Bikes & Big Ideas

Alex Desmond on Designing a Better Adaptive MTB (Ep.84)

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Alex Desmond is an engineer, and when a friend of his suffered a stroke and was no longer able to ride a bike, Alex decided to do something about it. Six years later, the fruits of that project are here — as the Orange Phase AD3. Not only is the end result remarkable, but the story of how it came to be might be even wilder, so we sat down with Alex to get the rundown on the project including a whole lot of the technical details; getting the likes of Martyn Ashton and Lorraine Truong involved; the limitations of other adaptive mountain bikes; and how Alex ultimately used the project to land a job at Orange.

Alex Desmond is an engineer, and when a friend of his suffered a stroke and was no longer able to ride a bike, Alex decided to do something about it. Six years later, the fruits of that project are here — as the Orange Phase AD3. Not only is the end result remarkable, but the story of how it came to be might be even wilder, so we sat down with Alex to get the rundown on the project including a whole lot of the technical details; getting the likes of Martyn Ashton and Lorraine Truong involved; the limitations of other adaptive mountain bikes; and how Alex ultimately used the project to land a job at Orange.

We Are One Founder, Dustin Adams, on The Arrival (Ep.83)

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When we last checked in with We Are One’s Dustin Adams, he broke the news that they’d be making a bike. Now, 18 months later, it’s here. So we figured it was a great time to get Dustin back on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about The Arrival, including balancing versatility vs. focusing on specific attributes; the modular frame platform and plans for future models; frame repairs, and making things in North America. And if that’s not enough, Dustin also drops several bonus big ideas in this one.

When we last checked in with We Are One’s Dustin Adams, he broke the news that they’d be making a bike. Now, 18 months later, it’s here. So we figured it was a great time to get Dustin back on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about The Arrival, including balancing versatility vs. focusing on specific attributes; the modular frame platform and plans for future models; frame repairs, and making things in North America. And if that’s not enough, Dustin also drops several bonus big ideas in this one.

Reviewer Reports: Race Recaps and Fox Suspension (Ep.82)

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The last few weeks have been packed with outstanding DH racing, so Noah Bodman and David Golay sat down to talk about all the action at World Championships and the Lenzerheide World Cup. They also discuss a whole bunch of new suspension that we’ve been testing from Fox, including the updated 34 fork and both the new DHX and Float X rear shocks.

The last few weeks have been packed with outstanding DH racing, so Noah Bodman and David Golay sat down to talk about all the action at World Championships and the Lenzerheide World Cup. They also discuss a whole bunch of new suspension that we’ve been testing from Fox, including the updated 34 fork and both the new DHX and Float X rear shocks.

Galfer on MTB Brake Tech (Ep.81)

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Mountain biking with inadequate brakes is terrifying, if not downright unsafe, but the role of pads and rotors in dialing in braking performance is often underappreciated. So this week on Bikes & Big Ideas, 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 binary 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.

Mountain biking with inadequate brakes is terrifying, 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 basic 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.

Chris Porter on Mullets, Dual-Crown Enduro Forks, & More (Ep.80)

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Blister Outdoor Gear review Crested Butte

Chris Porter, one of the most interesting and most opinionated figures in the MTB world, is back on Bikes and Big Ideas. 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.

Gear of the Year (So Far) (Ep.79)

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This week on the Bikes & Big Ideas podcast we decided it would be a good time to check in with several of our reviewers on the gear they’ve been most impressed with 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.

We check in with several of our reviewers to discuss the gear they’ve been most impressed with 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.

Steve Vanderhoek on Le Tour de Gnar, Freeride, and Firefighting (Ep.78)

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Steve Vanderhoek just put out one of the best video edits of the year, in which he and Yoann Barelli set out to ride as many of the gnarliest features in the Sea to Sky Corridor in one truly wild day. So this week on Bikes & Big Ideas, 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 whole lot more.

Steve Vanderhoek just put out one of the best video edits of the year, where he & Yoann Barelli rode just about all of the gnarliest features in the Sea to Sky Corridor in one truly wild day. We sat down with Steve to talk about the mental challenges of riding scary, high-consequence lines; filming & riding with Yoann & Remy Metailler; balancing all that with his career as a paramedic and firefighter; & a whole lot more.

Reviewer Reports: DW-link Head-to-Head; Forbidden Dreadnought; Shimano vs. Sram; & Category-Defying Pedals

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On our latest Bikes & Big Ideas podcast Blister Bike Editor David Golay talks to reviewer Dylan Wood about all the bikes and gear they’ve been spending time on recently, 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, plus the current state of the Shimano vs. SRAM drivetrain wars.

David Golay talks to Dylan Wood about two short-travel, DW-link bikes at opposite ends of the price spectrum; a range of longer-travel Enduro bikes from fairly conventional to quite unusual; some category-defying pedals; thoughts on the importance (or lack thereof) of bike weight; & the current state of the Shimano vs. SRAM drivetrain wars.

Little Bellas / Sabra Davison (Ep.76)

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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. On the latest episode of Bikes and Big Ideas, 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; and a whole lot more.

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; and a whole lot more.

Blind Trials Rider & Bike Mechanic, Matt Gilman (Ep.75)

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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 on our latest Bikes and Big Ideas podcast, we sat down with Matt to talk about his approach to riding, and 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.

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.

New Manitou Dorado (Ep.74)

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The first-generation Manitou Dorado turned a lot of heads more than 20 years ago, thanks to its inverted layout and wild-looking carbon chassis. The just-released, 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 advantages and disadvantages of inverted forks; fork offset; and a whole bunch more.

The first-generation Manitou Dorado turned a lot of heads more than 20 years ago, thanks to its inverted layout and wild-looking carbon chassis. The just-released, 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 advantages and disadvantages of inverted forks; fork offset; and a whole bunch more.

The Rise — and Rise — of Brad Simms (Ep.73)

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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 episode of our Bikes & Big Ideas podcast, 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.

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.

Bikes vs. Skis, 2021: Part 1 (Ep.71)

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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, so check it out and tell us your answers to these questions in the comments section.

Claudio Caluori on Building Pump Tracks in Israel + Upcoming Projects (Ep.68)

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On Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas Podcast, We talk with Claudio Caluori after he’d 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 while being on the ground there. We also discuss a really exciting project that Claudio breaks the news about during this conversation.

We talk with Claudio Caluori after he’d 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 while being on the ground there. We also discuss a really exciting project that Claudio breaks the news about during this conversation.

Our New Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide (Ep.66)

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Blister Mountain Bike Buyer's Guide

We just released our first-ever MTB 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 this isn’t your typical buyer’s guide; how long its been in the works; and why we thought that something like it was really needed by everyone from brand-new to expert riders.

Vero Sandler on REAL MTB, Digging, Dance Moves, & Getting Slidey (Ep.65)

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Vero Sandler just competed in the first ever REAL MTB event, so on Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas Podcast, 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. This is a super fun conversation with another pioneer in freeride, so enjoy!

Vero Sandler just competed in the first ever REAL MTB event, so we caught up with this Kiwi with the French name (Veronique) 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.

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