The Pinkbike Podcast

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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. Hosted by Mike Levy and featuring a rotating cast of the Pinkbike editorial team and other guests.

Pinkbike


    • May 29, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 2m AVG DURATION
    • 290 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Pinkbike Podcast is a fantastic podcast for mountain biking enthusiasts. Hosted by a team of knowledgeable and passionate individuals, the podcast covers a wide range of topics related to the sport. From interviews with top athletes and insiders to discussions about bike nerd stuff, the hosts provide insightful and engaging content that keeps listeners coming back for more.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the diverse range of guests they bring on. Whether it's top athletes like Aaron Gwin or industry insiders like Joel Harwood, the interviews are always interesting and offer valuable insights into various aspects of mountain biking. The hosts do a great job of letting their guests speak and not overly injecting their own opinions, which allows for a more authentic conversation.

    Another great aspect is the down-to-earth nature of the hosts. They create an atmosphere that feels like you're just hanging out with friends talking about mountain biking. This relatability adds to the overall appeal of the podcast and makes it even more enjoyable to listen to.

    However, one downside is that since Levy isn't on the podcast anymore, some listeners may find it less appealing. Levy had a unique perspective and added a lot of value to the discussions, so his absence may be felt by long-time fans.

    In conclusion, The Pinkbike Podcast is an awesome mountain bike podcast that offers valuable insights, entertaining discussions, and a sense of camaraderie among listeners. While some may miss Levy's presence, the current lineup of hosts still delivers engaging content that keeps listeners hooked. Whether you're new to mountain biking or a seasoned rider, this podcast is definitely worth checking out.



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    Latest episodes from The Pinkbike Podcast

    #289: Bike Parking, BMXworx, Orbea's New Rallon, & More

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 56:30


    Kaz, Matt, and Dario talk about the beauty of bike park laps, the new Crankworx Full Tilt event, and dig into more reader questions.

    #288: DH Race Tech, New Flat Pedals, & Dumpster Diving for Bike Parts

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 54:33


    Kaz and Dario go over the highs and lows of an exciting weekend of World Cup racing, and a whole lot more.

    #287: World Cup Racing Returns, Tech Talk, & More Listener Questions

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025 52:27


    Kaz, Dario, and Stephane chat about the first round of the Enduro World Cup, and dive into more listener questions.

    #286: A New DH Bike, Pedal Debates, & Enduro Season Begins

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 57:23


    Episode #286: A New DH Bike, The Future of Enduro, & Reader Questions

    #285: Getting to Know Stephane Pelletier, Our Favorite Technique Tips, & Gloveless Riders

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 46:29


    Mike Kazimer, Stephane Pelletier, and Matt Beer come to you with the latest MTB news and observations.

    #284: Body Armor Banter, Bushing Anger, & Vintage Dream Bikes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 42:39


    Kaz, Dario, and Matt come to you with the latest MTB news and observations.

    #283: Post-Sea Otter Ponderings + Uncle Buck & Other Reader Questions

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 50:50


    Mike, Dario, and Stephane go over the highs and lows of Sea Otter, then dive into some fresh reader questions.

    Episode 282: Talking About Tariffs

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 62:01


    It's time for some tariff talk. For this episode we brought in special guests Seve Frothingham (Bicycle Retailer) and Tom Place (Outbound Lighting) to help make sense of it all.

    Episode 281: Wireless Dropper Posts, Budget DH Bikes, & Resto Mods

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 58:09


    The team talks through this week's news and tech.

    #280 - Tech, Mechs, and Springs to Deal with Flex; New Everything Week

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 60:31


    The team talks through this week's news and tech.

    #279 - The New Fox 34, The Tires We've Been Asking For & Why MTB Just Isn't That Cool

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2025 46:55


    Henry, Kaz and Dario come to you with the latest MTB news and observations.

    #278 - Intense Tell-all About Costco, VPP, Industry Limitations and a Frame-fresh Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2025 82:37


    Intense is one of the oldest, boldest and storied frame brands in mountain biking. That said, it certainly hasn't been plain sailing for the Californian company. While their ever-present race teams have enjoyed success at world cups, with their race-focused approach providing clarity and intention, the brand's aims have been a bit harder to discern. Regardless of whether it's the 951 deal with Costco, or a greater reliance on carbon manufacturing outside of the US, the brand is going back to its roots and putting the frame-first. As such, their new distribution model takes the same name, and looks to give riders greater freedom with how their bike rides, and their dealer network more agency and freedom when selling an Intense. Brian Park and Henry Quinney sat down with Jeff Steber, Mike Carr and John Hall to talk through the changes.

    #277 - Mountain Bike Wheels Are Getting Wild

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2025 55:48


    How light is too light? And what does "instant engagement" really mean anyway?

    #276 - Breaking Embargos and Are Designs Incompatible for Heavier Riders?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2025 30:59


    Dario, Kaz, and Henry gear up for another content tsunami.

    #275 - Fox's Gearbox, 'MacGyvering' Ultra Premium Bikes & Counting Chains

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2025 45:55


    We round up this week's news and answer your questions.

    #274 - What Racing Do Mountain Bikers Really Want to Watch & The Things We Got Wrong

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 66:50


    Henry and Matt recount the blind tire test, plus normal Dario talks us through one drool-worthy bespoke bike.

    #273 - Are 32" Wheels Better? And What Does "Better" Even Mean?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 43:44


    This week's podcast brings you Jessie-May, Dario, and Henry to talk through their Show-and-Tells and answer some of your questions.

    #272 - The Slow Death of the Freeride Bike and When Are We Gonna Get Fun Climbs Made for eMTBs?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 63:45


    Kaz, Daz, and Haz run through the Haro Greer review, talk yet more etiquette (as if it ever ends), and give their lukewarm takes on the industry, freeride bikes, and most importantly, the health and growth of Toblerone the shih tzu.

    #271 - Does Geometry Adjustment Mean Brands Can Get By Making Bad Bikes?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2025 42:53


    We used to fight over a degree, and now some bikes can offer a degree in either direction with a headset, 10mm on the chainstay, progression adjustment, and smaller geometry tweaks—all from the stock platform. But does this help or hinder the consumer's riding experience? Dario, Daz, and Denry show us their current favorite parts of biking and discuss whether a bike can ever be too adjustable.

    #270 - Local Secret or Fair Game? The Dilemma of Riding Your Favourite Hidden Trails, Plus Tech & Questions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 86:35


    Is oversharing a thing in mountain biking? Kaz, Dario, Henry and Matt talk about the ethics and considerations behind pirate trails. Plus, we cover EXT latest DH fork, a steering damper and the Slash+ before answer questions, giving terrible relationship advice and talk about whether the E13 Sidekick hub is a worthy investment.

    Episode 269 - Specialized's eMTB Product Team on Motor Development, Future Models, & Battery Regulations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 81:59


    Last year we visited Specialized's eMTB facility in Cham, Switzerland to ride some bikes and poke around their ebike innovation centre. We sat down with Jan Talavasek, Marco Sonderegger, and Joe Buckley, three of the key people behind eMTB development at Specialized, to talk about past, present, and future. We also got a special appearance from the venerable Marketing Todd, who swears Specialized is done making new bikes and that we should stop asking sneaky questions about future models. They had a lot to say, and we got a few tidbits out of them, so the pod runs a bit long. Alternatively, you can read the article + photos here. This was recorded before we'd figured out how to press the big red button to do video podcasts, but we'll be back soon with our regularly scheduled podcast. 03:07 The Evolution of E-Bikes & the Development of the Turbo Levo 14:58 The Shift in Perception of eMTBs 30:52 Brand Equity & the Levo's Original Name 33:51 The Swiss Office 44:02 Future Developments in eMTBs 50:20 Understanding E-Bike Performance Metrics 56:51 The Impact of Market Timing 01:00:00 Engineering for Performance, Legislation, & Consumer Safety 01:12:04 Charging Technology and Battery Longevity 01:15:59 Data-Driven Design and Testing 01:24:02 Field Testing and Component Tracking

    2024 Pinkbike Awards Winners: The Best Bike, Innovations, Value & More

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2024 112:48


    In a special end-of-year podcast, Henry is joined by Kaz, Matt, and Dario to talk through the winners of each category, as well as explain the rationale behind the choices. 00:08:50 Value Product of the Year 00:14:31 Value Mountain Bike of the Year 00:25:16 E-MTB of the Year 00:45:13 Innovation of the Year 01:05:42 Suspension Product of the Year 01:22:01 Product of the Year 01:32:41 Mountain Bike of the Year

    A Tech and Racing-Recap of 2024 with Neko Mulally and Jordi Cortes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 58:36


    After a whirlwind 2024 Season, we had the opportunity to sit down with Jordi Cortes of Fox Factory and Neko Mulally of Frameworks Racing to debrief on the latest tech, the incremental changes that riders are now making to maximize setup, and ask whether aftermarket performance devices are really worth it. Have we got to the stage where it isn't about only setting up your suspension well, but rather setting up your bike to get the most out of your suspension?

    How Many is Too Many for a Groupride and Does the PNW Ruin Bike Reviews?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2024 62:01


    Kaz, Dario, Sarah, and Henry bring you this week's Show & Tells, review reflections, and listener questions.

    Episode 265 - Trying to Justify a 41lb non-eMTB, and How to Win Your Local DH League

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 53:56


    In our first Vodcast, we blast through Kaz's Trek Top Fuel review, Henry showcases his latest snorkeling kit, and Dario talks us through his mighty 41lb enduro bike.

    Episode 264 - Finally, The Trail Bike Field Test Roundtable

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2024 63:01


    With eight different bikes and several pieces of supporting content, this Field Test has certainly been a big one. Now, it's time for its final piece - the Roundtable discussion, where we answer the ultimate question - how likely are we to recommend these bikes? And what would our order of preference be?

    Episode 263 - Is Our Ideal Trail Bike Geo Location Dependant & Henry's Changing Role

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 49:21


    Our usual mix of bike and tech reflections. Does the perfect bike ever really exist?

    Episode 262 - When to Give In and Take Your Bike to a Mechanic, and Should Racing Stay "Amateur"?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2024 60:50


    Hear ye, hear ye, let's talk even more about mountain bikes.

    Episode 261 - Greg Minnaar on Blank Chequebooks, Winning Culture & How to Truly Test a Bike

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2024 69:42


    When Greg Minnaar left the Santa Cruz Syndicate, it was about as big of a news story as you get in mountain bike racing. A rider who went against the very best of each generation, it was at one time impossible to think of him racing for anyone other than the Californian brand. One season later, to say he's landed on his feet would be an understatement. His 2024 racing season didn't unfold as he would have hoped, but he rounds out the year with a World Cup podium, fresh motivation, and a partnership with a brand he seems to be very well aligned with, even if now it's about helping other riders win, and not his own racing ambitions. Brian and I caught up with him to talk about old bikes, blank chequebooks and the lucky number 13.

    The Pinkbike Podcast: The Proto-Demo Debrief, Kaz is Cranky and Revisiting Old Debates

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2024 51:46


    This week, we tune in with the tech team for some Show and Tells and answer your questions. We'd love to answer some of your questions. Pleave us a message here.

    Episode 259 - Rampage Rants, Henry's Heavy Tire Obsession and Slowing Down With Age

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2024 75:01


    This week, Dario reports his findings from a Redbull Rampage that managed to deliver more score controversy than ever, Matt talks about his heavy WTB test tires (and Henry begs to try them), plus Kaz explains why mechanical T-Type is not only possible but viable.

    Episode 258 - What happened to Plus Wheel Sizes and the Fat Bike Fad?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2024 63:29


    Thank you to so many of you for getting in your questions. We never imagined we'd have so many, and please keep them coming because we are looking forward to working them in to future episodes. This episode, Henry and Brian tackle some more before we take a week off the pod to recharge our batteries. Leave us your question for future episodes here.

    Episode 257 - When to Cut the DH Bike, Reality TV & Buyer's Remorse

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 54:10


    Kaz plans his holiday to Bishops Itchington, Kaz and Henry disagree about fork offset and Sarah tries to discern who is more likely to try and buy upgrades, XC or DH riders. Please leave your own question here.

    Episode 256 - What Your Greatest Moment on a Mountain Bike, and Can You Be Too Heavy for XC?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2024 56:37


    In this Q&A, we answer a lot of your questions about breaking your bike and how to make your bike look as bad as Dario's. To get your question answered, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message at speakpipe.com/pinkbike.

    Episode 255 - How Much Difference the Bike Really Makes, and Splitting Etiquette and Gatekeeping

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 60:14


    In this Q&A we answer a lot of your questions about everything from fueling your rides, what makes the difference at the highest level, and why Matt Beer will always be faster than us (and probably you too). To get your question answered, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message at speakpipe.com/pinkbike.

    Episode 254 - Is Everything Really Just Going Around in Circles?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 46:18


    We answer your questions and talk about winning pedals, useless graphs and suspension gearboxes (again). To get your question answered, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message at speakpipe.com/pinkbike.

    Episode 253 - Why Your Next Bike Might Have Two Mechanical Droppers & Chainstay Length Isn't That Simple

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 58:01


    We answer your questions and comments about wheel size, geometry and seatposts. To feature, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message here.

    Episode 252 - Why Downcountry is Dead & Who Makes the Best MTB Suspension

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 39:17


    In another Q&A Podcast, Dario, Kaz and Henry have gleaned the comments from the last week's tech articles to answer your questions.

    Epsiode 251 - Shimano's Drivetrain Development with Bryn Atkinson & Nick Murdick

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2024 59:06


    We recently had the opportunity to sit down with World Cup racer turned skunkworks rider Bryn Atkinson alongside Shimano's MTB product manager Nick Murdick to chat about drivetrain development, rider feedback, gearboxes, and a lot more. Although they didn't spill the launch dates for new XTR and Saint, they did give us some great insight on why products like Saint sometimes take a (ridiculously) long time to bring to market.

    Epsiode 250 - When Did Bikes Stop Being Bad and Where Are My Bionic Hips?! Q&A Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 64:40


    We get asked some great questions in the comments on both articles and videos, so Dario, Kaz and Henry thought it was about time we answered some! To get your question answered, tag an editor in your comment or leave us a voice message here.

    Episode 249 - We Rank the Glory, M1, Supreme V5, Frameworks, Tues (And the V10!?)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 60:37


    Matt and Henry have been busy. Very busy. In the opening weeks of the bike park, they crammed in just about as many runs as they could handle on these bikes to compare, contrast and understand what makes a great downhill bike in 2024. Here, they talk about their feelings and rank the bikes from bottom to top, explaining their reasoning as they go. If you have a question about bike tech, news or racing, please leave us a voice note here, and we'll try to answer it in the coming weeks.

    Episode 248 - Tom Pidcock & Pinarello's MTB Product Team on Developing a Pure XC Race Bike & More

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 70:51


    Brian Park and Sarah sat down with Federico Sbrissa, Pinarello's Chief Marketing Officer and Federico Meneghetti, the R&D Engineer on the mountain bike project just after Tom Pidcock took the win at the Nove Mesto World Cup at the end of May. We talked about why Pinarello decided to make a mountain bike after a decade without one, how their prototype mountain bike came to win a World Cup race just four months after the project was started, and what's next for Pinarello in the mountain bike space. We also go into a lot of detail about the suspension, geometry and layup of the Dogma XC cross-country mountain bike.

    Episode 247 - Why Did Our Bikes Get So Big?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 39:16


    There was a time when every new bike seemed to be in a spiral of one-upping each other. Saying it came down to who could make the biggest bike would be oversimplifying the conversation, but at the same time, reaches swelled and swelled before coming back down in recent years. Why? We also discuss idlers, fads, and why the mixed-wheeled bike might just be our favourite setup yet.

    Epsiode 246 - Orbea Bicycles on Hacking Shimano Motors, The Hardest Part About Making Bikes, Customization & More

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 60:41


    Orbea has over 180 years of manufacturing heritage, starting as a gun and ammunition manufacturer in the Basque Country of Northern Spain way back in 1840. When the business of gun making waned, the company pivoted and began using the tubing machines and raw materials they'd acquired to manufacture bicycles. In the 1930s, Orbea made the switch to bicycle manufacturing entirely, and by the time the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, they were producing 50,000 bikes per year. It wasn't always easy going however, and in 1969 the company found itself on the edge of bankruptcy, which would have caused 1,500 workers to lose their jobs. To prevent this, the employees purchased the company from the founders and set it up as a cooperative, which allowed the company to stay in business. A few years later, the company moved their headquarters to Mallabia, where they are still located. To this day, they are still a cooperative, which means that the employees own the company and have a very real say in how it is run.

    Episode 245 - Specialized's MTB Product Team on Moving to Auburn, New Suspension Concepts, & Rider Feedback

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 114:21


    Last month Dario and Brian traveled down to Auburn, California to tour Specialized's new facility and record a podcast. We were the first media through the door of their new Auburn Innovation Centre, and got to peek behind the curtain of the Ride Dynamics team—arguably the most influential product development team in our industry. The office itself was still under construction. In contrast to Specialized's Morgan Hill headquarters, this new office in Auburn feels much more practical, with less glamour. A place where things get done with a minimum of distraction. We recorded this podcast with The MTB product team of Sam and Brad Benedict, as well as the Ride Dynamics R&D manager Chance. They had a lot to say, and we got a couple of secrets out of them, so it runs almost two hours long. Visit the full Pinkbike article for in-depth photos and more context to the discussion.

    Episode 244 - The New RockShox Damper vs. the Fox Grip X2. Which is better?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2024 40:37


    Both forks will prove to be very popular, not least because one of them could likely feature on your next enduro bike. Which do we prefer most, and why?

    Episode 243 - What Would It Take for You to Ride Hardline?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 44:13


    The tenth-anniversary edition of Red Bull Hardline Wales took place over the weekend, and so Mike Kazimer, Dario DiGiulio, Christina Chappetta join Sarah Moore to chat about the progression, the insane runs, things we noticed from the sidelines, and whether we think we could ride the 2024 course if it was all we focused on for the next five years.

    Episode 242 - The Value Bike Field Test Round Table

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 41:20


    Bang-for-buck bikes, ever-improving geometry and some terrible naming conventions, it's never been a better time to get an entry-level mountain bike. And that's not even factoring some of the post-pandemic deals that are on offer. Kaz, Sarah and Dario fill you in with all the details from their test.

    Episode 241 - Where Downhill Tech is Going, and Which Prototype We'd Love to Ride

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 60:11


    We catch up with the tech team to talk all about what they're reviewing, what we're seeing at races and what they would love to ride.

    Episode 240 - Martin Maes Reflects on his 2019 Ban, and What the Future Holds For Him in Downhill

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2024 68:00


    Martin Maes is something of a contradiction. On one hand he's an articulate man with a stoical outlook, and on the other he quite simply doesn't do things quietly. Whether it's coming onto the scene as one of the first true-enduro youngsters before eventually delivering on his potential after many years of trying with GT, or getting mired in a doping scandal and beating downhill racers at their own game, there is so much about his career that is exceptional.

    Episode 239 : Christopher Blevins on Winning the First XC World Cup of the Year, The Olympic Qualifying Process & More

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 75:09


    Sarah chatted with Christopher Blevins right after he got back from his whirlwind of a trip to Brazil where he won the first Olympic cross-country race of the season. The 26-year-old American former Short Track World Champion last won a World Cup XCO back in 2021 in Snowshoe, but he came out with all cylinders firing in Brazil with the goal of qualifying for the Paris Olympics and getting as many points for the United States to secure two spots for the men's team. From getting stung by the most poisonous caterpillar in the world, to recovering on downhills, dealing with cramps, life on Specialized Factory Racing, to what he thought of the cross-country race courses in Brazil, this was a really interesting conversation. We also got into why he switched to mountain biking from BMX, his creative pursuits outside of cycling, and being a mountain biker right now in the US.

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