The NSMB Podcast

Whistler World Cup: The Debrief

Whistler just hosted its first-ever UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup, and a few hours after the final runs, Pete Roggeman, Mike Ferrentino, Uncle Dave, and Deniz Merdano sat down to unpack the weekend. We talk about how the new track actually rode, the roots and line choices that punished small mistakes, the huge gaps in the results, and the pressure of racing a World Cup on home soil. We also get into Asa Vermette’s win, Vali Holl’s continued run of form, some spectacular crashes, the junior racing, and the people and machinery behind a modern World Cup team. Recorded immediately after finals, this is the NSMB crew’s first take on Whistler’s first World Cup downhill.

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From Riding Whistler to Racing It – Jackson Goldstone’s Dad on the Journey

Your kid wins a World Championship, and the whole world sees the highlights. What they don’t see is what happens behind the scenes: the nerves, the travel, the quiet moments between the races, and the reality of watching your child take risks at the highest level of the sport. For this episode of the NSMB Podcast, I’m joined by Ron Goldstone, father of two-time Elite Men’s Downhill World Champion Jackson Goldstone, just days before Jackson races the first-ever World Cup Downhill race where he grew up riding. Ron takes us back to Jackson’s early years on a bike, from BMX racing and learning to race gates to thousands of laps at Whistler, Squamish, and beyond. We talk about the value of simply spending time on a bike, riding different disciplines, and developing the confidence to make split-second decisions when the consequences are high. But this conversation goes beyond racing. Ron talks openly about watching Jackson grow from a kid riding bikes in Squamish into a two-time World Champion, what it’s like seeing your son on billboards, and how life changes when what started as a passion becomes the centre of your family’s calendar. We also get into some of the harder parts of that journey, including a devastating house fire that destroyed much of the family home and irreplaceable memorabilia, what comes with being one of the sport’s most recognizable riders, and the challenge of balancing Jackson’s growing profile with the things that made riding bikes special in the first place. With the World Cup finally coming to Whistler, Ron offers a unique perspective on what it means to watch your kid take on the sport’s biggest stages, and to realize that the life you’re living now looks very different from the one you imagined 25 years ago.

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From Flag Tape To Finish Line: Building Whistler's World Cup Track with Marty Gautrey

A World Cup downhill track looks like pure speed on race day, but the real story is the years of scouting, digging, carrying rock, and second-guessing every corner so the world’s fastest riders can push the pace and the sport forward. I connected with Marty Gautry, Whistler Blackcomb’s bike park trail crew manager, to unpack how Whistler’s trails evolved from early, make-it-work machine builds into the modern “science” of jump shaping, landings, and high-traffic maintenance. Along the way, we get into what riders rarely see: how often A-Line gets rebuilt, why irrigation both helps and hurts, and what it takes to keep iconic lines running from spring through late fall. Then we go deep on Creekside and the long build toward the 1199 World Cup downhill track. Marty explains why the line was so hard to “connect,” how the rock garden demanded thousands of hours of armouring, and shares that access roads for patrol and emergency response can cost as much as the trail itself. We also talk about the pressure of building for the speed of elite racers, where top riders may take sections with no brakes, forcing late changes to corners, landings, and compressions to keep things fast but safe. We close with the big questions: should the 1199 World Cup track be open to the public, how do you manage that without destroying it, and what does it mean to showcase a race line that cuts through one of the most beautiful forests in British Columbia? If you care about trail building, downhill mountain bike racing, Whistler Bike Park history, or the behind-the-scenes work that makes progression possible, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a mate, and leave a review along with your thoughts on whether anyone else should get to ride it.

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Whistler's Downhill World Cup Moment, with Wendy Robinson

A World Cup downhill doesn’t land in your backyard by accident. Wendy Robinson of Whistler Blackcomb joins us to share how Whistler’s first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup came together, from the earliest rumours to the decisions that made it real. We talk through how the 1199 Stevie Smith Tribute Track came together over the years: scouting an alignment in the Creekside zone, inviting elite athletes for track walks, and adjusting features, transitions, and line options based on pro rider feedback. Wendy also explains why this isn’t only about one marquee race weekend. A true World Cup-level downhill track becomes a training ground that helps Canadian riders and juniors build skills on terrain that matches the pace, pressure, and technical demands of modern downhill mountain biking. Then we get into the less-visible work that makes the show run: safety systems like World Cup-grade alpine netting and deflection fencing, start-ramp adjustments, paddock and expo planning, and how Whistler approaches crowd energy without risking the kind of finish-line chaos we’ve seen elsewhere. We also share spectator tips, including why qualifying day can be the best time to support local talent before finals and to see intense racing as the entry list is cut back for Sunday. If you care about Whistler, racing, or what it takes to host a global mountain bike event, hit play. Subscribe, share this with your friends, and leave a review with your prediction: who thrives on 1199?

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From Cult To Singletrack

What if the trail that scares you most is the one that finally sets you free? We sit down with illustrator and writer Cy Whitling to chart a life that moved from a Christian nationalist upbringing in northern Idaho to the loamy corners of Bellingham, where bikes, art, and community remapped everything. Cy shares how a humble hardtail, a generous shop mentor, and a dog-eared Kona catalog cracked open a worldview built on fear. College layered in skiing, search and rescue, and daily contact with people whose empathy outshone dogma, leading to the hard choice to cut ties and build a chosen family. From there, the conversation digs into identity and inclusion. Cy explains why he came out as bi while releasing a Pride poster, the backlash that followed, and the deeper connections that made it worth it. We explore queerness in mountain biking—how pronouns and representation signal safety, why bisexuality is often misunderstood, and where the industry quietly leads with real people doing real work. His art choices are purpose-built: animal characters to widen identification, a notes-app pipeline to capture trailhead truths, and weekly comics that make riders feel seen. We talk creative process, deadlines, and how to balance integrity with sustainability without turning art into merch purgatory. Finally, we ride west. A solo road trip to Seattle and Bellingham becomes a revelation: steep loam, rock rolls, and a birthday party reached by bike, not car. Cy’s skills jump by necessity, pulled forward by friends who ride the impossible and a community that makes fast feel safe. He contrasts mountain biking’s professionalism with skiing’s precarity, reflects on avalanche fatalities that changed his risk tolerance, and shares why he’s still hungry to make work that gives more than it takes. Hit play for a story about leaving control, choosing compassion, and finding home on two wheels. If this conversation moves you, follow, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find it.

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From Welder to Toolmaker: How Jason Quade Built Abbey Bike Tools

Precision isn't just a goal for Abbey Tools founder Jason Quaid—it's a religion. From humble beginnings as a welder crafting nuclear-grade pressure vessels to becoming the creator of the cycling world's most coveted tools, Jason's journey exemplifies how passion and craftsmanship can transform an industry. The story begins with a simple phone call and a modified lockring tool that would become known as the "Crombie Tool." What started as a favor for a fellow race mechanic quickly evolved into a business when Jason brought his first batch of 100 tools to the Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Oregon. Every mechanic with cash in their pocket bought one, and those who didn't returned the next day. That immediate validation launched Abbey Tools into existence. Unlike most manufacturing operations today, Abbey maintains control over nearly every aspect of production at their facility in Bend. The five-person operation machines, weld, and assemble each tool with meticulous attention to detail. "We spend almost as much time inspecting the parts that go into the HAG (Hanger Alignment Gauge) as we do making them," Jason explains. This commitment to quality is evident in products like their titanium hammer—a tool that Jason initially thought was "one of the dumbest things anybody had ever asked me to make," but later realized had elegance and utility. What makes Abbey's approach unique is their unwavering focus on function while still creating tools beautiful enough to be considered functional art. Though initially designed with professional race mechanics in mind, their tools have found an enthusiastic audience among home mechanics who appreciate quality equipment. From bottom bracket sockets to their renowned truing stand, each piece reflects Jason's philosophy that if you're going to invest in the precise engineering and execution, why not make the finished product visually stunning too? Whether you're a professional wrench or a weekend warrior who takes pride in maintaining your own bikes, Abbey Tools represents the pinnacle of quality in an industry where precision increasingly matters. As drivetrains evolve from 8 speeds to 13 in the same hub space, the margin for error shrinks—making tools that deliver exacting results more valuable than ever. Want to see craftsmanship elevated to an art form? Explore what happens when a skilled tradesman brings his expertise to the cycling world and refuses to compromise on quality.

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From Podium to Production: Building We Are One Composites

When Dustin Adams founded We Are One Composites in 2017, the mountain biking industry experts said it couldn't be done. Manufacturing carbon fiber rims in Canada? Economically impossible. Yet Adams, a former World Cup downhill racer with podium finishes and Canadian Championship titles to his name, wasn't deterred by conventional wisdom. Selling everything he owned—including his comfortable Squamish home—Adams moved his family to Kamloops, bought a "rat-infested" house that needed work, and started We Are One with just five people and enough cash to last eight months. The pressure was immense, but the team delivered, pioneering revolutionary manufacturing techniques that allowed them to produce carbon rims with "Class A out of the mold" finishes that eliminated costly post-production work. This behind-the-scenes conversation reveals the stunning reality of building a manufacturing business with minimal investment in an industry dominated by Asian production. Adams speaks candidly about his extraordinary journey from making those first carbon rims to fulfilling his boyhood dream of creating the Arrival—a fully Canadian-made carbon fiber mountain bike that received universal praise for its ride quality and construction. The discussion takes unexpected turns as Adams explains why production of the Arrival was paused despite representing 50% of company revenue, and how We Are One's unique manufacturing approach has positioned them perfectly to navigate recent tariff challenges that are devastating competitors. His insights into the current state of mountain biking—including the rapid shift toward electric mountain bikes and what that means for traditional bike manufacturers—provide a fascinating glimpse into industry trends. Perhaps most moving is Adams' commitment to giving back to the sport that shaped his life. Now coaching young downhill racers through the Kamloops DH Union, he's helping develop the next generation of Canadian talent. As for We Are One's future? Expansion into new product categories, continued manufacturing innovation, and perhaps—when the time is right—a return to frame production are all on the horizon.

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Wade Simmons

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Steve Vanderhoek

Deniz Merdano sits down with North Shore freerider Steve Vanderhoek to discuss his day-to-day life as a firefighter and how it influences his decisions when pioneering some of the most progressive lines on the North Shore, as well as an exciting new project that Steve is working on, set to release in the spring of 2025.

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Caleb Holonko

If you don’t know the name Caleb Holonko, you should, and you likely will soon. Caleb is one of the rising stars in the world of freeride, and he’s taken the North Shore by storm, building some incredible moves that are not only massive in scale but also clever, creative and beautiful to look at. And he rides them with heaps of style and incredible precision. Caleb’s also made a habit of putting new twists on moves others built, with the other builder’s permission. Caleb hit the train gap made famous by Kenny Smith, but he built up the lip and backflipped the enormous gap over the tracks. Similarly, Kenny built a huge step down to a suspended platform—the Rutherford Lily-pad—and Caleb gapped right over the lily-pad. It’s not all about big moves for Caleb, though; he also spends countless hours building trails that all of us can ride. He also won the builders award at Red Bull Rampage in 2023, working for Reed Boggs alongside Alan Mandel.

Mark Fitzsimmons

Unless you’ve met him at a race or listened to him on another podcast, you may not have heard of Mark Fitzsimmons, or Fitzy as he’s known to friends. He’s one of the unsung heroes of the mountain bike world. Fitzy is famous to a certain sort of person though: World Cup racers. He’s helped riders like Greg Minnaar, Aaron Gwin and Steve Peat go even faster, working for Fox Racing supporting the Santa Cruz syndicate and other race teams. More recently Mark took up motor cycle racing - virtually every kind of motor cycle racing - and he wins on both dirt and pavement. He’s a knee dragging badass and a wicked mountain biker as well. Please have a listen to my conversation with Mark Fitzsimmons where we talk about working with pro athletes, racing motorcycles, and having mountain lions as neighbours. Cam McRae

Mike Ferrentino Part 2 - From Bike Mag to Downcountry?

For our first Podcast with Mike Ferrentino, he was home on the acreage where he lives, inland from the coast up the Carmel Valley. Mike lives in a barn filled with bikes and motorcycles, the latter in various stages of decomposition. He's a decent distance from civilization, and from the internet. Mike's connectivity relies on tethering to his phone's sketchy data signal so while we were talking the first time I would lose his picture, and sometimes his voice, for long stretches. There was also a delay I was unaware of, that caused me to walk over Mike's words quite regularly. This time around Mike had a better solution. He jumped into his Ford Transit,(which he got in trade for the Sprinter he mentions in the podcast) found a spot that was quiet and set up his mic. I lost him a couple of times, and once we got disconnected completely, but overall it was like going from hieroglyphics to Morse Code. We dug a little deeper into Mike's time at bike magazine, particularly the glory days before corporate takeovers, talked about his six years working for Santa Cruz Bikes at the old cannery location, and even discussed mountain biking's newest marketing designation; Downcountry! We also talked about "shaping the destiny of mountain biking," about spectating, working for 'the man,' and being "strapped into a rocket car without a steering wheel." And this made me realize all the things we didn't cover. But those will have to wait until next time. Please enjoy our second podcast with the incomparable Mike Ferrentino.

Mike Ferrentino - Moving to America

Here’s part one of my conversation with Mike, where he talks about growing up barefoot in New Zealand, learning to fix motorcycles and bikes, moving to America, racing bikes and motos, working in shops, beginning to write about mountain biking, and getting his start at Bike Magazine.

Kasper Woolley – Coming of Age

Our guest for the latest NSMB Podcast and the first of our Coming of Age series is Kasper Woolley, a young and fast EWS athlete now racing for the Yeti/OneUp Pro EWS team who hails from Squamish, B.C. Kasper first caught the eye of brands as a young junior, after his stage results at a local race were faster than the pro men. Since then, Kasper has grown stronger on the bike and in 2020 made heaps of noise showcasing his speed and cornering skills in a series of short videos. His talent and hard work paid off during the 2020 Crankworx Summer Series, where he was a regular on the podium and the top Canadian EWS athlete at the events, whether enduro or downhill. Kasper went on to close the race season with a win at the Big Mountain Enduro in Winter Park, beating Richie Rude in the process. Now part of the Yeti/OneUp EWS team with Jared Graves, Kasper’s pitting at the racers with the Yeti Factory team and getting comfortable with the benefits of race day support. Being young, one might expect Kasper to be all over social media, but he prefers to provide value to his partners through racing, which takes priority over banger video clips. A refreshing perspective, particularly coming from a young athlete.

Ben Arnott

Our guest for the latest NSMB Podcast is Ben Arnott, a World Cup downhill mechanic, engineer, and small business owner. Ben spent several years working as the head mechanic for Trek World Racing and the YT Mob and the stories from his time following the circus provide a fascinating look into the World Cup. For six of his years with the teams, Ben was also responsible for the team truck. He got to know it intimately while driving the large rig on the small, European mountain roads to each venue. But Ben recently pulled back from wrenching for World Cup athletes like Greg Williamson, Angel Suarez, and David Trummer. Instead, he's remained in Canada for the first summer since immigrating and is focused on sharpening his engineering skills with OneUp Components. He hasn't completely left the wrenching world either and keeps his hands busy servicing products from Formula and EXT, which he imports through his distribution business, Alba. And while no longer wrenching on the World Cup, he's not saying it will never happen again.

Chris Porter (Part 2): Big Mouth Strikes Again

Chris Porter joins A.J. Barlas for another episode of the NSMB Podcast and once again, it's a brain-tickler. Our first conversation shared stories of Chris's background, giving a better understanding of the man behind the ideas having a resounding impact on the sport. With Chris’s blessing, part two has been labelled Big Mouth Strikes Again. He sees things through a different coloured lens and isn’t afraid to share his opinions. Not everyone will agree with his thoughts, but his musings can spark ideas and leave you contemplating things not previously considered. I always come away from our conversations with an appreciation for new perspectives and I hope listeners can, too.

Chris Porter – Part 1

Mountain bikes have evolved tremendously in the last five years but before then, media and marketing had already nudged the term longer, lower, slacker beyond the edge of being a cliché. The alarmingly incremental progress made to bike shapes is at least partly to blame for the term being worn thin. During this time one person, in particular, established a name for themselves, and a company to serve riders interested in leaping ahead. Chris Porter is better known today for what was a unique approach to bike shape, one that’s slowly becoming more mainstream with each model year. And whether or not you find yourself agreeing with his thoughts, they at least tickle the mind. But who is Chris Porter? Where is he from? What led him down the path to the current day, one where some have labelled him the godfather of modern mountain bike geometry. For years, his thought-provoking ideas on mountain bikes have challenged what people believe to be right, and I wanted to know more about where those ideas stem from? Chris is immensely passionate about riding on two wheels, whether a motorcycle or mountain bike, which is clear when listening to him share some of his experiences – genuine emotion can be heard in his voice. That love, coupled with a desire to improve the experience is a large part of what drives him. While this episode, the first of two planned with Chris was primarily to discuss his background, there is some discussion on the technical aspects of mountain bikes in the latter half. We'll be connecting again shortly to dive deeper into some of these topics and poke the industry bear a little too.

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Katy Winton

But none of those lessons could prepare her for the latest challenge faced at the end of 2020. After a messed-up year, thanks mostly to the world turning on its head, Katy found herself without support to continue her career as a professional E.W.S. athlete. The lessons learned during her prior low were no match for the uncertainty and lack of direction she faced this off-season. Not knowing what lays ahead makes it hard to motivate or set goals for the coming year. Scrambling, Katy had countless conversations with teams and brands but ultimately kept receiving dreaded rejections. Not everything was lost though, and Katy found support from a large brand that believed in her. That belief provided her with the assurance needed to soldier on and sparked a renewed focus for the sort of brands she wants to align with. Katy’s saga, as it’s being referred to, is as muddy as it gets. Timing, status, the global pandemic, and gender each affected the situation. But she's made it through with a renewed energy to get after it and a fire that burns hot.

Kyle Warner

What actions will inspire someone to make a better life for themselves? Those of our childhood heroes, our friends and parents, or a complete stranger can have a lasting impact but how about a video game? Growing up, Kyle Warner dealt with many daily challenges. As a teenager, he was looking after his clinically depressed mother, they lost their home, and his older brother had a drug addiction. But the video game, Downhill Domination, and Eric Carter’s character in that game sparked something in Kyle. Kyle fell in love with the sport. Once he got a bike, riding became a positive outlet, bringing joy and an escape from the trouble at home. He declared, mountain bikes were going to be his life and set goals to become a professional racer. Now he's shifted his focus from racing to helping others get into the sport. His YouTube channel has grown rapidly and an active community of followers share stories of saved marriages and a new direction in life, just like Kyle discovered when he found bikes. Kyle's story is one that I’m excited to share. It’s humbling, emotional and left me speechless several times. He’s a great human, genuine, soft-spoken and motivated to help people by spreading the positive impact that bikes can have. Welcome to the latest episode of the NSMB Podcast and our conversation with Kyle Warner.

Steep Seat Tube Angles & Their Effect on Riders w/ Coach, Joel Harwood

For every rider frothing about their new bike with a steeper seat tube angle, there are plenty who feel things are going too far. Claims of poor power and efficiency accompany complaints of sore hands, knees and backside but what if the seat angle alone isn’t the cause? With many happy to see steeper seat tube angles on modern mountain bikes, the complaints from those unimpressed by the changes got A.J. Barlas thinking; Is the steeper seat tube angle going too far for the majority, and how does it affect our biomechanics on the bike? After a year of on and off research on the topic, A.J. reached out to a performance coach with education in exercise physiology. Joel Harwood is the founder of Blueprint Athlete Development and works with a range of World Cup and EWS calibre athletes. Joel simplified the science while also raising points that all riders, whether comfortable with steep seat angles or not, could consider when on their bike.