Val Vanderpool

Val is BRAIN’s newest staff writer. She comes to the magazine with a varied background including stints as a bike shop manager, bicycle tour guide, and race and event director. She also worked as a freelance writer in the outdoor and travel industries. Most recently, she taught women’s clinics and drove a demo van, working with Giant retailers all over the west. An Idaho native who has lived all over the northwest, Val is excited about her recent relocation to sunny southern California, where she can mountain bike, trail run, and garden year round. She lives in Silverado canyon with her boyfriend Brian and their two dogs. 

All articles by Val Vanderpool

January 8, 2019

While progressive geometry like slacker head angles, steeper seat tube angles, longer toptubes and shorter stems has made modern mountain bikes more comfortable and confidence-inspiring to ride, fitting riders to these frames isn't as straightforward as it used to be.

Posted in Product/Tech
December 10, 2018
Simon Stewart (left) and Joe Parkin.

BUENA VISTA, Colo. (BRAIN)— For longtime friends Joe Parkin and Simon Stewart, the road to becoming shop co-owners has been a long one, complete with twists, turns, pit stops and detours.

Posted in Retail News
November 23, 2018

(BRAIN) — When the 27.5-inch wheel took the mountain bike market by storm about five years ago, many hailed it as a magic bullet that would all but replace the other sizes because it combined the best characteristics of 26-inch and 29-inch wheels.

Posted in Product/Tech
November 21, 2018

WASHINGTON, Missouri (BRAIN) — A new center that will provide a number of services for light electric vehicles, including e-bikes, is slated to open next week just outside of St. Louis.

Posted in Industry News
November 15, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS (BRAIN) — Gene Oberpriller has lived or worked, or both, in the historic building in downtown Minneapolis where his shop, One on One Bicycle Studio, is located, since 1989.

Posted in Retail News
November 9, 2018
UPDATED. Giant Bicycles evacuated Thursday as the Hill Fire erupted amid strong Santa Ana winds.
Photo by An Le from the Giant Bicycles parking lot.

NEWBURY PARK, Calif. (BRAIN) — Giant Bicycles USA evacuated its offices Thursday afternoon as the Hill Fire burned behind the company's headquarters in the Conejo Valley, about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Posted in Industry News
October 25, 2018

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Longtime Southern California retailers Mark Smits and Dominic Galenti have expanded with a fifth Incycle Bicycles store following the recent acquisition of Performance Cyclery in Santa Clarita, about 20 miles west of the Pasadena Incycle location.

Posted in Retail News
October 23, 2018

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (BRAIN) — In many ways, Elayna Caldwell's long career in the industry has come full circle. It started in 1996 with a job at RockShox, back when it was still located in Santa Cruz.

Posted in Industry News
October 4, 2018
B Vivit (left) attended UBI on the scholarship in early 2017.

ASHLAND, Ore. (BRAIN) — QBP's Women's Bike Mechanic Scholarship, now in its 6th year, has had many success stories. To find one, you don't need to look far: B Vivit, an instructor at United Bicycle Institute. Vivit earned a scholarship to attend a 2-week class at UBI last year.

Posted in Industry News
September 26, 2018
Bill Smith (left), who has spent the past 25 years working at Huffy and the last eight as CEO, will retire at the end of December. Claude Jordan will assume leadership of the company.

DAYTON, Ohio (BRAIN) — Huffy Corp. has announced that Claude Jordan will succeed Bill Smith as CEO and president as Smith retires in December. Smith will remain a director on the Huffy Corp. board, and will assume new roles as CEO emeritus and senior adviser.

Posted in Industry News

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