After years of success, RockShox has updated its trail and gravity suspension lineup with some new internals for model year '25. The latest Charger 3.1 damper is now found across all fork models, while rear shocks gain an XL air can option and a high-flow main piston for Super Deluxe models. They have also re-introduced the Vivid Coil shock with some technology derived from the Vivid Air released last year. 

We sat down with Chris Mandell from SRAM and RockShox to help make sense of all  the technical. We discussed the motivation behind the changes made, how they were achieved, and how they make an impact out on the trail.

Learn more about everything discussed in this video - https://www.vitalmtb.com/news/press-release/rockshox-announces-charger-3-1-damper-vivid-coil-and-updates-super-deluxe
Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy

A track on the circuit that always provides dramatic, legendary race runs, this year at Leogang was fairly uneventful. A business as usual World Cup, you could say. Rain throughout the week provided some of the most changing and challenging conditions hit the #notabikepark track, with the lower woods being the deciding factor on race day. There was exciting racing across each category, highlighted by a dominating victory in both women’s fields, an upset in the Junior men’s race, and another elite men’s podium filled with new and returning names.

With a tight turnaround heading into Val di Sole this weekend, reigning in our co-host extraordinaire Dakotah Norton took longer than usual. Apparently, getting to the next race, interviews, physio appointments, and dinner all come before our podcast. Up against a tighter time crunch than usual, Tanner and I recorded the post-race show Tuesday, while Dakotah and I chatted after track walk on Wednesday to hear about his mediocre weekend in Austria and gain insight into what could be the gnarliest Val di Sole track we’ve seen in years. 

0:00 - Intro
2:08 - Dak Update and Leogang recap
33:15 - Val di Sole track walk notes and thoughts
51:04 - Debate over braking more with your rear or front brake
58:09  - Discussing the live coverage from the weekend
1:00:56 - Commentators this season 
1:03:18 - 15 World Cups next year?
1:05:15 - Privateers at World Cups in 2025
1:09:23 - Is interest in World Cup downhill less than it was during the Red Bull days?
1:11:12 - Another chat about electronic suspension
1:20:07 - Will we see electronic suspension systems in VDS?
1:22:09 - Loic’s cockpit buttons
1:23:17 - Why pressing a lockout mid-run isn’t that difficult
1:26:42 - Podium payout complaints 
1:32:34 - Maxxis Make or Brake Track Analysis
1:38:50 - Junior Women - race recap
1:43:05 - Val di Sole predictions
1:46:21 - Junior Men - race recap
1:59:36 - Val di Sole predictions
2:04:36 - Elite Women - race recap
2:14:37 - Val di Sole predictions
2:18:18 - Elite Men - race recap
2:32:50 - Val di Sole predictions
2:35:41 - Burgtec Labour of Love

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com

See what the top riders of the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup DH in Leogang, Austria, have to say about their race weekends. A familiar track was made tricky with varying conditions thanks to overnight rains. Interviews by Jack Rice.
Interviews
0:00 - Loic Bruni
4:52 - Anna Newkirk
7:49 - Neko Mulally
10:52 - Vali Holl
11:54 - Max Alran
13:28 - Erice van Leuven
14:41 - Ellie Hulsebosch
16:18 - Finn Iles
18:37 - Myriam Nicole
21:50 - Lachie Stevens-Mcnab
23:14 - Oisin O'Callaghan
24:25 - Lisa Baumann
25:33 - Benoit Coulanges
29:11 - Marine Cabirou
30:32 - Lucas Dedora
32:49 - Andreas Kolb

Loic Bruni has five different electronic buttons on his prototype Specialized Demo downhill bike, and we're not even talking about shift levers. He, his mechanic Jack and Ohlins are all pretty tight-lipped about the functions they serve, but today we got a bit of information from the current World Cup DH leader himself.

SuperBruni confirms the buttons are not Skittles, he seemingly teases that they're for playing music, and then says their function should be pretty easy to figure out. When asked if using them is confusing, he admits that keeping track of them is not easy and there are risks associated with hitting the wrong button at the wrong time. Regardless of their function or trickiness in pressing, Loic's in the lead right now, and that's really all that matters.

GoFundme to support Seton Tuning DH Team

Phil Seton, manager of Pole Factory Racing, shares the story of keeping his team alive after Pole Bikes went into administration a week before Fort William. All team budget was pulled and they were left with a decision to race or pack it up. Phil decided to use his personal money to get Onni Rainio and Dan Slack to Fort William and Poland. Onni had a personal best at Fort William and Dan Slack had his best-ever finish making finals and breaking the beam with a 28th in Poland. With the help of a GoFundMe, they're successfully attending Leogang this week and are halfway to earning enough money to race Les Gets. Jack Rice gets the scoop from Phil as race life rolls on!

What a start to the 2024 World Cup downhill season we've had! Fort William properly kicked things off with a gnarly track and insane racing, followed by a new venue in Poland that produced one of the best tracks and tightest races we've seen in years. Now, after a brief two-week pause, racing resumes this weekend in Leogang, Austria. A classic track that always delivers dramatic racing, there are exciting stories shaping up in each category that will be fun to watch play out over the weekend. 

Join Vital's own Jason Schroeder, ex-World Cup mechanic John Hall, and podcast co-host and contributing editor Tanner Stephens as they discuss who will contend for the win this weekend in each category, what makes the historic Leogang track so tricky, and highlight some potential dark horses who could mix things up come race day. 

0:00 - Intro
2:04 - Southwest Downhill Series this weekend 
8:43 - Leogang venue & track analysis 
13:33 - Is Leogang a bike park track? 
17:48 - Why Leogang is so difficult in the wet
20:17 - Breaking down the motorway section
22:05 - John discusses Aaron Gwin's chainless win at Leogang in 2015  
33:11 - A fan trying to sell John Aaron's broken chain for $3,000  
38:25 - Weather report
39:03 - Injured reserve list for this weekend 
44:33 - Fantasy strategy
49:10 - Junior Women race predictions
57:28 - Junior Men race predictions
1:04:15 - Elite Women predictions
1:18:30 - Elite Men predictions

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy 
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com

After a rocky (literally) start to the 2024 season in Fort William, a fresh track with a good mix of features and fluctuating speeds greeted racers for the second round in Poland. Speculation surrounding speed suits and electronic lockouts was replaced by the buzz of line choice and rut formation. In the end, it was a battle for thousandths of a second, and who could predict and adapt to the ever-evolving conditions best after some race day rain. The cream is definitely beginning to rise to the top in each category, but holy cow, there are a lot of names fighting for the podium!

Our guy Stack-Attack set the pace most of the weekend, but a slippery flat corner put an end to his winning hopes. We break down Dak's headspace during and after the weekend, where the race was won or lost, thoughts on electronic shifting in downhill, the return of shorts in downhill, and chit-chat about how racing unfolded in each category. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis Tires -  https://www.maxxis.com/us/
Industry Nine - https://industrynine.com/
Burgtec -  https://burgtec-usa.com/

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy  
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com

With positions separated by just hundredths of seconds, the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill near Bielsko-Biala, Poland, was a fan and racer favorite even with it being a first-time venue. Listen to the podium finishers and more as they discuss how it all went down.

Interviews
0:00 - Ronan Dunne
2:10 - John Lawlor
3:47 - Dakotah Norton
7:02 - Marine Cabirou
8:35 - Asa Vermette
9:25 - Neko Mulally
10:35 - Heather Wilson
11:51 - Loic Bruni
14:04 - Camille Balanche
15:37 - Nina Hoffmann
18:16 - Loris Vergier
19:37 - Jess Blewitt
20:19 - Amaury Pierron
21:57 - Luca Shaw

Welcome to another pre-World Cup discussion as part of Vital MTB Downhill Fantasy! The first race of the season in Fort William, Scotland, kicked things off with a bang! Now, just two weeks later, the excitement continues as we head to a completely new venue for the second round of the UCI World Cup downhill series. Without past results to make predictions, this weekend will offer a clean slate for racing. Who will be able to figure out the new track in a limited time and be the fastest on race day? Will more experienced riders still have an advantage? Or will up-and-coming racers be able to adapt and rise to the occasion? 

Join Vital's own Jason Schroeder, ex-World Cup mechanic John Hall, and podcast co-host and contributing editor Tanner Stephens as they discuss who's looking fast after Fort William, what to expect from the new track, and who to keep on your radar in Bielsko-Biala, Poland.

• 0:00 Intro & How to Play Fantasy
• 2:00 - John gives insight into how racers and teams approach a new track
• 5:49 - Bielsko-Biala track details and discussion
• 11:00 - Will electronic suspension systems be a thing again this weekend?
• 14:54 - Loic Bruni's setup speculation
• 22:32 - Will experience be an advantage this weekend?
• 24:42 - How teams find the best lines during practice
• 30:28 - Injury updates
• 34:50 - Fantasy notes and insights from Fort Bill
• 44:33 - Junior Women predictions
• 46:48 - Junior Men predictions
• 52:02 - Elite Women predictions
• 57:03 -  Elite Men predictions

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

The World Cup season has arrived, and with that, we are back with our regularly scheduled post-race banter! Fort William went off with a bang, providing one of the most thrilling and engaging season openers we've seen. Numerous team changes were finally put on display against the clock; the track was dry, fast, and ridiculously rough, and the level of racing in all four categories was tighter and more intense than ever. With plenty of topics to hit, like speed suits, electronic suspension lockouts, and Dakotah's mega-rise bars, it was awesome to have the crew back together to chat about elite downhill racing. Enjoy!

These awesome brands make The B Practice Podcast possible!
Maxxis Tires -  https://www.maxxis.com/us/
Industry Nine - https://industrynine.com/
Burgtec -  https://burgtec-usa.com/

Play Vital Downhill Fantasy - https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy  
More mountain bike news and reviews - https://www.vitalmtb.com