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Go inside Park Tool, the world's largest bicycle tool company, with Technical Expert Truman Purdy in this deep-dive interview. Learn the fascinating origin story of how Art Engstrom and Howard Hawkins transformed from a small Schwinn repair shop in Minnesota to creating the iconic blue tools that define professional bike maintenance today. Discover why Park Tool switched from red Schwinn-branded tools to their trademark blue color, how they protect their brand identity, and the surprising business decisions that built their global dominance in bicycle tool manufacturing.

Truman reveals exciting details about Park Tool's newest innovation: the PRS-30 manual lift bike stand that combines the convenience of electric lifting with the reliability of manual operation. With 500+ tools in their catalog and 75% manufactured in-house at their Minnesota facility, Park Tool continues to evolve bike maintenance technology for both professional bike shops and home mechanics. Get insider insights into tool development processes, pricing strategies, Amazon marketplace challenges, and why more than ~50% of Park Tool sales now go directly to home mechanics rather than bike shops.

Website: https://www.parktool.com/en-us/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/parktoolcompany

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This engaging episode features the Calirado Kid, whose authentic and humorous mountain biking videos have built him a substantial following with videos regularly reaching hundreds of thousands viewers. While he shares interesting glimpses into creating his popular videos, the conversation primarily delivers valuable insights from his extensive riding experiences across Arizona's technical terrain, Colorado's epic mountains, and Northern California's diverse trails. Mountain biking enthusiasts will appreciate his detailed analysis of what makes southwest trails distinctive with their challenging rocky features, technical climbs, and rewarding descents like Bug Springs which he describes as "just the shuttle downhill chunk – an exciting ride for sure."

The episode offers practical mountain biking wisdom about gear choices, with the Calirado Kid making a compelling case that dropper posts might actually be more essential than suspension for versatile trail riding. Riders will benefit from specific trail recommendations including the legendary "Graham Cracker" with its impressive 6,300 feet of continuous descent and insights about night riding with quality lighting systems from Outbound Lights. The discussion concludes with valuable perspectives on mountain biking's mental health benefits, with the Calirado Kid explaining how riding helps process negative thoughts and discover creative solutions – providing listeners with both technical trail knowledge and inspiration to use mountain biking as a tool for improving overall wellbeing.

Calirado Kid's links...

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@caliradokid

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caliradokid/

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In this in-depth episode of the MTNCOG Podcast, we dive into the science behind mountain bike tire design with Ken Avery, Senior Vice President of Product Development at Vittoria. Ken breaks down the complex process of tire manufacturing, from the initial casing construction using nylon or cotton materials to the vulcanization process where the tread is applied. He explains how Vittoria's innovative use of graphene technology creates tires that both roll faster and grip better than competitors, challenging common misconceptions about tire compounds and performance.

The conversation explores Vittoria's progressive sipe technology for improved cornering grip, their very unique approach to TPI (threads per inch) in their award-winning XC race tires, and their comprehensive lineup of Airliner tire inserts. Ken shares insights on how different casings perform in various terrain types, from sharp volcanic rock to loose conditions, and offers his perspective on current industry trends. This episode provides mountain bikers of all disciplines with valuable knowledge about selecting the optimal tire setup for their specific riding style, terrain, and bike type.

Web: https://vittoria.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vittoriatires/

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In this engaging episode of the MTNCOG Podcast, the hosts welcome Jess the Maker, a prominent mountain biking content creator who blends humor, authenticity, and technical riding expertise. The episode was recorded shortly after Jess was in town working on a project with 'Visit Tucson'. The conversation explores how she's helping showcase Tucson as a "hidden gem" of mountain biking while also discussing her experiences in renowned destinations like Whistler, Vermont, and Bentonville. Jess shares insights about her Specialized bike collection, including her Stumpjumper and newly acquired Levo 4, and her preferences for both technical and flow trails.

The second half of the episode offers a masterclass in mountain bike content creation, with Jess revealing how she evolved from using basic phone editing apps to professional equipment, her approach to brand partnerships, and strategies for growing social media presence. She discusses her demographic insights, posting schedule preferences, and the importance of maintaining authentic connections with followers. Young aspiring content creator Matt, Josh's son, asks thoughtful questions about editing, consistency, and growth strategies, with Jess emphasizing that relatability and persistence are key to building an engaged audience. The episode concludes with discussions about growing her YouTube presence beyond her well established Instagram following.

Follow JessTheMaker on…

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jessthemaker?si=VcpDi6rZzW--N7mE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessthemaker/

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In this episode of The MCP, hosts Josh and Dane dive deep into the science of mountain bike suspension with Norco development engineers Colin Ryan and Kirk McDowall. The conversation explores Norco's different suspension platforms with detailed explanations of axle path, anti-squat, and anti-rise properties. The engineers reveal how these technical elements directly impact riding performance, particularly in technical terrain with square-edge hits and rock gardens.

The discussion also highlights Norco's innovative RideAlign bike setup system, which uses rider metrics to provide personalized suspension, cockpit, and tire pressure recommendations. Kirk and Colin share insights from their development process, including how they balance data acquisition with rider perception, World Cup racing feedback, and mule testing.

The episode concludes with teasers about upcoming Norco releases, including continued development of their downhill race bike (note that Kirk is a 2 time Downhill Canadian National Champion and accomplished Downhill World Cup racer) and hints about a new shorter travel bike that will complement their expanding acoustic and pedal assist mountain bike lineup.

Norco Bikes: https://www.norco.com/

Norco's Ride Align Bike Setup Tool: https://www.ridealigned.com/

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In this unfiltered episode of The Mountain Cog Podcast (recorded during the snowy Sedona Mountain Bike Festival) hosts Josh and Dane are joined by special guests Mike "Babyfoot" Jones and Derrick Kampfer for a raw, technical dive into mountain bike suspension. The conversation takes unexpected turns from the hilarious origins of "nipple management" in bike maintenance to detailed comparisons between Fox, DVO, and RockShox fork technologies, with expert insights on how suspension choice impacts ride feel and performance on different trails.

The episode explores the technical aspects of mountain biking while highlighting the welcoming nature of the mountain bike community. Listeners will gain valuable insights about suspension tuning, the debate between flat pedals versus clipless systems, and custom frame protection options like Ground Keeper designs. The hosts and guests share personal riding experiences, technical advice, and lighthearted trail stories that showcase why mountain biking attracts riders of all ages and skill levels despite the significant investment required to participate.

Sedona MTB Festival - https://sedonamtbfestival.com/

Pedaling Innovations - https://pedalinginnovations.com/

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The Mountain Cog Podcast welcomes Julian Richardson, Lead Industrial Designer at Faction Bike Studio, for an in-depth exploration of bicycle design. Julian explains how Faction operates as design consultants for bike manufacturers, handling everything from initial sketches to final production support. The discussion clarifies the often misunderstood difference between industrial design (focused on user experience and aesthetics) and engineering (focused on developing and validating the functional, structural, and kinematic elements), while detailing their collaborative process that transforms concepts into rideable products.

The episode covers crucial industry topics including the challenges of managing intellectual property between competing clients, the influence of geography on design decisions, and how designers balance innovation with practicality. Julian shares insights on material selection, frame construction techniques, and the growing integration between traditional and e-bike designs. Listeners will appreciate the candid discussion about design trends, from the problematic internal cable routing that frustrate mechanics to the industry's gradual shift toward more user-adjustable bikes that can be customized to rider preferences without requiring multiple specialized bicycles.

Faction Bike Studio - https://factionbikestudio.com/

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In this information-packed episode of Mountain Cog, hosts Josh and Dane dive into essential mountain bike maintenance tips that every rider should know. They share their expertise on cutting carbon handlebars safely using abrasive blades, explaining how to prevent fraying and properly finish the cut edges. The conversation then shifts to the benefits of Squirt chain wax for desert riding conditions, with both hosts sharing their personal experiences and highlighting why proper application makes all the difference.

The episode continues with valuable insights on bike modifications, including the importance of changing only one component at a time to properly evaluate performance differences. They discuss tire selection for desert terrain, comparing Maxxis Forecaster tires to specialized options like the Teravail Ehline. The hosts wrap up with crucial dropper post maintenance advice, explaining why you should keep your dropper post extended when not riding and avoid pulling upward on a compressed post. This episode delivers practical maintenance tips for mountain bikers looking to extend component life and improve riding performance.

Park Tools Carbon Hacksaw Blade - https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/carbon-saw-blade-csb-1

Squirt Lube - https://www.squirtcyclingproducts.com/

Teravail Ehline Tires - https://www.teravail.com/product/teravail-ehline-tire-394761-1.htm

Maxxis Forekaster Tires - https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/forekaster/

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