The Pinkbike Podcast: Episode 100 - Q&A with the PB Editors

 @mikelevy @mikekazimer @henryquinney @brianpark

please bring Levy's friend Wayne on the podcast one day. Pinkers need to know he's real. Every shitshow story Levy brings up always starts with "My buddy Wayne and I..."

Congrats on the 100th podcast. Has made the morning commute something to look forward to.

 Congrats guys!! - one episode I'd love to see an 'NPR Car Talk' style podcast where people can poorly explain what's wrong with their bikes in voicemails and pink bikers can try to solve it.

 Kudos to @henryquinney for calling out children being a financial choice just like a bike is. It’s all priorities.

 Regarding youtube vs pinkbike comments; Unreal the difference!

I'd like to also add. I'm sorry for the comments I made on the Budget vs Baller videos. I was one of the people saying negative things in the comments. I failed to consider your integrity as a writer/presenter when it came to fair testing practices. After your explanation on the podcast, I completely understand. For that, Quinney & Lucas, I am sorry.

 @brianpark When will you guys talk about Pinkbikes relationship with Specialized and their investment firm Zone5 Ventures that owns a significant portion of Outside? There have been speculations and even if those are baseless, your sister publication CyclingTips at least felt the need to clarify that there is no conflict of interest. Because, as they put it, it does indeed look pretty ugly.

 For the mike vs mike race I believe the wager should be: winner gets to build and long term review their 2022 dream bike. Loser has to long term review the Budget Reign, *that includes the mike bear tires.

 Glad to hear Sarah's voice again. Always enjoy when she is on or writing articles. Henry always has some great British-isms in his videos. Reminds me of old Top Gear. ,Appreciate the in depth writing of Kaz and the energy the Levy brings into everything he does. And how both you guys are always willing to share some of the boneheaded things you have done.

 To push back gently, I feel you guys are being a little obtuse with regards to e-bike coverage, framing it in terms of "We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't cover e-bikes because that's where the stuff is happening".

For instance, I see at least five e-bike-tagged articles for just the month of January (www.pinkbike.com/news/tags/emtb). In contrast, for all of 2021, you only wrote two fat bike articles (www.pinkbike.com/news/tags/fat-bikes), with the last fat bike specific review being the Manitou Mastodon in 2017.

Now I get that the fat bike trend and progress has died way down from where it was a few years ago, but Pinkbike never covered that niche part of the sport with the gusto that it covers e-bikes. I don't think you can only attribute the amount of coverage e-bikes receive to "That's the direction the sport is moving", but rather deliberate editorial prioritization and choices.

 Love the show but sound levels are off. When Henry talks it’s like he’s whispering so I crank the volume up. Then Sarah comes on and she blows my speakers out so I turn it down and then it’s to low when Levy and Kaz talk.

 How bout making 2 bike quiver selections. I assume each one of you have a couple different combinations that work for your long and short travel needs. Seems like great content to me.

 @henryquinney is spot on with the budget v baller chat, every post is littered with the same comments, just relax and enjoy it as the fun series it is! Getting to see stuff that's on the market that no one would normally buy is fun and Jason and Henry are great fun hosts

 It's clearly PB's fault that I feel compelled to buy eewings this year at the expense of more important things. Shame on you.

 Podcast has been killing it! I've listened to every one. The Henry/Levy chemistry is really funny and good. I'd love to see that pairing even more in videos (the field tests are great).

 @mikekazimer @mikelevy Holy bike nuts...it like Christmas all over again. Congrats on #100 PB podcast. The cast has really been a benchmark of my pandemic life, and with no podcasts the 3 (or 4?) weeks I gotta say I've been 1) completely sad, just a pathetic little b**** and 2) combing through all the old casts (again) to get my fix almost daily. I can't even imagine life w/o the casts now - its just the best damn thing every single week aside from actually riding. Thanks so much. Are we moving up to 2-3 casts a week now? Awesome - thanks!

 Congrats on No. 100, guys! You all have a great chemistry with one another as a staff that keeps the conversation flowing, natural and engaging. If I didn’t know better, I would swear you had at least a modicum of broadcast experience in the past. I really enjoy the shows.

 Tell the guy carrying water/paying mortgage to go to BuySell on PB, set filters for price and front suspension only… find a good single speed or Hardtail… then go back and listen to all the previous 100 episodes and choose upgrades wisely. Then thank PB staff profusely

 I don't care if some of the video series are getting flak. PBA and BvB are still cool, if not somewhat flawed but that can be forgiven. People expect perfection but in reality, both of those series are less than 2 years old and it takes time to get everything right. Don't let it get you down. If the views and engagement still trend positive then you're doing something right. Love this podcast and how ya'll make it feel like we're right in the room with you. Thanks for 100!

 @mikelevy @henryquinney - And also: any chance we're gonna get that Henrys-Magical-Experience podcast we all wanna hear intimate details of? Remember: he almost died. Also, this really has nothing to do with bikes so it should be a great topic. It would make me accept an aliens / UFO / Levy conspiracy cast (maybe).

 I get that UFOs/aliens don't affect daily life.. but if you're not seriously paying attention right now, you ought to be. Some of the craziest shit is happening and it's unprecedented. It's beyond me that people don't consider it to be an exciting topic!

 That was a great #100, love these podcasts (and PB content in general)

Since you mentioned the end-of-year awards I thought I'd mention something I didn't get round to at the time: Given PB's reach and influence I wonder if all the "best of" categories were appropriate. For example, video of the year, where everyone gets to see every video, that's totally appropriate. But "value bike" category, when it's based on the field test and maybe 1 or 2 other individual reviews (all based on what manufacturers could send you), doesn't feel right to me. On the one hand you can say it's just end-of-year fun, no one should take it too seriously, and everyone understands it's a restricted pool of bikes. But on the other hand, "Pinkbike Value Bike of the Year" probably has a LOT of influence among bike buyers and manufacturers, and people will easily remember the trophy while forgetting the randomness of which bikes you even rode. Maybe some categories are better off going under the banner of "stuff we liked this year" rather than " .... of the Year." Just my 2 cents, and I hope we can still be friends

 Why don't you guys cover fat biking more? Here in Maine, when all of the great single track we have gets covered with snow, the rocky rooty trails become super fast smooth pumpy flow trails. It's an absolute blast to ride. Sure, we ski too, but in general, when the snow sucks for skiing, it's great for fat biking and vice versa. I feel like you're missing out on a lot of opportunities for some cool content.

 Congrats on the 100th episode! This podcast has really grown on me. Here's to 100 more

 Thanks for answering my question @henryquinney regarding budget vs baller. You definitely put the series into context. Another metric I was surprised to see was the number of YouTube views which was also really high so there will likely be another season at some point. I'm sure next time around you will tweak the format for the better and get even more YT views and the same grumpy complaints in the PB comments.
Cheers
Dan

 @mikelevy + PB Crew— just wanted to say thanks for all the amazing content. Between the crazy snow the PNW got recently and now being on COIVD quarantine, I’ve been going a bit crazy off the bike. I’m slightly embarrassed to think about how much time I’ve spent going back through the last couple of years of reviews, articles and videos to pass the time. A huge THANK YOU for the joy and content you’ve given me (us).

And a question—any chance we EVER see Sram/Shimano give us the range of 12 speed in less gears? (I know the answer’s no.) Maybe the better or realistic question is: “where do you see the race of n +1 gears finally stopping?”

I know the Box drivetrain’s out there, but I’d love to see one of the two drivetrain giants attack this. I can’t be the only rider out there who loves the range we have now but is constantly double or triple shifting around the cassette. I’m not a racer and don’t care about my cadence all that much and for those rides that go up, then down I feel less might be more. Heck, I’m tempted to take a shot at one of those SunRace 9 speed 11-50 cassettes and see what happens.

 I have been checking every day for the 100th and you have not disappointed, As far as the Mike vs. Mike contest, I have really enjoyed the battle of the skinnies and I think this would be an excellent arena. In fact it would be great fun, for me anyway, to watch all of the Pink bike staff participate to make this a regular feature.

 what do we wish from PB for the future?
Resurgence of full suspension turner bikes
more 29 by 3.0 tires for FRAME MAKERS
32inch wheels some some day
more purple cranksets
if your making longer toptubes just make sure mfgrs make bars with less backsweep or at least think about that
And, finally. CHROMAG?????? beg truelove or whoever to get the arcturians going. please..

 I’ve done the 2 day wilderness first aid course and my wife did the 10 day wilderness first responder. Priceless courses. More people should take them.

For first aid kits, the basic bandages of course, having acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and Benadryl are valuable to have. If you get injured and have a long slog out, have pain relievers are huge. And if you get stung or have some other allergic issue, Benadryl can buy you a lot of time. Bonus, next time you grab a burger somewhere, grab a few of the small pepper packets. Black pepper works really well to help coagulation in bad cuts.

 Damn it @henryquinney !!! Here I was complimenting you for disagreeing with @mikelevy , and you go and ruin it by having a verbal make out session with him about how much you loath E-bikes. All my trust and favor, LOST!
On a serious note; Great job on the podcast, and all the content you guys have been putting out. You guys put a smile on my face and make the daily grind a little more worth while.
Also E-bikes are adventure bikes. I believe they are best used for taking deeper, and quicker trips into backcountry trails. (where access is allowed)

 1:10:30 " The thing is, there is only so many things to talk about..."

and eight minutes later:

1:18:23 "...we're possibly going to add another weekly podcast..."

That's some good quality humor there, love it!

 Felt the need to throw my first aid kit contents here after hearing y'all talk about em. I supervise a remote field crew and we've all taken WFA or WFR courses, they are fantastic. Think about your kit in a worst case scenario way, what will you die from in the field without care? If you need a band-aid, you really don't need anything.
Our kits include the following at minimum, depending on group size and length of trip:
Tourniquet, hemmhorrage bandage, benadryl, aspirin, coban/wrap, tape, gauze, alcohol wipes, a knife/multitool. Sometimes a GPS SOS device, some seasons a survival blanket.
If you're out with someone with known allergies, epinephrine. If your crew has any diabetics, some sugary gummies.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional

 @mikelevy @mikekazimer @sarahmoore @henryquinney

I was REALLY excited when I saw a new Podcast uploaded. Between all the snow/thaw/mud and not being able to ride, not seeing friends because everyone getting rona, and no PB podcast, its been a long couple weeks. Stoked you guys are back! Sorry for having the most impossible to pronounce username ever.

 Another fantastic pod. I like when you all are NFG and randomly talk about subjects just thrown into the ring. And @mikelevy , we ARE interested in aliens and it IS interesting. I'm not dedicating a ton of time to it, but anything Bob Lazar is absolutely fascinating. Make @mikekazimer watch his episode with Rogan or the doc by Corbell. Then go ride bikes.

More random podcasts from all four of you together. Power team.

 Two things:
1. Please boost Henry's mic a bit. He is pretty soft spoken and a bit more difficult to hear.

2. If you do a review on, let's say, XYZ tire in 29", can we assume the review is valid for XYZ tire in 27.5"?

 Question for the podcast: When considering a new non-hero spec bike, which components make a difference? Between the Pb podcasts and the field test videos I am now firmly looking at aluminium bikes - which saves a bunch of money for a far better spec, e.g. from my long list, going from Spectral CF 7 to AL 6. Components, where's the sweet spot? Five years back into mountain biking at the wrong end of 40 I'm not going to be learning big jumps or racing, so no factory suspension. At the same time, I want things that work well and would like to spend for a more forgiving ride and iron out my mistakes / avoid as many offs as possible. I'd rather pay a little more now (the only advantage of age) than upgrade later, but where?

As an aside, I may be back with a similar question when I'm having to sleep in an iron lung, until then, I'm not interested in e-bike easiness.

 After the field tests this year, I learned that a slack HTA is key for performance. So, I did install a 2deg headset on my elder trailbike. And I must admit that I can cruise into corners with more confidence now, as losing grip on the front is much easier to control.
Question: how would you describe the effect of a slack HTA? Why is it so important for you?

 Henry’s comment on Ebike market was spot on IMO.

We could learn a lot from an article on the growth the Ebike market has had on the past 5 years vs what was the trend for regulars bikes on the same time frame.
Pre bike boom for sure.

 @mikekazimer @mikelevy @henryquinney STILL WAITING on that homepage link to a running list or audio-collection of all Henry's incredible sayings (ie greatest hits) on the podcast so far this year: ya know "a 3 inch grip on a 4 inch turd" (or whatever that was)...shit like that. Maybe I'll just have to go back through & do that myself as 1) I realize this is unlikely but 2) I'm sure the audio team can handle it but 3) I realize this is still unlikely but 4) I'm still sure the audio team can handle it. Uh, yeah - thanks.

 @mikelevy @mikekazimer @henryquinney @brianpark RE: Budget vs. Baller, LOVE it! I’m not sure who is hating on this video series. I think it’s making two points in a satirical way: 1) You can save money buying lower end components, but Go too far down the $$ saving road at your own peril. 2) Going off the rails spending more than your bike is worth in upgrades is equally stupid. Sure you get a great bike, but you could have bought a brand new bike with high-end components and updated geometry for the same price. Splitting the difference often makes the most sense.

I for one will not put more than half of why I paid for a bike new into upgrades (wheels excluded because I can easily move them to another bike).

 I've asked a question about talas travel adjust forks before but since we're rehashing questions...
With all the new bikes sharing frames nowadays and electronic suspension being all the rage, wouldn't the next meaningful step be travel adjust suspension??

 @mikelevy @mikekazimer @henryquinney @brianpark - this may be highly recycled comment / question but there is so much PB content that sometimes its easy to get lost. I'm on a XL 2019 YT Capra and w/ front & rear cushcore & a coil (37lbs). It's a shredder on western North Carolina / southeastern US mountains downhills (gnarly Pisgah-style trails or park Snowshoe / Windrock / lift-access etc) but it's a slow-mo tank powered by snails on flowy terrain or climbing.

My question is then obviously what full sus bike you might suggest for gentler / flowier terrain that feels light, climby, nimble and fast - but that could also handle steeper pitches with occasional gnarly rooty or rock sections (but that lacks big drops or jumps greater than 2-4 feet). This bike would just be for fun, speed, climbing easier, and flowy terrain and to keep up w/ friends that have trail bikes who ride slighly less gnar. I ride the YT everywhere and I'm used to it now in all terrain, but its not at all nimble or agile in gentler terrain. Pardon the length here - this is not new, and I guess you'll relegate this to the trail bike category but I had to ask the seasoned pro's....

 @mikelevy @mikekazimer @henryquinney @brianpark - more questions since you guys are going to a 2-ep podcast week now (or is it 3 - awesome!). My intro comment being a Q&A per week seems like easy / low hanging fruit as an extra episode.

1) Do any of you guys have a shortlist or link to a listing of bikes that are Large frames but that would fit taller riders? I'm 6'4'' and ride an XL Capra. At a demo I rode an XXL and liked it, but didn't get a chance to ride a L size frame. I've seen that Jack Moir and some others are riding just -slightly smaller frames and it seems like that could work great too. I realize it all comes down to reach and lots of other geo considerations but can't help wondering if there's not already a short list of Large frame models that really do fit taller types. Thx -

2) What happened to James, Christina and Tom on podcasts? Are they just pop-ins when they can make? Just curious - nice to have them all cycled through frequently.

 Wow, 100 episodes already. Congrats Pinkbike crew, smashing it!

 I think it would be really interesting to have some of the editors at Beta on to discuss their experiences and what goes into their reviews

 I’m with you @mikelevy. Don’t give up on getting the others to take this more seriously. I have your exact same outlook on this stuff!

 @mikekazimer will there be a review on the butcher/eliminator combo? Butcher grid trail T9 up front and eliminator grid gravity T7/T9 in the rear seems like a pretty sweet all round enduro setup

 you guys are killing my buzz... just kidding, I feel the same way about bro culture, but feel it's totally okay to have a beer during or especially after a ride, but be nice to everyone!

 Whoop! Congrats on the century!

 Thank you all for coming back to the podcast! I really enjoy my hour per week listening to yall. Happy new year.

 Mike and Mike: "I don't really drink"

Beta bros: *cracks beer on camera*

That's why Outside needed both publications

 Maybe someone already asked, but can we get stickers of the wifi levy emblem.

 Glad the podcast is back. Congrats on 100! How about video podcast in the future?

 At @mikelevy and @henryquinney. With the clear distaste for ebikes in mind, would you rather take an E-Bike out on a fun trail or a gravel bike on a gravel grind?

 doubt this will get seen but Henry, dude, snowboards dont have motors. comparing ski vs board to mtb vs etb is maybe the worst takes you've ever had. it does not track.

 This episode doesn't appear to be on Spotify yet.

 Is Lewis Hamilton an alien?

 this episode would have been a great video podcast @mikelevy

 Congrats on the ton and thanks @mikelevy @mikekazimer @brianpark for getting the Apple Podcasts sorted.

 Funny how bike of the year was a Norco Range then all you see is big adds for the Norco Range. Hard to be unbiased.

 Kaz, adamants, monashees, caribous, bugaboos, selkirks, where did you go bro?

 don't like riding or skiing high or hallucinating? look up Terry Cook. Tahoe bro brah!

 @mikekazimer : on your raaw, coil shock or air?


All: what is your opinion of Paul Aston’s current project.

 I want a episode that’s just Levy and Henry talking about their opinions on E-Bikes honestly.

 Not really a bike related question, but what AT setups do you use @mikekazimer and @sarahmoore?

 Talk about UFO please!

 Still not fixed on apple podcasts?

 entirely not enough Alien discussion.

 Congrats on 100 dudes!

 In my opinion the yeti e bike is the only one that looks good so far

 so where is the link to post a q

 pb podcast question link? where do you post questions to get answered.

 How did Henry get this job.

 Best podcast yet. Would love more like this.

 E-bike whiner festival.

 Caulk n hand