on tires that are more than three runs old, and pick components or gear that we think riders overlook their importance. Enjoy!