Thank you Jenson USA | Maxxis Tires  | FOX Shox
Welcome mountain bikers! We're stoked to take you for a ride along during a conversation we had at the end of October during Vital's budget mountain bike test in Reno, Nevada. It was a special time because every Vital editorial staffer was present with some of our favorite contributors too. The primary discussion revolves around the bikes we were testing and how great it is to be a mountain biker with so many quality bikes and components. Whether beginner or experienced, it's really hard to go wrong with a mountain bike purchase these days. Eventually, we twist and turn our way onto the topic of Red Bull Rampage, which was fresh in our minds at the time, and ultimately to our favorite subject, World Cup Downhill racing.

Get to know the Vital staff a bit better, give a nod to budget-friendly mountain bikes and enjoy the show!

Watch Vital's $2,500 Mountain Bike Comparison

IN PRAISE OF CHEAP BIKES! The Inside Line Ride Along

A mountain biking podcast channel featuring in-depth interviews with world class riders and cycling industry professionals.

Professional

Sports & Recreation

Amateur

Outdoor

College & High School

Thanks to  Maxxis Tires, FOX and Jenson USA    for supporting The Inside Line MTB podcast! 

Jorge Gomes is a man dedicated to mountain bike racing. He is team manager for Transition Factory Racing, and the man behind Pro Builds mobile bike shop and Pro Builds Racing team, too. He tells us the story of how he became hooked on MTB which includes riding a dirt jump hardtail at Mountain Creek, how he became a bike assembler for Walmarts in his region and how he took his passion straight to the top by helping his rider, Valentia Roa Sanchez, earn the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup overall title in the Junior Women's class.

As the first round of 2024 approaches, enjoy the stories of overcoming adversity and learn what it takes to become a World Cup mountain bike race team manager.

0:00 - Intro and His first mountain bike
9:23 - Getting into DH Racing and Teams
17:09 - From Machine Operator to Bike Shop Employee
19:18 - The Reality of Assembling Bikes for Walmart
25:52 - Pro Builds Racing Grows
28:42 - Introduction to Valentina Roa Sanchez
33:26 - Meeting Valentina In-Person for the First Time
49:07 - Investing in Junior Women's Racing
55:54 - Transition Factory Racing's First Year
1:08:37 - 2023 Race Season Highs and Lows
1:16:02 - Loudenvielle Junior Race Cancellation
1:30:05 - Valentina Roa Sanchez Winning the World Cup Overall
1:43:00 - The Future of Non-Elite Teams at World Cups



Transition Factory Racing TM, Jorge Gomes - The Inside Line MTB Podcast

Win Prizes from RockShox, SRAM, Troy Lee Designs, FSA & Maxxis! https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

Ellie Hulsebosch of The Union is a first-year Junior on the World Cup Downhill circuit. She's been stacking up wins this off-season and is ready to slay Fort William this weekend.

#MTB #DH #bike

17 Questions - Ellie Hulsebosch

This year, we are bringing you pre-World Cup discussions as part of Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy. Each round we will break down which racers you should keep an eye on going into the weekend, who's gone fast in years past, and try to give you some extra insight to help make the best Fantasy picks.  In this episode, join Vital's own Jason Schroeder, ex-World Cup mechanic John Hall, and podcast co-host and contributing editor Tanner Stephens as they discuss off-season team changes, pre-season races, and who to watch at round one in Fort William, Scotland. 

For all the details on how to play Vital's Downhill Fantasy, including what prizes are up for grabs EACH round - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

:26 - How to Play Vital Fantasy
12:00 - Off-Season Team Changes 
31:43 - Off-Season Racing Results
40:01 - Who’s Injured and Out of Round #1
51:44 - Fort William Track Analysis
56:10 - Junior Women Insights and  Predictions
1:00:53 - Junior Men Insights and Predictions
1:09:02 - Elite Women Insights and Predictions
1:14:47 - Elite Men Insights and Predictions

Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy Pre-Race Show - Fort William

WIN A ROCKSHOX BOXXER - Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy

Watch this interview - Ronan Dunne's 2022 season was going so poorly that his parents secretly signed him up for the army. Thankfully for us and Ronan, his results improved, he continued to race World Cup Downhill and now he's a podium finisher.




Ronan Dunne - 17 Questions

On today's podcast, Tech Editor Jason Schroeder brings you a pulse check on the state of our beloved mountain bike industry. Last week, during the Sea Otter Classic, he chatted with some industry folks from Santa Cruz Bicycles, Maxxis Tires, Feedback Sports, Transition Bicycles, Industry Nine, Orbea, FSA Components, Trek Bicycles, Hunt Wheels, and Privateer Bikes. And asked one simple question: now that we are a few years past the COVID bike boom, what is the state of the industry? Are things good? Are they bad? And where do you see things going in the next 12-24 months? Here is what people had to say.  

:43 - Maxxis Tires 
5:57 - Santa Cruz Bicycles
8:21 - Trek Bicycles
9:52 - Hunt Wheels
17:00 Transition Bikes
21:27 - Feedback Sports
24:32 - FSA
26:52 - Industry Nine
32:11 - Orbea Bikes More Sea Otter content: https://www.vitalmtb.com/tags/sea_otter_classic_event

More MTB news: https://www.vitalmtb.com/

IN PRAISE OF CHEAP BIKES! The Inside Line Ride Along

Download our free app to listen on your phone