Episode Summary

Today on the podcast, Jared, Jeff and Trevor start us off by chatting about their latest rides and adventures plus a teaser for the next KETL Mtn Treasure Hunt. Then we discuss Trevor’s Eurotrip to wrench for the Crestline DH racing team before we reminisce over our favorite bikes of all time, get into another installment of "how it aged", plus some classic listener questions ranging from riding with friends that are slower than you to drivetrain setup and everything in between. Tune in!

The MTB Podcast is presented by Worldwide Cyclery, the online retailer for serious mountain bikers.

Don't miss an episode – Subscribe now.

Apple
Soundcloud
Spotify
YouTube

If you are one strange human that would like to read a transcript of the podcast above, continue reading below!

Jared welcomes everyone to Episode 180. He clears the air regarding previous skepticism about listener segments, noting an overflowing amount of emails supporting "Zach's Words of Wisdom" (now universally dubbed Zwows by the listeners) and Daniel's Fun Facts.

Today's Zwow lands as a direct counter-philosophy to current productivity trends: “Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.” Jeff notes this contrasts sharply with modern financial security philosophies, which advocate finding what you're naturally good at to achieve economic security first, letting passion be the icing on the cake.

Bikes & Backcountry Exploration The crew details an adventurous weekend in the mountains:

  • Trevor's Side Quest: Trevor maximized the longer daylight hours with techy power-hour rides behind his house, balanced by an alpine trek up Mount Whitney, stopping halfway due to heavy snow.

  • Jeff's Treasure Hunt Mistake: Jeff spent the weekend scouting the San Gabriel Mountains. He descended 1,800 vertical feet down the overgrown, desolate Lower Gabrielino Trail, passing abandoned 1950s stone structures and fresh bear claw marks, only to realize he forgot the actual Kettle Mountain treasure jar in his truck.

  • Jared's Backcountry Lock-In: Jared tackled Condor Peak, descending 3,800 feet over 9.7 miles of raw, exposed bench-cut singletrack. He emphasizes that the trail demands total focus, with zero room for error.

The "Low Lives" & Canyon Realities The hosts praise the trail stewardship organizations maintaining these rugged networks, specifically calling out the Low Lives (named after Mount Low) and the Mount Wilson Bicycle Association. They joke that the "Low Lives" name can be misinterpreted, given the actual volume of trash (vapes, buzzballs, and litter) tossed out of windows by canyon drag-racers.

🔑 Key Points & Discussion Topics

  • Trevor Heads to the World Cup: Trevor is officially flying to Europe to act as the head mechanic for the Crestline Downhill Team. He will be tracking across France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Andorra.

  • The Cutthroat F1 Downhill Format: Trevor explains the savage new World Cup downhill formatting. There are no longer "protected riders." After Q1, only the top 30 riders make it to the finals. A single flat tire or minor mistake instantly ruins a top athlete's entire weekend points structure.

  • The Golden Era of Custom Carbon: Jeff reminisces about his 2019 Unno Dash (one of only 50 frames made that year in Barcelona). It featured a unique, ultra-low dual-slalom geometry built into an aggressive trail frame layout.

  • The Demise of Downhill Fleets: The crew analyzes how ultra-capable modern Enduro frames and E-MTBs have completely cannibalized the consumer downhill bike market over the last decade.

🛠️ Segment: How It Aged

The hosts look back at historical tech predictions to see if they aged like "Fine Wine" or "Cottage Cheese."

1. SRAM's Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH)

  • Verdict: Fine Wine 🍷

  • Analysis: Universally adopted across the entire industry. The crew laughs about the old days of bike shops stocking over 260 distinct, brittle hangers, requiring a massive 5-foot 1-to-1 scale reference poster from Wheels Manufacturing just to match parts. UDH eliminated the guesswork.

2. Electronic Suspension (Flight Attendant / Fox Live Valve Neo)

  • Verdict: Cottage Cheese 🥛

  • Analysis: While technically brilliant, it remains incredibly expensive, adds more batteries to manage, and offers negligible performance gains for anyone outside elite racing. The fact that top World Cup riders without it still consistently beat those with active electronic telemetry proves it's a luxury item rather than a performance necessity for the average rider.

📐 Technical Deep Dive: 55mm Chainline Hack

Question: If a modern frame (like the Revel Rascal V2) is specifically designed around a wide 55mm chainline, can an older mechanical SRAM 1x11 speed drivetrain still function properly on it?

  • The Verdict: Yes, perfectly.

  • The Blueprint: To run a classic 11-speed mechanical drivetrain on a modern 55mm spacing frame, you must match a 12-speed crankset geometry (such as the lightweight SRAM XXSL) with a specific zero-offset or corrected chainring profile (like a Wolftooth 32T).

  • The Configuration: Jeff pairs this with a compact 9-46T E-13 cassette and a short-cage mechanical derailleur. This setup matches the exact gear-ratio spread of a modern 12-speed electronic system while dropping significant unsprung wheel weight and maximizing mid-stroke shifting speed.

🏁 Trail Ethics: The Slower Rider Conundrum

Question: How do you handle group ride dynamics when a companion is noticeably slower on technical climbs?

  • Strategy A (The "E-Bike Equalizer"): Jeff recommends putting the slower rider on a full-power E-bike while you ride analog. It completely removes the performance disparity, turning a potentially frustrating slog into an incredibly fun, fast-paced day out for both.

  • Strategy B (The "Double Ride"): Jared suggests riding the trail full-gas solo before the meet-up time. Once your personal training itch is scratched and your athletic goals are met, you can spend the rest of the day cruising comfortably at your friend's pace without any underlying impatience.

  • The Nutrition Warning: The hosts highlight the "Time vs. Pace" trap. Slower companions turn a standard 2-hour loop into a 5-hour survival trek. Even if the physical intensity is low, always pack double the food and water, because your body still burns massive energy simply being out in the elements for five straight hours.