Chris Canfield's company, Suspension Formulas, develops and licenses mountain bike suspension designs used by brands including Revel and Canfield Bikes. Now he's launching his own bike brand, Vampire Bikes while also continuing to race DH at the Masters level.

• In 2019 you won the UCI Masters World Championship at Mont St. Anne when you were in your 40s. What's allowed you to be so fast for so long?
• How much of DH racing is about equipment vs. rider?
• Did you get involved in building bikes out of necessity, or was it something you really enjoyed from the beginning?
• Tell us about the Canfield Balance Formula suspension design. Is it primarily focused on pedal efficiency? What does "controlled braking" mean?
• Is designing suspension for a DH bike easier in some ways since you aren't as concerned about pedal efficiency?
• CF3 is a newer, patent pending suspension design. How is that different from CBF?
• With the expiration of the original DW Link patent, does this open opportunities for new designs and/or improvements?
• Is it difficult working with bike brands as a suspension designer? Does your design end up getting compromised in some ways?
• What does the Vampire Bikes customer look like?
• What do you make of recent news about athletes launching their own bike brands? What do you think is driving this?

You can follow along with the launch of Vampire Bikes on Instagram @vampire_bikes and learn more about some of the suspension designs we discussed at suspension-formulas.com.

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

Miranda Miller is a downhill mountain bike World Champion and three time Canadian National downhill champion from Squamish, British Columbia. Her video series, Here, There, Everywhere regularly features inspiring riders and mountain bike destinations around the world as Miranda takes on new cycling challenges ranging from gravel biking to gravity racing.

You can follow Miranda on Instagram @mirandamillermtb and catch up on Here, There, Everywhere on the @DVRGNTminds and SRAM YouTube channels.

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

Lance Canfield is a mechanical engineer and former professional mountain bike racer who drew his first mountain bike design in 1996. Today his bike brand, Canfield Bikes, sells mountain bikes and components designed and tested in Poncha Springs, Colorado.

• What were downhill bikes like when you began racing in 1994? What did you want to improve about your bike?
• Your first bike design in 1999, the Big Fat Fatty Fat, had 12 inches of travel front and rear. How did that work?
• You competed on some of your own bikes in Red Bull Rampage, including at the first competition ever in 2001. What was it like? How did it compare to today's spectacle?
• Why do you think there aren't many (any?) dedicated freeride bikes on the market today?
• What makes the Canfield Balance Formula (CBF) suspension design different from others on the market?
• Is CBF better suited for certain applications or travel ranges?
• Why are you such a proponent of shorter cranks for mountain biking?
• How has Canfield been affected by industry supply fluctuations over the past few years?
• What's next for Canfield? Which mountain bike developments or trends have you excited about the future?

Visit canfieldbikes.com to see the bikes and components discussed in this episode.

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