7. Intro to Off-road Racing w/ Esther & Martin

Esther joins the podcast alongside Martin for a wide-ranging conversation about getting into off-road cycling races. They cover how both of them found their way to competitive cycling (through nursing commutes, mountain bike enduro, Wednesday Night Worlds, and a shared $400 gravel bike), what makes each discipline — gravel, cyclocross, XC mountain biking, and enduro — feel different, and how their relationship with Mischief Cycles came together.

The episode is packed with practical encouragement for anyone curious about racing: sign up first and figure the rest out later, set realistic goals before the start line, and lean into the fact that races are one of the best learning environments in cycling. Esther and Martin also preview an exciting 2026 race calendar including Steamboat Gravel, the Oregon Gravel Trail stage race, and the BC Bike Race.

The "Snacks" segment wraps up every episode with a tribute to the most important part of any ride: snacking. We are thrilled to have our friends at Neversecond as a sponsor for this segment. To help you fuel your ride or next epic journey, Neversecond is offering our listeners 15% off their high-quality performance nutrition. Just use the discount code SNACKS15 to get yourself some high-quality performance fuel / snacks.