The Specialized Podcast

Outride | Science Says Ride to Think Better and Feel Better

What if science proved what riders already know? That riding clears your head. Sharpens your focus. Improves your mood. Connects you to yourself, to others, and to the world around you. In this episode of the Specialized Podcast, host Ben Capron sits down with Esther Walker, Executive Director of the Outride Foundation, to explore the growing body of research showing how riding bikes positively impacts brain health, mental well-being, cognitive performance, and human connection. Outride began with a simple question inspired by Specialized founder Mike Sinyard after reading an article titled Cycling Is My Ritalin: could riding a bike measurably improve focus and cognitive function, particularly for people with ADHD? That question launched years of scientific research in partnership with institutions like Stanford University and helped spark programs that have now reached more than 400 schools and impacted more than 500,000 students across North America. Rather than hype or speculation, this episode offers a human and science-backed look at why riding helps us think, feel, and flourish,covering: * How riding improves focus, executive function, mood, and stress regulation * Why consistency matters more than intensity when it comes to brain health * How Stanford researchers measured real-time brain activity while riding * The connection between cycling, neuroplasticity, memory, and reduced dementia risk * How Riding for Focus brings bikes, helmets, curriculum, and teacher training into schools * The power of confidence, skill building, and joy in helping students flourish * Stories from communities like the Navajo Nation, where bikes are opening new pathways for health, connection, and opportunity * How programs like Silver Stallion Bicycle & Coffee Works help sustain cycling culture through service, skills, and community * Why athletes like Demi Vollering, Christopher Blevins, and Haley Batten help amplify the Outride mission * How riders, schools, communities, brands, and volunteers can all help more people experience the benefits of cycling * Whether you ride every day, support young riders, work in education, or simply believe bikes can change lives, this conversation is a reminder that riding is more than fitness or speed. It is a powerful tool for focus, connection, confidence, and well-being. Follow Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]  [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqblBPdzJOS0NkUUdLWlcyRFFOTzhPRGk3WXJrZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuVWdNa0NGZWdJNV9uRkNOT0l2WUZyeFdKWHRrVWRkd1pxQzR5OVhycGhUbHQ0amgyNHRuVENMdmVzaE96cFhpVlFtdXFDTnc1VS1hRWNWT1Z2dUlUYVR4UXZVUUVQeVJWOFNhTFl3Tm4xWWNtdFk1MA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Foutride%2F&v=Rq_R--XdlcY] Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling. Get More from Specialized TikTok: @specializedbicycles [https://www.tiktok.com/@specializedbicycles] Instagram: @iamspecialized [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc Facebook: specializedbicycles [https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles] Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]

Body Geometry | Remco’s Secret to More Power and Less Pain.

How do top pros like Remco Evenepoel and Demi Vollering stay powerful, efficient, and pain-free for hours at race intensity? They do not leave fit to chance. They rely on ergonomically designed, scientifically proven Body Geometry bike fit and products built to increase performance and comfort. In this conversation about power, pain, fit, science, and the ergonomic advantage behind the fastest riders in the world, guests Jason Williams and Ashley Sult explain how Body Geometry became one of Specialized’s biggest performance advantages. They get into the origin of Body Geometry, why Specialized started studying the rider as much as the bike, and how fit data drives the product development of saddles, shoes, gloves, handlebars, and frame geometry. Ashley explains what happens when contact points are wrong, how small problems compound over time, and why the right support and adjusting the bike to fit the body improves comfort, reduces injury risk, and help riders produce power more efficiently by being more comfortable. Together, they call bullshit on old adages like “no pain, no gain”, and they make complex science understandable to identify and solve common problems like pain in the posterior, feet, neck and hands, and losing power through poor fit. They also cover the process Specialized uses to design products around the human body. This episode covers: * Why virtually every rider loses power through poor fit * Why better comfort translated to better performance * How rider data informs product development * What professional athletes reveal about fit at the highest level, and what that means to you * Why the best equipment helps the bike disappear beneath the rider * How Body Geometry helps riders reduce pain and improve performance * Why Remco, Demi, and many top pros rely on precise fit and ergonomic products * Why rider pain is not something to suffer through   * How Body Geometry started and why it became core to Specialized * Why fit, product, and performance have to work together * What the varus wedge does and why foot alignment matters * How longitudinal arch support and the metatarsal button improve foot stability * Why saddle width, shape, and pressure mapping matter for real riders GUESTS: Jason Williams and Ashley Sult Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling. Get More from Specialized TikTok: @specializedbicycles [https://www.tiktok.com/@specializedbicycles] Instagram: @iamspecialized [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc Facebook: specializedbicycles [https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles] Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]

Epic 9 | Creating the Fastest XC Bike Ever

You know Christopher Blevins from his record-breaking 2025 season, where he finished #1 in UCI XC points, claimed both the XCO and XCC overall titles, and helped the Specialized Factory XC Team sweep the World Cup podium twice aboard Epic 8. So why change the bike? Because lead engineer Jason McDonald and the rest of the Specialized Science Club knew they could make it faster. In this episode, Jason explains how the team started with Epic 8’s world-beating benchmark, then removed what held it back: 206 grams gone, making Epic 9 the lightest full-suspension XC race bike on the planet. Then he gets into how suspension friction was cut by 11%, how kinematics were optimized, and how it all adds up to unmatched efficiency, capability, and speed per watt. Christopher shares what modern World Cup XC racing demands at full speed, how Epic 9 feels on course, and why control, confidence, and composure now matter as much as efficiency and weight. This episode covers: • Why Specialized built Epic 9 after Epic 8’s dominant season • What actually slows riders down in modern XC racing • What “Made In Racing” actually means: turning data, rider feedback, and engineering into speed • The engineering behind the 1,589 g frame • Why lighter only matters if the bike stays fast, controlled, and composed • How Epic 9 blends Epic World Cup crispness with Epic 8 capability • The role of 11% lower pivot friction in ride feel and traction • How Wide Open, Magic Middle, and Sprint-On-Lock damping settings work in real racing • Why efficiency is more than stiffness and weight • How Body Geometry data shaped Epic 9 fit and handling • What Christopher feels when the bike disappears and flow takes over It is a conversation about speed, science, flow, and devotion beyond reason to making the fastest XC bike in the world even faster. GUESTS: Christopher Blevins and Jason McDonald Get More from Specialized   TikTok:   / specializedbicycles  [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbndCaDlmQlhYRTNHSVE4WUVBM0FKa0pFNFJLZ3xBQ3Jtc0tteGtrUU11V1RQTVI1Nmc3TXhXRXdacDczeUJBWjFLTjZKSG5IWUVyc0dyVURHcWJha0ZiNUdZZWh4VURlbkRsOFhsY1lUU2tvYU02ZVcwVXF1czdHUkFvTDJZTWY2LVhGRTdINmp2MHJOOGFfOWtoaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40specializedbicycles&v=BGotczeLpOI] Instagram:   / iamspecialized  [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa19rcFk4NWY3aTlCRFVpaDFGcS1HWkdJYWl6QXxBQ3Jtc0trWTBZUnAzVXpibnpSek81T2dPeEw1X1RVbGtGTDBnYW1KT1JxYVVYZ002V2VLU09SUkFMd1dlYTJ6Zm1xbFE4ODFObFF3X2FYMXRobVhEQjZ3Smtyb2pmcVlmczZuVGhVcHg3ejlJbmFWY1lnRjFtSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fiamspecialized&v=BGotczeLpOI] Facebook: https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGhJU2l3M0hIbHZBazJWZVpzcFFZcmtyM3hSZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsajVXYy1ObThxRXhIeEF5ZHhXYTBtQzdHMVlyNDgwNTBLUEVDajJWUVE5ZXlYS01DTXRqVkx2VmNsSHFxYlpDZFFGNUNWeVBxdmN0OUk1eVc0eVdVMGhLSDd6RVZUeUtkWFhYeGhQZDlwVldJNFhGYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fb.com%2Fspecializedbicycles&v=BGotczeLpOI] Outride:   / outride   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnE0YkxHdjNpRXoyR0pnQkJPcUxpbEFmdEFMd3xBQ3Jtc0tsSDhoVFktcWNiemJvNGZsaHZBbEZ4V2c2OXhhVHNQaHRHYWlJTUtiR3V0REN4S1BYZUlDTHBmVkpUTWEwdnFiMGZxYmdGVWE4Q0JPSlVRT2Y3aFFBcmRFSnBXYlByNjJMenhtYzk2TW1ETzRCRWFUaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Foutride&v=BGotczeLpOI]

Finn Iles | Ride To Redemption

Setbacks do not always stop the story. If we have the grit, they become the path to become better than ever. For downhill phenom Finn Iles, the past couple seasons have been painful, frustrating, and shaped by an invisible back injury that forced him to rethink how he trains, prepares, races, and lives. And that is exactly what makes this moment so compelling. He is healthier, hungrier, and faster than ever and ready to send it in 2026 with purpose. In this episode of the Specialized Bicycles Podcast, Ben Capron sits down with Iles for a direct conversation about the love of riding, freedom, flow, the long road back, and why he enters 2026 humble, hungry, and ready to win. The story moves from growing up in British Columbia, chasing his brother through some of the best riding on earth, to becoming a Junior World Champion, a World Cup winner, and one of the most thoughtful riders in downhill racing. But more than results, this conversation reveals what drives him. Riding is where the noise disappears. It is where the mind clears and the feeling of freedom takes over. But this is not just about talent. It is about devotion to process. Finn makes it clear that process is everything. The work behind the scenes. The routine. The repetition. The discipline to check every box so that when the gate drops, the mind is free. For him, preparation is not separate from performance. It is the thing that makes performance possible. That is what makes this episode hit harder. The obstacle became the path. Injury forced patience. Pain forced awareness. And the comeback has been built the same way Finn approaches racing itself: deliberately, honestly, and one step at a time. He talks openly about learning to trust the process, trust the people around him, and rebuild without rushing, all so he can come back stronger. The conversation also goes inside the development of the new Demo 11, a project Finn has helped shape over multiple seasons. From prototype bikes to production bike, from endless testing to finally having a stable platform to build from, he describes the process as one of the most amazing things he’s done in his career. That matters here, too. It is another expression of the same mindset: keep building, keep refining, keep earning speed. And now the focus sharpens. Val di Sole. A decade after winning Junior Worlds there, Finn heads toward 2026 motivated, healthier, and with a track that suits him in his sights. After everything he dealt with in 2025, he sounds like a rider who has done the work, learned from the setback, and is ready to win. This episode goes beyond racing, covering: * Why downhill feels like freedom * How to clear the mind for ultimate performance * Why preparation is the foundation of speed * What really happens in the start gate * How injury changed his body, mindset, and process * Why the obstacle became the path * What 2025 taught him through pain and setbacks * Why Val di Sole matters so much in 2026 * The role Finn has played in developing Demo 11 * Why redemption is earned through the work It is a conversation about freedom, preparation, resilience, and the road back to winning. Get More from Specialized TikTok: @specializedbicycles [https://www.tiktok.com/@specializedbicycles] Instagram: @iamspecialized [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc Facebook: specializedbicycles [https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles] Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]

Loïc Bruni | Faster Than Fear

When the gate drops, hesitation loses. And Super Bruni wins when it matters most. A five-time World Champion and one of the fastest downhill racers in history, Loïc Bruni has built his career on precision, composure, and the rare ability to deliver when the pressure is highest.  In this episode of the Specialized Podcast, Ben Capron sits down with Bruni for a direct conversation about speed, pressure, and the mindset behind championship performance. The story moves from growing up in the south of France, surrounded by the roots of downhill racing, to becoming one of the sport’s defining riders. From there, it goes inside the mental demands of downhill, the pursuit of flow state, and developing the Demo 11 in pursuit of finding more speed when the margins are almost nothing. But this is not just about racing. It is a philosophy. Feel. Trust yourself. Commit fully. From fear and focus to redemption, mind games, and the balance between obsession and joy, Bruni shares what it takes to stay fast, keep evolving, and show up when it matters most. The conversation also goes inside the development of the new Demo 11, a no-compromise race bike built through deep trust between rider and brand, and a process focused on one thing: maximum speed. This episode goes beyond racing, covering: * What downhill racing really demands * What happens in Bruni’s mind before the gate drops * Why flow state cannot be forced * The pressure and heartbreak of the 2025 season * What redemption looks like in 2026 * Growing up in the heart of European downhill * The influence of Nico Vouilloz and technical obsession * How Bruni balances focus, fun, and longevity * The mindset behind winning runs * The development of Demo 11 It is a conversation about pressure, precision, and performing when it matters most. Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling. Get More from Specialized Get More from Specialized TikTok: @specializedbicycles [https://www.tiktok.com/@specializedbicycles] Instagram: @iamspecialized [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc Facebook: specializedbicycles [https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles] Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]