The Pinkbike Podcast
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 Kazimer and featuring a rotating cast of the Pinkbike editorial team and other guests.
Episodes
MTB Fashion, Pedal Preferences, & Floating Skinnies
The bigger the pants the bigger the tricks.
Commenting on the World Cup Commentary, Specialized's New Demo, & The DH Bar End Trend
All sorts of things to talk about this week, everything from Asa Vermette's crash to Bruce Springsteen.
Interview: Nick Lester on DH World Cups, Data Acquisition, & Mass Damper Testing
Nick Lester is a certified bike nerd, in the best way possible. Listen as he describes his findings after spending over 6 years digging into the science of MTB data acquisition.
Peak Bike Season Is Here: Chatting About World Cup Racing, New Product Launches, & Listener Questions
Our picks for the Loudenvielle DH World Cup, a round of show & tell, plus some more reader questions.
Testing $1,000 Mountain Bikes in the Desert: Value Field Test Recap
We go over our findings from the most recent round of value bike testing in Sedona, Arizona.
Anne Terpstra On a Controversial XCO World Cup and Her Return from Iliac Artery Surgery
Three time Olympian and six time Dutch National XCO Champion, Anne Terpstra, shares her insights on racing in challenging conditions, her transition to a new team, and her thoughts on future bike technology and courses.
China Bike Show, Spy Shots, & Reader Questions
Kazimer was getting over jet lag, and Dario has a cold, so this one is a little shorter than usual. We'll be back next week with a longer episode and a deeper dive into the reader question inbox.
Interview: Hattie Harnden on Her Best Downhill Result To Date, and That Wild Reversed Stem Setup
Hattie shares her journey through injury rehab, her bike setup changes, and her recent success in downhill racing, offering insights into adaptation, training, and mental resilience.
Till Alran's Aura Farming & The Infamous Hardtail Man: South Korea DH World Cup Field Notes
This week on the Pinkbike podcast, we dive into the season's first World Cup in South Korea, where loose, sandy soil and questionable track builds created a "recipe for disaster." The drama peaked when a dangerous feature was closed mid-race after Lou Ferguson’s crash, leading to confusion from off-site commentators. We also witnessed the bizarre saga of "Hardtail Man," a Polish rider on a dual-cr
Matt Made a Mega Mullet
Are bigger wheels actually faster, or just scarier? Matt Beer decided to find out.
Post-Otter Recap & More Reader Questions
Dario and Stephane go over their Sea Otter higlights, and then Kaz and Dario dig into some questions.
Sea Otter Time - The New Product Flood Continues
So. Many. New. Things. Plus some reader questions, and some music listening homework.
Pinkbike Podcast: RockShox’s New Zeb & Lyrik vs. The 1500 W Avinox Wave
Sea Otter season is officially here, and the gear is dropping fast. This week, Stephane Pelletier, Dario DiGiulio, and Matt Beer share first-ride impressions of the redesigned RockShox Zeb and Lyrik forks, alongside the updated Super Deluxe and Vivid shocks.
But the real shocker? The "Avinox Arms Race." The team grapples with the 2026 power shift as a laundry list of new bikes hit the market feat
MTB Launch Season Has Arrived - The Things We're Testing
Spring is here, which means there's a whole bunch of new MTB gear being released almost every day.
Gee Atherton on Hardline, Bike Development, and His Latest Wild Film Trip to Nepal
Opinions on Dominions and More Listener Questions
Phew, brake week is finally over, but we decided to take a deeper dive into the testing and the results.
Interview: Orbea, TQ, and Fox on Developing an eMTB That Doesn't Feel Like an eMTB
Getting three companies to work on one bike isn't as easy as it should be, but Orbea, TQ, and Fox pulled it off with the new Rallon RS.
What Does It Take to Make it as a Smaller Drivetrain Manufacturer? An Interview With Microshift
We sat down with Microshift's Gus Jeffer and Patrick Chen to learn more about what it takes to navigate patents, and to carve out a place in the competitive drivetrain market.
New Brakes, Suspension, Bikes - It's a Big Week For Product Launches
We're less than two months out from Sea Otter, and the floodgates have started to open, with all sorts of new product launches happening this week.
How Faction Bike Studio Turns Wild Ideas Into Race-Winning Frames
A look inside Faction Bike Studios, the small Quebec company helping develop some of the most exciting bikes on the market.
Why Aaron Gwin is a Threat Again & The Truth About Jackson Goldstone’s Speed
Fresh off a gruelling 20-plus hour travel day from Tasmania, Pinkbike’s own social media correspondent Dan Wolfe sits down with Matt Beer and me to deconstruct the 2026 edition of Red Bull Hardline Tasmania. While the finals were ultimately rained out, Dan provides some on-the-ground insights at the "new school" of freeride-DH builds, noting that the days of "bro-science" are over, replaced by pre
Bikes From the 2010s (Or Earlier) That We'd Like to Ride Again
Talking with Jesse Melamed About Semi-Retirement, Racing Downhill, and New Bikes
What's next for Jesse Melamed?
The FBI, a Serial Scammer, and $50k in Stolen Bikes: An Interview with Berm Peak’s Daniel Sapp
A conversation with Pinkbike alum Daniel Sapp, who now handles the day-to-day operations for Seth's Bike Hacks and Berm Peak.
"The Earth is Not a Workbench" - An Interview With Legendary Mechanic Calvin Jones
An insightful chat with a man who knows just about everything there is to know about wrenching on bikes.
Choosing Our Favorite (And Least Favorite) Trail Bikes and E-Bikes - Field Test Roundtable
Kaz, Dario, Stephane, and Matt sit down for an in-depth discussion to go over the best and worst performing bikes at this year's Field Test.
What's Going to Happen in the MTB World in 2026?
Our hot takes on what's on the way this season, plus a look back at our riding stats from 2025, and some reader questions.
Developing and Launching The NEW Giant Anthem
Brett Rheeder on Rampage Risks, What Happened With Title, & A Possible Return to Competition
From Rampage reflections to building Signature and navigating life after
Title, Brett talks about the evolution of his riding and his role in
mountain biking.
What Sport Would You Do If Mountain Biking Didn't Exist?
Where is Mountain Bike Culture Headed?
For the record, we don't think mountain biking is the new golf.
Gearbox Bikes, Testing Fields, & More
Dario, Kaz, and Matt chat about the latest MTB news and reviews, and introduce the latest Field Test.
Forking Around & Some of Our Favorite Bikes of 2025
Matt, Dario, and Kaz talk about recent reviews, industry turmoil, gear of the year, and dig into some reader questions.
MTB Tech Innovations We're Still Waiting For
Where's the dropper post that goes up and down with the push of a button?
Night Riding, New Bikes, & Carbon Pickleball Paddles
Spooky riding season is here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Does Red Bull Rampage Need to Change? - An Interview With Tarek Rasouli
This year's Rampage left us with more questions than usual.
Catching Up with Matt Fairbrother About His Latest Ridiculous Ride
10,252 meters (33,635 ft) of climbing in under 24 hours is bonkers.
Rampage Bonus Episode with Katy Winton & Dan Wolfe
Coming at you almost-live from the Utah desert.
Rampage, Racing Rumors, & Reader Questions
We're back from a couple weeks in Bentonville, so it's time to dig into the virtual mail bag and catch up on some reader questions.
Shop Stories, Field Testing, & Reader Questions | Pinkbike Podcast
Kaz, Dario, Stephane, and Matt chat about the latest MTB news, and why it pays for bike mechanics to be nice to customers.
Our Embarrassing Racing Moments | Pinkbike Podcast
Kaz, Matt, and Stephane talk about some of their embarrassing racing-related moments and answer more reader questions.
The Bikes & Products We Were Wrong About With Mike Levy
We got Levy off the gravel bike for a special episode where we look back at the products and bikes that didn't live up to the hype.
World Champs Chatter, Boutique Derailleurs, & Reader Questions
Kaz, Dario, and Matt talk about the World Champ DH and marathon races, plus dig into the recent Kona Hei Hei review and more reader questions.
Nino Schurter on His Final Two Major XC Races & Plans for the Future
What Would Our Dream Homemade Bikes Look Like?
Kaz, Dario, and Stephane chat about pedals, homemade bikes, and a whole bunch more.
Freeride's Alive with Hannah Bergemann & Steve Vanderhoek
Recorded live at Crankworx Whistler, we sat down with two of our favorite freeriders to chat about digging, sending, mental challenges, and more.
The Development of the 2026 Fuel with Trek's Dylan Howes & David Knauf
Chatting with the engineer and product manager behind the latest version of the venerable Trek Fuel.
Why Christopher Blevins is Living in a Retreat Center
Dario checks in with Chris Blevins to find out the secrets behind his
World Cup XC winning ways, plus we dig into reader questions, talk about
riding new trails, and more.
Seth's Bike Hacks Rides the Grim Donut
A wide-ranging conversation with Seth about riding the Grim Donut, product reviews, YouTube techniques, AI, and even headset cable routing.
Ask Pinkbike - Digging in to More Reader Questions
Kaz, Dario, and Stephane open up the virtual mailbag and try their best to solve those burning questions.
The World's Biggest Drop, MTB Festivals, & Newfoundland Riding
Kaz, Dario, and Matt chat about the latest happenings in the mountain bike world.
Wild World Cup Racing, Tiny Car Crew, & Trail Tools
Kaz, Dario, and Stephane chat about the recent World Cup racing, trail tools, hatchbacks, and short travel bikes.
Tour Divide Winner Robin Gemperle, Eurobike Highlights, & Dario's Vintage Stab
Dario interviews Robin Gemperle, who rode from Canada to Mexico in under 12 days. We also chat about Eurobike highlights, Dario's vintage Kona Stab, and dig into some reader questions.
Upside Down Forks, World Cup Highs, Lows, & More
Kaz, Stephane, and Dario chat about World Cup racing, Fox's new upside-down Podium fork, and more.
Hans Rey Interview, MTB Trend Talk, & Fist Bumps or High Fives?
Stephane chats with Hans Rey, while Kaz, Dario, and Matt talk about the latest MTB trends.
Clint Spiegel & Dustin Adams on Industry Nine's Acquisition of We Are One Composites
We sat down with Clint Spiegel, the founder and owner of Industry Nine, and Dustin Adams, the founder of We Are One Composites, to find out more about the recent acquisition of WAO by I9, and what the future holds for both companies.
Shimano's Wireless XTR Drivetrain, World Cup Racing & New Bikes
Chatting about the fresh XTR groupset, Yeti's expensive e-bike, World Cup DH and enduro racing, & more.
#289: Bike Parking, BMXworx, Orbea's New Rallon, & More
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
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
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
Episode #286: A New DH Bike, The Future of Enduro, & Reader Questions
#285: Getting to Know Stephane Pelletier, Our Favorite Technique Tips, & Gloveless Riders
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
Kaz, Dario, and Matt come to you with the latest MTB news and observations.
#283: Post-Sea Otter Ponderings + Uncle Buck & Other Reader Questions
Mike, Dario, and Stephane go over the highs and lows of Sea Otter, then dive into some fresh reader questions.
#282: Talking About Tariffs
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
The team talks through this week's news and tech.
#280 - Tech, Mechs, and Springs to Deal with Flex; New Everything Week
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
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
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 Co
#277 - Mountain Bike Wheels Are Getting Wild
How light is too light? And what does "instant engagement" really mean anyway?
#276 - Breaking Embargos and Are Designs Incompatible for Heavier Riders?
Dario, Kaz, and Henry gear up for another content tsunami.
#275 - Fox's Gearbox, 'MacGyvering' Ultra Premium Bikes & Counting Chains
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
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?
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?
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?
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
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.
#269 - Specialized’s eMTB Product Team on Motor Development, Future Models, & Battery Regulations
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
#268 - 2024 Pinkbike Awards Winners: The Best Bike, Innovations, Value & More
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
#267 - A Tech and Racing-Recap of 2024 with Neko Mulally and Jordi Cortes
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 rath
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