I recently read an article in Dirt Magazine last week on the new Specialized downhill team. The article talks about Sam Hill and Brendan Fairclough coming aboard to race and help with product development. The magazine interviewed a bunch of the staff at Specialized including one of the engineers. The engineer they interviewed in my experience wasn’t the man behind the high end bikes at Specialized.
Jason Chamberlain comes to the North Shore and Whistler to ride about once a year. When he comes here he sees what he has to engineer into his bikes to make them last. If he wasn’t coming out this way to ride and see what the new age of bikes need to handle we would all be riding bikes with bushings, pinner steel hard wear and the smallest stroke shocks with the heaviest weight springs. Jason is the Head Engineer at specialized in charge of all the high end bikes. He works closely with Brandon Sloan (product manager) and the designers to produce the bikes you see and ride today.
Jerry, Jamie, Jason and Jeff – The 4 J’s at the peak of whistler about to ride Kyber’s
Since he was away on vacation when Dirt Magazine came by and didn’t get any props, I wanted to give him some props on the Clan’s site. I know the amount of people that will see this isn’t compared to the amount that read dirt but it’s something.
I asked him a couple of random questions so we could get to know him better.
-Why does the hardware in a specialized look so close to a giant?
They must really like our design.
-Who/what determines shock length and are there benefits /negatives to either
Myself, Buck and Brandon arm wrestle with Fox.
-What is Kinex good for?
According to Google, either computer networks or cancer.
——–
Did you mean K’nex? They are worthless. So are Mega Blocks. Only Legos rule.
-Did you use to be a scout?
Yes, Eagle scout too. I continue to be a volunteer leader today.
-What is a gondola ride like with all the makers of seasons?
Mellow, and a little hungry.
-When you do testing with the electrode backpack what are you testing for?
We measure force and stress, which helps us understand the latest riding styles and how that affects the bike.
-Where is your favorite riding place?
Whistler and North Shore. Sorry, that is so cliché, but it is still true.
-Have you ridden the new Demo 8 geometry?
I’m not good enough to ride it.
-32 or 36 spokes?
32
-Grease a press fit or no grease on a press fit?
Grease or lock-tite. Never dry.
-Favorite flavor Jelly Belly jelly bean?
Grass & Dirt, together.
-Your best MacGyver incident?
The time I built a phone out of coconuts.
-What is your favorite thing to test in the test lab?
Demo’s because sometimes they break the machines instead of the other way around.
-Have you ever raced before?
Yes, but it was a slow race. I used to be the Colorado State Campion in Observed Trials.
-Coolest/weirdest thing you have ever witnessed?
The time at Whistler on Goats Gully when Jeff Bryson took an unmarked left hand turn and dropped off a wooden bridge onto a super gnarly rocky ditch that wasn’t even a trail and Berrecloth, who was right on his tail wouldn’t follow him.
Also, the time Jerry Willows and Jeff Bryson rolled the wicked steep rope climb drop on Khyber. I couldn’t believe my eyes, and my heart almost stopped.
-Do you think the Clan is going to rock it!
Depends on your definition of Rock It! But that is likely.
Thanks a lot for your time Jason
Jason testing the high strengh to weight ratio of an exoskeleton for some upcoming frame designs
bryson
The Prana is Kali’s newest lid. This is a Dot approved helmet that is lighter then anything you have picked up. 
D2 Killer
The Avatar is a MTB specific helmet with the best safety rating. It this were a car it would have 74 air bags. 
Here is a side cutout of the Avatar. 
My living room is packed with product. Last night I decided to divy up all the product in to riders boxes just so I could have some space to do my Yoga. 
