From Shuttle Vehicles to DH Bikes, Southern Gravity is USA-Made

Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

Singletracks.com

Sports, Wilderness

4.7 • 574 Ratings

🗓️ 5 March 2024

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Sean Leader is the founder of Windrock Bike Park and Southern Gravity, a Tennessee-based company that builds ramps and shuttle vehicles for bike parks. Not only that, Southern Gravity recently released a prototype steel DH mountain bike that's being tested by top elite and junior DH riders.

You've worn many hats in the mountain bike world. When was the moment you realized you could make a living in the sport?
How did Windrock Bike Park get started?
What were some of the challenges you faced as a bike park operator?
Why build your own DH bike?
What are the advantages of a steel DH bike frame compared to other materials?
Did the expiration of the DW-Link patent figure into your design plans?
Tell us about the Southern Gravity Racing team. Who are the athletes on the team, and which races are you targeting?
How would you describe the southern DH mountain bike scene today? How has it evolved?
What do you say to folks who think the southeast doesn't have quality trails or challenging terrain?

See the bike and connect with Sean at SouthernGravity.com.

Where else can you choose from over 300 miles of epic singletrack against a backdrop of soaring mountains and cascading waterfalls? Where else can you explore 100,000 acres of public lands laced with hundreds of miles of backcountry gravel roads? Your best mountain biking adventure ever begins in Brevard, North Carolina, home to Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Recreational Forest. Four primo bike shops will get you sorted, whether you need a rental, service, or some cool swag. Top it off with an array of craft breweries, cafes, and gathering spots that have earned Brevard the title as one of America’s coolest small towns. It all adds up to one of the premier mountain biking destinations in the U.S. Find out more at⁠ExploreBrevard.com⁠.

--Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Transcript

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0:00.0	Where else can you choose from over 300 miles of epic single track against a backdrop of soaring
0:05.6	mountains and cascading waterfalls? And where else can you explore 100,000 acres of public lands
0:11.5	laced with hundreds of miles of backcountry gravel roads? Your best mountain biking adventure ever
0:17.2	begins in Bervard, North Carolina, home to Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State
0:22.1	recreational forest. Four primo bike shops will get you sorted, whether you need a rental, service,
0:27.6	or some cool swag. Top it off with an array of craft breweries, cafes, and gathering spots
0:33.1	that have earned Bervard the title as one of America's coolest small towns. It all adds up to one of
0:38.7	the premier mountain biking destinations in the U.S. Find out more at explorebrivard.com.
0:45.5	Hey everybody, welcome to the single tracks podcast. My name is Jeff, and today my guest is Sean
0:51.3	leader. Sean is the founder of Wind Rock Bike Park and Southern
0:56.0	Gravity, a Tennessee-based company that builds ramps and shuttle vehicles for bike parks.
1:01.5	Not only that, Southern Gravity recently released a prototype steel downhill mountain bike,
1:07.0	this being tested by top elite and junior downhill riders. Thanks for joining me, Sean.
1:12.7	Yeah, I appreciate you having me.
1:14.3	So you've obviously worn a lot of different hats in the mountain bike world.
1:19.3	What was kind of the moment you realized you can make a living in the sport?
1:23.8	Yeah, I've been just like an avid outdoor athlete my whole life. I've kind of tapped into a lot of different stuff, rock climbing, yeah, I've been just like an avid outdoor athlete my whole life.
1:28.7	I've kind of tapped into a lot of different stuff, rock climbing, kayaking, skiing.
1:33.0	I ride a lot of motorcycles and, and I've always mountain biked.
1:36.7	It's always been my favorite thing to do.
1:38.6	Okay.
1:39.2	But, um, but yeah, I was racing, um, for a long time.
	...

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