Bikes & Big Ideas

How many times have you attempted a trick or a move in a row before finally getting it? It’s probably a lot fewer than 400. Today, Danny MacAskill breaks down the trick that taught him how to persevere and overcome the impossible.Danny’s Inspired Bicycles video was a sensation. Everyone was talking about it, sharing it, and our minds were blown. What happened after that video is well known, and to say it went a wee bit viral is an understatement, since it has amassed over 40 million views, launching Danny’s prolific career that has now spanned over 16 years, and has given us so many memorable moments.Danny talks about other challenging tricks, like front flipping off Edinburgh Castle, as well as his worst injuries, exploring new terrain on his eBike, trials riding with a motor, creative jogging, and why he should be in the next James Bond film.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Being a Hero to Kids (2:18)Danny’s Bike Idols (3:47)Trials Riding on eBikes (12:04)James Bond (15:40)The “Spiky Fence” Trick (16:53)Front Flipping off Edinburgh Castle (25:38)His Long Injury List (32:03)Is Danny Slowing Down Moving into his 40s? (39:50)Why Nipple Height is Important (40:33)Keeping Soul in his Riding & What he’s Producing (43:42)His Love of Music & What He’s Listening to (50:46)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicGEAR:30Blister PodcastCRAFTED Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Golay shares why he hasn’t jived with any of the eMTBs he’s ridden so far, and if the new light-assist bikes from Orbea and Norco he’s been spending time on might have a chance of changing his mind. Simon, on the other hand, is a big fan of eMTBs, regardless of whether they have a full-power or light-assist drive system, and has a couple of full-power beauties from Pivot and Norco to talk about. And to avoid a whole episode on bikes with motors, they throw the Atherton A.150.M in the mix, too.Note: We Want to Hear From You!Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on Bikes and Big Ideas. Email us at info@blisterreview.com to weigh in.RELATED LINKS:Blister Craft CollectiveBlister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideGet Our Free Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredCHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS:Blister Studios (our new channel)Blister Review (our original channel)TOPICS & TIMES:Blister+ (1:27)Atherton 150m (2:01)Pivot Shuttle LT (13:02)Orbea Rallon RS (24:47)Norco Sight VLT TQ (39:41)Norco Sight VLT CX (45:59)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicGEAR:30Blister PodcastCRAFTED Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Mike and Simon discuss the invasion of Minneapolis, the killing of fellow cyclist Alex Pretti by ICE, and how the cycling community united in solidarity worldwide. They also talk about some bike industry news, like Revel Bikes relocating, and more fires to put out for Rad Power Bikes. Downhill racing kicked off with Red Bull Hardline in Tasmania, so they put in their picks, plus Mike recaps the Cyclocross World Championships, and more. Note: We Want to Hear From You!Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on Bikes and Big Ideas. Email us at info@blisterreview.com to weigh in.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideGet Our Free Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredMike’s The Grimy Handshake SubstackTOPICS & TIMES:Mike’s Latest Substack Story (7:13)Simon’s Return To Bike Racing (12:29)Alex Pretti (22:28)Revel is Relocating (30:28)Rad Power Bikes on Fire (Again) & Their New Ownership (32:47)Red Bull Hardline Tasmania Preview (37:08)Cyclocross World Championships Recap (43:38)First Impressions of the New Pivot Shuttle LT (52:57)Are Lightweight Trail Bikes Making a Comeback? (59:50)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frameworks has just added Aaron Gwin — the most successful American DH racer of the modern era — to an already-stacked lineup of Asa Vermette and Anna Newkirk, launched updated versions of their Enduro and DH bikes, and more. So we brought Neko Mulally back on the show to tell us about all of it, including the behind-the-scenes contract challenges with a rider of Aaron’s stature; the new bikes and what has (and hasn’t) changed; team dynamics and offseason prep; and a whole lot more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Signing Aaron Gwin (1:53)The 2026 Frameworks Roster (12:43)Bike Setup for the Team (17:25)The 2026 DH Bike (24:41)2026 Frameworks Enduro (31:18)Preseason Prep (32:09)Team Goals for 2026 (34:42)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re wrapping up our Best Bikes of the Century series, so today, Blister reviewers Zack Henderson, Xan Marshland, David Golay, and Simon Stewart reveal their top three selections. We also share picks and insights from a number of bike industry luminaries and legends, along with some listener opinions, before trying to narrow it down to a final podium.Note: We Want to Hear From You!Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on Bikes and Big Ideas. Email us at info@blisterreview.com to weigh in.RELATED LINKS:Best Bikes of the Century SurveyBlister Craft CollectiveBlister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Industry Picks (1:23)Our Picks (26:56)Listener Comments (58:25)The Final Countdown (1:03:20)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will 32’’ wheels have staying power, or will they be another flash in the pan like plus-sized tires? Either way, they’re coming, and we sat down with Manitou Product Manager, Phil Ott, and Reynolds Director of Wheel Development, Todd Tanner, to discuss what it takes to design parts for 32’’ bikes; how to avoid a mess of competing standards as 32’’ bikes come online; where we are (and aren’t) likely to see 32’’ wheels in a few years; and a whole lot more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Introductions (1:19)When did Hayes start taking 32’’ wheels seriously? (3:02)What made it clear that 32’’ wheels were happening? (5:57)The importance of the UCI sanctioning 32’’ wheels (8:43)Early prototyping (11:13)Refinements & limitations of the wheel size (16:29)Fork offset & other details (32:07)Phil and Todd’s wish lists (33:55)What’s the ceiling for 32’’ wheels? (38:43)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicGEAR:30Blister PodcastCRAFTED Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got a lot of interesting drivetrain-related testing going on right now, from our just-published roundup of chain damping devices to multiple gearbox bikes, the Supre Drive-equipped Lal Katana, and more. David and Zack sat down to discuss what they’re learning, debate the pros and cons of these novel options, and give a rundown on some more conventional bikes they’ve been spending time on, too.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Kavenz VHP G2 (2:11)Evil Offering (16:59)Lal Katana (30:29)Transition Regulator SX (38:45)Chain Damper Roundup (47:56)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Mike joins us from Loretto, Mexico, and on his way down there, he stopped in Los Algodones to get his rotten teeth fixed in what's become known as Molar City. Mike recounts his experience with Mexico’s booming low-cost dental industry and how, at one point, he thought he might be in a Quentin Tarantino film.  On the bike news front, we talk about more struggling companies, including Rad Power Bikes and Campagnolo, as well as a few recalls, before getting into World Cup DH athlete team changes, Mike’s take on 32” wheels, and more.Note: We Want to Hear From You!Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on Bikes and Big Ideas. Email us at info@blisterreview.com to weigh in.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideGet Our Free Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredMike’s The Grimy Handshake SubstackTOPICS & TIMES:Mike’s Back in Mexico (1:22)Getting his Teeth Sorted in “Molar City” (2:33)RIP Joe Montgomery (14:14)Rad Power Bikes Files Bankruptcy (15:52)New Ducati eMTBs, Gravel & Road Bikes (21:24)Giant Moving to Boulder, Colorado (25:18)Chinese Counterfeit Bike Bust (28:59)Campagnolo Cuts Workforce by 40% (34:14)Bike Recalls (37:42)Mike’s 32” Wheels Predictions (38:59)New Products (46:02)World Cup DH Athlete News (1:00:59)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hayden Zablotny showed up at Red Bull Rampage and became the first rookie to win since Brandon Semenuk did it back in 2008. Hayden’s path to the top step of the podium is a fascinating story chronicling a young, talented rider struggling to get noticed. Today, he joins us to talk about that journey, how he became known as “the poacher,” finally getting the coveted Rampage invite, his winning run, and how he kept his head in the game during one of the heaviest injury-laden Rampages ever.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Getting started on Two Wheels and his BMX Legend Dad (4:14)Racing BMX and Building Skills (6:43)Moving to BC and Discovering Mountain Biking (8:14)Finding His Niche in Freestyle (10:09)Poaching Proving Grounds and Getting Noticed (24:11)Getting the Rampage Invite (35:49)Building His Line (41:48)Staying Focused Amidst all the Injuries (43:30)Breaking Down His Winning Run (46:34)Hayden’s Biike Setup (51:45)What’s next? (58:46)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vali Höll is in the midst of one of the most dominant runs we’ve seen in World Cup DH racing, taking her third consecutive overall title and fourth consecutive World Championships win in 2025. And she did it despite her team, the YT Mob, shutting down mid-season amidst YT’s ongoing financial struggles. Vali joins us to tell the story of her season, what happened with the Mob, how she pressed on regardless, how she ended up signing with Commencal for 2026, and a whole lot more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredBlister Podcast Ep.388TOPICS & TIMES:The YT Mob & YT’s insolvency (2:50)Team contracts & how the season unfolded (5:13)Racing after team funding was cut (18:11)Talks with other teams & moving to Commencal (23:45)Consistency & race results (25:25)Racing for a new contract & managing pressure (27:52)Bikepacking & gravel bikes (31:20)Vali’s goals for 2026 (35:21)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re currently testing a huge array of bikes, from the super-efficient Norco Revolver, to the long-travel, Bosch CX-equipped Yeti LTe, with a whole lot in between — including the Lal Katana, with its novel Supre Drive. David and Simon sat down to share our thoughts on all of those and more, and along the way, we got into some debates about wheel sizes, geometry preferences, and more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Yeti LTe (1:37)Cannondale Moterra (15:39)Norco Sight VLT (24:51)Trek Fuel MX (34:40)Lal Katana (49:51)Norco Revolver (58:22)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gamux has never done things the conventional way and takes pride in that. But they aren’t being different for the sake of being different, either. Founder Pascal Tinner is back on the show to talk about what they’ve been up to, from their partnership with Reece Wilson’s AON Racing, to the ‘Trophy Truck’ prototype race bike, and a whole lot more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:AON Racing & Reece Wilson (1:45)The Sego (14:44)DH prototypes (22:38)Body types & bike design (29:03)The Trophy Truck (33:40)Riders & building a team (36:32)2026 & beyond (45:10)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For November’s Reviewing the News Episode, Mike clues us in on what's been going on in the Cyclocross season so far. Then we have a bunch of bike industry recalls to wade through — some of which are legitimately dangerous — which segways into Mike and Simon trying to understand why Rad Power Bikes is not issuing a recall for batteries that could burn down your house.Note: We Want to Hear From You!Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on Bikes and Big Ideas. Email us at info@blisterreview.com to weigh in.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideGet Our Free Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Mike’s Cyclocross Season Update (5:32)Rad Power Bike’s Battery Problems (15:01)Can Trek’s Coaster Brake Failures Make Better Cyclists? (24:52)You Can Still Get Injured on a Peloton  (32:56)Lezyne Floor Pumps at Risk of Exploding (38:58)Will the Bike Industry Ever Go Back to Normal? (42:44)Mike’s Madrone Derailleur (46:30)Charging eBikes Off-Grid (59:27)Mike’s Heading to Mexico to Fix his Teeth (1:07:02)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part 2 of our series on the Best Bikes of the Century, Simon Stewart, David Golay, and Xan Marshland are back, plus Zack Henderson also joins them to dig into 16 more brands as they continue the hard work of trying to single out the best bikes from the last 25 years. Since they focused on many prominent brands from the early 2000s in Part 1, they take a closer look at newer brands, direct-to-consumer bike companies, plus a couple of OG ones, just to mix it up.Note: We Want to Hear From You!Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on Bikes and Big Ideas. Email us at info@blisterreview.com to weigh in.RELATED LINKS:Best Bikes of the Century SurveyBlister Craft CollectiveBlister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Pivot (0:59)Canyon (7:03)YT (12:59)Forbidden (16:44)Norco (22:02)Mondraker (27:16)Scott (33:06)Salsa (38:38)Orbea (43:33)Commencal (47:04)Transition (50:15)Evil (56:56)Devinci (59:55)Revel (1:02:13)Marin (1:05:31)Surly  (1:12:01)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicGEAR:30Blister PodcastCRAFTED Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re kicking off a new series for Bikes and Big Ideas: we’re setting out to identify the best bikes of the 21st century from over 30 brands. We’ve done a similar series over on our Gear:30 podcast for skis, but that was easy compared to doing the same for bikes.Over the next couple of weeks, you’ll be hearing about our choices. We’re also including a survey, as we want to hear from you. Additionally, we’ll be sending the same survey to some bike industry luminaries, too.Once we've reviewed an array of brands, we’ll discuss how our selections align with your answers.And for our grand finale of this series, we’re going to offer our choices for the Very Best Bikes of the Century. It may seem like an impossible task, but we’re hoping we can agree on a top 10, maybe even a top 3, and if the stars align, one single bike. Or, we may never speak to each other again, but we’re willing to take that risk.Part 1 kicks off with Simon Stewart, David Golay, Dylan Wood, and Xan Marshland.Note: We Want to Hear From You!Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on Bikes and Big Ideas. Email us at info@blisterreview.com to weigh in.RELATED LINKS:Best Bikes of the Century SurveyBlister Craft CollectiveBlister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Yeti (1:58)Klein (8:20)GT (11:11)Turner (13:57)Titus (18:40)Intense (22:05)Ibis (23:41)Rocky Mountain (28:05)Kona (31:40)Giant (36:14)Santa Cruz (40:08)Cannondale (49:48)Specialized (54:28)Gary Fisher (1:05:25)Trek (1:08:36)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The days are getting short and the weather is turning foul, but we’re still testing a ton of new bikes and gear. David Golay and Zack Henderson sat down to discuss a bunch of it, including the very burly Priority Vanth, the super lively Propain Hugene, a bunch of wet-weather apparel, and more.RELATED LINKS:SennzaFinneBlister Craft CollectiveBlister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Wet weather gear (2:47)Propain Hugene (18:00)Priority Vanth (29:14)FSA KFX i28 XC/Trail wheels (40:05)MRP Lift V2 damper (46:31)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since its inception in 2001, Red Bull Rampage has demanded athletes walk a fine line between risk and reward, and the unfortunate injuries that go with that have been numerous. But with four riders heli-evac’d with serious injuries, this year’s Rampage was arguably the heaviest we’ve seen, and has left us with many questions about how, and if, the event should continue. Shortly afterward, several of our reviewers weighed in with their thoughts in our “Debatable” series, which asked the question, “should Rampage be shut down?” Today, we continue that conversation with an open (and quite passionate) discussion on what we think needs to happen to make the event safer for the athletes, more transparent to the fans, and ideally better to watch, too.RELATED LINKS:Debatable: Should Rampage Be Shut DownBlister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideGet Our Free Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Xan: The Venue (1:07)Dylan: Let the Athletes Course Correct (11:04)Simon: On-Site Medical Assessments (19:09)Zack: Expand the Event (28:34)David: Make it a Jam instead of a Comp (35:58)Jonathan: Increase Transparency, Cover Athletes (46:27)The Athlete's Decision (55:12)Our Consensus: Changes for Next Year (1:01:29)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Priority Cycles may be a new brand to the full-suspension MTB world, but they’ve got a ton of experience building belt-drive, gearbox bikes — and now they’ve launched the Vanth, a remarkably affordable high-pivot Pinion gearbox-equipped Enduro bike. So, why did Priority decide to enter the full-suspension bike market now, how did they come up with the wild-looking Vanth design, and what makes the Vanth so much more affordable than most other full-suspension gearbox bikes? We dive into all that and much more with Eddie Meek of Priority and Mike Schwartz, who served as an engineering consultant on the project.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideGet Our Free Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Introducing Eddie (3:20)The Priority brand (4:38)Introducing Mike (6:34)Why a high-pivot Enduro bike? (11:20)Other prototypes (16:01)Marketing the Vanth as a brand not known for MTBs (20:55)Belt vs. chain drive for a gearbox (27:53)The Vanth (38:10)Kinematic goals (45:00)Frame materials (51:43)Pricing & availability (56:45)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Madrone Cycles got its start making parts to repair a variety of SRAM mountain bike derailleurs, but now they’re taking on a much more ambitious project: building their own derailleur from the ground up. Third-party derailleurs had a brief run in the earlier days of mountain biking, but SRAM and Shimano have completely dominated the market for decades now. So why is Madrone taking on the big players now, and what sets their new Jab derailleur apart? We sat down with Madrone founder, Aaron Bland, to discuss all that and more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideGet Our Free Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Founding Madrone & starting with SRAM derailleur rebuilds (1:57)Electronic shifting & the resurgence of third-party mechanical derailleurs (4:02)The hardest details to get right (12:57)Evolution of the Jab design (17:25)Serviceability & Madrone’s rebuild service (22:58)Clutch & pivot designs (27:43)Modularity (32:26)Jab options (41:34)What’s next from Madrone? (47:37)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rocket Ramps built a progressive bike park in the sovereign nation of Picuris Pueblo in northern New Mexico that has grabbed headlines and the attention of slopestyle athletes. We caught up with Rocket Ramps founder Henry Lanman to get the story behind the project and to find out what else they’re up to. Henry talks about their mission to grow the action sports scene in New Mexico, the science of ramp building, and why building a rad mountain bike trail is like cooking an amazing dinner for your friends (that lasts a lot longer).RELATED LINKS:Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideGet Our Free Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:How Rocket Ramps got Started (2:33)The Most Important Part of a Good Ramp (14:20)The First Flat Packed Ramp Kits (18:09)Dirt vs Wood (22:13)Building Action Sports Infrastructure (26:18)The Crazy Big Lines of the Picuris Pueblo Bike Park (29:54)Funding Trail Development in New Mexico (39:04)What's Next for Rocket Ramps? (43:55)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.