The Pinkbike Podcast: Episode 81 - You've Got Questions, We've (Maybe) Got Answers
Art by Taj Mihelich
Since we usually have the most fun - and the most shit talk - while answering your questions on the podcast, why not do an entire Q&A show? 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? Did I mispronounce your username? Maybe and highly likely.
Want your question answered on the Pinkbike podcast? Post it in the comment section below and we might get to it.
THE PINKBIKE PODCAST // EPISODE 81 - YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS, WE'VE (MAYBE) GOT ANSWERS
Sep 16th, 2021
I wish this episode was multiple choice...
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
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
I can't even say I understand why I feel this way either. I just know it pisses me off. Probably says something lame about my character.
I will specifically say that while Bentonville Arkansas is making tons of hay about their trails - its the Six Flags / Disneyland silicone implants of all MTB regions - super fun, a blast - but almost completely built, minimal views or vastness and ultimately a hamster wheel & habi-trail board game compared to wilderness, vastness, views & level / type of trails in the southwest & PNW. Truly, not to bust on AR (I'm from there) but the theme-park feel of it is not a good intro to US riding when ya could ride the west.
@mikekazimer
Question for the Q and A next week.
Hey Pinkbike Team love the podcast!
My kids and I are grass roots racers and get our bikes as brand ambassadors through the generosity and support of our local bike shop. I am hearing rumors that the big brands will not be offering these sponsorship deals to people next year and I am also hearing rumblings of pro-deals for shop employees not being offered as well. This of course is one of the big perks of working in a bike shop.
Have you guys heard anything about this? I know there are bike shortages out there and I am wondering if the big brands are just going for the profits over supporting the grass roots avid riders? Or is it a function of just not having the inventory to provide these ambassadors and shop employees with bikes?
Cheers,
The storia I have 4 LSC 3 HSC from open (soft) and the rebound 4 from fully open (fast) The supplied and suggested springs are softer/lighter than you might expect. The damping in the EXT changes the ‘dynamic (sag) ride height’ quite a lot from the other shocks. It doesn't feel very special in the carpark but it's a winner on the trail.
If I'm riding bike park tracks I dial in a few more clicks of HSC on the fork and slow the rebound down on both 1 or 2 clicks.
Still interested to know how you guys think it compares to a custom shimmed shock like a DHX2 as that wasn't really discussed.
Happy trails. Really enjoyed the RC tales episode
What is the best 150mm-160mm travel "Jack of all trades" bike you all have tested?
That travel range seems to be the most versatile and would suit most riders in most locations, but bigger travel enduro bikes seem to get a lot more attention these days. I'm currently on a custom Marin Alpine trail C2 and love it, and have a lot of friends on Norco Sights which are very similar, but I'd like to know what has been a stand out for you.
As RC so rightly said in his 'Now THAT was a bike' article, the design "solved every major issue that would plague dual suspension mountain bikes for decades to come: It was inherently stronger and stiffer, had plenty of stand-over clearance, room for short stays and big tires, it offered modular frame sizing, and its suspension kinematics were completely unhindered by frame constraints.", so why don't we still see that type of design?
I thought it was weight, but the the internet says that a San Andreas with the inverted forks and disc brakes was only 26lbs, which is as light as my ProFlex was back then, so it doesn't seem like there's a significant weight penalty?
I'd buy an updated version of this killer in heartbeat! www.pinkbike.com/photo/15379095
Now I'm the bike world we have e-bikes and I hear @mikelevy calling mountain bikes "regular bikes". Can you please stop? They're mountain bikes
PS keep on pinking
Firstly id like to say a motor replacement is pricey, AUD 1200/ 1100CAD, but you have a 2-3 year warranty, then there is the offer of discounted sales past that. Batteries are the most expensive component, (AUD1000-1500, CAD900-1400) but you will see electronic repairers turn up overtime for those out of warranty.
When you compare costs to similar priced complete road bikes replacing Chainrings on a Dura ace crank or entire crank it adds up.$400 for a rings or $1000+ for a crank set, so motor and battery prices look alright now.
As these are major components of the bikes they will come with big repair costs, Just like buying a bike with a dodgy fork. The replacement is still a fraction of the overall bike value.
PS keep up the good work!
Been using Bike Hardcore cleaning products as of late, after hearing in another podcast with Muc-Off that dish soaps contained a small amount of salt to get that streak-free shine on glass. I was using Dawn for 2 decades prior with no issues, but news of salt content caused me to switch things up.
For brushes, you want something that uses Tampico fibers, they don't hold on to grease the same way plastic bristles do. I got the "Service Course" brush kit and it has been fantastic, but I still use a park tools cassette brush, as well as the Pedro's chainpig II (they fixed the chain pig so it doesn't break in 2 uses)
for chain lube, Bike hardcore chain butter keeps my cassette running clean, but requires more frequent application than my normal go-to chain lube which was Dumonde Tech Lite (yellow)
If anything, modern geometry helps lower skill levels more than the experienced riders.
An e-bike battery is made with off the shelf cells, which are easy to replace. In theory it would not take much for someone to be able to take apart a battery and replace the cells. However, a brand could make it intentionally hard to take it apart.
Prius batteries can also be replaced relatively cheaply (though, not by Toyota) and electric motors are inherently less complicated and required less maintenance than an engine that's igniting fuel at 9000 a minute.
I think 3rd party batteries will definitely become a thing and there's no reason why they can't be exactly the same inside as the originals.
Iphones are not a great comparison as Apple designs it's own batteries and makes them impossible to repair so you are forced to buy a new one.
An eBiker once referred to me as an "acoustic mountain biker". It hurt and I wanted to punch him for his ignorance, but he kinda had a point.
Second question how much setup time are these guys putting into the bikes?
Anyway, I believe light e-enduros are a thing and I would expect them to influence the design of new enduro racing bikes, but I guess it’s just a matter of time until we will see them having the same range and power of full motorised ones that we have nowadays. Btw when will someone start to integrate a small seamless motor in them for stealth competition advantage like we saw already in road bike competitions?
Well, I say "we". I'm a brit, so I have to pay fees regardless because we decided as a nation that we'd like to begin a regression to the middle ages, but that's another story.
Surely our new Outside overlords can't approve of all this lovely merch money being left on the table? (In case they're listening; I, for one, welcome our new corporate overlords)
My new Norco Optic has 2.4" Trail casing Mazza on the front and a Martello on the rear. The Martello is my new favourite rear tyre. Interested to try them in wider casings on the Enduro bike
My new Norco Optic has 2.4" Trail casing Mazza on the front and a Martello on the rear. The Martello is my new favourite rear tyre. Interested to try them in wider casings on the Enduro bike
For a long while I was running a 2.6 Trail Mazza on the front then a mixture of Enduro and Trail casings on the rear. The Martello is a great tyre, I have to say. I really like it in changeable conditions over winter. However, I love the centre knobs to cornering transer the Mazza delivers. Without inserts, I'd probably 2.6 Mazza on the front and then either-or on the rear in a 2.35/2.4 in an Enduro casing.
My favourite setup is the one I've been running out here in Canada. I've moved away from the wider tyres as they're just too heavy for me and have been running 2.4 Mazzas in trail with Rimpact Pros front and rear. I feel this is a great mix to offer something that pedals well without the associated blindspots you might traditionally find with lighter tyres. But yeah, Vittoria are doing some great things, I have to say.
Did you ever do a front tyre group test (similar to the rear tyre one you did previously)? I'm a bit of a tyre nerd and would never tire (pun intended) of reading tyre tests. I recall you mentioning the Kenda Pinner in another podcast too.
Also what bike upgrades would you recommend for a heavier rider. For me, larger brake rotors are the things that made the biggest difference and I am hoping to add custom tuning the rear shock to that list.
Seconding this, I bring a few used links long with a new spare on rides in case of multiple chain brakes. (not an issue I have yet to encounter but...) Should used 11 and 12 speed links be saved for limping out of the bush, or scrapped right away when pulled off the chain?
@brianpark could be a future PB Lab test here...
@mikekazimer
Do you guys ever get drunk (or other stuff) and write / respond to comments you regret? I know I do that a few times a week!
Next question... When can we expect to see an Orange bike in a field test??? They have a new mullet... and it would be sweet to see the new Switch 6 face off compared to the Bronson MX etc! Thanks again!
cyclingtips.com/2020/08/how-to-wax-a-chain-an-endless-faq
If not I may need to cancel my order.