PNWmtb: Recent Episodes
Paul Andrews
A new mountain bike is always a special occasion, but it's also a rare one when it comes to the WeAreOne Arrival, the "handlaid" carbon mtb from a small but dedicated and extremely gifted gang out of Kamloops, British Columbia. Join The Downhill Zone's Adam Schaeffer and me as we take a deep dive into this brilliant new light enduro/all mountain/aggressive trail bike with downhill DNA built in. Index:
Setup tweaks :50 Cable routing 2:20 Frame character 3:00 Industrial design 4:50 Cerakote finish 10:50 Frame protection 13:20 Cockpit 17:30 Build tweaks 19:20 Magura brakes 20:10 Mazza tires 24:30 Arrival Logo 27:00 SDG Seatpost 28:00 WeAreOne Union wheels 31:20 Suspension 33:35 Drivetrain 35:50 Weight 36:40 Availability 40:20
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Are you a fan of pro downhill mountain bike racing — the UCI World Cup circuit with legends Greg Minnaar, Aaron Gwin, Loic Bruni, Loris Vergier, Val Holl, Myriam Nicole, Nina Hoffman and others? It's hard to believe what these athletes carry off on courses most of us would find hard to walk, let along ride. Join Adam Schaeffer and me for an in-depth look at this weekend's seasonal kickoff in Lourdes, France, as well as an overview of what makes DH racing so unique in the world of professional sports. This year marks the final year of Red Bull TV coverage, as Discovery Sports has purchased the rights moving forward. Here's the link to Lourdes, enjoy!
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Another discussion with Adam Schaeffer on the Big Picture of innovation in mountain biking. Is there anywhere left to truly innovate, or are mountain bikes pretty much as dialed as Newtonian physics will permit? Thanks for joining us, and see you at the trailhead!
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In its never-ending quest to broaden its market (read sell more bikes), the mtb sector is taking another look at the internal gearbox. Gone is the derailleur, as all gearing is inside a compartment next to the bottom bracket. Is this a good idea, or another "innovation" destined to return to historical artifact. One question: Are gearboxes better suited to the expanding market of e-bikes? Join The Downhill Zone's Adam Schaeffer and me for a discussion of the pros and cons.
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High-pivot mountain bikes are getting lots of attention these days as the industry looks for new ways to advance the market. In this ongoing look at innovation in the mtb sector, join The Downhill Zone's Adam Schaeffer and me as we look at whether the high pivot is really a new idea, what it brings to the table, and whether the table really benefits from the extra setting. One question: Is the high pivot more suited to the expanding market of e-bikes? Hmmm....
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All too often on social media or out on the trail, you hear mountain bikers telling their rider friends, "Just Send It!" Is that really a good idea? We look at various other options in the mix, including saving the send till you're sure you can handle it.
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The Downhill Zone's Adam Schaeffer joins me for a discussion of how Russia's invasion of Ukraine may be affecting mountain biking. While neither country has much presence in the mountain bike industry or sport for that matter, the ripple effects of war could take a toll on our sport's ability to meet demand, innovate and progress.
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Congratulations to the winners!
Short travel Bike of the Year: Pivot Trail 429, https://store.pivotcycles.com/en/enduro-trail. Locally Bothell Ski & Bike, at 425-486-3747, https://bikesale.com.
Honorable mention: Rocky Mountain Element, https://bikes.com/collections/element. Locally check with Ride Bicycles, 206-985-7433, https://www.ridebicycles.com or Northwest Bicycle, 425-651-5020, www.northwestbicycle.com.
Long travel Bike of the Year: Transition Spire, https://www.transitionbikes.com/Bikes_Spire.cfm. Try contacting Fanatik Bikes in Bellingham, 360-756-0504, www.fanatikbike.com.
Mid-travel and Overall Winner of Bike of the Year: We Are One's Arrival. Check with Adam Schaeffer at Downhill Zone in Issaquah, https://downhillzone.com, 425-295-7084.
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Offered for discussion and learning, not argumentation. As the popularity of emtbs grows and trails open up to their use, will the experience of mountain biking change? Here's some thoughts on the issue.
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Downhill Zone owner and master wrench Adam Schaeffer witnessed rare in the USA World Cup DH mountain bike racing at Snowshoe, WVA. Here's Adam's full debrief as only he can tell it.
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Color-coded geometric shapes can onlly go so far describing a mountain bike trail. With all the varieties of trails out there, do ratings really serve a purpose? Or do they mislead more than guide?
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Bike owners have hoped for years something like Apple's AirTags would come along to help them track down their stolen bike. We tested the AirTag in real-life scenarios, and the results were, well, mixed. Here's the full rundown on how well AirTags work for items that aren't lost, but stolen—especially your precious bike!
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The former advocacy wiz turned MTB apparel entrepreneur discusses how the Pacific Northwest became a magnet for mountain biking.
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Apple’s new AirTags are great for finding something that’s been lost. But what about finding something that’s been stolen—like your bike?
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If any one person can qualify as the PNW's mountain biking ambassador, Michelle Valko would be it. Here we explore how she got into mountain biking, where she loves to ride, and what she feels makes PNWmtb so special.
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Strategies for preventing, or at least deterring, bike theft. This is a followup to our previous podcast on how I got my stolen bike back. There's lots of things you can do to slow down or discourage a bike thief, but the best mindset to have is that, short of constant physical contact with your bike, you can only hope to make things as difficult as possible for the creep. Good luck, it's a tough world out there.
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Bike theft is on the rise, particularly as more folks are riding due to the pandemic. When my bike got stolen from a storefront in North Seattle, I figured it was sayonara baby. But sometimes you get lucky, and here's how I managed to recover my bike.
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The Pandemic Tax is hitting the bike industry, with Santa Cruz Bicycles set to raise prices across the board by 10 percent. Other bike makers are rolling out new models with premium pricing. The industry could certainly handle things better from a customer relations standpoint, but is there anything we consumers can do? Or even should do, since pricing on commodities everywhere is on the rise along with anticipated spikes in inflation. In any case, be prepared to open your wallets 10 percent more...
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You’re thinking about getting an electric bike but you keep hearing about maybe there’s gonna be a rebate. Should you e-wait for the e-bate?
To get people to ditch their cars and lower their carbon footprint, there’s lots of new legislation floating around at the state and federal level. A bill has been introduced to Congress offering a rebate of up to $1500 on e-bike purchases. And here in the PNW, there’s WA state proposal to exempt ebikes from sales tax, which at around 10 percent would save hundreds of dollars off a typical ebike purchase.
OK this bill being promoted by a Portland-area and a NorCal congressmen has gotten tons of attention, especially for something that as of right now is mostly a wing and a prayer. There’s no actual bill language available for scrutiny, and some really crucial details have not been spelled out. So it qualifies as a classic trial balloon, and we know what happens to most balloons.
Here’s what’s been put forward so far, in a somewhat sketchy 2 page press release that cutely names the potential bill the Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment. That’s right, E-BIKE for short. Purchasers of an e-bike, as long as it does not exceed 750 watts (pretty powerful) and $8,000 price (fairly speedy), will get a third of the purchase price up to $1,500 as a consumer tax rebate, similar to what’s done with electric cars.
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Some initial thoughts on where the Trail 429 fits in the Pacific Northwest mountain biking scene.
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Why a podcast dedicated to mountain biking in the great Pacific Northwest? Because the sport is exploding here! Join us as we celebrate all things mtb in the PNW.
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