Welcome to the Pinkbike Annual Community Survey Results series. As with our
State of the Sport Survey earlier in the year where we surveyed pro mountain bikers, we're going to be using this week to break down the responses submitted to us to better understand the Pinkbike audience. In total, more than 20,000 of you responded in what we believe is the biggest survey of core mountain bikers ever undertaken. We'll again be releasing findings from each key section daily, and then doing a data dump at the end with all the information so everyone has access to it.
A couple of caveats before we begin:
1. This is just a survey of Pinkbike's audience. This is a huge community and a ton of you responded to the survey, but the results aren't necessarily representative of mountain bikers as a whole. In general, we see a bias towards anglophone countries and generally experienced and committed riders. On top of that, even within the Pinkbike community there's a huge cohort of users who didn't respond, so be careful not to extrapolate these results beyond what they represent—the people who responded to the survey. That said we think they're definitely interesting to dig into nevertheless.
2. We are relying on riders being honest in the survey. The survey was taken anonymously and we have no way of knowing if the riders answered the questions with full honesty. That said, we have taken their responses in good faith.
3. We've learned a lot from this inaugural survey and understand that some of you were disappointed that it focussed so heavily on product. We've taken your feedback on board and will be looking to create a wider-reaching survey next year that will let you have your voices heard on everything from trail access to racing to standards to industry trends.With that out of the way, let's start with some more general questions. What does the Pinkbike community look like and what are their riding habits? Is Pinkbike populated by spotty teenagers trying to swap a P1 frame for an XBox or galaxy-brained engineers who are able to spot the flaws in a bike's linkage from
a grainy cell phone photo taken from under a truck?
Well, the truth is that (ugh) Pinkers are a wide-ranging bunch, from young to old, experienced mountain bikers to novices, fat bikers to downhillers and men to... well, mostly men to be honest. Let's dig into some of the questions we asked in the Pinkbike Audience Survey so you can all get to know each other a bit better.
How old are Pinkbike readers?Under 16: 5.34%
17-20: 6.06%
21-30: 17.73%
31-40: 29.22%
41-50: 24.68%
51-60: 11.82%
61-70: 3.73%
70+: - 0.66%
It's encouraging to see how broad an age range we have on Pinkbike. More than half of the respondents to the survey are aged between 31 and 50 but nearly a third of our audience are under thirty and around 15% are over 50. Hello also to the more than 100 over 70s that are still ripping, we salute you!
What gender are Pinkbike readers?Male: 94.57%
Female: 3.135
Non-binary: 0.34%
Transgender: 0.13%
Intersex: 0.05%
Interestingly, the site's demographics as a whole are slowly trending towards more female representation (Google Analytics says we're at 21% female and rising), but most of the people who responded to this survey are male. We hope to see this change—we welcome all riders and are working to diversify our content to make it interesting to all genders. If you don't identify as a man please know you're still welcome here and we would encourage you to look to our
#PBWMN articles where we spotlight the achievements of women and non-binary folks.
How many years have you actively been riding mountain bikes?Less than a year: 1.52%
1 year: 3.02%
2-3 years: 2.34%
4-6 years: 16.26%
7-10 years: 15.36%
11-15 years: 14.92%
16-20 years: 11.18%
21+years: 27.05%
We were staggered to see the largest cohort of riders had been involved in the sport for more than 21 years, in fact more than half of the respondents to the survey have been riding for 11 years plus - clearly you're all washed up freeriders just like most of us on the PB staff! Welcome also to the 300 of you that only started mountain biking this year, you're in for one hell of a ride!
On average, how often do you ride?Every day: 3.35%
4-6 times a week:19.81%
2-3 times a week: 48.04%
About once a week: 19.89%
2-3 times a month: 4.95%
About once a month: 1.15%
Not enough!: 2.8%
It's great to see that more than 90% of respondents to the survey are able to get out and ride at least once a week with most of you getting out multiple times a week. We're very jealous of the 700 of you that are able to find time to ride every day.
Rank your favourite type of riding1. (136587) Enduro / All Mountain
2. (133939) Trail
3. (109325) Downhill
4. (97666) Downcountry
5. (96803) Freeride / Park
6. (95442) Cross Country
7. (70802) Dirt Jump / Street / 4X
8.(70043) Gravel
9. (64014) Road
10. (58234) eMTB
11. (54789) BMX
12. (53817) Fatbike
This question was a ranked-choice so we can't give exact percentages on how this question shakes down but in our score calculations, it was unsurprisingly two-horse race between enduro and trail riding. It was great to see downhill still near the top in third. Downhill bikes may not be selling but it's clear that it's still a form of the sport that many riders still enjoy.
Two young disciplines of the sport - downcountry and gravel - are both in fairly high places and we're almost certain they wouldn't have been so high had we done this survey two years ago. We also liked seeing cross country placed so highly. Pinkbike has its roots in the freeride scene but we've worked hard to improve our XC coverage in the past few years and we're glad you're enjoying it.
How many bikes do you own?:None: 0.3%
1: 14.71%
2: 28.22%
3: 24.47%
4: 14.74%
5: 17.55%
Clearly the 'one bike to do everything' marketing isn't working as most of our respondents have more than one bike in their collection. The biggest cohort of riders had 2 bikes but more than half of you have 3 or more. Nearly a fifth of you have more than five bikes. 60 of you don't have a bike at all, hopefully that's just down to supply chain related issues and you can get yourself sorted with a new ride soon!
272 Comments
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
If you go to Mike Levys profile page right now you can see the fotos they took for autumn field test. Lots of interesting bikes. The only question is why that Giant is blurred.
But the thing is, everybody get emotionally abused by pinkbike comments, nobody is excluded from public ridicule, it’s real equality over here
However, imagine a room filled with a hundred people, 97% are white males and the other 3% are female, tell me how that would feel as a woman ... you'd probably feel a bit conspicuous and isolated.
I'm an old white guy, but I've had some experience in other cultures where I was the minority ... and though it was weird and uncomfortable, I still felt confident because of my position in the global society.
Years ago I was taking a class and the professor asked the class what it was worth to them if they never had to fear being assaulted anywhere, even walking down a dark alley at night. How do you think the response differed between men and woman?
The women in the class concluded that this ^ would be priceless, but the men didn't think it was worth nearly as much ... no suprise.
Jokes based on sexist tropes are used here on a daily basis. I'm not saying that these individuals are doing so with any any malice intended; however, it is emblematic of the fact that misogyny (to varying degrees) is overtly and subliminally engrained in most men greater that say 25 years old. It took me having two daughters to gain some clarity on this subject, and while I can never truly understand (because I'm a man), you start to see how most of human history is a story of men doing what they can to control and exert power over the world around them, and asserting control over women was an extension of that thinking.
I believe the whole point of her comment (if I'm understanding it correctly) isn't that people should look past her gender (I didn't realize being female was a negative attribute others had to try to "look past") but accept it and not create a hostile environment toward it. There are plenty of morally upstanding individuals who are advocates of women, but still have engrained sexist tendencies they're not even aware of.
I feel like if anybody says the pinkbike.com comment section is putting them off from the hobby of mtb, then they probably didn’t love mtb in the first place
I'm asking because compared to the rest of the internet, the PB comment section seems to be a relatively mild-mannered crowd. And I don't think I remember ever reading any comment here that was just straight up mysoginy or misandry.
see @skiandmtbdirtbag below me
Duh.
SimonJaeger
Could you please give an example? Not trying to demean your opinion, just honestly trying to understand your point of view. ...
fewnofrwgijn (33 mins ago)
@nurseben: but this is the internet, nobody cares what color you are, what body parts you have, or how many of “your people” are also looking at mtb articles. There are no dark alleyways here, if your opinion of mountain bikes is shit, you’re gonna get a strongly worded message and will probably forget about it by the end of the day.
I feel like if anybody says the pinkbike.com comment section is putting them off from the hobby of mtb, then they probably didn’t love mtb in the first place
THIS! Well said. What a great visual to represent how we feel.
Simply saying someone is a snowflake is a minimization of their concerns, interesting how that paints you ....
As if making this sport more inclusive is a bad thing? We get more voters for trail access, more group rides that keep running, more trail builders digging, more bike shops in business, more races, and so on.
We know that a lot of men aren't willing to admit that they feel threatened by a woman with an opinion. Some can't admit that to others, or even themselves. Not all men feel this way, of course, but enough do to contribute to numbers like that. I think people mistake the outwardly sexist people to be the only problem, while giving themselves a pass on more subtly harmful behaviors.
For instance, do you folks notice that it sometimes takes a man rephrasing a woman's point, in order for another man to get it? Misogyny is so ingrained that problematic men end up respecting another man before they do a woman. It's like when women at a bar have more success turning someone away by saying "I have a boyfriend" instead of "I'm not interested." That's something we have to work on as a group. (Not faulting @jaytdubs in the slightest here, rather it's just something that happens in mountain biking, as well as workplaces everywhere.)
We men can do better, but we have to work together for it.
I consider PB commnents pretty tame compared to lots of the crap my teenagers see daily on tiktoc.
From - Video: Christina Chappetta Conquers Fears on the Pinkbike Hot Lap
Me: "So sick! What a fun looking trail. Christina crushed it. But why is the ratio of guys to girls so uneven? Why does Pinkbike continue to contribute to the inequity we see if this sport? You've got to do MORE than you think to get things to an equilibrium."
Respondent: "Spot the feminist snowflake wannabe"
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From - Interview: Nina Hoffmann on Sticking to Her Guns and Not Taking a Team Offer for 2020
Me: "I am confused at how she is riding for Santa Cruz but not riding on the Syndicate.... "Since I knew I couldn’t get on the Syndicate" ... What? Why not? What is the difference? Why is the Syndicate so opposed to adding a girl on their team? As a female rider who has only ridden Nomads all my life (excuse me I should say who has only SHREDDED on nomads all my life) it is so disheartening to see the Syndicate be all male year after year. As the comment above- can we get more info on this?"
Respondent 1: " I wonder if they employ one woman the have to be 50% of the employee force or it's discrimination."
Respondent 2: "Why is the Syndicate so opposed to having a girl on the team?" Are they?
Respondent 3: "You say "I bet you would too if things were reversed." So let's reverse your situation, where instead of the rider, you are the company owner. You look at who is buying your bikes, who you think you can sell your bikes to, and then you do what you can to maximise sales. So... Do you sponsor a male or a female? I am a professional data analyst. I once looked at the ratio of males to females of the most recent DH and enduro races on Roots And Rain (I bored and recovering from wrist surgery). Every event was about 9:1 male:female. Sponsoring a female racer is not the way to sell bikes. Instead, the types of participation events that Liv run is what I'd recommend if I was your accountant. I've never seen a barrier for women to participate in DH when I used to race and host events for my club. Yet the proportion of female racers doesn't increase. I look at my wife's sport, which is ultra running, and wonder how an event with 2000 m of vert over 50 km has 72% women. That is a tough event and women love it and they sell out at $200 a race."
Respondent 4: "don't rely on your heroes to be women. I see myself in all sorts of people, men and women, and many of my heroes are men. It'll surprise you how much mental aspects are common to both sexes and how much the same struggles are experienced. if someone needs a hero to follow into an activity where broken bones are not optional, then perhaps it's the wrong activity for them."
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From: Update: Full Rider List Announced for Red Bull Hardline
Me: "@pnwpedal: "I guarantee that any proven female rider who expressed interest would be encouraged to ride" - Its always interesting when men who are not involved in putting on events respond like this. Like how do you know? There are countless events women have been asking to be apart of for years and they are denied. Dont assume if you dont know how these things get organized."
Respondent: "I imagine Dan does not want to be responsible for any girls crashing. smart."
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From: THE SYNDICATE - BTS of a World Cup Mechanic - Tom's Day Out (Youtube)
Me: "Love these videos. When will the Syndicate add a woman to the team??"
Respondent 1: "I guess when they find one suitable, not one to just tick a box."
Respondent 2: " You do know about their General Manager Kathy Sessler? Not bad compared to the rest of the DH teams I reckon"
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And lets not forget this very article we are all commenting on...
Me: This article
Respondent: "Hey Karen, do you want to speak with the manager?"
I looked through yours, didnt see one comment on a female centric article showing encouragement.
But if you looked at my comment history you would see that is incorrect. So you are now just commenting because you dont like my opinion, not because its actually true.
You kinda have to take responsibility for each thing that you say, you can’t just say “well look at how nice my comments were 2 months ago, you aren’t allowed to criticize this angry negative comment today”
Non-asthmatics can do better. At least try to empathise. Even try to live a day in our shoes. It's the only way to embrace us as a group, give us the respect we deserve and encourage more of use to take up mountain biking.
We're a major growth area and deserve to be treated with the same respect afforded to our able-bronchioled brethren. The apathy has to end.
Bring on the downvotes, sockpuppet brigade. I know y;all have nothing better to do with your time since you're bitter and alone.
A few women in here tried to share their POV and *immediately* male commenters came in saying, "As a man, let me tell you how you should feel.". This is exactly why so many men don't "see a problem" with how women (or anyone who isn't a white cis straight male) are treated in this comment section or out on the trail.
Imagine y'all were sitting in an auditorium with a mic placed just in front of the stage. The person presenting asks women how they feel about an issue, and instruct them to line up at the mic to offer their input. ...Only instead of women, half the men in the audience rush the mic and monopolize it to give their opinions. Imagine if you were sitting in that audience and watched that happen? Because that's what happens 99% of the time we try to tackle these issues.
So many of you aren't ready to sit at the table and have a real conversation about this. Because you're so used to being the ones talking that you can't STAND the idea of sitting quietly and actually *listening* to the other side for a change. Men say women are too emotional, but my gods there is nothing more dramatic than a man who feels his ego threatened by a women.
Go ahead and downvote this, you're just proving the point you don't want to listen.
If you are here since 2000 or even before you know what I am talking about. It's the same for online Games.
The new dudes and dudets are the toxic shit. Bann idiots wha have no competence for the Web. They can still consume it but cant write or upload anything.
Tinfoil hats are on the rise also for the same reason...
If one cannot learn to get on with one's life in the presence of c*nts, one has no hope of happiness.
A wonderful skill to have is to be able to disagree with someone and then to get on with life. Stiff upper lip.
I comment my opinion or thoughts and read other peoples opinions and thoughts. We do live in a world where everyone has access to speak on these forums, conflict will always happen, sucks, but its just the internet unfortunately
I have had plenty of people on here tell me I am talking crap, they have never met me, ridden with me or been out trail building with me.
Its a bike, ride it, get stoked, park it up, read pinkbike, talk crap on pinkbike because folk from outside the bike industry don't get bikers and our passion for 2 wheels.
If you are ever over in Scotland, come up north and ride, we just love to see folk out shredding the trails.
Can we all agree to just hate on fat bikes. This poll proved they are the real thing that pinkbike should be ridiculing.
If nobody replies... It's an unaddressed issue.
If people reply... You think they are talking to that person.
Lose, lose or we could just have differences in experiences. (99.9% sure this is the case).
As people we remember the 0.1% bad and dwell on it and forget the 99.9% that was good. It's in our nature. We even do it on the trail! Remember that 1 bad corner on a whole trail. (trail builder here... I go sort it out until all the corners are too easy haha).
If people reply and are d1ks then they might just be different. (Would be boring if we were all the same).
As for fat bikes, it's a bike. Go shred it.
... and my Dh bike these days to try and use it over the enduro bike!
and by the example of many of the comments above, the problem is bigger than I imagined
"...the core issue which is that most pinkbike commenters cant handle opinions from women."
I have not witnessed this here, and don't agree it's because we can't handle opinions. Please share freely share your opinions, despite those who disagree or come across unable to handle it.
This is the internet, and BIKE internet too–IE not too serious.
It doesn’t help humanity to conjure up cowering “men” needing to be accepted .
Sometimes the best answer to hear is “ don’t like it here ?see ya”
Guys need to be guys SOMEWHERE, even if it’s in make believe bike world.
"Sometimes the best answer to hear is 'don’t like it here ?see ya'"
I understand the guys need to be guys, and unsure where that is now (lol). I think this place isn't it, despite being predominately (95%) populated by male readership.
1. Don't read or post in the comments if you are: a women, ride a 26er, ride an ebikes, hate bad to awesome puns, are sick of the notoutsideceo bit, easily get offended by keyboard trolls
2. PB commenters are not welcoming to anyone who doesn't go Enduro bro on a mullet. They discriminate equally and get satisfaction from triggering as many of said non- Enduro bros as possible.
3. Those not feeling welcome poke the trolls and are shocked when troll is triggered to be more troll like.
4. The paywall is going to fix this...ok well maybe not.
I'm skeptical of this, and would need to see more data to support it. Maybe it's true.
If this was a swimming pool or beach sure I could understand the point. As we're talking about going into the forest in baggy clothes to get covered in mud, not really.
The flip side is that some women feel it's beyond "guy banter" and veered into harassment. That's going to be a grey area but I'm all for trying to make this a place that welcomes all.
sorry @jaame, english is not my language and it is possible i cant explain well what i want to say
It's math.
Jokes aside I'd like to try an Optic one time! I'm probably overbiked, riding Allmo-duro on a Rocky Mountain Altitude
--
Still not sure how to answer you as I'm slightly confused haha but I have ridden entrails a few times but I also like to ride "enduro-trails" haha
2x commute-to-school-junk-bikes for the kids
1x kids hacked-overforked-fullsus-shredder
2x fatbikes
2x Ex-XC DC-bikes
2x enduro/trail bikes
2x gravel/CX bikes
1x commuter hardtail
1x 80s road bike that I'm going to restore since about 1991
Disclaimer: only one new bike bought over the last 2 years, only one bike on order for almost 2 years.
No, I'm really thinning out the bike stable. I mean it.
2 MTB (hardtail and full susser)
2 commuter bikes (one faster one to travel to work a bit quicker though without motor, one heavy beast for shopping, kids to school etc)
1 BMX
I could do without the full susser indeed. I merely keep it as I already have it and to borrow when people come over and want to ride with me.
Which one do you think I shouldn't have?
It's the same here. Longest distance goes to the gravel bike, most hours out - trail bike, most number of rides - commuter, and so on. But they're all fun!
8yo DJer, never sell
6yo steel XC bike, never sell
5yo fixie, never sell
1yo trail bike that replaced a 5yo Enduro bike that I only sold due to flight logistics after an overseas race...
I only bikes that have long term value to me. And I plan to ride until they disintegrate, then replace.
How could I not have 5? It’s perfection.
Enduro-mtb.com/en does similar polls but asks more specifically what kind of bikes people own.
OMG we are the worst parts of Facebook!
That being said, I'd suggest inquiring the aliens on his whereabouts.
"we're all individuals!"
"errrr, I'm not... "
Benjamin Pierce : You're one of me?
[confused]
Benjamin Pierce : You're one of me?
You’ve made it. You’re on the Team.
Where do you live?
99% America
1% somewhere else
www.pinkbike.com/news/slack-randoms-the-best-ai-generated-pinkbike-comments.html
RIP (the rider in you)
That's sad and a problem in our industry............
We're all humans FFs!
Naked hiking and naked trail running. They are the real growth areas, with naked on-foot commuting a goal for the future.
Sustainable AF.
Doesn't compute