Recent Podcasts
Starling Cycles on Simplicity, Design, & Building Bikes in a Shed (Ep.105)
Starling Cycles have made a name for themselves building simple, elegant steel single-pivot bikes, and we sat down with founder Joe McEwan to talk about going from working on aerospace composites to building metal bikes, his thoughts on bike design — including why simpler is often better — and a whole lot more.
Search And Rescue: What You Need to Know, and How / Why You Should Get Involved (Ep.203)
When things go wrong in the backcountry, your local Search And Rescue organization becomes crucial. But what do you know about how Search And Rescue actually works? We talk with our friend, Cy Whitling, about how and why he got involved in Search And Rescue, why we all need to understand how SAR units operate, and why you should consider getting involved.
Reviewer Reports: Custom Insoles, Skis Boots, & Skis (Ep.184)
Kara Williard spells out the case for custom insoles in your ski boots, and we discuss everything from the Volkl Secret 96, Salomon Stance 88W, WNDR Alpine Reason 120, 4FRNT Renegade, the Lange RX 130 LV, Salomon Shift Pro 130, the new Line Blade Optic 96, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, and Moment Deathwish 104 with Kara, Luke Koppa, and Eric Freson.
Ed Masters on Racing DH & Enduro at the Top Level (Ep.104)
We’ve got Ed Masters on Bikes & Big Ideas this week to talk about the incredible end to the 2021 World Cup season (and get hyped for racing to fire back up in 2022); catch up on his injury-laden 2021 season and how he’s doing these days; the similarities and differences between Enduro and DH, and the challenges of racing both; and a whole lot more.
Winter Running Gear, Tips, & Tricks (Ep.106)
As a follow-up to our Winter Running and the Meaning of Life conversation (ep. #103), today we’re talking about some very practical tips, tricks, and gear recommendations to help you get out and run in colder temps and snowier environments.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Jan 2022) (Ep.202)
Cody & Jonathan discuss skiing inbounds on touring gear; alpinism, obsession, & our top-5 climbing movies; a recent interview with Vail’s executive chairman, Rob Katz; Jerry of the Day & inclusivity; Eileen Gu & geopolitics; the future of Outdoor Retailer; & what we’re reading & watching.
Boot Fitting & How to Get a Proper Ski Boot Fit (Ep.183)
How should a ski boot actually fit? What does it feel like to have a “properly fitting” ski boot? And how do you achieve that? We’re discussing these questions and topics with Sebastian Steinbach, who is a boot fitting instructor in Europe for Masterfit University, and the owner of the freeride ski shop, Black Sheep Sports, in Munich, Germany.
Katy Winton on 2021, Life as an EWS Pro, & Signing With GT (Ep.103)
We sat down with Katy Winton to get the full story on her whirlwind 2021 season — including having to start her own team at the 11th hour — as well as her recent signing with GT. And along the way she sheds a ton of light on life as a professional racer, and everything that goes into training, mental preparation, race-day focus, managing a career and team contracts, and a whole lot more.
Salomon’s Mike Ambrose on Shoe Design; Trail Culture(s); & How He Got to Where He Is (Ep.105)
We talk to Salomon’s Mike Ambrose about running shoe design; taking a shoe from concept to production; his life in running and the running industry; European vs. North American markets; & what’s next in running shoes.
RockShox’s New Flight Attendant Electronic Suspension (Ep.102)
RockShox launched their long-awaited take on an electronically-controlled suspension system, Flight Attendant, late last year. And so we brought RockShox’s Chris Mandell back on Bikes & Big Ideas to tell us all about it.
Hoka Ultrarunner, Sabrina Little, on Teaching Philosophy; Running; & Writing about Both (Ep.104)
Sabrina Little is an ultra runner (she has held the American record in the 200K and the 24-hour American record), a writer, & philosophy professor. So we talk about all of the above, why she values all of the above, and also toothpaste and Harry Potter.
SCOR on Turning an After-Hours Project Into a New Bike Brand (Ep.101)
SCOR is a new MTB-focused brand by BMC, and we sat down with founders Mariano Schoefer and Christof Bigler to get the story of how their after-hours tinkering blossomed into SCOR and get the rundown on their first models, the 4060 ST and LT.