The Pinkbike Podcast

Episode 262 - When to Give In and Take Your Bike to a Mechanic, and Should Racing Stay "Amateur"? Nov 14, 2024

Hear ye, hear ye, let's talk even more about mountain bikes.

Episode 261 - Greg Minnaar on Blank Chequebooks, Winning Culture & How to Truly Test a Bike Nov 07, 2024

When Greg Minnaar left the Santa Cruz Syndicate, it was about as big of a news story as you get in mountain bike racing. A rider who went against the very best of each generation, it was at one time impossible to think of him racing for anyone other than the Californian brand. One season later, to say he's landed on his feet would be an understatement. His 2024 racing season didn't unfold as he would have hoped, but he rounds out the year with a World Cup podium, fresh motivation, and a partnership with a brand he seems to be very well aligned with, even if now it's about helping other riders win, and not his own racing ambitions.

Brian and I caught up with him to talk about old bikes, blank chequebooks and the lucky number 13.

Episode 260 - The Proto-Demo Debrief, Kaz is Cranky and Revisiting Old Debates Oct 24, 2024

This week, we tune in with the tech team for some Show and Tells and answer your questions.

We'd love to answer some of your questions. Pleave us a message here.

Episode 259 - Rampage Rants, Henry's Heavy Tire Obsession and Slowing Down With Age Oct 17, 2024

This week, Dario reports his findings from a Redbull Rampage that managed to deliver more score controversy than ever, Matt talks about his heavy WTB test tires (and Henry begs to try them), plus Kaz explains why mechanical T-Type is not only possible but viable.

Episode 258 - What happened to Plus Wheel Sizes and the Fat Bike Fad? Oct 03, 2024

Thank you to so many of you for getting in your questions. We never imagined we'd have so many, and please keep them coming because we are looking forward to working them in to future episodes.

This episode, Henry and Brian tackle some more before we take a week off the pod to recharge our batteries.

Leave us your question for future episodes here.

Episode 257 - When to Cut the DH Bike, Reality TV & Buyer's Remorse Sep 26, 2024

Kaz plans his holiday to Bishops Itchington, Kaz and Henry disagree about fork offset and Sarah tries to discern who is more likely to try and buy upgrades, XC or DH riders. Please leave your own question here.

Episode 256 - What Your Greatest Moment on a Mountain Bike, and Can You Be Too Heavy for XC? Sep 19, 2024

In this Q&A, we answer a lot of your questions about breaking your bike and how to make your bike look as bad as Dario's. To get your question answered, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message at speakpipe.com/pinkbike.

Episode 255 - How Much Difference the Bike Really Makes, and Splitting Etiquette and Gatekeeping Sep 12, 2024

In this Q&A we answer a lot of your questions about everything from fueling your rides, what makes the difference at the highest level, and why Matt Beer will always be faster than us (and probably you too). To get your question answered, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message at speakpipe.com/pinkbike.

Episode 254 - Is Everything Really Just Going Around in Circles? Sep 04, 2024

We answer your questions and talk about winning pedals, useless graphs and suspension gearboxes (again). To get your question answered, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message at speakpipe.com/pinkbike.

Episode 253 - Why Your Next Bike Might Have Two Mechanical Droppers & Chainstay Length Isn't That Simple Aug 28, 2024

We answer your questions and comments about wheel size, geometry and seatposts. To feature, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message here.

Episode 252 - Why Downcountry is Dead & Who Makes the Best MTB Suspension Aug 21, 2024

In another Q&A Podcast, Dario, Kaz and Henry have gleaned the comments from the last week's tech articles to answer your questions.

Epsiode 251 - Shimano's Drivetrain Development with Bryn Atkinson & Nick Murdick Aug 14, 2024

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with World Cup racer turned skunkworks rider Bryn Atkinson alongside Shimano's MTB product manager Nick Murdick to chat about drivetrain development, rider feedback, gearboxes, and a lot more.

Although they didn't spill the launch dates for new XTR and Saint, they did give us some great insight on why products like Saint sometimes take a (ridiculously) long time to bring to market.

Epsiode 250 - When Did Bikes Stop Being Bad and Where Are My Bionic Hips?! Q&A Special Aug 07, 2024

We get asked some great questions in the comments on both articles and videos, so Dario, Kaz and Henry thought it was about time we answered some! To get your question answered, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message here.

Episode 249 - We Rank the Glory, M1, Supreme V5, Frameworks, Tues (And the V10!?) Jul 31, 2024

Matt and Henry have been busy. Very busy. In the opening weeks of the bike park, they crammed in just about as many runs as they could handle on these bikes to compare, contrast and understand what makes a great downhill bike in 2024. Here, they talk about their feelings and rank the bikes from bottom to top, explaining their reasoning as they go.

If you have a question about bike tech, news or racing, please leave us a voice note here, and we'll try to answer it in the coming weeks.

Episode 248 - Tom Pidcock & Pinarello's MTB Product Team on Developing a Pure XC Race Bike & More Jul 24, 2024

Brian Park and Sarah sat down with Federico Sbrissa, Pinarello's Chief Marketing Officer and Federico Meneghetti, the R&D Engineer on the mountain bike project just after Tom Pidcock took the win at the Nove Mesto World Cup at the end of May. We talked about why Pinarello decided to make a mountain bike after a decade without one, how their prototype mountain bike came to win a World Cup race just four months after the project was started, and what's next for Pinarello in the mountain bike space. We also go into a lot of detail about the suspension, geometry and layup of the Dogma XC cross-country mountain bike.

Episode 247 - Why Did Our Bikes Get So Big? Jul 17, 2024

There was a time when every new bike seemed to be in a spiral of one-upping each other. Saying it came down to who could make the biggest bike would be oversimplifying the conversation, but at the same time, reaches swelled and swelled before coming back down in recent years. Why?

We also discuss idlers, fads, and why the mixed-wheeled bike might just be our favourite setup yet.

Epsiode 246 - Orbea Bicycles on Hacking Shimano Motors, The Hardest Part About Making Bikes, Customization & More Jun 26, 2024

Orbea has over 180 years of manufacturing heritage, starting as a gun and ammunition manufacturer in the Basque Country of Northern Spain way back in 1840. When the business of gun making waned, the company pivoted and began using the tubing machines and raw materials they'd acquired to manufacture bicycles. In the 1930s, Orbea made the switch to bicycle manufacturing entirely, and by the time the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, they were producing 50,000 bikes per year.

It wasn't always easy going however, and in 1969 the company found itself on the edge of bankruptcy, which would have caused 1,500 workers to lose their jobs. To prevent this, the employees purchased the company from the founders and set it up as a cooperative, which allowed the company to stay in business. A few years later, the company moved their headquarters to Mallabia, where they are still located. To this day, they are still a cooperative, which means that the employees own the company and have a very real say in how it is run.

Episode 245 - Specialized’s MTB Product Team on Moving to Auburn, New Suspension Concepts, & Rider Feedback Jun 20, 2024

Last month Dario and Brian traveled down to Auburn, California to tour Specialized’s new facility and record a podcast. We were the first media through the door of their new Auburn Innovation Centre, and got to peek behind the curtain of the Ride Dynamics team—arguably the most influential product development team in our industry.

The office itself was still under construction. In contrast to Specialized’s Morgan Hill headquarters, this new office in Auburn feels much more practical, with less glamour. A place where things get done with a minimum of distraction.

We recorded this podcast with The MTB product team of Sam and Brad Benedict, as well as the Ride Dynamics R&D manager Chance. They had a lot to say, and we got a couple of secrets out of them, so it runs almost two hours long. Visit the full Pinkbike article for in-depth photos and more context to the discussion.

Episode 244 - The New RockShox Damper vs. the Fox Grip X2. Which is better? Jun 13, 2024

Both forks will prove to be very popular, not least because one of them could likely feature on your next enduro bike. Which do we prefer most, and why?

Episode 243 - What Would It Take for You to Ride Hardline? Jun 05, 2024

The tenth-anniversary edition of Red Bull Hardline Wales took place over the weekend, and so Mike Kazimer, Dario DiGiulio, Christina Chappetta join Sarah Moore to chat about the progression, the insane runs, things we noticed from the sidelines, and whether we think we could ride the 2024 course if it was all we focused on for the next five years.

Episode 242 - The Value Bike Field Test Round Table May 29, 2024

Bang-for-buck bikes, ever-improving geometry and some terrible naming conventions, it's never been a better time to get an entry-level mountain bike. And that's not even factoring some of the post-pandemic deals that are on offer. Kaz, Sarah and Dario fill you in with all the details from their test.

Episode 241 - Where Downhill Tech is Going, and Which Prototype We'd Love to Ride May 15, 2024

We catch up with the tech team to talk all about what they're reviewing, what we're seeing at races and what they would love to ride.

Episode 240 - Martin Maes Reflects on his 2019 Ban, and What the Future Holds For Him in Downhill May 08, 2024

Martin Maes is something of a contradiction. On one hand he's an articulate man with a stoical outlook, and on the other he quite simply doesn't do things quietly. Whether it's coming onto the scene as one of the first true-enduro youngsters before eventually delivering on his potential after many years of trying with GT, or getting mired in a doping scandal and beating downhill racers at their own game, there is so much about his career that is exceptional.

Episode 239 : Christopher Blevins on Winning the First XC World Cup of the Year, The Olympic Qualifying Process & More May 01, 2024

Sarah chatted with Christopher Blevins right after he got back from his whirlwind of a trip to Brazil where he won the first Olympic cross-country race of the season. The 26-year-old American former Short Track World Champion last won a World Cup XCO back in 2021 in Snowshoe, but he came out with all cylinders firing in Brazil with the goal of qualifying for the Paris Olympics and getting as many points for the United States to secure two spots for the men's team.

From getting stung by the most poisonous caterpillar in the world, to recovering on downhills, dealing with cramps, life on Specialized Factory Racing, to what he thought of the cross-country race courses in Brazil, this was a really interesting conversation. We also got into why he switched to mountain biking from BMX, his creative pursuits outside of cycling, and being a mountain biker right now in the US.

Episode 238 - Who's In Your Downhill Fantasy Team? Apr 29, 2024

We discuss our picks for this weekend's race, explain why your season won't be as easy as you think, and who are the likely winners.

Episode 237 - Is World Cup XC Actually Worth Watching? Apr 24, 2024

While Henry enjoys riding shorter travel cross-country bikes, he doesn't follow the pro circuit all that closely. In this episode, Sarah gives Henry an idiot's guide to XC and why there's more to it than meets the eye.

Episode 236 - Getting to Know Henry Quinney Apr 17, 2024

We chat about how he got into riding as a teenager, how he bounced back and forth chasing summer in the UK and New Zealand for years, his time as a World Cup mechanic, why he left GMBN, some of his endurance feats including an attempt at the FKT riding across all of New Zealand and riding 1,000,000 feet in a year, and much more. Henry's an incredibly introspective person and so this was a really interesting conversation.

Episode 235 - Does Mountain Biking Need Its Own 'Drive to Survive'? Apr 10, 2024

Romain Dompnier and Madison Wallinger explain what goes into a season of in-depth mountain biking coverage, the power of archetypes and how race coverage can help the sport grow.

Episode 234 - Remi Gauvin on Racing, Riding & How Everything Changes Apr 03, 2024

Remi Gauvin has seen it all in racing, from their early days as a promising junior to climbing the ranks of Enduro. In this chat we cover his roots in downhill, what it really takes to do both disciplines and how the sport is changing - for good and for bad.

Episode 233 - Tara Llanes on Reinventing Herself As a Wheelchair Basketball Paralympian Mar 27, 2024

Tara Llanes has been wildly accomplished at the high levels of multiple sports - BMX, MTB, and wheelchair basketball, not to mention wheelchair tennis - and she also has a whole lot more life experience to share. In 2007, in what she thought was her second-to-last race before retiring from her career as a mountain biker, a devastating crash changed things for her.

She spent the next several years going through intense processing, a move to Canada, some serious mental low points, a growing interest in tennis, and much more before she found herself on the basketball court to improve her speed as a wheelchair tennis player. Wheelchair basketball stuck. Tara clearly knows how to train hard, and that continues to take her far. She's now preparing for her second Paralympics, this one in Paris, and plans to then step away from high-level competition - retiring the right way this time.

Brian and I sat down with Tara in Vancouver, where she lives, to talk about that whole process. While we imagined this episode would end up the same length as most of our podcast episodes, we just kept finding more conversation. Tara is clearly smart, capable, an incredible athlete, and seriously strong as a person, and we were glad for every minute she spent with us.

Episode 232 - The Emergency Response Side Mar 21, 2024

Amy Ertel and Steve Vanderhoek are two people who bring a lot to our sport: both in terms of their excellent riding and when it comes to their jobs and risk preparedness. Amy is a nurse, Steve is a firefighter, and both are extraordinary riders.

Episode 231 - Secrets of the 2024 Taipei Cycle Show Mar 14, 2024

Dario and Brian are joined by Alvin from our sister publication Velo to discuss the products we saw, the factories we toured, and the food we ate at this year's Taipei Cycle Show.

Episode 230 - Gracey Hemstreet on Redbull Hardline, Growing up in a Bike Park and Graduating to Elites Mar 08, 2024

Episode 229 - What Makes Your Bike YOURS Mar 07, 2024

Could you choose your bike out of a lineup? If so, how? Whether it's strange suspension setups, cockpit changes or just particular tires, we all have things that make our bikes our own.

Episode 228 - Eliot Jackson on the Early Days of Pinkbike, Grow Cycling’s 2024 Plans, & More Feb 29, 2024

Eliot Jackson has been a busy guy after retiring from World Cup DH racing. He's a Red Bull commentator, an ambassador for various cycling brands, the founder of Grow Cycling Foundation, and the organizer of a brand new event called Aspire. As you can imagine from listening to him on live broadcasts, he's a really fun guy to chat with and Alicia, Brian and I were lucky to catch up with him earlier this month before he headed to Australia to commentate at Red Bull Hardline.

Our free flowing conversation ranges from his early days as a racer and how Pinkbike founder Karl Burkat mentored him on the business aspects of the bike industry, to diversity in the bike industry and the opening of Grow Cycling Foundation's Inglewood Pump Track in Los Angeles County in California.

Episode 227 - Getting to Know Sarah Moore Feb 22, 2024

Sarah Moore is incredibly important to the Pinkbike, cross-synergized ecosystem of symbiotic workflow, not least because she guides so much content and new coverage. Here, she and Henry talk about her racing World Cups, "what's good", women in the industry, and the slightly more light-hearted side of breaking both arms.

Episode 226 - Aaron Gwin Will Ride Crestline, Plus His Commentary and Racing Plans for 2024 Feb 16, 2024

When the UCI team list was released for the upcoming season, there were many answers to be found about who will be riding what. One inclusion that didn't shed too much like, however, was Aaron Gwin's name under his eponymous racing team. What bikes were they riding? What would this team look like? And will Aaron himself be lining up at World Cups this year or being confined to the commentary box as he rehabilitates from an arm injury sustained early last season?

In short, the bikes will be from Crestline, but don't go thinking this is a standard sponsorship deal. It seems to run far deeper, with Aaron taking part ownership in the brand that was founded a mere couple of years ago. Although not their first outing at World Cups, the RS 205 VHP frame was raced under Sam Blenkinsop last year, this does feel like a big step up for a brand that is still so relatively young.

Aaron made time for us during a very busy team camp. While it might sometimes seem to be all glitz and glamour in mountain biking, I love the fact that we're still raw enough to sometimes be about propping up a laptop in short-term accommodation as you pack in as much preparation and planning as you can, and answering questions honestly that fans of the sport will likely want to know about. I'm thankful that even as mountain biking becomes more pro the level of access athletes and team owners are prepared to grant media is so great, and it personally only makes me love mountain biking and World Cup racing even more.

Episode 225 - Yoann Barelli on Finding His Place in MTB, the Grim Donut and Where Freeride's At Feb 08, 2024

Yoann Barelli has done a bit of everything in his time. Whether it's slogging out World Cups as a privateer, moving to BC, or turning pro slightly later than others, his contribution to the sport of mountain biking is undeniable.

Editor's Note - Our audio file corrupted, so for the first part of the interview we're using backup audio. If you wish to skip this part go to 40 minutes. Thank you for your understanding.

Episode 224 - Rónán Dunne on Signing for Mondraker, His Secret Broken Scaphoid & Getting Fired Up To Race Feb 05, 2024

We talk about signing for one of his dream brands, how he kept his broken scaphoid a secret until he'd signed a contract for 2024 on the dotted line, what riding a bike with telemetry for the first time was like, how many Red Bulls he drinks on race day, being mates with Jackson Goldstone, what he does when his competitors start to complain, and more.

Episode 223 - Our Teenage Dream Bikes Feb 01, 2024

We all had different journeys into mountain biking and at different stages in our lives. Here, Henry, Matt, Dario and Kaz talk through the good, bad, and downright weird bikes that they were infatuated with and why.

See the bikes here.

Episode 222 - Vali Höll on Why She's Back With YT for 2024 Jan 25, 2024

YT Industries saw promise in Vali Höll before she even started racing on the World Cup circuit, signing her on a six-year contract when she was just 13 years old. The Austrian then went on to win two Junior World Cup overall titles as well as two World Championship titles on the YT Tues before moving up to the Elite category.

A nasty crash sidelined her for her first Elite World Championships in 2020, but she came back swinging in 2021 as a part of the newly formed RockShox Trek Race Team, winning the overall title in what was her first full year racing in the Elite category. In her three years with the team, she's racked up eight World Cup wins, two overall titles, and two World Championship titles. Now, in what feels like a homecoming, the 22-year-old Austrian has signed with The YT Mob. You can read the official YT Mob press release here.

We talk about why Höll signed with the German brand really early in the 2023 season, what she's most looking forward to with the new team, learning to deal with disappointment, what it was like to finally race against Rachel Atherton last season, and more. The podcast is above if you'd like to listen to our conversation. Alternatively, a transcript is below.

Episode 221 - Jesse Melamed on Rivalries, His Reasons for Leaving Rocky & the Unwritten Rules of Racing Jan 18, 2024

In a chat that felt like it could go on for twice as long, Jesse really lifts the veil to talk about so much of what goes into being a pro enduro racer, the risk of moving away from a successful team as well as breaking down some of his highest moments and discussing where enduro sits when compared to other disciplines. Plus, Henry, Christina, Sarah and Matt tune in with the latest news.

Episode 220 - Greg Minnaar On Setting Up A Dream World Cup Team with Norco Bicycles Jan 09, 2024

After 16 years together, Greg Minnaar's name was synonymous with that of the Santa Cruz Syndicate, but in a move that surprised everyone this off-season, even Minnaar himself, the Syndicate let go the 42-year-old South African. That left the four-time world champion scrambling to find a ride for 2024 mid-October in a year where budgets were tight.

While the past several months have been anything but restful, you don't win 23 World Cups without being a hard worker and Minnaar has signed a three-year contract with Norco Bicycles and has been able to pull together a team at the eleventh hour that sounds more than promising. Minnaar will be racing alongside Gracey Hemstreet and Lucas Cruz this season, but his main focus will be setting up the processes and people to turn Norco Factory Racing into a future-proofed, race-winning team and continue to direct the team beyond his eventual retirement.

Sarah sat down with Minnaar yesterday to talk about the team he's formed for 2024, riding Norco's prototype bike, and what his goals are for the coming years. The podcast is above if you'd like to listen to our conversation. Alternatively, a transcript is below.

Episode 219 - What We Got Wrong, What We'd Like to be and How to Enjoy Your Resolutions More Jan 04, 2024

Dario, Kaz and Sarah join Henry to explain ski fashion, give insight into the PB awards, and talk about why forming habits can be hard.

Episode 218 - Rating Each Other's 2024 Predictions Dec 28, 2023

Join us for our last pod of 2023 as Kaz, Henry and Sarah sit down in Squamish to question whether our own predictions will really come to pass.

Episode 217 - Learning About Adaptive Mountain Biking with Stacy Kohut, Alex Cairns, & Cole Bernier Dec 21, 2023

One of the fastest-changing areas of mountain biking could be said to be AMTBs. The technology, some of which is shared with e-bikes, is enabling more and more people to get into the sport that we're all so passionate about.

Three riders, Stacy Kohut, Alex Cairns, and Cole Bernier, came down to our Squamish HQ to talk us through where the sport is, as well as where it's going. In this far-ranging chat, we talk about the tech, the trails, and whether the industry is truly set up to embrace this burgeoning sector of the sport.

Episode 216 - The Man Who's Seen It All at Pinkbike Racing With Harry Jenkinson Dec 19, 2023

Harry and Henry spent a lot of time together over the 2022 race season and here we reunite for a very informal chat about life on the circuit, as well as giving Harry's insight into life at PBR.

Episode 215 - Ben Cathro On Leading Pinkbike Racing, Troubleshooting His Brain & Focusing On His Strengths Dec 14, 2023

Ben Cathro is someone who helps the rest of us understand World Cup racing by making videos breaking it down. His video work with Pinkbike led him to start Pinkbike Racing, and now he's led the team for two seasons. Ben himself is a racer, coach, video creator, team manager, team mentor, father, husband, friend... in this episode, we talk about the struggle of managing all of it, both with the team and as a person, plus he tells me about his process, his retirement from racing, and more. I really enjoyed Ben's openness and thoughtfulness, and I hope others enjoy this episode too.

Episode 214: Mike Levy's Last Podcast Dec 07, 2023

Mike Kazimer and Brian Park sit down with Mike Levy in a cold, cramped garage to reflect on his time at Pinkbike and read a bunch of stories from coworkers and industry friends. We also take a short detour about aliens, bigfoot, and sim racing, before talking about Levy's plans for the future and ending the podcast before we get all emotional and weird. Apologies in advance for the strong language, this one is a bit raw. All the best, Levy.

Episode 213: Behind the Crankworx Scenes with Managing Director Darren Kinnaird Nov 30, 2023

Darren Kinnaird is the ringleader for all things Crankworx, and with so much change happening these days in the world of mountain bike events, Crankworx seems uniquely poised to push the sport forward. When we heard about a big announcement from Crankworx about what to expect from the series next year, Brian Park and I caught up with Kinnaird to hear the full story.

Episode 212 - World Cup's "Mechanics Meeting" with John Hall and Jim Bland Nov 27, 2023

What goes into being a world cup mechanic? Is it all glitz and glamour or is it more about processes, planning, and cleaning shoes? Henry talks to two mechanics who are at slightly different stages of their journey.

John has been Aaron Gwin's mechanic for a decade and has seen it all from the very top. He shares some stories about supporting one of modern downhill's defining athletes. Jim Bland just finished his second season working for the slightly smaller Union team. While not a factory outfit, the Santa Cruz-supported team that's backed by Steel City Media has a track record of punching above its weight, as well as guiding youngsters onto the next stage of their careers.

Episode 211 - Thibault Laly Explains His Many Roles at Pinkbike Racing Nov 23, 2023

Thibault Laly is a dedicated racer who has spent time on a variety of teams, and for the past two seasons has represented Pinkbike Racing at the top of the game. In this episode, we chat about the story of his racing career so far, this year's Hardline, and what it's like to balance his many PBR responsibilities.

Episode 210 - Staying Motivated in the Off-Season & Toaster Talk Nov 20, 2023

Dario, Kaz, and Alicia chat about their tactics for staying motivated when the days are short and the nights are long.

Episode 209 - Aimi Kenyon Reflects on the Highs and Lows of Another Year of PBR Nov 16, 2023

Aimi Kenyon enjoyed so much success in her first season in the World Cup junior field, but replicating it would push her unbelievably hard. Here, we get a glimpse behind the curtain of Aimi's season.

Episode 208 - Aaron Gwin on Winning, Team-Swaps and What He Would Give for a Rainbow Jersey Nov 13, 2023

Whatever metric you use, Aaron Gwin is one of the most successful World Cup Racers of all time. Henry sat down with him to talk all his career, what's next and his steps into bike park ownership.

Episode 207 - Brook Macdonald on MSA, and What He Needs to Ride at His Best Nov 09, 2023

Brook is a fan favourite, and not without good reason. We talk about his reputation for being tough, bike setup and what it's like coming back to Mont Sainte Anne.

Episode 206 - What Loic Bruni is Hiding, OE Deals and Motocross with Öhlins's Terje Hansen Nov 06, 2023

Why couldn't you ride Loic's bike? And why is your setup so bad compared to a World Cup Racer's machine? TJ explores the topic with Henry.

Note - During the first exchange you might hear some background noise (a small fan that we used on a hot day). The rest of the interview doesn't feature this sound.

Episode 205 - The Field Test Roundtable Podcast Nov 02, 2023

The field test is over, and what a field test it has been. The eight bikes, each bringing something very different to the table, represent some of the modern of modern enduro geometry, technology, and frame design. However, that's not to say we didn't have our favorites. Listen to us rank them and explain our reasoning.

Episode 204 - Inside the Development of Schwalbe's Mountain Bike Tires Oct 26, 2023

Mountain bike tires are a dark art, so Henry Quinney and I sat down with Schwalbe product manager Carl Kämper to ask all the questions. How do new tires get developed? What does testing look like? Why are they so damn expensive? We were also joined by Felix Jahn, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, with insights into the business of actually making tires, and the challenges faced in trying to lower their impacts.

Episode 203 - Nina Hoffman on World Cups, Starting Late and Making the Syndicate Her Home Oct 23, 2023

In the last five years, Nina has gone from newcomer to world cup winner. We wanted to find out about her mindset, her perception of downhill compared to her initial career in athletics and what's it like joining one of the downhill's biggest, most established, and most successful teams.

Episode 202 - Neko Mulally on His Perfect Conceptual Bike, US Downhill Racing and Signing a Prodigious Talent Oct 19, 2023

There are few downhill mountain bikers that are so multifaceted as Neko MulallyRacer. Not only is he racing World Cups, but he also runs a race series, supports grassroots riding and racing, has his own brand and team, develops his own bike, AND somehow finds time to represent the riders' union and scout the next big thing in US downhill. In this far-ranging chat, we try to cover as much as possible knowing full well that might just be a thankless task.

Episode 201 - Wyn Masters on Privateers, Enduro and Staying Authentic Oct 16, 2023

Wyn's efforts to support privateers shouldn't be understated and, for such an established World Cup rider, his refreshing take on what downhill should be manages to articulate thoughts many of us may well have had.

During the next month, we'll be going to podcasts every Monday and Thursday, and we hope you enjoy this cadence.

Episode 200 - Troy Brosnan on Bike Development, Fast Team-mates & the Problem with Consistency Oct 12, 2023

Troy Brosnan is a downhill athlete with a record like few others. As somebody who's only ridden for two World Cup teams in over a decade in the sport, he's ridden some period-defining bikes against some team-mates that rank amongst the all-time greats. We sat down in Mont-Sainte-Anne to find out more.

The Pinkbike Racing Podcast - 15 Minute MSA Race Fly-By Oct 07, 2023

The winners of the final round of the 2023 overall are here, and we sit down to reflect upon another vintage race.

The Pinkbike Racing Podcast - 15 Minute MSA Qualifying Fly-By Oct 06, 2023

What's going on with the overall? And who needs what to win it? Remy and Henry dive in.

Episode 199 - Whose XC Bike is it Anyway? Oct 05, 2023

Downhill bikes typically have 200 mm of travel, and enduro bikes around 160, but cross-country bikes could have anything between 65 and 120. Progressive and conservative bikes compete against one another at the highest level, and some of these bikes even seem like things you'd ride for fun. But where is the category going? And what do we think of the current crop?

Episode 198 - Our Pedantic Pet Peeves Sep 28, 2023

In this week's podcast, Dario, Kaz, and Matt join Henry to go over our worst and silliest complaints, as well as some of the things that never fail to put a smile on our face.

Episode 197 - When Will Women Ride Red Bull Rampage? (with Vaea Verbeeck) Sep 23, 2023

Red Bull Rampage is the largest, most important freeride mountain bike event in the world. Rampage historically hasn't included a women's field, and Red Bull has been promoting the development of women's freeride through a non-competition event called Formation that's held on the same terrain. This year Formation was cancelled, leading some to speculate that Rampage might include a women's field. When the rider list came out last week, we were disappointed to see neither a women's field nor a public plan to integrate women into the event.

Alicia Leggett and I sat down with Vaea Verbeeck, one of the original Formation riders and a future Rampage hopeful, to hear her thoughts about the situation.

Episode 196 - The Industry Ideas That Just Keep Coming Back Sep 22, 2023

In this weeks podcast, Henry, Dario, Kaz and Matt talk about what they wish would come back, and what they hope goes for ever. There are lukewarm takes, some strange tangents and some ideas that are just flatly antiquated and wrong.

Episode 195 - Getting to Know Pinkbike Fast Guy Matt Beer Sep 14, 2023

Matt Beer joined Pinkbike in 2021 and has made himself a something of a niche in the interveening time - testing downhill bikes, as well as contributing towards the editorial departments efforts in everything from Field Tests to gear reviews. Prior to Pinkbike, however, Matt won two national downhill championships and Henry was eager to learn more.

Episode 194 - Rainbow Stripes, Dream Downhill Teams and What Enduro COULD Be with Miranda Miller Sep 07, 2023

It's not every day you get to speak to a World Champion, it's also not every podcast when the guest is willing to give you a huge amount of honesty as they look over some of their own, and mountain biking's, greatest achievements. Miranda Miller and Henry Quinney talk about where World Cup racing is going, what enduro should look like, plus which of the fast French riders she'd have on her dream World Cup team.

Episode 193 - Freeride, Firefighting and Fear with Steve Vanderhoek Aug 31, 2023

In this far-reaching conversation, we talk about everything from extreme injury, modern freeride, and social media, as well as the consequences of crashing such as fear or healing mental wounds. We even touch on why the modern enduro bike might just be the bike freeride has been waiting for.

Episode 192 - Vodcast?! - Shockweek Roundtable Discussion Aug 25, 2023

This week I am joined by Matt Beer and Dario DiGuilio to work out which is the greatest air shock of them all. Matt and Dario spent a great deal of time testing these shocks in Whistler to find out the nuances, and niggles of high-performance, high-pressure air shocks. To celebrate Shock Week, this podcast is available both in the regular audio, which is sandwiched by the news intro, and a full length vodcast.

Episode 191 - Getting to Know Alicia Leggett Aug 18, 2023

Alicia has been with Pinkbike for several years and, at Crankworx Whistler, we had the opportunity to sit down and get to know her a little better in a candid and informal conversation. Some of the elements in this conversation are unfiltered, open, and at times quite frank, which we hope isn't too out of place for regular Pinkbike Podcast listeners. At the very worst, you'll at least know us a little better for it.

Episode 190 - Racing, Riding and Redbull TV with Eliot Jackson Aug 11, 2023

Eliot Jackson is a man that wears many hats in the bike industry. Whether it's racing, running the grow foundation or commentating on downhill - he certainly keeps himself busy. We caught up with him in Whistler during Crankworx.

Episode 189 - What the Heck's an EDR With Dan Wolfe Aug 04, 2023

It seems like only yesterday we were duct-taping bananas to our frame, the EWS wasn't a UCI event and Martin Maes and Richie Rude were hot new talents on the scene. One man who's been there for most of it is Ireland's Dan Wolfe, not only as a racer but also running his own and team's setups.

We talk to Dan about the best of all time, doping, and why racing midweek might not be what the sport needs.

Episode 188 - The Heaviest Freeride Moments in Nothing's For Free (with Tippie and Westerlund) Aug 01, 2023

A partnership between Freeride Entertainment, Outside Studios, and Pinkbike, Nothing's For Free is a full length film that takes a deep dive into the evolution of freeride mountain biking—and the enormous sacrifices that have been made in the name of the sport's progression. From fringe sport to global phenomenon, the film chronicles a three-decade journey with the pioneers, visionaries, and industry masterminds that pushed the sport to where it is today.

Some of the footage in this film will change the sport forever, and we're so excited for the mountain bike world to see it. Brian Park and special guest host Jason Lucas sat down with director Derek Westerlund and one of the film's main subjects Brett Tippie to talk about why and how the film was made—as well as some behind the scenes stories of the film's biggest, heaviest moments.

Episode 187 - Getting to Know Taj Mihelich Jul 21, 2023

In our Getting to Know series we're taking time to sit down with Pinkbike contributors and staff and getting to know them better. If you're familiar with our website, you've probably spent a great deal of time looking at Taj's drawings. In this podcast, I take the opportunity to sit down with him while he's in Whistler and learn a little more about his life in cycling.

We talk BMX backgrounds, concussion, life as a pro, and wildly misquote philosophers that may or may not even exist.

Episode 186 - Getting to Know Mike Kazimer Jul 14, 2023

You may have seen our "Getting to Know" series of interviews, where we talk with the great and good of racing and mountain biking to understand to them better or maybe just familiarise ourselves with their career.

We thought we'd bring that to a long-form interview format with some Pinkbike staff and contributors. I'll try and squeeze them in over the summer as and when time allows. Is there anyone you're desperate to hear from? Let me know in the comments section.

Episode 185 - Randemonium #2 - Hanging out With SRAM's Chris Mandell Jul 06, 2023

Sometimes, we just like hanging out. Our friend Chris Mandell, who works for SRAM, was up in Whistler at the same time as us and I thought it would be fun to have him on, ask him some questions he probably isn't meant to answer and have a sprawling conversation alongside with Dario and Kaz.

Episode 184 - What Makes the Perfect Trail? Jun 30, 2023

Henry, Kaz and Dario talk about what would be in their favourite trail. What it needs to have, what they love, and what they'd gladly live without. Do they want tech? Jumps? Or just some nice turns in the woods?

Episode 183 - Making Bikepacking as Unpleasant as Possible with Tom Bradshaw Jun 23, 2023

Ex-Pinkbike presenter Tom Bradshaw has been doing a lot of traveling since he left Canada. However, on a quick trip back to BC we got a chance to chat with him and find out what he's been up to, why he loves hardtails and if he's ever going to come back to Canada for good.

Episode 182 - Pivot's Wild Prototype DH Bike with Bernard Kerr Jun 16, 2023

After months of speculation, Pivot's prototype downhill bike broke cover in Lenzerheide last week. Bernard Kerr has been testing several versions of this bike through the off season—due in part to the aluminum-lugged carbon construction methods that Pivot says reduces the time required to make a rideable prototype. It also makes it easier to adjust the frame design, or as was the case here, evaluate two different suspension systems over 100+ of laps of testing.

Henry Quinney and Brian Park sit down with Pivot's Head of Engineering and Design Kevin Tisue, and Pivot Factory Racing's Bernard Kerr to talk about the new bike, DH racing, and more.

Episode 181 - BMX Backgrounds and Breaking Bikes with Taj Mihelich Jun 08, 2023

Taj breaks lots of bikes and parts, in ways that you may not be familiar with. We discuss what bike parts are allowed to break, and what is unforgivable. We also send out a challenge to any product managers listening and ask them if they're confident enough in their bike to send it for a true test under Taj.

Episode 180 - Sitting Down With the Man Behind Red Bull's Race Tapes Jun 01, 2023

If you've seen some of YouTube's biggest hits, you've probably seen some of Boombox's work. Whether it's PBA, Fast Life or Red Bull Racetapes, the production company has had a huge hand in lots of larger serialized projects. Romain Dompnier's has had a hand in many of these projects. We got a chance to sit down with him in Squamish and talk about Red Bull, racing, and maybe a large amount of Formula One.

Episode 179 - MTB Fashion Failures & Tedious Trends May 24, 2023

Henry, Kaz, and Dario talk about fashion trends in mountain biking - the good, bad, and mostly ugly.

Episode 178 - Why We Suck at Mountain Biking May 12, 2023

The internet is full of articles, videos and even podcasts telling you how to get better, but today we're asking the other question, why are we bad in the first place? What areas are we weakest at, and why do we think that is.

Episode 177 - Randomonium: Paragliding, Chairlift Riding, DH Bikes, & AI Apr 28, 2023

Enjoy a wide ranging conversation with Alicia Leggett, Mike Kazimer, Dario DiGiulio, and Henry Quinney. The topics of this week's podcast include everything from paragliding lessons, downhill bikes, bike testing, and Henry's fear that AI will take our jobs and end the world as we know it.

Episode 176 - What Should Bike Warranties Look Like? Apr 13, 2023

Does a generous warranty just drive the cost of your bike up? What does "limited lifetime" actually mean? Levy's back at curling camp while Henry and Brian discuss some of the factors behind the warranties that different brands provide.

Episode 175 - Alicia Leggett on Her Big Crash, Head Injury, & Recovery Apr 07, 2023

A coma, a priest, a miraculous recovery, and looking forward.

Episode 174 - TRP's Race Engineer on Developing a New Drivetrain & Testing with World Cup Racers Mar 25, 2023

We also get into what it takes to deliver a brand new drivetrain, embargos, why they're using KMC chains, and a whole bunch more.

Episode 173 - Jason Chamberlain on Developing Demo DH Bikes, Testing with Sam Hill, and 6-Bar Suspension Mar 17, 2023

We also get into what makes the Horst Link layout so versatile, and the pros and cons of gearboxes.

Episode 172 - Shimano's Linkglide Drivetrain Explained Mar 13, 2023

More compatibility and longer lasting? Not something you hear every day.

Episode 171 - What Could the MTB Industry Do Better? Mar 08, 2023

Prices, compatibility, supply chains, standards, riding videos, and more.

Episode 170 - Henry & Levy's Post-Race Formula One Show - Bahrain Grand Prix Mar 05, 2023

Ocon's quest for 3 hours of penalties and we try to figure out how the heck Alonso is still so fast at 72 years of age.

Episode 168 - Henry & Levy's Formula One Pre-season Cold Takes Mar 03, 2023

The first race of the 2023 F1 season is here and so are Henry and Levy with their terrible opinions. We also get into Checo suing Pinkbike, and Levy shares his story about that one time he touched Jenson Button.

Episode 167 - Scott’s CMO Reto Aeschbacher on Integration, Marketing, and That Time They Tried Making Suspension Feb 24, 2023

We also get into their US origins, how they handled Covid, e-bike sales versus mountain bike sales, marketing advice, and of course we asked about headset cable routing.

Episode 166 - Paul the Punter on Content Creators, Marketing Budgets, & YouTube Money Feb 17, 2023

YouTube explained by a retired YouTuber.

Episode 165 - Pivot's Chris Cocalis on Starting a Bike Company, US-Made Carbon, & High Prices Feb 16, 2023

Chris also gets into leaving Titus and that the time he wanted to buy an In-N-Out Burger, e-bikes sales versus mountain bike sales, and running a bike company during the pandemic.

Episode 164 - Kyle Strait on World Cups vs New World Disorder, Style vs Tricks, & Rampage at 14 Feb 03, 2023

We also get into the most impressive riding he's seen at Rampage, owning property with jumps, and declassified rocket testing.

Episode 163 - Santa Cruz's Josh Kissner on Bike Development, Supply Chain Issues, & High Prices Jan 26, 2023

We also talk about why some of their bikes look similar, the evolution of VPP suspension, and when we might see a new V10.

Episode 162 - Things We Miss About Old Bikes Jan 19, 2023

Aside from the price tags, is there anything you miss about bikes from ten or twenty years ago?

Episode 161 - Enduro World Cup Racing, New Tech, & Will Bike Prices Go Back Down? Jan 13, 2023

Looking into our crystal ball to see the future of enduro racing and the new bikes we might see in 2023.

Episode 160 - Rob Roskopp on Skateboarding, the Syndicate, & Leaving Santa Cruz Jan 12, 2023

Rob also talks about Specialized, how PON Holdings came into the picture, and if he's sold more Skateboards than Tony Hawk.

Episode 159 - East Coast Jank, Testing Bikes, & Failed Resolutions Jan 05, 2023

If you had to come up with a riding resolution for the coming year, what would it be?

Episode 158 - PB Snow Day w/ Levy and Henry Dec 28, 2022

Two editors share their horrible skiing stories.

Episode 157 - Remy Metailler on Content Creation, Scary Lines, & How to be a Pro Freerider in 2023 Dec 22, 2022

You need to send and be able to send an email.

Episode 155 - Andi Kolb & Charlie Hatton on the Right Headspace & Why Fun is Fast Dec 09, 2022

Kolb and Hatton also talk about the dangers of over-training, the differences between Fox and Öhlins, and how World Cup racers test tires.

Episode 156 - Fall Field Test Companion & BTS in Whistler Dec 08, 2022

How'd we shoot this Field Test, why were the bikes so heavy and so damn expensive, and was it fair to test them in the bike park?

Episode 154 - What Are Your MTB Priorities? Dec 01, 2022

When it comes to how you ride, what you ride, and where you ride, what are your priorities?

Episode 153 - Headset Cable Routing is... Good? Nov 24, 2022

Why are we using it if it's more complicated, more challenging to work on, and probably less reliable?

Episode 152 - How To Be a Better Rider w/ Coach Joel Harwood Nov 18, 2022

Minimizing terrain to maximize learning, riding with intention, and how you can't choose to be motivated or confident but you can rely on competent behaviors.

Episode 151 - F1's Valtteri Bottas on How Bikes Make Him a Better Racer & Dealing with Pressure Nov 10, 2022

What's more uncomfortable: pulling five Gs in a braking zone or your ass after a five-hour ride?

Episode 150 - Would You Download a Bike? Nov 03, 2022

Talking with two 3D-printing experts about the pros and cons of additive manufacturing and the mistakes to avoid.

Episode 149 - How Would You Change Rampage? Oct 27, 2022

Huge sends and spins, judging, commercials, and wind delays in our Rampage debrief.

Episode 148 - How NOT to Sell Your Bike on the PB BuySell Oct 21, 2022

How to write an effective ad to sell your bike quickly, questions that all buyers should be asking, and tips on how to spot a scammer.

Episode #147 - Jackson Goldstone on Winning Hardline, 100-Foot jumps, & Riding with Stevie Smith Oct 13, 2022

From run bike videos to double backflips and winning World Cups with Trek's Jackson Goldstone.

Episode 146 - Progression, Regression, and How to Keep Improving Sep 30, 2022

Episode 145 - Ministry Cycles on Alternative Manufacturing, Gluing Frames, & Starting a Business Sep 22, 2022

Chris also started Speedgoat, one of the earliest online retailers back in the 1990s, and has spent more than a decade in the marketing trenches at Stan's NoTubes, giving him a unique perspective on the cycling industry and the future.

Episode 144 - Interview with an Illegal Trail Builder Sep 16, 2022

Berms, bench cuts, and unsanctioned singletrack are all on the menu.

Episode 143 - Pole's Leo Kokkonen on Recycling, Internet Comments, & E-Bike Batteries Sep 08, 2022

We also talk about the Stamina that broke at Field Test, the future of geometry, and fashion versus function in this wandering two-hour conversation.

Episode 142 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #8 - Val di Sole World Cup Wrap-up Sep 07, 2022

Henry Quinney, Ben Cathro, and Max Rendall take you to the final World Cup of 2022.

Episode 141 - Why The Comments Are Important Sep 01, 2022

Will we ever close down the Pinkbike comment section?

Episode 140 - PB Editors Answer Your Questions About Bike Setup, Rain Gear, Blowing Shocks, & UFOs Aug 25, 2022

Are rising prices really keeping the sport from growing?

Episode 139 - Crankworx Wrap-up and Bikes for the Zombie Apocalypse Aug 18, 2022

What would your survival bike look like?

Episode 138 - Maxxis' Aaron Chamberlain on Pro-Only Rubber, All the Minions, & Why Tires Cost So Much Aug 13, 2022

Also, why don't more tire companies make their own inserts?

Episode 136 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #7 - MSA World Cup DH Post-Race Wrap-Up Aug 08, 2022

Henry Quinney and Ben Cathro recap an exciting MSA World Cup.

Episode 135 - Jesse Melamed on Data Acquisition, EWS Doping, & Training for Enduros Jul 21, 2022

Jesse also hits on the importance of analyzing and understanding his crashes and how that led him to a better bike set-up, not having a mentor, and training versus racing.

Episode 135 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #6 - Vallnord World Cup DH Post-Race Wrap-Up Jul 18, 2022

This week, Ben, Harry, and I get stuck into why racers would ever want to form a union, how to organize a piss-up in a brewery, and all the other top stories from the Andorran World Cup, not least the racing.

Episode 134 - Racing Controversy, Prototype DH Bikes, & Drivetrains From The Future Jul 14, 2022

Levy and Kazimer talk about the merits of Shimano's auto-shifting Di2, why the Supre drivetrain trumps a gearbox, and what might be under Specialized's fabric bag.

Episode 132 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #5 - Lenzerheide World Cup Wrap-Up Jul 11, 2022

Henry Quinney and Ben Cathro take you behind the scenes at the Lenzerheide World Cup race.

Episode 132 - How To Survive the Wildest Multi-Day Enduro Race Jul 08, 2022

Are single-day enduro races not challenging enough? Looking for a bigger adventure? The Stone King Rally is six days of blind enduro racing with 66,600 feet descending on raw, untamed trails that take you from the Alps to the Mediterranean.

Episode 131 - PB Editor Seb Stott on Geometry, Lock-Outs, Bad Brakes, & Physics in Bike Reviews Jul 06, 2022

We also talk about gearboxes, tire choice, and the challenges of being a tall mountain biker.

Episode 130 - Aaron Gwin on High-Pivot DH Bikes, Riding with Eli Tomac, and Chasing the Money Jul 01, 2022

We also get into how much suspension design matters when racing World Cups, training with John Tomac, and if he really is "chasing the money" by switching sponsors.

Episode 129 - Are There Too Many MTB Videos? Interview w/ IFHT's Jason Lucas Jun 28, 2022

What MTB video could you watch on repeat for eternity?

Episode 128 - Summer Solstice Adventures Jun 24, 2022

For some riders, the summer solstice is the best day for the dumbest adventures.

Episode 127 - Leogang World Cup DH Wrap-Up Podcast Jun 14, 2022

Ben Cathro and Henry Quinney take you to very muddy Leogang to talk about the highs and lows of World Cup racing, and the difficulties of following it.

Episode 126 - "One More Run" and Other MTB Superstitions Jun 10, 2022

Sorry, but I absolutely refuse to do "one more run" with you.

Episode 125 - Nino Schurter's Mechanic on Fast Race Bikes & His Favorite Tools Jun 02, 2022

Yanick Gyger explains why electronic drivetrains make so much sense for racing, some of the tricks he uses to make sure Nino's bike is as fast and efficient as possible, and why his toolbox is way smaller than you might expect.

Episode 124 - Bike Parks or E-Bikes? May 26, 2022

Bike park season is finally upon us, at least for some riders on the top half of the world, which means party laps, jump lines, and maybe some tired hands.

Episode 123 - Fort William World Cup Wrap-Up Podcast May 24, 2022

Henry and Cathro take you behind the scenes at the Fort William World Cup race.

Episode 122 - Do Social Media & Mountain Biking Go Together? May 19, 2022

Do you share a highlight reel from every ride or stick to only posting selfies?

Episode 121 - How To Film Red Bull Rampage and Field Tests with the PB Video and Photo Team May 12, 2022

Max and Tom take you behind the scenes while shooting at Rampage, Crankworx, and the Field Tests.

Episode 120 - Gee Atherton on Titanium Additive Manufacturing, Million Dollar Machines, and 3 New Bikes May 05, 2022

Atherton Bikes' Chief Designer Rob Gow and engineer Ben Farmer explain the advantages and challenges of additive manufacturing, why they need buckets of titanium dust and a million-dollar hopper machine, and some details of their unreleased 130mm-travel trail bike.

Episode 119 - Road Trips Gone Horribly Wrong Apr 28, 2022

All I need is a family-sized bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, some bikes, and the open road.

Episode 118 - Music and Mountain Biking Apr 21, 2022

The music that's forever on our two-wheeled playlists, why Sail by Awolnation is the best, and Kazimer's life-long obsession with screamo.

Episode 117 - Mountain Biking's Worst (or Best) Cliché Crimes Apr 14, 2022

I can't believe we missed "quiver killer."

Episode 116 - New Bikes and Gear from Sea Otter Apr 11, 2022

We get into the details of Contra Bikes' steel high pivot machine, EXT's new air shock, a ton of fresh clothing, X-Fusion's wireless dropper post, and a whole bunch more.

Episode 115 - We Are One's CEO Talks Future DH Bike, E-Bikes, & Domestic Manufacturing Apr 09, 2022

Dustin is an open book about the challenges (and advantages) of manufacturing their carbon rims and Arrival frame in Canada.

Episode 114 - The Placebo Effect and Your New Mountain Bike Apr 07, 2022

Is your new bike better... Or do you just want to believe that it's better?

Episode 113 - Your Questions Answered by the PB Editors Mar 31, 2022

We talk about the bikes we've liked the least, bushing play, cables routed through stems, doing a Field Test in Florida, and even some long-distance relationship advice that you should probably ignore.

Episode 112 - Lourdes World Cup Post-Race Wrap-up Podcast Mar 28, 2022

Henry, Ben, and James talk about the first World Cup race of 2022, including long lift lines, fast juniors, and a resurgent Amaury Pierron.

Episode 111 - Welcome to the Pinkbike World Cup Racing Podcast Mar 23, 2022

It's all downhill from here, with Henry Quinney and Ben Cathro as they follow the World Cup circuit and take you with them to see what happens behind the scenes.

Episode 110 - Reinventing the Mountain Bike Poorly Mar 17, 2022

What do one-piece wheels, linkage forks, and air-powered drivetrains all have in common?

Episode 109 - Berm Peak's Seth Alvo on Making Videos 24/7, Soul Rides, and Building a Bike Park Mar 15, 2022

There's more to it than a GoPro and iMovie...

Episode 108 - Behind the Scenes at the Value Bike Field Test Mar 05, 2022

Cactus, rattlesnakes, and nine value-minded mountain bikes.

Episode 107 - How (And Why) Did You Start Mountain Biking? Feb 24, 2022

Did someone introduce you to riding, or did you stumble into and never looked back?

Episode 106 - What's Your Ideal Ride Look Like? Feb 18, 2022

Most rides are a good time, but what does your perfect day on the bike look like?

Episode 105 - The 3 Bike Budget Challenge Feb 10, 2022

We pick the bikes we'd want to own at $1,000, $3,000, and $6,000 USD.

Episode 104 - Lachlan Morton on How to be a Happy Bike Racer and the World's Longest Climb Feb 05, 2022

Lachlan talks about what it takes to compete at the highest level and how that can bring out the worst in some people, wild tours in Columbia and Eastern Europe, and mountain biking at Leadville and across the 142-mile Kokopelli Trail.

Episode 103 - Secrets from the World Cup Pits with Henry Quinney Feb 04, 2022

Blacked out tires, glued on fake fork dials, and what it's like to wrench for the fastest racers in the world.

Episode 102 - Should MTB Media Be Going to Press Camps? Feb 03, 2022

A behind-the-scenes look at costly press camps, but should the media even be going to them at all?

Episode 101 - MTB Tradeshows Explained Jan 27, 2022

Always wanted to go to a tradeshow? We explain how Interbike, Eurobike, Sea Otter, and the Taipei Cycle Show work and what it's like to attend them.

Episode 100 - Q&A with the PB Editors Jan 20, 2022

We're back in action for 2022 and answering your questions about mountain bikes (and aliens) for our 100th episode.

Episode 99 - New Year, New You? Dec 24, 2021

A doable list or just a bunch of bike-related resolutions that we'll abandon by the second week of January?

Episode 98 - Field Test Trail Bike Debrief Dec 23, 2021

Six aluminum, carbon, and steel trail bikes, varying ideas of what that even means, and liberal use of purple and toothpaste. Plenty to talk about, including a bunch of your questions from each review.

Episode 97 - Can We Predict the Future of Mountain Biking? Dec 16, 2021

Looking into our hazy crystal ball and making a bunch of terrible guesses about 2022.

Episode 96 - PBA Contestant Israel Carrillo on Riding in Mexico and Why It's Not Always About Speed Dec 10, 2021

The riding scene in Mexico, what Israel brings to the table that a quicker racer might not, and how his time at the Pinkbike Academy went.

Episode 95 - Field Test Down-Country Bike Debrief Dec 09, 2021

The Field Test bikes we wanted to keep, why we didn't get on with a few of them, and what we'd change to make them even better.

Episode 94 - Pinkbike Academy Contestant Tori Wood Dec 03, 2021

Thousands of riders from all over the world applied, but only ten made the big show. Now it's time to catch up with some of the PBA competitors, starting with Squamish local Tori Wood.

Episode 93 - Staying Motivated and Overcoming Burnout Dec 02, 2021

The fire will come back, though, which is exactly what we're talking about on today's show. A lack of motivation or burnout can afflict anyone, from the average Joe and Jane to the best riders and racers in the world, so today we're chatting about how to fight that cloudy feeling with strategies to keep you pedaling.

Episode 92 - Why Bike Weight Doesn't Matter As Much As You Might Think Nov 26, 2021

A lot of things have changed with mountain bikes over the last decade or so, but some obvious ones are an increase in both capability and weight. The two go hand in hand, of course, and while a contemporary trail bike comes in a few pounds heavier than it might have many years ago, I think we can all agree it's nice to know that your headtube (probably) won't peel off anytime soon, that your four-piston brakes can stop you like a brick wall, and that the only tacos you'll be seeing are the delicious kind. And not only is this newer and slightly heavier bike far more reliable, but it's also saving your ass instead of actively trying to murder you, which is always nice.

Episode 91 - Riding Every Double Black in the Whistler Bike Park with Christina Chappetta Nov 25, 2021

Christina Chappetta set out to ride every double black in the Whistler Bike Park in a single day because, er, why not? If you're hoping to get to Whistler in the future, or if you just appreciate a solid day of riding, this episode might be for you. Christina explains how she planned the day, why it was far from a slam dunk, and what made it such a rowdy seven hours of descending.

Episode 90 - Is Supre the Future of Trouble-Free Drivetrains? Nov 19, 2021

Cedric Eveleigh, the man behind Supre, says that the four key elements are durability, efficiency, chain damping, and a lower unsprung mass, all on a proprietary high-pivot full-suspension platform, and we've got him on today's show to hear how it came to be and where it might be going.

Episode 89 - The Derailleur Pickle Nov 18, 2021

Episode 89 sees the crew chat about all things drivetrain, from the so-called "good ol' days" when nothing was that good, our favorite drivetrain tips and tricks, our dream set-ups, gearboxes and cranks with gearboxes, and also how today's drivetrains could be even better. We also dream about having our own EGS Up Cage and White Industries LMDS derailleurs, although a Shimano Airlines system would also be near the top of the list.

Episode 88 - Mountain Biking on the Cheap Nov 11, 2021

With a bit of smart shopping, you might be able to find yourself a great bike, new fork, brakes, or whatever else you might need at a reasonable price. The key, of course, is to figure out what it's worth spending a few extra fun tokens on, and when it's better to save them for the next time you need a fresh set of Minions.

Episode 87 - How To Love Riding When it's Cold and Wet Nov 04, 2021

Episode 87 sees Mike Kazimer, Sarah Moore, Henry Quinney, and I go over our tips for staying warm and somewhat dry, set-up advice to keep your bike running smoothly, and even share some cautionary tales about what notto do if you want to stay warm.

Episode 86 - Greg Minnaar on the Honda DH Bike, World Cup Racing, and Staying Fast Forever Oct 28, 2021

Can you imagine having the skills, fitness, strength, and mental fortitude to win a single World Cup downhill race? That's essentially impossible for all but a few of us, regardless of how hard we train. But there are also those inimitable racers who not only win a World Cup or three, but also defy the passing of time to keep winning... Despite much younger competitors pushing the sport to new heights. Having won four World Championships, with his first and most recent coming eighteen years apart, Greg Minnaar is definitely on that list.

Episode 85 - Is the Red Bull Rampage Too Slopestyle? Oct 14, 2021

Our sport is full of gnarly people doing gnarly things, be it cross-country racers pushing their bodies to the limit, downhillers finding the limits of traction and handling, or just that local rider going so damn hard, far, or huge without having to tell the world about it. Everyone town has a few, don't they? But I don't think it's out of line to say that the Red Bull Rampage is, without a doubt, the rowdiest, scariest, most intense riding out there.

Episode 84 - Explaining RockShox's Computer Controlled Suspension Oct 07, 2021

Rather than you reaching down to flip the pedal-assist switch, Flight Attendant manages the fork and shock's compression in real-time, constantly adding or subtracting damping as required and, importantly, to varying degrees depending on how you want your bike to behave and the terrain you're on. If all that sounds complicated, that's because it is. There's a lot to unpack, which is what today's episode is all about; Mike Kazimer, Sarah Moore, Henry Quinney, and I talk about what Flight Attendant is like on the trail, what the heck Bias Adjust does, how the fork now adjusts the shock's low-speed compression (seriously), and whether ten batteries is enough or if Kazimer should use two GoPros.

Episode 83 - Does Carbon Fiber Belong On Mountain Bikes? Sep 30, 2021

Given that our needs can vary from having to survive being tossed aside mid-air at the dirt jumps all day, meeting some cross-country racer's fetish for being the lightest such and such on the market, having to withstand a season of downhill racing at Bootleg Canyon, or hopefully just survive a couple years of abuse on your over-taxed trail bike. And when a carbon fiber component (or frame) does fail, especially in a calamitous way as it often does when it gives up, you'll be able to find countless other riders with similar stories.

Episode 82 - Behind the Scenes at Field Test Sep 24, 2021

Just as with previous examples, this Field Test was all about comparing test bikes to each other, a cage match of sorts but on the trail, and the fleet included some of the most interesting bikes on the market. Of course, the pickings were a bit slim this year given the lack of bikes anywhere, but our goal was to represent a spectrum of what's available, from the efficient We Are One to the heavy-hitting Norco Range. And the same goes for the eMTBs, with the relatively lightweight Specialized Turbo Kenevo SL contrasting the chonky Range VLT and its 900Wh battery.

Episode 81 - You've Got Questions, We've (Maybe) Got Answers Sep 16, 2021

Today's episode sees Mike Kazimer, Henry Quinney, RC, and I get through around half of the questions I had originally planned on answering. There'll be another Q&A podcast in the near future, but this one covers everything from high-end aftermarket shocks, hardest challenges, explaining World Cup downhill racing, suction cup bike racks, standards, interviews with CEOs, our favorite underdog brands, and a ton of other questions. Did we answer yours?

Episode 80 - The Best Vehicles for Mountain Bikers Sep 10, 2021

While we all love riding bikes, sometimes our vehicles go hand-in-glove with our sport. Today's podcast sees Alica Legget, Mike Kazimer, James Smurthwaite, and I talk about the vehicles that make sense for mountain bikers, vehicles that don't make any sense but that we want anyway, trucks versus vans, tips for good van living, and what kind of bike racks make the most sense.

Episode 79 - What's The Future of eMTBs? Sep 02, 2021

There was much dissent when eMTBs first began to show up on Pinkbike, with both commenters and a few editors being less than enthusiastic about battery-powered bicycles on the homepage. Fast forward a few years and we have way more eMTBs and much less protesting, although I'm almost positive that Pinkbike's optional filter has something to do with that. Either way, it's about time for us to do an entire podcast about them.

Episode 78 - Modern Geometry Explained Aug 28, 2021

It’s geometry that’s had the most significant and consequential impact on how our bikes perform. Podcast #78 sees the crew explain how geometry numbers have changed over the years and what that means on the trail, compare some modern numbers and talk about if longer and slacker is simply always better, and we of course explain what all the terms mean.

Episode 77 - Interview with Outside CEO, Robin Thurston Aug 24, 2021

The news of Outside acquiring Pinkbike saw nearly 1,700 comments posted under the July 14th press release, with most being equal parts surprise, disapproval, and ''spirited debate.'' And while that concern is no doubt justified, I'll be honest with you: we didn't have the answers to most of your questions and concerns, and we had plenty of questions ourselves.

Episode 76 - MTB Originals and Copycats Aug 19, 2021

There are all sorts of complicated laws and rules about these things, of course, with long-winded explanations when copyrights, trademarks, and patents are involved with intellectual property, but the last thing we want to do on this podcast is to put you guys to sleep, so we’re not gonna go down those boring roads. Instead, we've come up with a bunch of examples of products that have been imitated over the years.

Episode 75 - Things MTB Brands Waste Money On Aug 13, 2021

Have you ever looked at a bike and thought, ''What the hell were they thinking?'' Because we have, and not just about bikes. From 80lbs of cardboard packaging to pricey video shoots to the costs of running a factory World Cup team, brands can sometimes seem like they're burning money and getting a questionable return on their investment.

Episode 74 - The Best Trails We’ve Ridden and What Makes Them So Special Aug 05, 2021

A 5,000-foot steep ass climb up a gravel road in the blazing summer heat while wearing oversized knee pads and riding an overweight trail bike with DH tires and an idler pulley? We’re happy to do it if the singletrack is good. Today’s podcast is all about the trails; we’re gonna talk about the singletrack that each of us loves and why, the factors that make a good trail so good and less good trail a lot less good, why we owe everything to the people that build trails, and some trail features that either blew our minds or maybe scared the shit out of us.

Episode 73 - The Details That Matter (and Some That Shouldn't) Jul 30, 2021

Tire pressure and suspension sag, of course, but do you also need your cable housing to be perfectly parallel or your dropper post to sit flush with the top of the seat tube?

Episode 72 - Hey Outers! Jul 23, 2021

We discuss being acquired by Outside and what that means for the future of Pinkbike—how things might look like down the road, mean comments, and why we're cautiously optimistic about all this.

Episode 71 - The Story of Mountain Biking’s Most Interesting Man: Richard Cunningham Pt. 2 Jul 09, 2021

RC tells about his time at Mountain Bike Action and testing some of the wildest - and most unreliable - bikes ever created, his opinion of the internet before and after joining Pinkbike, his most important lesson for writing bike reviews, thoughts on e-bikes, and he answers a handful of reader questions.

Episode 70 - The Good, Bad, and Strange Bikes We've Owned - Part 2 Jul 02, 2021

Today's episode is the second part of our bike ownership history chat, with the first covering Kazimer's Spooky Junebug hardtail, rattle-trap RM7, and his Iron Horse Sunday that was powered by Loctite. My old Giant ATX DH and heavily modified Prophet and Remedy made the list as well, but today's episode sees us get much more modern. But don't worry, there are still some sketchy hardtails, exotic downhill race bikes, and modern classics to cover in podcast 70.

Episode 69 - The Questionable and Strange Bikes We've Owned Jun 24, 2021

Sarah Moore joins us to rate each bike according to our three choices: 'Trade it for an Xbox' if the bike is really scary, 'Hang on the wall to admire' if it's a piece of history, or 'Take it for lap' if deemed safe and interesting.

Episode 68 - Mountain Biking's Unsung Heroes Jun 18, 2021

Episode 68 is all about the unsung heroes of our sport, from the pioneers in the early days, under the radar ultra-distance racers, talented photographers, underappreciated event organizers, and even a brilliant freerider-turned-rocket scientist who wheelie dropped the Large Hadron Collider while interning at CERN. Yes, that's a true story.

Episode 67 - The Life and Times of Richard Cunningham Jun 17, 2021

Episode 68 is the first of a multi-part series of talking to RC about his love of flying, building his own planes and teaching himself how to fly (yes, you read that correctly), his father's secret work for NASA, and even a massive (and very secret) explosion of a Saturn V rocket engine.

Episode 66 - In The Workshop with RC Jun 11, 2021

Today's podcast is all about working on and repairing bikes, from the fun jobs to the dirty ones, to having to install twenty tire inserts for the Field Test, to spending ten hours installing Di2 only for it to rattle apart on the first ride, to our favorite tools, to our most embarrassing workshop injuries... Including the time some scary chemicals messed with RC's, er, "component."

Episode 65 - The Hardtail Episode Jun 03, 2021

episode 65 sees us talk about the pros and cons of riding without rear-suspension, why there aren't many hardtails reviewed on Pinkbike, and how to get the most out of your hardtail.

Episode 64 - Who's On Your MTB Mount Rushmore? May 27, 2021

The massive faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln on the real Mount Rushmore are meant to represent the first 150-years of America's history. Specifically, the country's birth, growth, development, and preservation. With that in mind, who - or what - do you believe represents those four points well enough to deserve to be up on mountain biking's hypothetical Mount Rushmore?

Episode 63 - Worst Bike Buying Mistakes May 20, 2021

When you really boil it down, it seems like there are two types of purchasing people: those who buy with their head and those who buy with their heart. And while Mike Kazimer might usually make more informed, "better," decisions when spending his money, Levy would argue that he has more fun burning through paychecks while taking the latter approach. But when it's time to spend a big chunk of hard-earned cash on a new mountain bike, you're far better off following Kazimer's lead to find your new ride.

Episode 62 - Editor Preferences and Why They Matter May 14, 2021

We all have our preferences, and no matter how objective and impartial we are, they can still color our reviews. That's why we try to be transparent about those preferences when writing a product review, be it a fondness for a certain suspension trait, an unexplainable love for headache-inducing internally routed cables, or maybe only liking blue bikes. Number 62 is all about editor preferences and why they matter.

Episode 61 - Athlete Pay, Lycra, Equality and More from the State of the Sport Survey May 11, 2021

With our State of the Sport Survey, James Smurthwaite and Henry Quinney reached out to nearly 200 top professional riders. The goal was to piece together the largest public snapshot ever taken of professional mountain biking in the history of the sport. What'd we ask them? Topics included media and filming, home country support, physical and mental health support, athlete pay, opportunities and equality, racing regulations, and a women's specific section.

Episode 60 - What Kind of Mountain Biker do You Want to Be? May 06, 2021

Today's podcast sees Mike Kazimer, Alicia Legget, Brian Park, and Mike Levy talk about being a certain type of rider, why we used to think focusing on a single discipline was key, and the factors that cause most of us to evolve into different types of mountain bikers as the years go by.

Episode 59 - Value Bike Field Trip Surprises and Spoilers Apr 29, 2021

Podcast 59 sees Sarah Moore and Mike Levy talk about how the Field Trip bikes performed, our winners and losers, some surprises, and where we think some value bikes are still coming up short.

Episode 58 - Debunking Mountain Biking's Biggest Myths Apr 22, 2021

In this episode, we debunk some of the most common myths, including the idea that you need to learn how to ride on a hardtail (you don't), that "no brakes and pull up" is helpful advice (it isn't), and that the front brake should be avoided at all costs (definitely not true).

Episode 57 - What Were the Best (and Worst) Trends in Mountain Biking? Apr 16, 2021

For this week's podcast, we decided to take a look at the trends in mountain biking over the years and decide which ones might be ripe for a comeback.

Episode 56 - What Are the Most Important Inventions in Mountain Biking? Apr 08, 2021

For this week's episode, we decided to take a look back at the most important inventions in mountain bike history. Our special guest this week is Richard Cunningham, who's been involved in the sport since the beginning, and has amassed an incredible wealth of cycling knowledge. RC is also a master story teller, and his tales and recollections of everything from the invention of index shifting to disc brakes make this an episode you won't want to miss.

Episode 55 - Big Dumb Rides & Staying Motivated Apr 02, 2021

Everyone has different motivations for getting out on a ride. Some riders use spreadsheets and cycling computers to chase goals, whether that's a certain number of vertical feet each ride, or a larger, season-long target. Others are happy leaving the screens behind, motivated instead by progression. Trying a new move, working on those cornering and manual skills - sometimes mixing it up is all it takes to regain any motivation that may have waned. Many of us here at Pinkbike have an affinity for big dumb rides, but Henry Quinney, a recent addition to the tech team, might take the crown for doing the biggest and dumbest rides out of everyone. He joins in on this episode along with Christina Chappetta, Sarah Moore, and myself, for a broad conversation that covers everything from falling asleep on the bike to the benefits of trying out flat pedals. Enjoy!

Episode 54 - Best & Worst MTB Product Marketing Mar 25, 2021

Mountain bike marketing is a balancing act, and companies are constantly trying to find the recipe that will attract the attention of savvy riders in a positive way. Those efforts don't always turn out as planned, and in this week's episode, we delve into the hits and misses that we've seen over the years.

Episode 53 - Should Climbers Still Have the Right of Way? Mar 18, 2021

Traditionally, downhill riders have been told that the uphill rider has the right of way. After all, the descender has gravity on their side, and it can be tricky to regain that uphill momentum if you're forced to pull over. But is that the way it should be?

Episode 52 - Our Most Embarrassing MTB Moments Mar 11, 2021

Last week's episode saw us spend far too much time talking about spy shots, embargoes, and how we handle all that stuff, but it's time to shift gears. I don’t know about you guys, but being serious is too serious; I can do that once every three or four episodes, which is why number 52 sees us talking about our most embarrassing mountain bike moments.

Episode 51 - Should MTB Media Post Spy Shots? Mar 04, 2021

There are a few different kinds of so-called 'spy shots,' be it a brand rolling their unreleased bike through the Whistler village during Crankworx in the hopes that someone will snap a few iPhone photos for their guerilla marketing campaign on Instagram, to the honest-to-goodness spy shots that a brand begs us not to post on the homepage.

Episode 50 - Are Bikes Actually Getting Less Expensive? (Value Bike Field Test Preview) Feb 25, 2021

We are currently on the Sunshine Coast, BC, where we're testing ten price-conscious mountain bikes. Not only that, five of them are hardtails that all cost way under $2,000 USD, while the five full-suspension bikes start at $2,099 and top out at $2,999 USD.

Episode 49 - What's The Best DH Bike? Feb 23, 2021

It's about time for us to test some of the latest downhill bikes, which is exactly what our own Dan Roberts has been up to for the past few months with Specialized's Demo Race, Canyon's Sender, the Commencal Supreme DH 29 27, and Cube's cleverly named TWO15 HPC SLT.

Episode 48 - Rides That Went Horribly Wrong... And Why That Made Them So Good Feb 18, 2021

Of the thousands and thousands of rides we've been on, it's often the ones that went completely south that we remember first.

Episode 47 - High Pivot Bikes: The Good, The Bad, and The Why? Feb 10, 2021

With all these high-pivot bikes out there, it's probably time for us to dig into the design and talk about inherent traits, what they can excel at, their weaknesses, and why you may or may not want one for yourself.

Episode 46 - RockShox Zeb VS Fox 38 Feb 04, 2021

Fox's new 38 and RockShox's also-new Zeb are both burly single-crown forks that employ 38mm diameter upper tubes, high-end dampers, and a lot of travel to be ready for the rowdiest of riding. Our own Dan Roberts has spent more than the last six months riding both, including countless back-to-back laps on the local steeps of Champéry, Switzerland, and all over Europe. We sat down with Dan and did a deep dive on each fork.

Episode 45 - What Makes A Good Riding Buddy? Feb 02, 2021

For some of us, it's all about the conversation, while others enjoy riding with someone who's pedaling too hard to eke out more than a few grunts on the way up. And who doesn't like riding with a buddy who always brings the best snacks?

Episode 44 - Mountain Bike Suspension Decoded Jan 29, 2021

Mountain bike suspension can offer impressive performance and adjustability, and you can even get it in a package that's been optimized to within a few grams of its life. In other words, things are pretty damn good... But we still have questions. So many questions. Good thing we have Chris Mandell, RockShox Rear Shock Manager, in to answer some of them.

Episode 43 - Dangerholm's Wildest Custom Mountain Bikes Jan 26, 2021

There are bike dorks and then there are bike dorks. Today's podcast sees Gustav Gullholm, AKA Dangerholm on Instagram, take us through some of his wildest creations. How about a sub-30lb Scott Gambler downhill bike? Or his take on down-country, a 100mm-travel Spark that employs an ingenious dropper post integration system that ties it into the bike's rear-suspension? Of course, all of these crazy machines have also been scraped down to bare carbon... with a big ass knife. Yeah, we had questions for Gustav.

Episode 42 - Mountain Biking Guilty Pleasures Jan 20, 2021

It's safe to say that all of us have at least one or three guilty pleasures, things that we're into but maybe we'd rather not broadcast to the world. You know, like how you can't stop watching Bachelor in Paradise. Or drinking fizzy energy drinks at 7am. Or insisting that Erector Set-looking linkage forks are surely the future. Wait, that's just me? Today's episode sees us put our guilty pleasures out on the table to be judged by all.

Episode 41 - Racing Rumours and Team Changes Jan 15, 2021

With many top-tier racers changing teams or finding themselves without a sponsor for the coming year, this might be the silliest of silly seasons. We’ve seen Loris Vergier move to Trek, cross-country powerhouse Pauline Ferrand Prevot go to Absolute Absalon, Emily Batty leave Trek after forever, Zink off YT, and many other moves. Number 41 covers all the big team news, from racers to freeriders.

Episode 40 - The Pinkbike Awards! Jan 12, 2021

The Pinkbike Awards are our way of highlighting the people, performances, events, and gear that stood out to us over the previous twelve months. Categories include Mountain Bike of the Year, Value Mountain Bike of the Year, Suspension Product of the Year, Component of the Year, Value component of the Year, Innovation of the Year, and a bunch of others that we talk about in episode 40. We explain our nominations for each category, why we chose each winner, and answer your questions from the awards articles.

Episode 39 - Predicting the Future of Mountain Biking Jan 06, 2021

The end of the year means that it's time for us to make a bunch of predictions about what 2021 holds for mountain biking, from racing to sales to new gear and more. Will bikes continue to fly off showroom floors? Will Greg Minnaar win his 23rd World Cup and morph into an actual goat? Are we going to see new drivetrains at opposite price-points from SRAM and Shimano?

Episode 38 - The Pinkbike Editor's 2020 Best-Of Picks Dec 30, 2020

The end of the year means two things: it's time for a bunch of resolutions that definitely won't pan out, and every website doing a bunch of questionable best-of lists. And while our annual Pinkbike Awards are our official way of recognizing some of the year's most impressive products, people, and events, each editor also puts together a list of their personal favorites from the past twelve months. Thing is, we pretty much all disagree with each other, which brings us to the theme of today's podcast.

Episode 37 - The 2020 Privateer Season with Ben Cathro Dec 24, 2020

Ben Cathro had been part of our downhill coverage for multiple seasons prior to him officially joining the Pinkbike team as presenter and race correspondent, and 2020 saw the return of the Privateer video series with Cathro as the focus. But with Corona throwing a wrench into basically everything world-wide, Ben's season of World Cup racing didn't exactly go as planned. Closed borders, serious injuries, suspension testing, and double-header events on borrowed bikes that lead to a first-time podium all made it an unforgettable year.

Episode 36 - Grilling Kazimer about Field Test Enduro Bikes Dec 17, 2020

How many enduro races did he win on the Altitude? What was the highest wheelie drop he did on the Norco Shore? Why the heck does the Propane Spindrift climb so well? How come he put the Nomad's Fox 38 on backward? And is the Trek Slash his favorite Halloween-themed enduro bike?

Episode 35 - Things in the Woods (Story Time with Richard Cunningham) Dec 16, 2020

If you spend enough time in the forest, you’re bound to see or hear something that gives you the heebie-jeebies. Maybe it’s a set of eyes that followed you, or maybe you’re convinced that those eyes belong to a Bigfoot. And were those lights in the sky just a plane… or was it an alien mothership from Alpha Centauri? Today's podcast sees Mike Levy, Mike Kazimer, Brian Park, and special storytime guest Richard Cunningham talk about naked cyclists, plane crashes, car chases (RC, who knew?), a few AK47s, and unmarked helicopters patroling semi-abandoned rocket testing facilities.

Episode 34 - Grilling Levy about Field Test Trail Bikes Dec 09, 2020

Is the Salsa Blackthorn really just a purple all-mountain bike? How is the Stumpy even rideable without Horst Link suspension? Why didn't we get a Trance X to test without Fox's computer-controlled Live Valve suspension? Where does the new Mojo 4 excel? How was my bonspiel? Do the P-Train's steel tubes make any difference on the trail?

Episode 33 - Behind the Scenes at Pinkbike Academy Dec 02, 2020

Find out how the contestants were chosen, the best moment that didn't make the final cut, the answer to the most-asked question in the comments, and more. As always, we also chatted about the latest mountain bike news, and answered a few listener questions.

Episode 32 - What Needs to Change in the Bike Industry? Nov 25, 2020

Mountain biking is pretty great right now, but there's still a lot of room for improvement.

Episode 31 - Wet Weather Riding Tips & Tricks Nov 18, 2020

For episode 31 we turned our attention to some helpful hints for enjoying those cold and muddy rides.

Episode 30 - Would You Rather? Nov 13, 2020

Would you rather wheelie like Wyn Masters or corner like Bryn Atkinson? Ride anytime you want or have one perfect ride per week? Episode 30 will make you ponder some difficult choices that you're unlikely to ever have to make, but that doesn't make choosing any less difficult.

Episode 29 - Freeride or Die! Nov 05, 2020

If you've been riding for a couple of decades or more, you might remember the golden days of freeriding where it seemed like new heights (and distances) were being reached each month. The days of shoprats playing New World Disorder 5 on repeat endlessly are long gone, but does that mean freeride is dead? Or maybe it's just slopestyle? Speaking of that, what's with Crankworx not including skinnies and teeter-totters on the course anymore? Only joking...

Episode 28 - What's the Best Way to Make Women's Bikes? Oct 29, 2020

Inspired by our "Things We Were Wrong About" podcast, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages to different approaches that brands take to women's bikes. We also interviewed three of the industry's leading female marketers from three brands with very different approaches. We chatted with Kelli Emmett, the Brand Manager at Juliana Bicycles, Brook Hopper, the Global Marketing Manager at Liv Cycling, and Elorie Slater, the Marketing Manager at Pivot Cycles. All three came to cycling from different backgrounds and work for brands that have entirely different approaches to designing bikes and marketing to women, which made for an interesting conversation.

Episode 27 - The World Champs Special Oct 15, 2020

With everything delayed or outright canceled due to the pandemic, it's been a lean year for race fans. But when it rains, it... snows? The World Championships saw racers face some of the muddiest, trickiest conditions in years, with rain and snow turning the usual Leogang hardpack into a wild event for everyone. Episode 27 is all about the stripes, with us unpacking the weather, the gear, and the unexpected results.

Episode 26 - The Three Most Important Mountain Bikes Oct 08, 2020

While mountain biking doesn't have the long history that most mainstream sports can brag about, our gear-centric niche has seen plenty of notable and important mountain bikes over the years. What makes a bike important? Well, that's up for debate, which is exactly what we do in episode 26.

Episode 25 - Fall Field Test Preview Oct 01, 2020

The trail-ish category that I'll be on includes Giant's Live Valve-equipped Trance X Pro Advanced, Salsa's very purple Blackthorn, Ibis' fourth-generation Mojo, Actofive's P-Trail for a wildcard, and another soon-to-be-released machine. On the enduro front, mikekazimer has got himself Trek's new Slash and Rocky Mountain's new Altitude, Propain's big-travel Spindrift, Kavenz's high-pivot machine, and two more mystery bikes that you'll find out about in a few weeks.

Episode 24 - Why Even Buy a DH Bike? Sep 24, 2020

If you've spent any time on a proper downhill bike, you'll know why we love 'em. All that suspension, traction, and geometry, combined with more reliable components, can turn seriously scary terrain into a good time, and any downhill bike on the market can make you feel like a World Cup pro. So how come we're wondering why you'd buy one?

Episode 23 - Grim Donut 2 is Live! Sep 17, 2020

The Grim Donut's conception was equal parts tongue-in-cheek and genuine curiosity, but we never thought it'd actually work. Fine, it doesn't work everywhere, but if you watched the video, you'll know that it certainly seems to work well when pointed down some steep, fast terrain. In timed testing, ex-EWS racer and full-time maniac Yoann Barelli went six-seconds quicker on the Donut over just two-minutes; that's a massive improvement in this world. Oh, and that was also his first time on the bike. And the chain jammed off halfway down

Episode 22 - Does Your Riding Style Match Your Personality? Sep 10, 2020

We've all got a buddy or two who seem to depend on nothing more than luck to hold it together, be it their life or most of their rides. They usually pull it off somehow, but 'disaster pending' is probably the best way to describe, well, most things about them.

Episode 21 - Stuff We Were Wrong About Sep 02, 2020

We weren't there when a teenaged Mike Kazimer said, ''Disc brakes won't ever be a thing,'' but we can certainly remember working on some examples that made us appreciate the power and reliability of V-brakes, as crazy as that sounds. Speaking of questionable choices, it sounds like Sarah Moore still wants to use her Shimano Dual Control shift/brake levers, and Levy once preferred old-school geometry.

Episode 20: Mountain Bike Conspiracy Theories Aug 28, 2020

While Levy would have loved to talk about Bob Lazar, tic-tac UAPs, and strange US military patents, Kazimer insisted on keeping it about bikes. So, is there really a derailleur cabal? And what about all those so-called "spy shots" that sure seem staged? Does Pinkbike really have a stake in Scribd? And are bike companies planning to screw you over with hub spacing?

Episode 19 - The Hardtail Episode Aug 21, 2020

There isn’t a ton of hardtail content on Pinkbike, but that doesn't mean we've completely forgotten about them, especially as we're aiming to put more time and effort towards value-minded bikes and products in the future. After all, ditching rear-suspension is a sure-fire way to save some big coin. Of course, there are more reasons to ride a hardtail than the price tag, as anyone who spends all their time on one might tell you...

Episode 18 - Electronics on your Mountain Bike: Good or Bad? Aug 14, 2020

No, we're not talking e-bikes today. On the long list of topics that we riders seem to have strong, heartfelt opinions about, electronic components probably sit closer to the top than the bottom. Especially when that new battery-powered thingy costs four times as much as the battery-less thingy you already have that does the job just fine. Hmm, so what's the point?

Episode 17 - XC Field Test Insider [Spoiler Alert] Aug 06, 2020

We're only halfway through our cross-country Field Test series, but this week's podcast is all about exactly that. Sarah and Levy answer a bunch of questions about our nine bikes, including favorites and least favorites, surprises, and whether we've changed our minds about the future of cross-country bikes. Warning: plenty of spoilers in this one.

Episode 16 - Who's Your Mountain Biking Hero? Jul 30, 2020

Is there anyone in the cycling universe that you'd call a hero? What about someone you looked up to and took inspiration from? Kazimer, Brian, James, and Levy talk about who they look up to from the mountain bike world.

Episode 15 - What's Holding Mountain Biking Back? Jul 22, 2020

Modern bikes are better than ever, but that doesn't mean there's no more room for improvement. In this episode, Brian Park, Christina Chappetta, James Smurthwaite and Kazimer discuss what could be changed to make mountain bikes, and the sport as a whole, even better. Grippy tires that don't go flat, inexpensive bikes with good geometry, investment from larger corporations, and building a more supportive, inclusive riding community were just a few of the suggestion that came up.

Episode 14 - What Bikes Would Pinkbike Editors Buy? Jul 16, 2020

In case it wasn't already obvious, mountain bike editors have it very, very good. We at Pinkbike, along with a relatively small group of equally spoiled people around the globe, get to ride and write about the latest and most interesting mountain bikes. A lot of them cost more than anyone in their right mind would ever spend on a bicycle, but a lot of us aren't in our right minds, are we? Halo-level bikes with five-digit price tags are often what brands prefer to send us to be reviewed - they don't want a set of inexpensive, troublesome brakes or low-end wheels dragging their frame down that's been in development for the last two years - but the more sensible out there understand that you usually get diminishing returns after a certain price point.

Beginning with the idea of assembling a capable, reasonably priced trail bike for our needs, Episode 14 of the Pinkbike Podcast sees Kazimer, James, and myself talking about what'd we'd purchase with our own limited funds.

Episode 13 - Are Bikes Too Regular Now? Jul 02, 2020

Did you see that so-and-so released a brand new bike? It has some pivots, a shock, and even comes with geometry. Wheels, too! You can get it in that low-key color that everyone's sure to be a fan of, and I can pretty much guarantee that it'll easily outperform anything that wasn't made within the last couple of years. Wind back the clock a decade or two and magazines were showing us a future that would surely be full of wild machines; two-shock suspension designs, CVT transmissions, carbon leaf springs, and who knows what else?

Episode 12 - What's the Future of Bike Shops? Jun 24, 2020

Our dozenenth episode is all about hallowed ground: The local bike shop. With over thirty years of shop experience between us, Brian, Kazimer, Jimmy-James, and I look back at what our local shops meant to us during the grom-years, recount some of our most memorable customers and stories, and really embrace that ''back in the good ol' days'' vibe.

Episode 11 - Are We Going Racing This Year? Jun 11, 2020

With the heavily revised schedule running from late summer through early fall, will 2020 be known as the muddiest World Cup season ever? Will the condensed, all-European calendar throw up any unexpected curveballs?

Episode 10 - Getting Nerdy About Bike Setup Jun 03, 2020

If there's more than one way to skin a cat then there's more than 1000 ways to set up a bike. Is Levy's rebound too slow? Are Kaz's brake levers too high? The answer is probably.

Episode 9 - Why Are We Doing a Cross-Country Field Test? May 27, 2020

Last week's show looked at Trek's experiments with both 32" and 36" diameter hoops, a topic that was always going to rustle people's knee pads but also one that, given they're one of the largest bike companies in the world, can't be ignored. That said, how about we don't talk about wheel sizes, and especially new, weird wheel sizes, for a little while? Something else that can't be ignored is the host of all-new cross-country and short-travel shredders debuting for 2020, many spurred on by this being an Olympic year. Well, it was supposed to be an Olympic year...

Episode 8 - Do We Need an Even Larger Wheel Size? May 21, 2020

The idea of a new, larger diameter wheel standard will have many people reaching for their pitchforks and the caps lock key, but what if there's a good argument to be made for a 32" wheel? Or even a 36er?

Episode 7 - Long Live Project Bikes! May 13, 2020

Whether you're a lifelong shop mechanic, a diehard DIYer, or still looking for that left-handed 5mm hex key, many of us enjoy working on our bikes nearly as much as riding them. That all begins with the basic skills needed to get yourself out of the forest, like fixing a flat tire or repairing a chain. From there, maybe you learned how to adjust your shifting, bolted on a new handlebar, or had a set of ISCG tabs welded onto your frame before you faced the bottom bracket shell back down to accept a modified Hammerschmidt crankset that's controlled by a fork lockout lever that you mounted on the underside of the bike's top tube like a suicide shifter... No?

Episode 6 - Over Biked Or Under Biked? May 06, 2020

If you're in the market for a new mountain bike, one of the first things you need to figure out is how much bike you nee... Want. Are you the type who sees no downsides to pedalling a relatively long-travel, heavier machine around all day, even if it's "too much bike" for the terrain? Or are you the opposite, preferring a relatively light-duty machine that might be more exciting to ride, even if you're going slower down the sketchy stuff? It's the old under-biked versus over-biked argument for episode six, with Kazimer and Levy looking at the situation from completely different angles. Of course.

Episode 5 - Can You Trust Bike Reviews? Apr 29, 2020

Can you trust bike reviews? The short answer: Yes. But also no. It depends. We look at the different types of reviews out there, talk about how we like to do our reviews, and some of their shortcomings. And we can't do any of that without getting into biases (we've all got 'em), embargos (review tomorrow!), and some tips on making sense of it all.

Episode 4 - Why Is Every Bike a Trail Bike? Apr 22, 2020

What defines a trail bike? Travel? Geometry? Acronyms? Levy, Kazimer, Brian, and James get together and try to determine what exactly a trail bike is.

Episode 3 - The Pond Beaver Special: 2021 MTB Tech Apr 15, 2020

Trade shows are being cancelled left and right so we decided to round up all the latest and greatest product and have our own virtual trade show. New suspension, drivetrains, apparel, and more! Welcome to the Pond Beaver special.

Episode 2 – What’s Up With the Grim Donut and Where Is Part 2? Apr 08, 2020

Ever since the release of the Grim Donut you guys have been hounding us for part 2 so we're here to pull back the curtain and explain what's up with the monstrosity we created.

We also have James Smurthwaite on air with us to discuss all the big news stories from the week. Trust ceasing operations, a new AXS app, and more.

Episode 1 - Why Are Bikes So Expensive? Apr 02, 2020

Normally the spring is a hectic time in the mountain bike media world—endless travel for trade shows and races and press camps. But this year is different, and we're all staying close to home. So, just like every other group of cooped up millennials, we're kicking off a podcast. Hosted by Mike Levy and featuring a rotating cast of the Pinkbike editorial team and other guests, the Pinkbike Podcast is a weekly update on all the latest stories from around the world of mountain biking, as well as some frank discussion about tech, racing, and everything in between. That said, we're all sick of hearing about Coronavirus, so for this first episode we're skipping the news and kicking things off by jumping straight into a discussion about value bikes. What did we learn from our value bike Field Trip? Why are bikes so expensive? Where should product managers be putting their resources? What are the best parts to upgrade?

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