Sara Ecclesine for SIDI America

I don’t expect our SIDI riders Nino Schurter and Julian Absalon to get any slower. They’re going to be at the top of the podium for World Championships, World Cups and the Olympics for a while.

At the same time we’re excited to work with Team Sho-Air Cannondale for next year. Look at riders like Max Plaxton and Jeremiah Bishop: we are finally seeing North Americans that can throw down at a World Cup level. That’s exciting.

On the product side, SIDI came out with the Drako for 2013 and everyone loved them. They’re lightweight, comfy and bombproof. For 2014, the Drako continues with new colors, but the big news is we redesigned the sole on our Spider. Our new Spider Carbon Composite SRS sole is lighter than the sole on the old carbon Dragons, just as stiff, and you can still run in it. So the redesigned Spider is going to be huge for us.

THE NEXT BIG THING…

The bikes and equipment that are available now are amazing. Incremental improvements to bikes are no longer going to bring the big gains in riding experience that happened when we got off beach cruisers in Marin. Instead, I see two huge changes happening.

The first is the growth of bike parks near urban centers that emphasize a fun experience for users at different skill levels. Thanks to IMBA and forward-thinking land managers, urban compact trail systems that maximize space are taking off in the U.S.

Look at Colonnade Mountain Bike Skills Park, built directly under the interstate in Seattle, and Valmont Bike Park in Boulder. These bike parks have sections where riders can build up skills, a couple jumps and maybe five miles of trail that bends back on itself, allowing for maximum fun in less space.

The second big innovation in mountain biking is NICA, the National High School MTB league. Kids and families love the NICA model: supportive high school teams that emphasize skills, fun and a lifetime of riding. NICA racing has become incredibly popular and there are now nine leagues, with several more added next year. Flowy, safe trails are being built for NICA races, and families are getting political and advocating aggressively for safe riding in their towns. We are all going to benefit from this new generation of mountain bikers.

TWO FAVORITE PRODUCTS (THAT AREN’T YOUR OWN) AND WHY?

I love Kenda Honey Badger tires. Where I live I need a tire that really grabs and the Honey Badger is a huge confidence booster.

The other products I can’t live without are the low-calorie electrolyte replacement drink mixes. I alternate between Scratch Labs, NUUN and Osmo.

This story first appeared in the November issue of Switchback Magazine