The Pinkbike Podcast: World Cup's "Mechanics Meeting" with John Hall and Jim Bland

 Levy told us what’s up, you just don’t want to hear it because everything has to be a conspiracy.

 The total silence from them makes me think it's health related and personal. Like they never talked about Alicia while she was healing even though her situation was more public. Henry said it a few time in the comments that it's not their place to talk about. Like everyone, I wish that he is good right now. Ain't no way I am gonna beleive he wasn't abducted by the alien when he gets back...

 @Philrattlehead: All the more reason for us to shut up about it and give him the space and peace that is his right.

 @sfarnum: ? I missed it.

 @sfarnum: He did but it was buried in the comments of the pods and other articles so - keep in mind that's pretty obscure & even big Levy fans probably missed it. I love the pod, period and Levy made it super badass, but the lack of any PB based simple comment has actually increased the lack of "privacy" and all the speculation vs. saying something basic like "Levy's taking a well desrved year off" or whatever. I don't get it, but anyone would have to dig for days to figure it out in the comments here.

And btw @henryquinney - none of my Levy comments (too many and too often, apologies) cuts at all on your pod work: its all killer stuff and you're doing a kickass job. Dario's been a good addition pretty much in Levy's stead and I hope you're not taking any of the Levy talk as a slash on your pods. Maybe some riders feel that way but I am not one of 'em. Levy's missed, but the pod lives on and its seems you've done a ton of work on it - all congrats to you on that.

 @Whataboutism: He essentially said he has accrued a lot of vacation time at PB and he’s taking it.

He’s under no obligation to tell us anything more and I’m not entitled to know anything else. He’s not my friend, he doesn’t know me, and even if he did, I wouldn’t stick my nose in what he clearly sees as a personal matter.

 @Mtn-Goat-13: Thank you - I really am grateful for all the listeners, both regular and slightly less frequent, and I appreciate there was a bit of a change of pace and style, so just thanks for sticking with it.

Thanks for all the concern about Levy - I'm sure he must take tremendous pride in all that he's contributed to the MTB scene and PB and rightly so, even if he would be too self-deprecating to admit it.

Cheers

 @henryquinney: Absolutely. I've been listening since pod #1, it got me through the pandemic and its still one of the pod-highlights of my week. It has evolved as anything does or should and I gotta say - the MSA-related interview pods have been especially baller. Good on ya.

 Speak for yourself, I’ve been crushing protein powder and setting squat PRs, my goal is to break a crank arm every week next season.

 I personally broke aluminium e13 crank on take-of of a step up jump. Just the compression force. Not pretty. There was no prior damage to crank itself. However I am not the lightest biker I have to say. Around 95kg.

 @cermo: You can’t rule out a manufacturing defect or improper installation though.

 John was the mechanic during that and there was some talk of it being a "prototype crank" that shouldn't have been on the bike. I think John was likely asked to do e13 a solid and say it was his fault and he had the proto crank on vs. one of their regular cranks to save face for the brand.

 Great stuff - thanks!

 But real pros use rubtwoout for the extra 5 gram savings.