The Pinkbike Podcast: Episode 17 - XC Field Test Insider [Spoiler Alert]

 I just want to give some positive feedback for the podcasts in general. They are well done and I’ve really enjoyed them so far. It’s always nice to listen to the conversations/debate/banter every week. Keep up the great work!

 ust getting the gears turning here; PB should do a custom bike Field test. It would pit the wildest bikes out there against one another and determine if some bloke with a welder and CAAD know-how can actually create a well performing super bike. This field test would feature bikes like that of Dangerholm's builds, the Euro crazy bikes, Evan Turpen's high pivot sled, and potentially the Grim Donut. And then at the end they would be compared to the top mountain bikes from the biggest and most popular companies in the industry to see how they stack up. #PBcustomfieldtest2021

 17 episodes in and they have yet to even start to unpack downhill tandem racing. Or even where super enduro tandem racing currently is and how that landscape continues to evolve.

 Haven't listened yet, guessing the Epic EVO was a favorite. All that thing needed was updated geo and a lobotomy and it got both.

 On the lines of comparing bike prices to motorbikes, things have changed. A normal top end motorbike is £25k (32k USD) and BMW will sell you a works race bike for £68k (89k USD). You haven't been able to buy a premium sports bikes for £10k for over a decade! Bike prices have increased like everything else.

 In the time that's passed since Mike Levy started teasing readers of Pinkbike about the "downcountry" field test, head angles for bikes in this category have gotten one degree slacker. At this rate the even the Grim Donut will be obsolete by the time Pinkbike publishes this article.

 I'd love an article/podcast about what gear the testers prefer. They often allude to gear they prefer, like Kaz saying he's got a saddle he really likes for riding without chamois.

 Talking about head tube angles on XC race bikes.. I think Levy is right whrn he says we will hover around 68 degrees for some time, for all the reasons Sarah mentions. But what about reach and stem length? Is a longer bike with steeper head tube angle and shorter stem more or less stable than a shorter bike with a slacker hta? I’d like to hear your thoughts peeps! Cheers!

 Alright, but what about the Revel Ranger? They’re holding my deposit as I type.

 Great series and podcast. And quick question - it strikes me that the Pivot Mach 4 SL from a couple years ago would fit pretty well in the downcountry group of bikes. Wondering if you have any impressions of Pivot's approach vs. say the Cannondale or Epic Evo? Seems like all three are designed to be fast and light but also more capable, and I wonder about the differences between these models.

 Can we get time stamp for topics? Like go to 0 x for news, go to x x for round table

 Great podcast episode, thank you. Follow up for @sarahmoore, which would you prefer the Cannondale scalpel you chose as your favorite race bike or the Epic Evo that you got to ride?

 I don't know if this will happen, but I think it SHOULD happen:

I think MORE XC racers should ride these "DC" bikes. Let the more dedicated Cat 1 and up suffer with the handling cons of riding a pure XC bike. They are already consuming massive amounts of quinoa, suffering is what they do. The guys who are just racing for fun should stick to the more fun DC bikes and lose that slight amount on the climbs, in trade for better handling and something more fun to ride when you're not racing.

I rarely ride my XC bike. It just sits there. But when I'm racing, I'm glad I have that dedicated XC bike. Because my E29 is a poor compromise for XC

 Do you remember that one time where we were teased with DC bike H2H reviews and then had to wait like month before we actually got to see them? It's almost like a "New Bike Release" that isn't available for 3 months after it's "released"

 Best Episode Yet - thanks for taking it DEEP on the Upduro Downcountry content!

 Really disappointed the discussion of why you would want a steep head tube angle didn't go further. Levy says when you're breathing out your eyeballs, you want to be able to easily stick to your line. But doesn't twitchier steering make this harder? Sure, it takes slightly less effort to adjust your line, but it also only takes a tiny mistake to send you off-line, which is probably going to happen if you're jostling in a crowd of other eyeball breathers.

And then there is the recovery factor on the descents. That steep head tube angle is now going to require much more effort to manage going downhill, where something slightly slacker and longer would be way more forgiving and allow more recovery, so you'll be first to the next climb and not have to worry as much about the other ocular-breathering folks.

And Kazimer's bringing wheelbase into the equation just got basically ignored: it got some "yup, that's a factor" responses, and then nothing. Wheelbase is a _huge_ factor in handling. Steep head tubes make the front wheel change direction easily (steering), but it's wheelbase that affects the entire bike changing direction (turning). It came up in one of the reviews: One of the bikes was said to feel "twitchier" than another, but it was slacker ( so should be less twitchy... slack HTA means slow handling, right?)... and had a shorter wheelbase (of course it's twitchier!)

 @mikelevy easy way to loose the Down-Country descriptor is start calling them 'All-Country' (which they are in reality) and what Transition is calling the Spur btw, just as we have All-Mountain - that being said it is fun watching you cringe every time Down-Country is mentioned...

 Wouldn't the Yeti SB115 be more comparable to a short travel trail bike rather than downcountry? Not to convolude more categories, but the Santa Cruz Tallboy seems to have similar specs to this rather than something like the Spur because of the longer travel fork. Thoughts on the comparison between those two?

 What happened to testing the Process 111?!?

 Holy @#$* we've lost Levy to the Yanks, he said "prah-cess"

 I hope that there's a more in depth review of the new EXT Era after some more time on it. I haven't wanted a new fork as much since the Grip2 first dropped.

 Love the pod cast you guys. It’s really fun to listen to something light hearted and entertaining. Nothing about bombs or politics!

 It was nice to hear that there will be more XC content coming up. I think despite all the "raciness" of it, XC is still the most accessible form of MTB riding.

 Speaking of slack HTAs... did Kazimer get his hands on a Honzo ESD?

 Deposit is in on my Spur and I am psyched!

 @mikekazimer what about those "best mud tires ever" that were in an delayed embargo a few podcasts back?

 apparently a colon is an angry face.

 Will there be a bike test on the new Giant Trance 29 X?

 Bike polo is out due to covid, in its place bike jousting with extra long sticks

 @mikelevy you smashed my dearm of getting SB115. what is the second best DC option if you don't like specialized?

 What's the Gore shorts with the yoga waistband? I want something like that!

 I didn't hear a single reference to gearboxes this week. Much dissapoint haha

 can you do a podcast with Jason? we don't see enough of him!!!

 did the epic evo win over all? i got one and its the tits.

 Someone release an ibeam dropper post!