The Segment

Support for the Segment Podcast are brought to you by:

THE SEGMENT / DISCOUNT CODES / SUPPORTERS 

Versus Tires: www.versustires.com

SportRx: www.sportrx.com

OC Bike Works: 

Located in the city of San Clemente Ca. 

If you’re looking for a new bike please tell them I sent you. 

Kali Protectives

https://kaliprotectives.com/collections/full-face/products/dh-invader?variant=41188142481502

Promo Code Segment25

CASED.US

Body Armor that protects without all that bulk

www.cased.us 

Mother Earth Brew Company: 

https://www.motherearthbrewco.com/

PelliBikeCare: 

https://www.pellibikecare.com/

Strong Coffee: 15% off 

https://strongcoffeecompany.com/?ref=Segment30

Or use promo code SEGMENT15 at checkout. 

To become a Podcaster for Free try this link:   https://streamyard.com/pal/c/4674191405613056

PHAT Lids: https://www.phatlids.com/

Use promo code SEGMENT to get 10% off at checkout. 

SALTSTICK https://aletenutrition.com/pages/saltstick 

Use promo code SEGMENT20 to get 20% off

Support for the Segment Podcast are brought to you by:

THE SEGMENT / DISCOUNT CODES / SUPPORTERS 

Versus Tires: www.versustires.com

SportRx: www.sportrx.com

OC Bike Works: 

Located in the city of San Clemente Ca. 

If you’re looking for a new bike please tell them I sent you. 

Kali Protectives

https://kaliprotectives.com/collections/full-face/products/dh-invader?variant=41188142481502

Promo Code Segment25

CASED.US

Body Armor that protects without all that bulk

www.cased.us 

Mother Earth Brew Company: 

https://www.motherearthbrewco.com/

PelliBikeCare: 

https://www.pellibikecare.com/

Strong Coffee: 15% off 

https://strongcoffeecompany.com/?ref=Segment30

Or use promo code SEGMENT15 at checkout. 

To become a Podcaster for Free try this link:   https://streamyard.com/pal/c/4674191405613056

PHAT Lids: https://www.phatlids.com/

Use promo code SEGMENT to get 10% off at checkout. 

SALTSTICK https://aletenutrition.com/pages/saltstick 

Use promo code SEGMENT20 to get 20% off

Ian Anderson - Events Director at Ari Bikes | Inside Ari's Culture, Race Team, and Peak Lineup

From Fezzari to Ari - and from the Wasatch to race day.

This week I sat down with Ian Anderson, Events Director at Ari Bikes. Ian is the guy behind Ari's presence at the big festivals, enduro series, and community events, and he gives us the inside look at what makes Ari different.

Ari is a Utah-based, direct-to-consumer brand specializing in high-performance mountain, gravel, and road bikes. Founded in 2005 as Fezzari Performance Bikes, the company refreshed its brand in 2024 as Ari, which means "to exist or to be" in Japanese - aligning with their core ethos of "Be in the Moment" and their mission to create exceptional experiences one rider at a time. Their business model has always centered on providing custom-fit bikes, top-tier quality, and savings through direct-to-consumer.

We break down the current Peak lineup that Ian and the team are putting in front of riders:

• Superior Peak - 200mm 29" Aluminum - Your Do-It-All Downhill Bike. Ari's brand new DH rig and the backbone of Ari Factory Racing
• La Sal Peak - 170/170mm 29" Carbon - Carbon enduro mountain bike - their go-to enduro race bike
• Timp Peak - 170/170mm 29" Carbon - All-New Carbon full-power enduro e-bike
• Nebo Peak - 140/150mm 29" Carbon - Lightweight carbon all-mountain e-bike
• Signal Peak - 110/120mm 29" Carbon - Fast, light, playful and efficient XC / downcountry
• Plus Wire Peak 3.0 full-power trail e-bike, Delano Peak all-trail, Wasatch Peak hardtail, and more

The team will primarily be riding Ari's brand new downhill bike, the Superior Peak, along with the La Sal Peak enduro bike, and Timp Peak enduro EMTB in the Big Mountain Enduro Series and Monster Energy Pro Downhill Series.

We talk Ari Factory Racing, how Ian builds events that actually serve riders, why Ari's culture of rider-first fit and direct value matters, and what to expect from Ari at SkyPark, Sea Otter, and all the 2026 festivals.

If you've been curious about Ari after the rebrand - this is the deep dive.

Shop the line at aribikes.com

Sean Kneale from Hollywood Racks - 50 Years of Getting Bikes to the Trailhead

If you ride, you need a rack you can trust. This week I'm talking with Sean Kneale, National Sales Manager at Hollywood Racks.

Hollywood Racks has been designing and engineering quality bike racks since 1973 as a family owned and operated business, and is known as a trailblazer in racks for cars, trucks, SUVs, and electric bikes with 50 years and three generations of ownership. What began as a small bike shop in Hollywood, California evolved into a global trailblazer in designing high-quality bike racks for cars, trucks, SUVs, and RVs.

Sean brings more than 20 years of experience in the industry with a proven track record of driving sales growth, with previous roles at ProLids, LINUS and Cleary Bikes and based here in California. He's the guy shops call when they need to talk e-bike transport - his recent clinic is Retirees, RVs & Ebikes: How to properly transport Ebikes on RVs and keep traveling customers happy.

We get into:

• How Hollywood Racks started in 1973 building trunk-mounted racks in the Hollywood Schwinn Bike Shop and became a leader that now sells in 25 countries
• What makes a rack actually MTB and eMTB ready - weight capacity, wheelbase, tire width, frame contact
• RV and truck setups - avoiding the costly mistakes that damage e-bikes
• The new CrossTrack and Sport Rider lines and why fully-assembled, easy-to-use still matters
• What Sean is seeing for 2026: more heavy eMTBs, more travelers, more demand for no-wobble hitch racks

If you've ever white-knuckled it watching your bike in the rearview, this is the episode that will fix your setup.

Check them at hollywoodracks.com

Tim Mendenhall from Galpin Auto Group - What Mountain Bikers Should Actually Look For In Their Next Vehicle

What does buying a car have to do with mountain biking? Everything, when you're trying to get bikes, buddies, and gear to the trailhead every weekend.

This week I sat down with Tim Mendenhall from Galpin Auto Group at SkyPark Bike Fest. Tim is Finance Director at Galpin Motors and has been part of the team that built Galpin into the world's largest volume Ford dealership for 22 consecutive years.

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in LA's San Fernando Valley, Galpin isn't just Ford. As an auto group they represent over 12 different brands including Volkswagen, Mazda, Honda, Lotus, Ford, Lincoln, Polestar and Volvo, plus a huge pre-owned inventory they competitively price against hundreds of other dealerships.

We talk about:

• What Tim looks for as a Finance Director - how to get riders a good deal without the typical dealership pressure
• The best Galpin options for mountain bikers: F-150 & Ranger for tailgate pads and moto-style hauling, Bronco / Explorer / Subaru Outback & Crosstrek / Mazda CX-50 for hitch rack life, and Transit for full van-life bike garage builds
• Why having Ford, Lincoln, Honda, VW, Mazda, Subaru, Volvo, Jaguar, Lotus and Aston Martin all under one family matters - you can compare truck vs SUV vs efficient daily driver in one place
• How Galpin thinks about racks, towing, interior bike storage, and real rider use - not just spec sheets
• Tips for financing your adventure rig the smart way

If you're daily driving to Greer, SkyPark, or shuttling up to Mammoth, this one's for you. Galpin has been doing this since post-war car culture started in SoCal, and they get the active lifestyle.

Check their inventory at galpin.com

We put the ODI Vanquish to the test at SkyPark Bike Fest with Justin Pitchford from ODI.

For over 40 years ODI has been pushing grip technology, and their latest collab with the D3O material science lab might be their biggest leap yet. We sat down with Justin at SkyPark Bike Fest to break down the new Vanquish, then took them straight to the hill - Sleighride for the braking bumps and chatter, Arrow for high-speed berms and Comet for the jump line feedback.

The takeaway: This is a true comfort + control grip. The Vanquish is meticulously engineered around exclusive D3O® GRIP™ material that offers 2X more vibration damping, designed to remove shock and vibration so you can focus more on the ride.

On SkyPark's sustained chunder, you feel it. Less hand fatigue, more traction, no buzz.

Tech Check:

• Exclusive D3O® Material: Multi-layered comfort with twice the vibration damping
• V2.1 Lock-On System: Single clamp design for more usable grip space
• 32.75mm Medium Diameter + 135mm Length: The sweet spot for all-day control
• Unique waffle traction pattern and double-reinforced durable ends
• Multi-layered padded top for shock absorption + micro-flange for added protection 

The future of mountain biking isn't in a bike shop. It's on a middle school start line.

On this episode of The Segment, I sit down with Amber Goldsmith, Associate Director of the SoCal League — the organization building the next generation of riders.

The SoCal League is part of the SoCal Youth Cycling community on a mission of building strong minds, bodies, character, and communities through cycling. We're talking over 1,200 student-athletes, families, and coaches who have experienced the joy, challenge, and camaraderie of this league. 

We get into:
The GRiT Effect: How their Girls Riding Together program is actually getting more girls on bikes than ever
The Real Pipeline: Why youth racing is the ONLY reason we still have trails, brands, and races
The Parent Question: What every MTB dad/mom needs to know before putting their kid on a team
The Inside Story: What it really takes to run a league this big - from Coach Training to Teen Trail Corps

If you ride, if you have kids, or if you just want MTB to exist in 10 years — this is the episode you share.

Welcome to The Segment Podcast. I am your host Mark Hill. On this podcast we will be talking to people who are sending their life from the ordinary and moving over to the extraordinary. Whether it is a segment in life or a segment on the trail. 

🎙️ Guest: Amber Goldsmith - SoCal Youth Cycling ( SoCal League )
🚵 Host: Mark Hill - The Segment - Live podcast host at Bike Fest Presented by BOSCH
👇 Timestamps, links, and discount codes in the show notes. 

Did this hit you? Tag a parent, a coach, or a kid who needs to hear this.

Keeping up with the Straits! We were lucky enough to get Rachael and Kyle into the studio during SkyPark Bike Fest Vol 12 presented by Bosch. Hope you enjoy this one.

What is all that tech inside the Kali Protectives gear???

In this episode we get to talk with the CEO of SportRx Rob Tavakoli. Sportrx is a multi eyewear brand shop that allows you pick from regular sun glasses, and glasses with prescription. They have Opticians there that can help you get the right size and fit for your glasses. They even have prescription goggle solutions. If you need regular sunglasses or prescriptions sunglasses or prescription glasses you can get all of that from this one place.