The Pinkbike Podcast: Episode 122 - Do Social Media & Mountain Biking Go Together?

May 19, 2022
by Mike Levy  
Pinkbike Podcast
Art by Taj Mihelich


Social media is easy to hate on, yet the large majority of us use it in one way or another when we share photos and videos from our rides, upload that ride to Strava, leave a comment under a Pinkbike article, or use TikTok to show the world that "funny" dance you just learned. Episode 122 sees Kazimer, Sarah, Alica, and I chat about the good and bad sides of social media use, athletes and marketing, and staying connected without oversharing.

Where do you stand on social media: do you share photos or videos from most of your rides, or do you only post photos of your dog and selfies?





THE PINKBIKE PODCAST // EPISODE 122 - DO SOCIAL MEDIA & MOUNTAIN BIKING GO TOGETHER?
May 19th, 2022

If it's not on your highlight reel, did you even ride?


Featuring a rotating cast of the 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.



Previous Pinkbike Podcasts
Episode 1 - Why Are Bikes So Expensive?
Episode 2 - Where the Hell is the Grim Donut?
Episode 3 - Pond Beaver Tech
Episode 4 - Why is Every Bike a Trail Bike?
Episode 5 - Can You Trust Bike Reviews?
Episode 6 - Over Biked Or Under Biked?
Episode 7 - Wild Project Bikes
Episode 8 - Do We Need an Even Larger Wheel Size?
Episode 9 - Why Are We Doing a Cross-Country Field Test?
Episode 10 - Getting Nerdy About Bike Setup
Episode 11 - Are We Going Racing This Year?
Episode 12 - What's the Future of Bike Shops?
Episode 13 - Are Bikes Too Regular Now?
Episode 14 - What Bikes Would Pinkbike Editors Buy?
Episode 15 - What's Holding Mountain Biking Back?
Episode 16 - Who's Your Mountain Biking Hero?
Episode 17 - XC Field Test Insider
Episode 18 - Electronics on your Mountain Bike: Good or Bad?
Episode 19 - The Hardtail Episode
Episode 20 - MTB Conspiracy Theories
Episode 21 - Stuff We Were Wrong About
Episode 22 - Does Your Riding Style Match Your Personality?
Episode 23 - Grim Donut 2 is Live!
Episode 24 - Why Even Buy a DH Bike?
Episode 25 - Fall Field Test Preview
Episode 26 - The Three Most Important Mountain Bikes
Episode 27 - The World Champs Special
Episode 28 - All About Women's Bikes
Episode 29 - Freeride or Die
Episode 30 - Would You Rather?
Episode 31 - Wet Weather Riding Tips & Tricks
Episode 32 - What Needs to Change in the Bike Industry?
Episode 33 - Behind the Scenes at Pinkbike Academy
Episode 34 - Grilling Levy About Field Test Trail Bikes (and His Bonspiel)
Episode 35 - Story Time - Stranger Than Fiction
Episode 36 - Grilling Kazimer about Field Test Enduro Bikes
Episode 37 - The 2020 Privateer Season with Ben Cathro
Episode 38 - Editors Defend Their 2020 Best-Of Picks
Episode 39 - Predicting the Future of Mountain Biking
Episode 40 - The Pinkbike Awards!
Episode 41 - Racing Rumours and Team Changes
Episode 42 - Mountain Biking's Guilty Pleasures
Episode 43 - Dangerholm's Wildest Custom Mountain Bikes
Episode 44 - Mountain Bike Suspension Decoded
Episode 45 - What Makes a Good Riding Buddy
Episode 46 - The RockShox Zeb vs Fox 38 Deep Dive
Episode 47 - High Pivot Bikes: The Good, The Bad, and The Why?
Episode 48 - Rides That Went Horribly Wrong... & Why That Made Them So Good
Episode 49 - What's the Best DH Bike?
Episode 50 - Are Bikes Actually Getting Less Expensive? (Value Bike Field Test Preview)
Episode 51 - Should MTB Media Post Spy Shots?
Episode 52 - Our Most Embarrassing MTB Moments
Episode 53 - Should Climbers Still Have the Right of Way?
Episode 54 - Best and Worst MTB Product Marketing
Episode 55 - Big Dumb Rides & Staying Motivated
Episode 56 - What Were the Most Important Inventions in Mountain Biking?
Episode 57 - What Were the Best (and Worst) Trends in Mountain Biking?
Episode 58 - Debunking Mountain Biking's Biggest Myths
Episode 59 - Value Bike Field Trip Surprises & Spoilers
Episode 60 - What Kind of Mountain Biker Do You Want to Be?
Episode 61 - Athlete Pay, Lycra, Equality and More from the State of the Sport Survey
Episode 62 - Editor Preferences and Why They Matter
Episode 63 - Our Best (And Worst) Bike Buying Advice
Episode 64 - Who's On Your MTB Mount Rushmore?
Episode 65 - The Hardtail Episode
Episode 66 - The Best and Worst of Repairing Bikes
Episode 67 - The Story of Mountain Biking's Most Interesting Man: Richard Cunningham
Episode 68 - Who Are Mountain Biking's Unsung Heroes?
Episode 69 - The Good, Bad, and Strange Bikes We've Owned - Part 1
Episode 70 - The Good, Bad, and Strange Bikes We've Owned - Part 2
Episode 71 - The Story of Mountain Biking's Most Interesting Man: Richard Cunningham - A Pinkbike Podcast Special, Part 2
Episode 72 - Hey Outers!
Episode 73 - The Details That Matter... and Some That Shouldn't
Episode 74 - The Best Trails We've Ridden and What Makes Them So Special
Episode 75 - Things MTB Brands Waste Money On
Episode 76 - MTB Originals and Copycats
Episode 77 - Interview with Outside CEO, Robin Thurston
Episode 78 - Modern Geometry Explained
Episode 79 - What's the Future of eMTBs?
Episode 80 - The Best Vehicles for Mountain Bikers
Episode 81 - You've Got Questions, We've (Maybe) Got Answers
Episode 82 - Behind the Scenes at Field Test
Episode 83 - Does Carbon Fiber Belong On Your Mountain Bike?
Episode 84 - Explaining RockShox's Computer Controlled Suspension
Episode 85 - Is the Red Bull Rampage Too Slopestyle?
Episode 86 - Greg Minnaar on the Honda DH Bike, World Cup Racing, and Staying Fast Forever
Episode 87 - How to Love Riding When it's Cold and Wet
Episode 88 - Mountain Biking on a Budget
Episode 89 - The Derailleur Pickle
Episode 90 - Is Supre the Future of Trouble-Free Drivetrains? (with Cedric Eveleigh of Lal Bikes)
Episode 91 - Riding Every Double Black in the Whistler Bike Park with Christina Chappetta
Episode 92 - Does Bike Weight Really Matter?
Episode 93 - Staying Motivated and Overcoming Burnout
Episode 94 - PBA Contestant Tori Wood on Her First Race and Finding the Right Mindset
Episode 95 - Field Test Down-Country Bike Debrief
Episode 96 - PBA Contestant Israel Carrillo on Riding in Mexico and Why It's Not Always About Speed
Episode 97 - Can We Predict the Future of Mountain Biking?
Episode 98 - Field Test Trail Bike Debrief
Episode 99 - New Year, New You?
Episode 100 - Q&A with the PB Editors
Episode 101 - MTB Tradeshows Explained
Episode 102 - Should MTB Media Be Going to Press Camps?
Episode 103 - Secrets from the World Cup Pits with Henry Quinney
Episode 104 - Lachlan Morton on How to be a Happy Bike Racer and the World's Longest Climb
Episode 105 - The 3 Bike Budget Challenge
Episode 106 - What's Your Ideal Ride Look Like?
Episode 107 - How (And Why) Did You Start Mountain Biking?
Episode 108 - Behind the Scenes at the Value Bike Field Test
Episode 109 - Berm Peak's Seth Alvo on Making Videos 24/7, Soul Rides, and Building a Bike Park
Episode 110 - Trying (and Failing) to Reinvent the Mountain Bike
Episode 111 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #1 - It's All Downhill From Here
Episode 112 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #2 - The Lourdes World Cup Post-Race Wrap-Up
Episode 113 - PB Editors Answer Your Questions (again)
Episode 114 - The Placebo Effect and Your New Mountain Bike
Episode 115 - We Are One's CEO Talks Future DH Bike, E-Bikes, & Domestic Manufacturing
Episode 116 - New Bikes and Gear from Sea Otter
Episode 117 - Mountain Biking's Worst (or Best) Cliché Crimes
Episode 118 - Music and Mountain Biking
Episode 119 - Road Trips Gone Horribly Wrong
Episode 120 - Gee Atherton on Titanium Additive Manufacturing, Million Dollar Machines, and 3 New Bikes
Episode 121 - How To Film Rampage & Field Tests with the PB Team

Author Info:
mikelevy avatar

Member since Oct 18, 2005
2,032 articles

71 Comments
  • 60 0
 I don't always use a GoPro on a ride but when I do, I do absolutely nothing with the footage then delete it 2 years later.
  • 8 0
 I'm in this comment and I don't like it.
  • 18 0
 Do you also watch it back exactly once and think "F*ck me, I didn't realise I was THAT slow and rigid. This should never see the light of day"?
No?
Oh, no, I don't do that either...
  • 2 0
 i dont even delete it. found like 6 year old footage the other day haha its so good
  • 4 0
 I feature in some gopro footage (shot by my buddy following) that's worthy of being posted on the pb homepage.... posted only on a Friday tho.
  • 4 0
 @kcy4130: be honest: are you "let my Ibis do the work" guy?
  • 1 0
 I wish more people thought a bit harder about who or whether anyone might even want to watch it before uploading their ride footage
  • 30 1
 Social media is just a personal marketing campaign; I think it's hard to do social media posts without coming off as self-absorbed. I think if you make a living off your MTB marketing that is different, but for myself, trying to look cool on the internet is a huge distraction. I would rather just ride and share the experience with the people that are already on the trail with me.
  • 10 3
 Most people that post their rides seen narcissistic and needing of attention for riding their bike. Maybe it shows the true motivation for some people, they are in it for attention more than actual enjoyment of the activity.

The most annoying to me are the amateur rider or industry employed hastaggers. Hashtags are pathetic, maybe there is a reason it rhymes with douchebag?
  • 4 0
 @TwistedChain: "Most people that post their rides seen narcissistic and needing of attention for riding their bike."

The "needing attention" was definitely me. Posting everything on Strava. Now I don't want the attention since I am in a better place in my head (depression) and every time I stop posting people send me messages asking if I am okay and wanting to see my stuff. Lost control of the monster.
  • 4 1
 Counter to the idea of needing attention and narcissism, I record footage and track rides for those I know that simply cannot ride or do the things I have access to be able to do. Be that a limit due to finance, free time, local, or physical capability. They get to experience it vicariously, I get to play with video editing and they motivate me to keep up on riding, which is often challenged by my own mental health struggles. Things manifest differently for everyone, and we all respond differently, hopefully people try to do what they think is best and the least harmful from their given perspective and maybe we don't agree with their process, but I think it's a good thing to try to keep in mind.
  • 16 0
 I like to post stuff because I like to revisit it later. I don't expect to get tons of views, but I like sharing my hobbies with anyone that wants to watch.
  • 13 0
 I was just fine reading mtb magazines
  • 7 0
 I miss Dirt
  • 2 0
 Seeing posts on Insta about the demise of Beta...from mulitple people who work or have worked with Ryan and the crew in the past. No news on PB or the Beta site...don't know if it's just the print portion or if Outside is scrapping them altogether or maybe a big PB/Beta merge. Anyway...sad that we lost another print mag.
  • 1 0
 @pedalhound: sounds like Beta is dead along with Peloton. just about every other magazine under Outside will stop doing print versions
  • 8 0
 I love to see a photo or short clip from a friend, or even just a stranger on the internet.
2 things are getting you blocked: tagging "sponsors" of products you paid retail for, and asking me to like, subscribe or give you money.
  • 10 0
 As most things in life,social media is what you make of it. Learnt to filter by yourself and don't be triggered and you'll be fine.
  • 1 0
 Nutshell.
  • 13 2
 Social media enables the self absorbed and burns out those who aren’t
  • 7 0
 I don't want to use FaceBook, but I have to. All my local mountain bike clubs and trail building groups use FB as their primary news feed. We tried using other services, but the user population on FB is so big that our events would not reach the same audience. I really understand now why these social platforms sink so much money up front to build the people network, because once you do it's hard for another platform to compete. *Not trying to rant, just hoping another way presents itself*
  • 6 0
 The average pink bike commenter laments fast food and cigarettes, when social media has been proven to be just as harmful as the former two, to our brains. If you're not a company selling a product or an influencer selling your soul, SM is bad for your health FULL STOP.
  • 11 3
 Well...let's see. I'm not a raging narcissist and I'm not trying to sell you anything, so I don't bother.
  • 5 0
 Social media is a great way to keep up on group rides, work days, and new trail features. It works better than emails or newsletters. I'm not an influencer, so I don't have to take SM seriously. Sometimes I'll post something relevant on my local group because I'm bored and want attention. I'll throw up the occasional travel pic to soft brag, inspire others, and because I want attention.
  • 7 0
 If you're not trolling your local FB mtb/trail conditions group, you're not using Facebook as it was originally intended.
  • 7 0
 Social Media is the new smoking. Initially, it seemed cool and everyone was doing it. Now, it is straight-up poison for your psyche.
  • 6 1
 Deleted fb & Insta accounts a few years ago 'cause F*** Zuck and his disinformation machine, so the only ride-related social media I participate in these days is Strava. My strava feed is private, and restricted to people I allow to follow me.

For the most part it's cool keeping up on what my friends are up to on the bike, but I recently unfollowed a dude I met out on the trail, who seemed cool enough, after the umpteenth ride log showed up in my feed of him posing and commenting about how he "slayed" or "shredded" or "sent it" or whatever. Every. Single. Ride. Always with the posed photos of himself, and/or his bike. Always in the same carefully framed mid-air leap or superhero pose. I mean, we get it dude, you're fast and have some style, but narcissist much? Unfollow.
  • 4 0
 Saying that a lot of the rampage guys would not ride Hannah and Katie's drop in seems a bit of a stretch. Fair fucks to all the girls riding in formation, its way more than I will ever ride but don't make out that the rampage riders would struggle with any of those lines.
  • 5 1
 Speaking of social media - there’s been 3 athletes make announcements on social media about concussion this week, maybe this would be a good podcast topic, you could perhaps bring in any number of people - one of the key helmet manufacturers, a pro rider or well known rider who has experienced concussion, or even just a rider rep or past rep from the DH circuit, essentially with an expert in the field of TBI, and id love to hear the stance from a UCI Rep, a round table discussion of sorts. I understand logistically that many people would be a headache, but I’m sure you get the idea; The topic always seems to generate a lot of discussion in the PB comments
  • 1 0
 This is a great idea.
  • 5 0
 Yeah I think it's fun to share things with people I like. And fun to see what my friends are up to. I guess that makes me a narcissist and not very core.
  • 6 0
 less SM and more riding...
  • 2 0
 @mikelevy Not a media related question but something for all the presenters: what parts would you lighten on your bike? I'm on an alloy bike and noticed swapping nx to gx and carbon bars are both performance enhancers and a (relatively) affordable pound off. I aspire to Quinney's "just ride your bike" attitude but am curious what parts you'd swap.
  • 1 0
 I am a full-time rider and content creator. I literally only use social media to provide value to brands as a marketing tool. While of course I'm always trying to enjoy my ride and improve my skills, it's far more powerful to prove to a sponsor that you can aid in selling a product. I'm not sure what the balance is, and I try to focus rides on having fun, skill-building, and media, and separate them as much as possible.
  • 4 0
 I never cared much for social media and I will continue not to care about it in the future.
  • 3 0
 A ride should not be curated. It's a distraction from the whole purpose of a ride. So is your effing music playing even at a gnat's volume.
  • 1 0
 Social media is a great tool to quickly determine whether I want to get to know someone better. If someone is constantly posting about their rides and bikes, especially in a way that screams "insecure adult with a real job trying to create self esteem from how fast I can ride a bike in the woods," I know not to waste any of my time.
  • 1 0
 The part about how RedBull were shipping in influencers and how they are choosing to market Formation was really interesting and felt like it deserves more coverage than just a passing mention in a podcast. It's a fascinating time for our sport as it becomes more visible to the outside world. I hardly do SM at all, so maybe it's all been discussed already and I missed it.

In general I wonder why PB don't dig into some of these more serious issues more often, you have really good writers with really interesting insights and opinions, I'd love to read more of them on the main site. Possibly that's not PB's remit though, maybe Beta is covering that more as it's more long-form?

The discussion about paid for reviews was another one that completely changed my understanding of how I'm being sold to that feels like it's worthy of a lot more words and discussion.

Love these podcasts, they are fascinating and you all do a great job in presenting and editing them.
  • 1 0
 that part of the conversation was definitely interesting.

I get Alicia's frustration with the groups like of care/lack decorum in the aftermath of a crash, but on the other hand having more eyes on this sort of event seems like a massive benefit to the scene and these women's careers. It seems like a difficult thing to balance and it seems like in this case Redbull went a bit too far
  • 1 0
 Timing probably was off, but given the news about Beta (and the nearly complete collapse of outdoor journalism in general) it would be great to discuss how the business model of social media has destroyed the older journalism models.
  • 2 0
 Yup, definitely some stuff to talk about in the next episode!
  • 2 0
 Question for next time: Can y'all talk about the demise of Beta and where that crew is headed? Maybe have the likes Palmer, Formosa on? Is anyone getting absorbed by Pinkbike?
  • 2 0
 Yup, stuff to talk about for the next pod
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: Cheers. I see this was asked answered already. My bad.
  • 1 0
 I'm in mountain biking for a long time (since 1991) and honestly social media are OK to know if a group ride is happening in the next week or so, but for the rest, it's a very poor database of information. I miss the time when forums where a lot more active. Because when you search for advise about one component or a place to ride for your next holiday, the information in the forum sticks. Then you can do a search with google and even a few years later you can find useful information in these forums.
Doesn't seems to be as efficient with the SM, so for me, it's a big loss of common knowledge after all.
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy - Great podcast. Maybe a discussion point for another podcast is "Where do you think social media is going in the next 5, 10, 20 years?" Is it something that will continue to get bigger or will we wise up and start living real lives again.
  • 1 0
 I was surprised by the views in formation. RB is all about selling cans of drink. It’s all they do. They are only into mtb because they see a good roi into sales because of it. I was surprised any one thinks they have any other motivation
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy and co.

Just finished the podcast. It was mentioned that it’s designed to divide us. True to an extent, but it can also connect us. We travel to ride a lot, and my son almost always connects with local groms or other riders wherever we travel. This has led to cool experiences of connecting with locals, getting to dig and ride on private trails or dirt jumps others don’t get to access, getting shown around at the various old rampage sites by local kids (if you know, you know that finding the lines out there is daunting), plus having those kids to give tips on how to ride that terrain, having various meals and face to face social time with people we probably would have never met otherwise. Now it seems like wherever we go, we have connections. Now you can build that sort of network the old fashioned way, but social media can rapidly accelerate the process.
  • 1 0
 Thank you for describing the influencer island at Formation. Pretty disheartening to hear about that. This is where I think social media is bad. People don't take things seriously or respect the work behind the act/post. I think social media is also bad because when people advertise for a company for free, why should/would the company pay photographers, journalists, and athletes (people who have trained and studied to do the job) to do the same thing.
  • 1 0
 Had a weird moment today when watching this YT Industries video with Ace Hayden. The music sure sounds familiar???

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6k5iBef6w&t=2&ab_channel=YTIndustries
  • 1 0
 Idea for a future episode- discussion of what protection people wear for different types of rising and why. Does this change depending on skill level. I’d also love to know what pads to the DH pros wear.
  • 5 5
 Why the hell would I post a selfie after a ride? I don't post one after going to the gym, dinner er....oh never mind. People under 30 post for practically every tiny event in their lives, don't they?!

Get over yourselves...it's a bike ride, not climbing El Cap.
  • 1 0
 Are you saying it's not normal to take a toilet selfie every morning and post it
  • 2 0
 Woah, that was heavy. Thanks for that, it made me a bit sad, but I still liked it a lot.
Virtual hug goes out to you people Smile
  • 2 0
 Tyre Pressures - it depends on so many variables that you can't compare. Ride what is right for you.
  • 1 0
 More tech episodes and interviews please. The episode with Dustin would be a good framework. This episode and the road trip episode were strikes for me dawg.
  • 1 0
 This is not even specific to mountain biking but if you require me to use SM to engage with you, I simply won't engage with you.
  • 1 0
 PB is the inly social media i need. I usually land on Friday fails rather than sunday sends or saturday saves or what ever it is.
  • 1 0
 Can someone post up the pisstake Insta accounts mentioned?

I quite like nrml_mtber, unioncigaretteinternational and the like.
  • 1 0
 What are the pros and cons of ‘trying to grow the sport’ ? It’s seems like a given for a lot of people but why, to what end?
  • 1 0
 I'm pretty sure anyone on Pinkbike would gladly give away their personal information in order to see Kaz' TikTok dance
  • 2 0
 Pinkbike was social media before social media was a thing.
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy that would mean people have to have your phone number! now i know how you missed all my car racing invitations!
  • 2 0
 What is social media? Will my bike work without it?
  • 1 0
 Social media makes everything worse. Pinkbike comment sections are a prime example.
  • 1 0
 Thanks for the heads up on Pinkish Bike and Chainslap News..
  • 1 0
 Making my own bike clips is my Artistic outlet valve.
  • 1 0
 All hail the skinner box!
  • 1 2
 Pink bike is one of the only good social media platforms. All'so we need 2 podcast a week pls.
  • 2 0
 Quality over quantity please







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