An e-bike certainly means more laps, more jumps, more drops and more trails, but what are the downsides for us traditional mountain bikers? Can an e-bike be used as a tool for progression on your mountain bike?

Dan & Sage are excited to demo Specialized Turbo Levo e-bikes for 3 days of riding! The guys use these modern marvels to session jumps and unlock MTB skills! Day 1 we went to the Trexler Nature Preserve and sessioned the Return of Brian's trail and Jack O Diamonds. Day 2 and 3 we headed to Mt Penn to hit the Skyline jumps. The progression we experienced over those 3 days was incredible!!! But we also noticed some downsides concerning the weight of the bike and power modulation.

So the question is, will Dan & Sage want to buy e-bikes now?! Listen and find out! Join the conversation about the benefits and drawbacks. Join the conversation about the benefits and drawbacks of e-bikes at https://www.youtube.com/@RideLaughPodcast or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com

TrailSage video on Specialized Levo 1st Impressions: https://youtu.be/kojuHvACxDM

MTB Gratitude of the Week

Sage: Dirtsculpt is an east coast company specializing in designing and building mountain bike trails, pump tracks and bike parks. Sage talks about his appreciation for the awesome job Dirtsculpt did building the amazing "Skyline" jump trail on Mt. Penn. Sage has gratitude to have such well-built jumps to ride, session and enjoy! Thank you Dirtsculpt!! https://dirtsculpt.com/

Dan: Keswick Cycles in Paoli & Specialized Bikes! Huge thank you to Gary, Corey, Will and the rest of the staff at Keswick Cycles in Paoli. Keswick Cycles provided the Specialized Turbo Levo e-bikes that Dan & Sage rode and talk about in this episode. Keswick Cycles is a great shop for all gear and repairs. They went above and beyond providing these e-bikes for The Ride & Laugh Podcast team! We also want to thank Specialized Bikes for their demo program. Thank you Keswick Cycles Paoli & Specialized Bikes!! https://www.instagram.com/keswickcycle.paoli/

MTB Tip of the Week

Spray your bug repellent on your clothing/gear, not on your skin! By spraying your helmet, shoulders and hydration pack, the bug spray won't sweat off your skin. Keep the gnats away with a clean bug spray (essential oils, cedar, etc) and keep the bug spray on you longer by spraying gear & clothing instead of skin! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F5NEF8

Skyline Jump Trail at Mt. Penn: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/skyline-53365/

Specialized Turbo Levo: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/c/eturbolevo

The video version of this episode is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/ksULP-iDfRU

The Ride and Laugh podcast is hosted by Dan @the_ride_abides and Sage @TrailSage. Join us as we discuss all things mountain biking! Riding technique, MTB gear, bikes, nutrition, fitness, mindset and more! Feel the gratitude. Flow on the trails, Flow in life! Please enjoy the content then like and subscribe. Join the Ride & Laugh community in the comments and/or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com.

#eMTB #MountainBike #eBike #MTBtips #MTBPodcast

Risk, reward and progression on our mountain bikes resonates with our souls! Join us for the 2nd part of our discussion about overcoming fear, unlocking your MTB skills and going for it!

Join the conversation and get stoked about unlocking your skills, focusing and overcoming obstacles! Riskier features and trails seem to be more rewarding to conquer on our mountain bikes. What are the reasons that push mountain bikers to attempt dangerous trails, jumps, drops and features? Would you (or have you already!) attempt the "White Line" in Sedona or "Portal Trail" in Moab? Flow on the bike, flow in life!

Bamba (Berks Area Mountain Biking Association): https://berksmountainbiking.org/

Phoenixville Bike Park: https://www.trailforks.com/skillpark/phoenixville-bike-park

TrailSage video on Phoenixville Bike Park: https://youtu.be/f4FQOHRWmUM

MTB Gratitude of the Week

Sage: Danny & Main Line Cycles - After cracking the carbon on his trusty Ibis Mojo full suspension bike, Sage has enormous gratitude to Dan & his family for paying for the carbon repair. Limitless gratitude to Sage's shop, Main Line Cycles, for arranging the carbon repair at an incredibly reasonable price. A great shop you can check out at: https://www.mainlinecycles.com/

Dan: Phoenixville Bike Park! - Gratitude to this progressive bike park built in the small town of Phoenixville! Dan is so impressed with how much benefit the bike park contributes to the community. Kids and adults were outside riding bikes on a nice summer day. Gratitude to the Phoenixville bike park and community bike parks everywhere! https://www.morekidsonbikespa.org/donate

MTB Tip of the Week

How to visualize conquering or completing a new feature or jump on your mountain bike. Sage advises seeing yourself from a 3rd person perspective. Like you're the star in a movie or video! You are unlimited! You got this!!

The video version of this episode is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/tmP2WDX-ZOo

The Ride and Laugh podcast is hosted by Dan @the_ride_abides and Sage @TrailSage. Join us as we discuss all things mountain biking! Riding technique, MTB gear, bikes, nutrition, fitness, mindset and more! Feel the gratitude. Flow on the trails, Flow in life! Please enjoy the content then like and subscribe. Join the Ride & Laugh community in the comments and/or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com.

#MTB #MountainBike #MTBtips #MTBPodcast

Trusting our bike skills and fully committing to a feature on the trail feels good! Why do some mountain bikers thrive on high consequence challenges like jumps, drops, features and tech?

Entering the flow state on our mountain bikes is achieved with skill, enthusiasm and confidence! When we're flowing, we know that anything is possible! We seek out challenges on the trail that may seem risky or silly to non-riders. But as mountain bikers, achieving competence or mastery of these challenges raises our 'stoke-meters' through the roof!

The guys reference two previous episodes which you can find here: Strava: The App We Love and Love to Hate: https://youtu.be/kkpVMH3fZek Look Ma, No Gels! MTB Nutrition like you've never heard before: https://youtu.be/jOqFp9L8qo0

Dan discusses his ride at Hawes trail system in Arizona. See his route here: https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/71975457/

MTB Gratitude of the Week

Sage: Health - Sage is grateful to wake up each day feeling good. Each day we wake up feeling strong, fit and healthy is a good day! Sage appreciates his healthy and resilient body. Thanks to our bodies we get to enjoy the amazing sport of mountain biking (and so much more!). Extra gratitude for avoiding injury on a dangerous fall recently!

Dan: Metabolic Flexibility! - Dan appreciates his body's ability to burn fat as fuel. This amazing adaptation that all humans have unlocks metabolic flexibility. Dan can easily fast (skip meals) for long periods. This ability has been really useful this week with Dan travelling and working long hours at work. No need to eat! It's a super-power that is really useful on the trails as well! The human body is amazing! Thank you universe!

MTB Tip of the Week

How to properly shift into an easier gear while putting down intense power on a mountain bike climb. Find the spot in your pedal stroke where you can let up a little bit... that's your opportunity to shift into an easier gear 'under load.'

The video version of this episode is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/1iBB6t9-uSc

The Ride and Laugh podcast is hosted by Dan @the_ride_abides and Sage @TrailSage. Join us as we discuss all things mountain biking! Riding technique, MTB gear, bikes, nutrition, fitness, mindset and more! Feel the gratitude. Flow on the trails, Flow in life! Please enjoy the content then like and subscribe. Join the Ride & Laugh community in the comments and/or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com.

#MTB #MountainBike #MTBtips #MTBPodcast

Overcoming difficult obstacles on the mountain bike, and in life, are key elements of progression, stoke and joy. Does conquering fears on the trails lead to more fun and how challenging do you want your local trails to be?

We're here to progress our skills on the trail and progress in life! Do hard things, feel good and unlock your mountain bike skills! It feels good to work hard and overcome obstacles. Dan and Sage debate how difficult trails should be. Should the trails be doable for everyone, or progressive for beginners to experts? Do you prefer tech trails or flow trails? Listen along, laugh and comment! We appreciate you!

Dan talks about riding Gold Canyon and South Mountain. Dan's Gold Canyon Ride: https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/71975454/ South Mountain Preserve: https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/71975456/

Check out the TrailSage video with the TrailBoss, Jeff Lenosky, here: https://youtu.be/Mji_9T5eogA

MTB Gratitude of the Week

Sage: Honda Odyssey - Sage's trusty Honda minivan has been a reliable mountain bike adventure machine! From Sage's daily driver to MTB day trips to week-long MTB adventures, the Honda Odyssey has been the perfect vehicle for hauling bikes, gear and riders! Thank you Honda Odyssey!

Dan: Platinum Sol - Dan talks about trying cold plunge! It's really hard but feels really good. Dan's wife found Platinum Sol in Arizona for sauna, red-light therapy and cold plunge. The owners and staff are so supportive and kind. Thank you Matt, Klaire & Platinum Sol! Learn more about Platinum Sol here: https://www.platinumsolaz.com/

MTB Tip of the Week

Make sure the camera on your phone is set up for 4k and 60 frames per second. This will give you good quality video and allow you to slow it down in case you want to study the footage.

The video version of this episode is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/FcMIzcp8rSE

The Ride and Laugh podcast is hosted by Dan @the_ride_abides and Sage @TrailSage. Join us as we discuss all things mountain biking! Riding technique, MTB gear, bikes, nutrition, fitness, mindset and more! Feel the gratitude. Flow on the trails, Flow in life! Please enjoy the content then like and subscribe. Join the Ride & Laugh community in the comments and/or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com.

#MTB #MountainBike #MTBtips #MTBPodcast

MTB terms that we use all the time on the trails are stranger, and funnier, than we ever realized! Terms like 'babyhead rocks' and 'false-flat' are ubiquitous to mountain biking, but actually sound kind of weird & crazy when you really think about it!

Dan & Sage discuss and joke about all thing’s mountain biking. Would you date a mountain biker? Do you agree on our take on group riding dynamics? What's the difference between babyheads vs. rock-gardens? Laugh and comment on more benefits (and drawbacks) of single speeds, MTB dating apps, dirt jumpers, electric toothbrushes and more!

Dan visited the Phoenixville Bike Park with his daughter Ella and had an awesome time. If you want to learn more about the Phoenixville Bike Park visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PXVBP and if you want to support this worthy mission check out “More Kids On Bikes” https://www.morekidsonbikespa.org

TrailSage video about the Phoenixville Bike Park: https://youtu.be/f4FQOHRWmUM

Dan & Sage's ride this week was at Walking Purchase Park aka Sals https://www.trailforks.com/region/walking-purchase-park

Learn more and support the park at VMB or Valley Mountain Bikers here: https://www.bikevmb.com

MTB Gratitude of the Week

Sage: Sage thanks his good friend Jess who hires him for freelance production work. This work really helps to sustain Sage's MTB lifestyle (and channels!). Thank you Jess!

Dan: Dan has so much gratitude for his daughters, Ella (13) & Summer (10). After a great day of riding bikes with Ella and then attending Summer's elementary graduation, Dan is just overflowing with gratitude and love for his wonderful children. Life is good! Thank you kids!

MTB Tip of the Week

Save your old toothbrushes to clean your bike. Manual toothbrushes work better than electric. LOL! Bonus tip - Dish Soap doubles as a cheap degreaser!

The video version of this episode is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/YuGx8JWPKF0

The Ride and Laugh podcast is hosted by Dan @the_ride_abides and Sage @TrailSage. Join us as we discuss all things mountain biking! Riding technique, MTB gear, bikes, nutrition, fitness, mindset and more! Feel the gratitude. Flow on the trails, Flow in life! Please enjoy the content then like and subscribe. Join the Ride & Laugh community in the comments and/or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com.

#MTB #MountainBike #MTBtips #MTBPodcast

The boys are stoked on conquering some awesome features on their latest mountain bike ride. Join an absolutely hilarious conversation about riding MTB's on boulders, slabs, skinnies and a new diabolical rotating feature that we're going to name together!

The enthusiasm and joy is flowing this week! Join Dan & Sage as they laugh and joke about jank, gnar, tech, slabs, skinnies, single speeds, bloomin arse's, gears, Dee Snyder and more! We ride features, meet the trail builders and are so stoked to share our joy with you!

MTB Gratitude of the Week

Sage: Trail Builders at Mt. Penn! New skinnies, trails and technical trails (aka 'lines') keep popping up at Mt. Penn, our favorite riding spot in PA. Thank you Dane, Fred & all trail builders for building awesome and challenging features! We appreciate you!

Dan: Cameras! Whether it's your phone or an action camera, taking photos on the ride adds to the stoke and keeps the stoke going long after the ride! Thank you trail cameras!

MTB Tip of the Week

Learn how to remove all the air from your hydration pack bladder. No more sloshing water while you ride!

The video version of this episode is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/weID1CfCxGg

The Ride and Laugh podcast is hosted by Dan @the_ride_abides and Sage @TrailSage. Join us as we discuss all things mountain biking! Riding technique, MTB gear, bikes, nutrition, fitness, mindset and more! Feel the gratitude. Flow on the trails, Flow in life! Please enjoy the content then like and subscribe. Join the Ride & Laugh community in the comments and/or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com.

#MTB #MountainBike #MTBtips #MTBcoaching #MTBPodcast

Maximize the fun on each and every mountain bike ride! Raise the vibration of yourself and your friends before, during, and after each MTB ride and unlock unlimited confidence, stoke, progression, joy and fun!

Dan and Sage discuss tips and methods they have learned to make each group ride as much fun as possible! Absolutely try these tips on your next ride and in life! Look for things to be enthusiastic about. Look for things to authentically compliment. Positive self-talk, avoid excuses, accept compliments and celebrate often! Let us know what raises your MTB stoke!

If you want to learn more about F1RE please visit them at: https://f1remtb.com or Check out their Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/f1remtb

MTB Gratitude of the Week

Sage takes a moment to appreciate all the friends he has met on the trails or enjoyed a mountain bike ride with. Riding with a friend can instantly make us feel better. Thank you for all the support, enthusiasm and love!

Dan: Gratitude can come in all shapes and sizes. This week Dan takes a moment to give appreciation to the weather apps on his phone. Something most mountain bikers are checking ALL the time. Knowing the forecast and planning accordingly is really nice. Thank you weather apps!

MTB Tip of the Week

Prepare your bike and riding gear the night before your next ride! Then when it's time to head to the trails, you're relaxed, not rushed and in a good head-space! Have a relaxing drive to the trail, give yourself plenty of time to get ready in the parking lot. Set yourself up for the best ride possible!

The video version of this episode is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/WVaV1-LMGXE

The Ride and Laugh podcast is hosted by Dan @the_ride_abides and Sage @TrailSage. Join us as we discuss all things mountain biking! Riding technique, MTB gear, bikes, nutrition, fitness, mindset and more! Feel the gratitude. Flow on the trails, Flow in life! Please enjoy the content then like and subscribe. Join the Ride & Laugh community in the comments and/or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com.

#MTB #MountainBike #MTBtips #MTBcoaching #MTBPodcast

Body position on your mountain bike affects all aspects of your riding on the trail. Learn tips and techniques of how to move your body on your bike to increase speed, traction, confidence, fun and stoke!

A good mountain biker is dynamic, fluid, balanced, centered and flowing on their bike. Join a fun conversation as the guys discuss and debate the most important techniques of body position on your MTB.

Tips include how and why to get centered, stay low (lower!), keep elbows & knees fluid, eyes up, hip-hinge, bike/body separation (stay loose), turn your hips towards the trail and flat turns vs. berms. With proper bike/body separation, you will unlock your skills on the bike. Pump the trail with fluidity, confidence and flow. Flow on the bike, flow in life! Anything is possible! You've got this! Let's drop in...

MTB Gratitude of the Week

Sage: Main Line Cycles - Sage's local bike shop understands the passion of mountain bike riders like us. Sage has so much appreciation for the shop as they prioritize his repairs and always take good care of his bikes and gear. Thank you Main Line Cycles! Thank you local bike shops everywhere! Check out their Insta @mainline.cycles or visit them at https://www.mainlinecycles.com/

Dan: Michael's Restaurant - Michael's is the diner Dan, Sage & Stick frequent after most local mtb rides. The owners and servers are so friendly and courteous. Food is great too! But more than anything, Dan expresses his gratitude for the conversation with buddies after the ride. Thank you Michael’s Restaurant! Thank you all diners/restaurants that put up with us staying too long... sipping coffee, munching on muffins and talking bikes! Life is good! https://maps.app.goo.gl/csfURCorZY2xvX7m9

MTB Tip of the Week

Move your hips in the direction of the trail. Today's tip is to visualize a flashlight in your belly button and it's shining at the exit of the turn. Get those hips around & flow through turns!

The video version of this episode is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/sJoNpuP25UY

The Ride and Laugh podcast is hosted by Dan @the_ride_abides and Sage @TrailSage. Join us as we discuss all things mountain biking! Riding technique, MTB gear, bikes, nutrition, fitness, mindset and more! Feel the gratitude. Flow on the trails, Flow in life! Please enjoy the content then like and subscribe. Join the Ride & Laugh community in the comments and/or rideandlaugh1@gmail.com.

#MTB #MountainBike #MTBtips #MTBcoaching #MTBPodcast