AARON GWIN - The Inside Line MTB Podcast 12

Is Aaron Gwin over-worked? He doesn't seem to think so.

sspomer
3/8/2024 6:07pm
GwinA

With the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill season fast approaching, we talk with Aaron Gwin about his move to Crestline Bikes,  how his 2023 injury is healing, why he has like 497 different jobs, including being the owner of  Windrock Bike Park, and how he thinks he'll handle racing this year.

 
 



Interview Topics

  • 0:00 - Intro, Move to Crestline Bikes
  • 3:05 - Did Aaron Spend Personal Money for the New Team?
  • 4:27 - Why Did the News Take So Long?
  • 5:57 - How'd He Keep the Team Rumor Secret?
  • 9:10 - From Vee Tires to e.13 Tires - Is There Really a Difference?
  • 11:42 - The Day He Realized He We Would Be Off Intense
  • 16:17 - Did Aaron Try to Be a Part of Big Brand?
  • 21:36 - Does the Frame's Suspension Platform Matter Any More?
  • 24:55 - Gwin's Crestline DH Bike Weight
  • 26:56 - Does He Still Run Firm Suspension?
  • 32:32 - Dakotah Norton
  • 35:51 - Are There Enough Crestline Frames for the 2024 Season?
  • 41:39 - Windrock for World Cup DH Training and Making Trails Harder
  • 45:32 - What Goes on at a Red Bull Athlete Camp?
  • 53:39 - World Cup Snow DH, Cool or Lame?
  • 54:18 - Aaron Gwin's 2023 Injury in Detail
  • 1:07:02 - World Champs is Gwin's 2024 Goal and He Thinks He Can Win
  • 1:09:35 - Does a Winning DH Run Have to Be Out of Control?
  • 1:12:27 - Jackson Goldstone and How to Compete Against Him?
  • 1:17:43 - Gwin Racing at the World Cups
  • 1:20:17 - Why Aaron Gwin has Like 53 Different Jobs
  • 1:26:55 - The Future of Windrock Bike Park - Host a World Cup? Get a Chairlift?
  • 1:32:31 - Favorite Bike He's Ridden in the Past? YouTube Habits and Life Outside of California

Aaron's AirBNB Listing in North Carolina

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12 comments

View replies to: AARON GWIN - The Inside Line MTB Podcast

c50 IMG 5400 1611255885
OMP77
1 month ago

Thanks Spomer for asking great questions and thanks Aaron for sharing so much!  Hearing the insight from a person who has excelled in sport and business is awesome. Would think every NICA athlete should listen into this- good stuff for life in general here. 

2
c50 s1600 Bizutch Butch Greene 1640094179
bizutch
1 month ago

The ownership interest route mirrors the way one of his sponsors former owner's earned their percentage stake before taking a buyout.
Sweat/creative equity ownership as opposed to being an employee/contracted hire.

Wonder if that is coincidence?  

1
c50 water bike
Dave_Camp
2 months ago

Good stuff!  Thanks for answering the stupid forum questions.  haha

 

Edit- I broke my elbow exactly the same in Moab.  Flipped over the bars, caught myself with my hands and split the radial head- elbow never even touched the ground.  Mine healed a bit faster though- no issues 10 years later.  

3
c50 VDSWorlds21AS6I4836 1632345336
ARonBurgundy
2 months ago

To clear up something Aaron said in regards to tires, CST does not make Maxxis tires. CST and Maxxis are both brands under the Cheng Shin Rubber parent company. Each have their own engineering and manufacturing. Maxxis and CST do make tires for many other brands though. 

4
c50 88521480 1251936778
TEAMROBOT
2 months ago

Aaron is pretty high up in Maxxis, so I'm gonna assume when he says "separate manufacturing" he knows what he's talking about. If I'm tracking, he's saying "CST makes Maxxis" is kinda like saying Cadillac makes Buicks, when they're both separate brands owned and made by GM. Cheng Shin Rubber makes Maxxis and CST (Cheng Shin Tires), separate brands that apparently have their own engineering and manufacturing.

3
c50 headshotpinkbike 1517420629
bman33
2 months ago

The general motors analogy is pretty close. However, Cheng Shin is Cheng Shin Cheng Shin rubber. It's more like staying general motors, trucks and general motors in general. I'm not in industry now, but was for decades and especially when Max's tires were opening up their new warehouses in Atlanta area and sponsoring folks in the Southeast. Southeast. All of our boxes came marked CST full of Maxxiss tires. I don't care the way. Just putting out those points

2
c50 VDSWorlds21AS6I4836 1632345336
ARonBurgundy
2 months ago

Thanks @TEAMROBOT 

Maxxis has its development, production, and sales in Taiwan. CST has completely separate teams in China. 
 

If you want to get pedantic you could say Cheng Shin Rubber makes Maxxis’ tires. And they also make CST’s tires. That’s all I’m trying to convey. 

1
c50 s1600 Bizutch Butch Greene 1640094179
bizutch
2 months ago

Nightmare Word association for old moto guys = Cheng Shin

The irony of my teenage motocross dream: You were the poor kid on race day if you had a fresh Cheng Shin tire on the gate. Guys would POINT and laugh over the sound of a KX 125 on the line. Silly 

Everyone knew that Dunlop and Metzeler were softer compound, more grip, better patterns.  
Having a Cheng Shin meant rock hard rubber, no grip & they'd would never dry rot in the shed 

They were like when I showed up to school wearing the Sears catalog jacket rip-off of the Members Only jacket. Humiliating.  

c50 88521480 1251936778
TEAMROBOT
2 months ago

Haven't finished the whole thing yet, but so far a great listen. Loved Dave Camp's question.

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