Frank the Welder - The Inside Line Podcast

Bellows Falls, Vermont is not a particularly notable place. It was once another typical mill town on the Connecticut River, with businesses harnessing the raging water to turn their machines of industry. Now, it is the site of a hydro-electrical dam and a rundown rail yard, with a quaint downtown always humming with local commerce. An unassuming town, it actually has a lot going on within the time-worn warehouses on the fringe of town, most notably a derelict-looking facade with hiding a gem. The only hint that there is something going on behind the door is the faint glow of fluorescent ceiling lights through the adjacent bay door window. Inside what was once a thriving printing business now resides Frank Wadelton’s newest workspace. Better known as FTW, Frank is an industry legend – he’s in the MTB Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport. I met Frank in 2005 when he asked if I’d like to ride for the company he was a part of at the time, Sinister Bikes. I rode for them during my days as a Junior in DH. Since then, a lot has happened and a lot has changed. But one constant is that Frank has more stories than most, and I learn something new every time we hang out. In this sit-down, we start with some origin stories and then blast through the past, jumping around a bit and land somewhere in the present. A “colorful life” as he put it, Frank is one rad dude! - Zach Faulkner