The Inside Line Podcast - Vital MTB
Sports
About
A mountain biking podcast channel featuring in-depth interviews with world class riders and cycling industry professionals.
Episodes
- “Every Run Is a Race Run” | Vital's B Practice Podcast - South Korea
Days late, dollars short. That’s how the B Practice Podcast rolls. After a rough first race of the year, followed by some horrendous travel, it took us an extra week to nail down our guy Dak to podcast. We chatted a good bit about his race…
- Let's Get Mental - Bikes: Unaffiliated Ft. Dr. Jason Richardson
Dr. Jason Richardson joins the podcast to chat about his work as a sports psychologist in cycling and how the same tools that benefit professional athletes can benefit every rider, regardless of ability, on and off the bike. We loved this…
- World Cup DH Press Conference - Bruni, Goldstone, Shaw, Holl, Hemstreet, Seagrave
Virtual press conference recorded on April 21 to discuss the upcoming World Cup Downhill season with Loic Bruni, Jackson Goldstone, Luca Shaw, Vali Holl, Gracey Hemstreet and Tahnee Seagrave.
- Freak Bikes Taking Over - Bikes Unaffiliated
Schroeder, Spomer and Lars get back together to discuss big wheels and weird bikes taking over. 00:00 Reflections on Sea Otter 2026 09:59 The Future of Wheel Sizes 13:09 What's In and What's Out 34:52 Innovations in Mountain Bike Technolog…
- TEAM ROBOT - Hot Takes from Sea Otter
Sponsel loses so you can win.
- Dak's Setup Is Getting Out There - Vital's B Practice Podcast
I's been a busy few months since the last podcast—Jason went to New Zealand and Italy, Tanner has been to nearly all 50 states working different shoots and projects, and Dakotah has bounced between Europe and Tennessee as he feverishly tes…
- Masters World Championships - Matt Thompson and Steve Wentz
Today we talk with Matt Thompson and Steve Wentz who just returned from Masters World Champs downhill in Chile. Matt took the rainbow stripes in the 50-55 Master C2 class and Steve landed a Top 10 in a stacked field of “younger” talent, mo…
- More Linear? More Comfortable?? Tech Breakdown & Impressions of RockShox New Zeb Fork
RockShox Zeb fork is all-new for model year 2027. They’ve taken what they learned developing the latest Boxxer, and have applied many of the same technologies and tuning ideologies to their single-crown, gravity fork. Vital editor, Jason S…
- POST-RACE Pro Downhill Series Rock Creek Interviews - Unc Chats with Luca Cometti
Elite race day at the first event of the 2026 @prodownhillseries was a heater at Ride Rock Creek bike park in North Carolina as downhill mountain bikers put it all on the line for victory. Listen to the post-race interviews with Luca Comet…
- Pro Downhill Series Rock Creek Track Walk Interviews - Unc Chats with Luca Cometti
Luca Cometti heads to round 1 of the 2026 Pro Downhill Series at Ride Rock Creek, North Carolina. Track walk took place today, and Luca grabbed the pros to find out how they'll approach the weekend following the Tennessee National. Intervi…
- POST-RACE Pro Interviews - Tennessee National - Unc Chats with Luca Cometti
Watch the interviews What a crazy day of #USDH action at the 2026 Tennessee National at Windrock Bike Park. Austin Dooley took the Pro Men's win by just .004 seconds over Cole Suetos. If they crossed the line at 20mph, that's just 1.4 inch…
- Grilling the Pros - TN National Unc Chats with Luca Cometti
You can watch these interviews on YouTube The first major U.S. downhill mountain bike race of 2026 is underway at Windrock Bike Park. #USDH shredder, Luca Cometti, grills the pros during track walk to see what they're up to and how their f…
- We're Keeping the Name. Bikes Unaffiliated Ep 6
You chimed in and the name of our podcast, Bikes: Unaffiliated will remain. In this episode, Jason Schroeder, Shawn Spomer and Lars Sternberg tackle an assortment of random bike and non-bike subjects like why was our tech forum picking on…
- Vital Staffers in Heaven (Queenstown) and Hell (The ER)
Would you rather be riding epic bike parks in Queenstown, downhill trails in Laguna or sitting in the ER because you can't pee? Jason Schroeder, Lars Sternberg and Shawn Spomer reflect on their last couple of weeks in this episode of Bikes…
- 17 Questions - Loic Bruni
One of downhilling's finest, Loic Bruni, ain't scared of the dreaded 17! You can watch this interview on Vital MTB Questions asked 0:00 - Who would win in a fight between you, Amaury Pierron and Jackson Goldstone? 0:50 - Do you ever go to…
- 17 Questions - Aaron Gwin
Downhill destroyer, Aaron Gwin, takes another stab at the dreaded 17 during a Frameworks test camp in Southern California. Hard to believe the first 17 Qs we did with Aaron was 15 years ago! Question asked 1. You wake up late and are in ru…
- 17 Questions - Neko Mulally
Can Neko handled the dreaded 17? Watch on YouTube, too.
- 32" Wheels—You're Kidding, Right? Bikes: Unaffiliated EP.5
We’ve been minimally interested in the 32-inch wheel topic. It was more fun to hypothesize what they’d ride like when it was a distant rumor. Now that Maxxis has 32-inch tires you can buy , and many brands are currently developing literal…
- What Vital Users Liked in 2025 | bikes: unaffiliated podcast EP. 4
Happy New Year errybody! In this episode, we go through the components, places to ride, and habits Vital users listed as their favorites in 2025. We then touch on what we enjoyed in 2025 and what we are looking forward to in the year ahead…
- AARON GWIN Interview 2026
The news of Aaron Gwin making a new home on Frameworks TRP yesterday left a lot of unanswered questions. Thankfully the man himself was down for a candid chat to discuss his new future. Cover photo by Callie Horwath Topics 0:00 - Intro and…
- Aaron Gwin Joins Frameworks - Exclusive Test Camp Interviews
0:00 - Aaron Gwin 8:16 - James McAllister 16:05 - Neko Mulally As the 2026 downhill mountain bike season dawns, Frameworks TRP Racing announces that #USDH superstar, Aaron Gwin will join the team. Aaron, multi-time World Cup-winning downhi…
- Why Dakotah Norton Joined Scott DH Factory - B Practice Podcast
After an exciting two years with Mondraker Factory Racing, our guy Dak has moved to Scott DH Factory and signed a three-year deal. So naturally, we had to podcast about it. We wanted all the details on what prompted his departure from Mond…
- 7 Years Later - Colin Meagher, ALS and the Lifelong Friends He Brought Together
We have a very special, and probably tear-and-laugh filled episode of The Inside Line as we catch back up with Colin Meagher, all-around nice guy, incredible, storied mountain bike photographer and man dealing with the late stages of ALS o…
- The Future We Can't Escape and Other E-Bike Discussions - bikes unaffiliated Ep. 3
Electric mountain bikes. Either you love ‘em, or think they’re wack. Granted, the latter opinion has been losing steam as more brands release good e-bikes, and more riders toss a leg over one. They’re the talk of our industry and are one o…
- "We Were Living Month to Month" - YT CEO, Sam Nicols
In this special edition of the Inside Line podcast, Jeff Brines interviews Sam Nicols, the former CEO of YT Industries from 2021 to 2024, exploring his journey from a career at Amazon to leading a prominent bike company during tumultuous t…
- How Long Should Bikes Last? - Bikes: Unaffiliated Ep 2
In episode 2 of Bikes: Unaffiliated, Jason Schroeder, Lars Sternberg and Shawn Spomer discuss the evolution of mountain bike technology, focusing on the durability of bikes and components. They explore the expectations riders have for bike…
- What's It Like to Release a New Bike Product? - Bikes: Unaffiliated Ep 1
Join Vital's own Jason Schroeder and Shawn Spomer, along with industry veteran Lars Sternberg, as they discuss the gripping topic of launching new bikes and their embargoes. Why do we have embargoes? What goes on behind the scenes of a new…
- Follow-Up - Post-Downtime Markus Flossmann Interview
Jeff Brines follows up our " We Discuss YT " podcast with his thoughts after listening to the Markus Flossmann interview on the Downtime podcas t. Jeff also notes corrections made in our original show after learning information shared in t…
- We Discuss YT
Discuss this with our community on Vital MTB We’re back with The Inside Line, BS edition where we talk about the business and economic side of the mountain bike industry with Jeff Brines and Charlie Sponsel. Today is a discussion about YT…
- Will Hard MTB League Change Things?
This Inside Line podcast explores how mountain biking's newest competitive event, Hard MTB League, has the potential to change the sport. Vital Content Director, Shawn Spomer, met up with Braydon Bringhurst and Adam Pishl, the two visionar…
- Dak Needs A Sealant Sponsor (And a Bike Sponsor) - B Practice Podcast - MSA Recap
MSA, what a way to end the season. Grueling and daunting, it's a track that other venues will forever be compared against. It feels wrong that this could be the last World Cup at Mont Sainte Anne for a long time (if not ever). At least the…
- You Can't Beat Racing At Home - Lake Placid World Cup Recap with Dak Norton and Dante Silva
The B Practice podcast returns! There was a lot of racing the past six weeks or so. Our main man Dak was busy globetrotting and facilitating one hell of a comeback. So we can't be too upset about his lack of availability. Thankfully, we sa…
- Why Have So Many Bike Companies Closed in the Last Two Years?
Two years ago to the day, Vital member, contributor and finance specialist, Jeff Brines, posted a question in our forum, " Will more companies be shutting down in the next 12-24 months? " A small, but exciting mountain bike brand, Guerrill…
- Dak + Mud = Work in Progress - Vital’s B Practice Podcast From Les Gets
Les Gets is now the unofficial Mud Fest of season after back-to-back years of treacherous conditions. It was a spectacle to watch, and delivered a mix of insane bike handling skills and unfortunate mishaps that could have overall point imp…
- The Man Behind the #USDH Race Replays - Michael The Mangler McQueen
Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line This Inside Line podcast episode, recorded at the Pro Downhill Series in Solitude, Utah, features Shawn Spomer from Vital MTB interviewing Michael McQueen—better know…
- The State of #USDH - Dante Silva, John Hall & Charlie Sponsel - The Inside Line
Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line Charlie Sponsel, aka Team Robot, sits down with Dante Silva and John Hall of Intense Racing to discuss the current state of U.S. Downhill MTB racing, advantages and d…
- Dumb (Hilarious & Sketchy) Bike Problems
Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line Read the stories discussed in this episode and add your own here In this episode of The Inside Line podcast, host Shawn Spomer is joined by Jason Schroeder and Charli…
- Double Header: La Thuile and Andorra Recaps - Vital's B Practice Podcast
Locking down a date and time to record podcasts with Dakotah Norton could be one of the most challenging endeavors Vital has taken on. He's a busy man, and we love him for it. The time crunch between the La Thuile and Andorra World Cups wa…
- Your Questions Answered - Team Robot on FOX Podium
Vital's Forum Discussion on the FOX Podium Charlie's FOX Podium Review Podium Tech Talk with FOX product developers Vital's FOX Podium fork review dropped on Tuesday and our tester, Charlie Sponsel, encouraged you to leave any questions th…
- Val Di Sole War Stories | Vital's B Practice Podcast
After plenty of drama and mild discontent surrounding the first three races of the season, it was nice to have a good old-fashioned downhill race in Val di Sole. No one complained about the track being too straight or too easy. There were…
- Behind the FOX Podium - The Inside Line
Host, Charlie Sponsel Watch this interview - https://youtu.be/Z5CN3pD_7Yg FOX Podium Review - https://youtu.be/UEW1tMYVM20 The Podium isn't FOX's first foray into the upside-down MTB fork market. In 2011, they developed a prototype downhil…
- The Engineering Parallels Between MTB Frames and Snowboards
A lot of people who mountain bike also snowboard, and vice versa. Two tools with different jobs but a shared goal—provide an experience that evokes excitement and creativity. With so much time spent with a bike or board between our two fee…
- Tight Times & Straight Lines - Leogang Post-Race Banter | Vital's B Practice Podcast
If there is one thing we can almost guarantee, it's that Leogang will provide some incredibly tight racing. This year was exceptionally snug. Dry conditions and a similar track layout as years before meant little time was spent sorting out…
- Hot, Nasty Speed - Loudenvielle Race Recap | Vital’s B Practice Podcast
The second round of the 2025 World Cup from Loudenvielle, France, produced some of the fastest racing we've seen in recent memory and was (somehow) filled with more funny drama than the first round in Poland. But it turns out a dry, straig…
- Dakotah Norton's Triumphant Return to Racing - Vital's B Practice Podcast
In this episode, the crew covers all the hot tea from the first World Cup in Poland, but most importantly, gets an update on Dak's highly anticipated return to racing. We hope you enjoy the show, and we will see everyone next week for a po…
- USDH Insights & Tennessee National Pre-Show With Sean 'Griz' McClendon
Ahead of the Tennessee National taking place this week, we sat down with Sea 'Griz' McClendon to run through some USDH names to watch on the national circuit this year. Of course, we had to get the Griz update and hear how he ended up spit…
- Off-Season Rambler EP.1 - B Practice Podcast
With most team rumors debunked or made public, we wanted to discuss which changes are most exciting and who's posed to go fast in 2025. Of course, like any good B Practice Pod, we floated between topics, mixing in chit-chat about Supercros…
- Max Beaupre - The Inside Line
Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line Max Beaupre is a ball of energy on and off the bike. Taking a moto heritage to mountain bikes, Max grew into a national enduro powerhouse before making the move to e-…
- Dak Injury Update, Team Rumors, Continental Series - B Practice Podcast
The past few months have flown by. And somehow, we haven't recorded a B Practice Podcast since the last World Cup back in October. We were overdue for a catchup to discuss the many series and team changes and, of course, our main man Dak's…
- Lucas Dedora - The Inside Line
Thanks to Maxxis Tires | FOX | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line #USDH ripper, Lucas Dedora, shares his story of going from a diehard XC grom to his first year racing World Cup Downhill. In the middle of the season, Lucas graduated…