Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast Singletracks.com

Colin Ryan is a Senior Development Engineer at Norco and was involved in the design of the latest Norco Optic trail bike which features a high-pivot design. Prior to joining Norco he worked at General Kinetics testing and developing shock absorbers for military and construction equipment. 


At a basic level, what problem does a high pivot design solve? Is there a certain type of riding that benefits from having a high pivot?
What are the drawbacks to the design?
Does a high pivot design improve longevity for certain components?
With less chain wrap on the crank, are dropped chains an issue with a high pivot setup?
How does the placement of the idler pulley affect performance? What about the number of teeth on the idler cog?
Did moving from a traditional setup to high-pivot change the ride feel of the Norco Optic significantly?
The decision to use a high pivot on a short, 125mm travel bike is a controversial one. Why do you think that is?
The latest Optic is said to be lighter than the previous version. How much weight does the idler hardware add, and how did you manage to make the bike lighter overall?
How is the intended use of the Optic different from the Fluid which has a very similar amount of travel (140/130mm)? 
What's next for high pivot mountain bike designs?

Cover photo: Matt Miller.

See the Norco Optic and other high pivot bikes from the brand at norco.com.

--Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks


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Sara Hunter is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in the state of North Carolina and a PMBIA Level 1 Mountain Bike Instructor. Her practice includes individual and couples counseling services plus mountain bike therapy and counseling for athletes and outdoor instructors. She's also a Specialized USA Ambassador.


What led you to get into counseling?
Does everyone benefit from spending time outdoors, or do you think some of us are just wired that way? 
What is Adventure Therapy? What is the idea behind it?
Is there such a thing as spending too much time outdoors?
As someone who works to address conflicts between individuals, do you have any ideas about how people can share the trail?
Sometimes I get frustrated on group rides when the rider in front of me gets in my way. Is there a way to re-frame this?
Unsolicited advice — about how to ride, or fix a bike — generally comes from a good place of wanting to help, but is there a better approach?  
What are some ways I can be more supportive of someone who is having a tough or bad ride? 
How can counseling help riders recover after an injury?
Do you have any tips for calming nerves on race day, or even before a challenging ride?
Do you have tips for reducing the risk of loneliness for athletes or travelers living the van life? 
What's the biggest benefit you get from mountain biking personally?

Connect with Sara and her practice at sarahuntercounseling.com and find about upcoming workshops at her Instagram account, @mindfulmountainbike.


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Alex Larson is a registered dietitian and multi-sport athlete who helps endurance athletes optimize nutrition and performance. She's written multiple nutrition guides and offers customized nutrition coaching services to athletes around the world.


Do athleticism and nutrition go hand in hand? Are athletes generally healthy eaters by nature?
What is a "flexible eating style"? Are restrictive diets sometimes harmful?
How does pre-race fueling work? 
Is nutrition drastically different for training vs. racing?
Is it more challenging for athletes to maintain a healthy gut than non-athletes?
What types of things can cause gut issues for athletes during a workout? 
Are there signs that nutrition is holding us back from fitness gains?
What have you learned about nutrition from your own training?
With summer approaching, should athletes adjust their diet based on the season? 
Does an individual's nutrition plan look different for different sports?
Do you recommend an app for tracking daily nutrition or a food journal?
If I eat the wrong thing after a race, is that going to have a big effect on my future performance?
What's one simple step mountain bikers can take to improve their nutrition?

For additional nutrition resources and to connect with Alex, visit alexlarsonnutrition.com.

--Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks


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Amanda Carey is the President of NICA, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, a non-profit that develops mountain biking programs for student athletes across the United States. Prior to joining NICA, Amanda served as the executive director of Mountain Bike the Tetons and as a mountain bike coach.


What drew you to mountain biking initially? What's kept you so engaged over the years? 
What do you think has kept mountain biking from growing more than it has over the past couple of decades?
How is NICA impacting mountain bike participation? 
How can NICA teams attract new student athletes who don't have a family cycling background? Why choose mountain biking over another sport?
How would you characterize the level of competition at NICA races?
What is NICA doing to encourage trail building and maintenance?
Is there a demand for a more gravity-oriented youth riding program? 
What advice do you have for parents of NICA athletes?
What are the biggest opportunities for NICA over the next five years? How can Singletracks listeners help support your mission?

Learn more and find out how you can get involved at nationalmtb.org.

--Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks


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Sara Bresnick is a former professional mountain biker, cycling coach and founder of Pedal Power Training Solutions which offers customized training plans plus advice on nutrition, race strategy, and technique.  


What are some fitness goals your clients have beyond racing? For example, does it make sense for a rider to work with a coach before a big weeklong mountain bike trip? 
Do older athletes need more time to recover between intense workouts?
What happens if you miss a day, or two, in a training schedule? How quickly do fitness gains disappear?
How does an "off season" work for bike athletes? Should you still be biking some, or is it possible to do other activities instead?  
Let's say I wanted to ride the Tour Divide in 2025, and my goal was to finish the ride in 45 days. Given a good level of base fitness, what's a realistic timeframe for training? In general, what would a training plan involve?
What's the biggest challenge most people face when it comes to improving their fitness?
As a trainer, what can you learn from a client's workout data? 
How much of your job as a trainer is emotional support versus purely technical?
What's one easy step everyone can take to start improving their fitness today?

Learn more and connect with Sara at pedalpowercoaching.com.

--Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks


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Claudio Caluori is a seven-time Swiss National Champion and founder of Velosolutions, "a global network of professionals with profound knowledge in cycling, action sports, tourism and urban development." He's also a popular YouTube personality, delivering entertaining course previews and ride-alongs with top athletes.

In addition to building pump tracks around the world, Velosolutions recently helped with construction of the XC race course for the 2024 Paris Olympics and is working on an ultra accurate timing app for pump track competition.


How did you get into downhill mountain bike racing?
How are you able to talk while riding fast in your Red Bull course preview and Bla Bla Run videos? Does talking mess you up sometimes?
How is designing and building a race trail different from building a trail for the public?
What's so great about pump tracks? Why do adult riders tend to avoid them?
Tell us about Pump Tracks for Peace.
Some riders seem to be against asphalt tracks. What's your take?
Is trail building and funding easier in some parts of the world than in others?
Which Velosolutions projects are you most proud of?
Tell us about Velosolutions Farm. What's the vision?
What are some projects Velosolutions is working on right now?

Get more information about Velosolutions at velosolutions.com.

Photo credit: Sternemann

--Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks


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