The Pinkbike Podcast: Episode 97 - Can We Predict the Future of Mountain Biking?

 Calling Henry "in the pocket" of the big brands is bizarre. The big bike brands tend to make good bikes, it's as simple as that. All you need to do is ride them to know that is the case. Henry has been THE most critical reviewer (in every review so far) and has been extremely honest and fair to-date. It seems a lot of people want to blame the brands/industry for everything and develop these weird conspiracies about how every corporate entity is working together to screw the end consumer. Next thing we know, people are going to be talking about how the deep state is creating robot birds to spy on underprivileged children so the elite can *literally* feed on them...

...Oh wait...

 I predict I will hate E-bikes even more than I did last year

 Anyone having issues downloading Pinkbike Podcast on Apple Podcasts App?

Able to download some but comes up as server error on others with some missing all together.

 I predict a paywall

 Minor suggestion, and maybe I just missed this in a video or article, but it might be good for you all to show an elevation profile for the loop you all did the down country field test on, so that you can refute people's comments about the "BC Bias". To be honest, I have concerns about steeper seat tubes on shorter travel bikes, so it'd be really helpful to see what kind of rides you all were doing, especially considering how hard it is to demo a variety of bikes right now.

Also Henry, loving your reviews and banter on the podcast, don't let the negative folks get you down too much.

 Me listening, when anyone except Henry is talking: *volume 15*...
Me listening when Henry starts talking: *volume 30*
Me when somebody else interjects while Henry is talking: "JESUS f*ck!" *turns down, then back up when Henry starts back up*
@brianpark boost his mic?

 If the old enduro was the bike of choice for everyone at the field test why is it due for “improved” geometry? Isn’t the consensus that has gone too far? If it ain’t broke don’t fix it and besides carbon reliability issues I haven’t heard a bad thing about the enduro. Also before you come at me as a Luddite I run a 2021 spire and I run it in low.

 IMBA will rule the world, and all the trails will be flat.

 Can you guys do another episode like episode 35? Preferably with RC. I really enjoyed that one.

 PB Podcast Question:

With full suspension mountain bikes, I hear about steel frames adding compliance as well as carbon frames building in flex to certain areas with the lay up (not talking about flex chain/seat stays for single pivot). Then there are carbon handle bars with flex in one direction or the other. Mountain bike suspension is so advanced and customizable to each rider, should the frame be as stiff as possible and make the fork and shock do all the work to keep the wheels on the ground and provide the desired ride quality?

 if it was your own money, you have just one bike for the next 4 years or so and you want to do some shuttles, some epics and usually pedal for 2 hours to get one decent - you know what most of us normal people do, would it be the Propane or Stumpy you'd go for?

 Seriously, pinkbike should move from Pemberton to the great plains of the Midwest to get a feeling how 90% of the mountain biking world spends their days.

The Ghost Riot would have won!

 Mullet and e bike question to get double the haters.


Why do e bikes mullets have a 2.8 wide tire in the back? As I understand it, they are the same outside diameter as a 29 non plus tire? So it really isn't a mullet with a smaller rear outer diameter, just wheel. Can't imagine they are lighter. Is it only a traction thing in this case?

 Can't listen yet but - is there perhaps a revisit to 2020's predictions for 2021 and a PB crew ripping each other for those...or maybe do some of us need to go back & listen to that episode so fingers can be pointed and fives can be highed?

 The future of mountain biking. Round wheels. Green to double black trails. Fun times. Trail building Crashes Insert marketing BS in the middle of my predictions.

 I agree Mike, 29'ers are tons of fun and hold a corner better. I don't buy that big wheels don't corner as good as smaller ones, or that they aren't as fun. It's all up to the rider.

 It's a shame we really can't move past this 29, 27.5, 26 conversation... And that the ultimate narrative is simply "29 for everybody". I wish the conversation had a bit more nuance about how 29 front wheels are great for quite a bit of mountain biking. And 29 rear wheels are great for cross country and trail riding. 27.5 is great for some levels of downhill, freeride/jumping, and technically even some trail/enduro if we're talking really tight turns but without crazy chattery rocks/roots.

And then even with 26, most people just go yeah its a dirt jumper wheel and thats fine. But it does go a bit beyond that and there are brands right now who are catering to the idea of slopestyle, jump/pump track, or even flow trail bikes. And you know damn well they're fun. the NS Clash, the Giant STP, the Commencal HT XS. And in so far as the industry will never stop growing and developing, there is a place for 26ers and it's not just single speed hardtail dirt jumpers. And it makes even more since when you admit how close 27.5 (actually about 27.1) is to a 26 wheel... And how the Commencal mullet style 26/27 has a lot more usage implication than a dirt jump.

And I say all of this simply because I have, like many, upgraded to a 140mm 29er and it's funny because even at those numbers I feel exactly how Henry says where it takes away some of the 'present thought' of riding when compared to my previous bike (130mm 275er). I do love some elements of the bike, but checking my Strava it's not blowing anything out of the water. Tight trails I'm actually a touch slower, wide open trails I'm a touch faster. But frequently I find myself on parts of trails where I'm cursing the huge wheels and insane wheel base as I struggle to get my front wheel around a corner.

Being 'economically challenged' and needing to have a single do-it-all bike, I think a 120/130 650b or mullet bike would be perfect for me and my local trails. And when I see other riders on things like 180mm 29ers and I'm on my 140mm 29er and I look at the trails we have locally and how we're riding... I truly feel silly. It's like those big city dudes who have crazy lifted trucks that never see dirt. Simply silly...

 @henryquinney how much of an influence do you think canyon factory racers are having an influence on updating race bikes, MVP has obviously been very successful on the lux and Jack Moir on the strive. Jack interestingly mentioned he chose the strive for EWS because the shorter, steeper geo was specifically better for racing the tight, unfamiliar stages of EWS but on familiar local trails prefers the more modern geo and stability of the spectral. In that situation is there incentive for canyon to modernize the geo of their enduro race bike for the average punter if it might slow down their racers at the pro level?

 Why is there never talk about dynamo-hub powered derailleurs, electronic suspension crap, etc…??? It seems like an obvious solution to many of the electronic component complaints. It would also allow frame designers to build in integrated wiring to all the places.

 I'm predicting some sort of combination of gearbox bikes with electric shifting and/or electric motors. Don't know why y'all think gearbox bikes won't become a thing. Suspension performance is MEGA compared to having a rear mech.

 @mikelevy @henryquinney I'm super excited about the prospect of getting Vernon on the podcast. It'd be a little off topic (especially for you guys in Canada), but I'd love to hear his take on why bike companies aren't doing more to advocate for Wilderness access in the United States. I know he did a bunch of writing about this before jumping back into the industry, and I'd be curious to see if his views have changed a few years on.

 @mikekazimer - random question. Back in April, you did a first look on the new Float X and DHX shocks. I'm looking at a new rear coil and the DHX looks to be a solid contender for my Privateer 141. How are you getting along with these shocks?

 I predict that Henry will get his MOD button.

It’ll be a new, one-off “MOD -“ or “MOD Lite” button. He’ll have the full range of perks bar the one which make it possible to ban people who get on his t*ts.

 Is this podcast broken on Apple podcasts for anyone else? Hasn’t downloaded since episode 94 (though I listened to episode 95, but it has vanished).

Latest iOS, deleted the app and reinstalled, and unsubscribed and resubscribed to the podcast. All my other podcasts are fine.

 I know there's a million videos on the tube, but honestly, how do you all get better at doing bigger and bigger jumps by yourself? with my friend group, none of them want to do any jumps meaning every time I do one for the first time I never know the speed or pop and psyche myself out and it takes me forever. Any tips on doing this more quickly?

 Question (maybe for a podcast on the agg trail bike reviews if you're doing one?) @mikelevy @mikekazimer @henryquinney . Having watched the first couple of trail bike reviews and considering different spec models... What difference would a rider notice going between the Grip damper and Grip2 damper on a Fox 36? I have an OEM 36 rhythm with Grip on a 2021 150/160mm trail bike, having never ridden a Grip2 I'm interested to hear if you think it's worth 'upgrading'. How different would feel and performance be with the extra adjustability?

 I hate hearing the struggles of the little/smaller brands hurting for the parts but it makes total sense. It would be pretty awesome to see the big guys throw them a couple bones on getting parts because let's be honest, the competition is what is pushing the progression of our sport and giving us the best bikes we've ever had.

Rant/wishful thinking over.

 @mikekazimer @mikelevy @brianpark - Logistical question: seeing this new podcast on the website but it will not show up in apple podcasts all day yesterday then today. Got it to open in Spotify (but never use that for casts) - is there maybe an apple issue w/ this? Removed my app then re-DL'd it but PB still is not showing this new episode in my view...

 On Flight Attendant, I'm surprised a bike company hasn't bought GM's magneride and adapted it for mtb. Latest version is up to 1000 adjustments/sec, adjusting fluid viscosity seems better vs servos turning mechanical valves back and forth.

 EWS year after year has refused to make the footage as good as Nate Hills can provide with a go pro. I can't understand it. You can't really watch live so the highlights show is all they have and while it's not bad, it's pretty obvious it could be A LOT better. Of course it's expensive but it's all they really have, they should invest a lot more in making more and better video.

 The audio on this was one all over the place. Listened to this on a road trip and I either couldn’t hear Henry/ Brian, or Levy would wake passengers up when he spoke. A little audio balancing would make this more enjoyable.

 Lots of Talk about chainstay length. I remember a few years ago you all singing the praises of super short c/s (thinking 425 mm on G2 process). Now super short is unbalanced and you all want chainstays to get longer to balance reach. Lots of size small bikes have reach shorter than chainstay. Does that mean us smaller riders should be riding backwards?

 Mullet question....

Process X is “designed” to run 27.5 or 29 rear wheel via flip chip without compromising the BB height. I dont see too many other companies pushing this option. What other compromises would result ? Suspension Kinematics ?

 With eBike only going up I feel like sram gets in the market. All the cables and wires for the systems are annoying. I hope sram makes a motor to go with the axs ecosystem. Wireless controller and clean lines. The only downside is it will be run off 1200 axs batteries that only last 30 miles.

 Henry and Mike. Thank you for acknowledging the superiority of the Sausage Dog. It has been a struggle to make your comment gold - even if I ride the coat tails of a fellow serial sausage dog owner. I have to thank my wife for her devotion to cleaning up poop during fowl weather events. I think you should have another dogs of pink bike article.

 @mikelevy @henryquinney do you foresee electronic suspension being banned at the pro level for downhill racing. Effectively taking away riders skill. I can see this happening similar to F1 how cvt, abs and traction control all got banned from F1 however the technology trickled down to the consumer level for the everyday driver.

 This comment is on Mike Levy’s “Flight Attendant” prediction. I think in simplest terms what he means is that a company could deliberately make a bike that peddles poorly and use flight attendant to negate this.

 How about Sram full automatic gear change, like automatic gearbox in car. AXS seems have everything mechanically, and flight attendant has all the sensor, just need some more coding.

 The future is singlespeeds.

 I don't care about wheels. I want a 250mm dropper.

 Fat bike field test with the unpossible climb .

 Predictions:

- Gearboxes (an exposed chain in a muddy environment is an oddity)
- Maybe new frame material - some glass-filled composite that could be injection molded.

What I'd like to see is more competition in the component industry. There's obviously gold in them hills, so someone else besides Shimano / SRAM / Rockshox / Fox can have a piece of the pie.

 I imagine we will continue seeing sweet raw alloy bikes such as the Privateer's, Transition's, Raaw, and others! I think its great you can get sweet bikes that cost $1000-$2000 less than their carbon contemporaries!

 Not yet for me trying to access from the UK. I can’t see any more recent episodes than 94 on Apple podcasts. Look forward to getting back to these, dog walks are not the same…

 I predict a MTB marketing future with NO COMPROMISES!

 More bikes at the price point of the Cannondale Scalpel HT. Really good spec paired with lower costs. (pipedream, I know, I just really want this to happen.)

 Why are the podcasts not on apple podcast anymore? Last one there is #94

 You clearly didn't like the Ghost from the field test, but how did the Formula stuff compare to the other suspensions and brakes?

 Are there improvements that can be made to make enduro more watchable?

 “The future ain’t what it oughta be.” Yogi Bera

 "daak·snd"

 Ebike with built in blue tooth speakers are the future.

 32 inch wheels?? Pfft... 30.5 inch is the next wheel size to be a dick about...

 Chris Porter did it in 2017 i dont know why someone couldn’t do it again. Or maybe he shaped the industry damn nvm

 My prediction for the next couple of years: mullets will fade away into obscurity, much like plus bikes.

 Seems like 95 and up aren't showing up on Apple podcast app? Anyone else notice that?

 If the new Enduro is like a Kenevo without the battery, and takes inspiration from the Stumpy? Would it be an Evo Kenevo?

 This is still not showing in my Apple podcast feed. At this rate the future will have happened!

 Still Not Available on Apple Podcast App or Amazon music.... I miss you guys (sad face)

 This podcast hasn't appeared in pocket casts yet

 Why have you stopped putting the podcast on PocketCasts?

 the future is Aliens!

 28.99% of the time.

 Tire/ insert combo.

 It’s pronounced daks-hund

 Awesome podcast today!

 I predict I won’t be able to download a usable user image next year too.

 "Lizard People" Edition Transition Spur is happening.... I can smell it.

 Also... is Dmack Ya Heard

 How come this and each episode after are not on Apple podcast anymore?

 36 wheels ain’t dead.

 Quit trying to predict the future that's for arm chair quarterbacks you fool, take it as it comes and enjoy the ride, that's the beauty of it all.

 Can we get timestamps?

 A$$holz