The Pinkbike Podcast: Episode 134 - Racing Controversy, Prototype DH Bikes, & Drivetrains From The Future

Jul 14, 2022
by Mike Levy  
Pinkbike Podcast
Art by Taj Mihelich


It's been an exciting week of racing and new gear, with the Lenzerheide World Cup providing controversy, prototypes, and most importantly, plenty of action for us to talk about. On top of that, Shimano just released their next Di2 drivetrain, an XT ecosystem designed specifically for e-bikes that can shift automatically if you tell it to, which certainly raised the ire of some commenters. And speaking of drivetrains, the first production-ready bike with the wild Supre drivetrain has broken cover, a long-travel enduro sled from Nicolai with high-pivot suspension, all the chain, and a very not-normal derailleur. It's a good time to be a tech dork!

Episode 134 sees Mike Kazimer and I dig into the latest prototype downhill bikes and new drivetrains to figure out what the heck is going on. Can you see any advantages to auto-shifting? Where do you see the Supre drivetrain in five years?

Specialized's prototype downhill bike
More on the Supre drivetrain
Shimano's auto-shifting XT Di2 drivetrain




THE PINKBIKE PODCAST // EPISODE 134 - RACING CONTROVERSY, PROTOTYPE DH BIKES, & DRIVETRAINS FROM THE FUTURE
July 14th, 2022

Flappy paddles or stick shift?



This week's Pinkbike Podcast is presented by Yakima.

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Nicolai is the first company to offer a bike with the Supre drivetrain.
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The design only works with a high-pivot suspension layout, but promises better reliability versus a derailleur.

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If you let your car shift when it wants to, why not your bike?
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What's inside Specialized's fabric bag?


Featuring a rotating cast of the editorial team and other guests, the Pinkbike podcast is 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.



Previous Pinkbike Podcasts
Episode 1 - Why Are Bikes So Expensive?
Episode 2 - Where the Hell is the Grim Donut?
Episode 3 - Pond Beaver Tech
Episode 4 - Why is Every Bike a Trail Bike?
Episode 5 - Can You Trust Bike Reviews?
Episode 6 - Over Biked Or Under Biked?
Episode 7 - Wild Project Bikes
Episode 8 - Do We Need an Even Larger Wheel Size?
Episode 9 - Why Are We Doing a Cross-Country Field Test?
Episode 10 - Getting Nerdy About Bike Setup
Episode 11 - Are We Going Racing This Year?
Episode 12 - What's the Future of Bike Shops?
Episode 13 - Are Bikes Too Regular Now?
Episode 14 - What Bikes Would Pinkbike Editors Buy?
Episode 15 - What's Holding Mountain Biking Back?
Episode 16 - Who's Your Mountain Biking Hero?
Episode 17 - XC Field Test Insider
Episode 18 - Electronics on your Mountain Bike: Good or Bad?
Episode 19 - The Hardtail Episode
Episode 20 - MTB Conspiracy Theories
Episode 21 - Stuff We Were Wrong About
Episode 22 - Does Your Riding Style Match Your Personality?
Episode 23 - Grim Donut 2 is Live!
Episode 24 - Why Even Buy a DH Bike?
Episode 25 - Fall Field Test Preview
Episode 26 - The Three Most Important Mountain Bikes
Episode 27 - The World Champs Special
Episode 28 - All About Women's Bikes
Episode 29 - Freeride or Die
Episode 30 - Would You Rather?
Episode 31 - Wet Weather Riding Tips & Tricks
Episode 32 - What Needs to Change in the Bike Industry?
Episode 33 - Behind the Scenes at Pinkbike Academy
Episode 34 - Grilling Levy About Field Test Trail Bikes (and His Bonspiel)
Episode 35 - Story Time - Stranger Than Fiction
Episode 36 - Grilling Kazimer about Field Test Enduro Bikes
Episode 37 - The 2020 Privateer Season with Ben Cathro
Episode 38 - Editors Defend Their 2020 Best-Of Picks
Episode 39 - Predicting the Future of Mountain Biking
Episode 40 - The Pinkbike Awards!
Episode 41 - Racing Rumours and Team Changes
Episode 42 - Mountain Biking's Guilty Pleasures
Episode 43 - Dangerholm's Wildest Custom Mountain Bikes
Episode 44 - Mountain Bike Suspension Decoded
Episode 45 - What Makes a Good Riding Buddy
Episode 46 - The RockShox Zeb vs Fox 38 Deep Dive
Episode 47 - High Pivot Bikes: The Good, The Bad, and The Why?
Episode 48 - Rides That Went Horribly Wrong... & Why That Made Them So Good
Episode 49 - What's the Best DH Bike?
Episode 50 - Are Bikes Actually Getting Less Expensive? (Value Bike Field Test Preview)
Episode 51 - Should MTB Media Post Spy Shots?
Episode 52 - Our Most Embarrassing MTB Moments
Episode 53 - Should Climbers Still Have the Right of Way?
Episode 54 - Best and Worst MTB Product Marketing
Episode 55 - Big Dumb Rides & Staying Motivated
Episode 56 - What Were the Most Important Inventions in Mountain Biking?
Episode 57 - What Were the Best (and Worst) Trends in Mountain Biking?
Episode 58 - Debunking Mountain Biking's Biggest Myths
Episode 59 - Value Bike Field Trip Surprises & Spoilers
Episode 60 - What Kind of Mountain Biker Do You Want to Be?
Episode 61 - Athlete Pay, Lycra, Equality and More from the State of the Sport Survey
Episode 62 - Editor Preferences and Why They Matter
Episode 63 - Our Best (And Worst) Bike Buying Advice
Episode 64 - Who's On Your MTB Mount Rushmore?
Episode 65 - The Hardtail Episode
Episode 66 - The Best and Worst of Repairing Bikes
Episode 67 - The Story of Mountain Biking's Most Interesting Man: Richard Cunningham
Episode 68 - Who Are Mountain Biking's Unsung Heroes?
Episode 69 - The Good, Bad, and Strange Bikes We've Owned - Part 1
Episode 70 - The Good, Bad, and Strange Bikes We've Owned - Part 2
Episode 71 - The Story of Mountain Biking's Most Interesting Man: Richard Cunningham - A Pinkbike Podcast Special, Part 2
Episode 72 - Hey Outers!
Episode 73 - The Details That Matter... and Some That Shouldn't
Episode 74 - The Best Trails We've Ridden and What Makes Them So Special
Episode 75 - Things MTB Brands Waste Money On
Episode 76 - MTB Originals and Copycats
Episode 77 - Interview with Outside CEO, Robin Thurston
Episode 78 - Modern Geometry Explained
Episode 79 - What's the Future of eMTBs?
Episode 80 - The Best Vehicles for Mountain Bikers
Episode 81 - You've Got Questions, We've (Maybe) Got Answers
Episode 82 - Behind the Scenes at Field Test
Episode 83 - Does Carbon Fiber Belong On Your Mountain Bike?
Episode 84 - Explaining RockShox's Computer Controlled Suspension
Episode 85 - Is the Red Bull Rampage Too Slopestyle?
Episode 86 - Greg Minnaar on the Honda DH Bike, World Cup Racing, and Staying Fast Forever
Episode 87 - How to Love Riding When it's Cold and Wet
Episode 88 - Mountain Biking on a Budget
Episode 89 - The Derailleur Pickle
Episode 90 - Is Supre the Future of Trouble-Free Drivetrains? (with Cedric Eveleigh of Lal Bikes)
Episode 91 - Riding Every Double Black in the Whistler Bike Park with Christina Chappetta
Episode 92 - Does Bike Weight Really Matter?
Episode 93 - Staying Motivated and Overcoming Burnout
Episode 94 - PBA Contestant Tori Wood on Her First Race and Finding the Right Mindset
Episode 95 - Field Test Down-Country Bike Debrief
Episode 96 - PBA Contestant Israel Carrillo on Riding in Mexico and Why It's Not Always About Speed
Episode 97 - Can We Predict the Future of Mountain Biking?
Episode 98 - Field Test Trail Bike Debrief
Episode 99 - New Year, New You?
Episode 100 - Q&A with the PB Editors
Episode 101 - MTB Tradeshows Explained
Episode 102 - Should MTB Media Be Going to Press Camps?
Episode 103 - Secrets from the World Cup Pits with Henry Quinney
Episode 104 - Lachlan Morton on How to be a Happy Bike Racer and the World's Longest Climb
Episode 105 - The 3 Bike Budget Challenge
Episode 106 - What's Your Ideal Ride Look Like?
Episode 107 - How (And Why) Did You Start Mountain Biking?
Episode 108 - Behind the Scenes at the Value Bike Field Test
Episode 109 - Berm Peak's Seth Alvo on Making Videos 24/7, Soul Rides, and Building a Bike Park
Episode 110 - Trying (and Failing) to Reinvent the Mountain Bike
Episode 111 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #1 - It's All Downhill From Here
Episode 112 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #2 - The Lourdes World Cup Post-Race Wrap-Up
Episode 113 - PB Editors Answer Your Questions (again)
Episode 114 - The Placebo Effect and Your New Mountain Bike
Episode 115 - We Are One's CEO Talks Future DH Bike, E-Bikes, & Domestic Manufacturing
Episode 116 - New Bikes and Gear from Sea Otter
Episode 117 - Mountain Biking's Worst (or Best) Cliché Crimes
Episode 118 - Music and Mountain Biking
Episode 119 - Road Trips Gone Horribly Wrong
Episode 120 - Gee Atherton on Titanium Additive Manufacturing, Million Dollar Machines, and 3 New Bikes
Episode 121 - How To Film Rampage & Field Tests with the PB Team
Episode 122 - Do Social Media & Mountain Biking Go Together?
Episode 123 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #3 - Fort William World Cup Wrap-Up
Episode 124 - Bike Parks or E-Bikes?
Episode 125 - Nino Schurter's Mechanic on Prepping Race Bikes & His Favorite Tools
Episode 126 - "One More Run" and Other MTB Superstitions
Episode 127 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #4 - Leogang World Cup Wrap-Up
Episode 128 - Summer Solstice Adventures
Episode 129 - Are There Too Many MTB Videos? Interview w/ IFHT's Jason Lucas
Episode 130 - Aaron Gwin on High-Pivot DH Bikes, Chasing the Money, & Riding with Eli Tomac
Episode 131 - PB Editor Seb Stott on Geometry, Lock-Outs, Fickle Brakes, & Physics in Bike Reviews
Episode 132 - How To Survive the Wildest Multi-Day Enduro Race
Episode 133 - The Pinkbike Racing Podcast: Episode #5 - Lenzerheide World Cup DH Post-Race Wrap-Up

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27 Comments
  • 19 0
 @brianpark Do we have any updated information for how Beta memberships will be handled? You referenced it in a podcast a month or two ago and was curious if any direction was decided?
  • 2 0
 Thanks for asking about this. I signed up around February 2022, just for Beta, so basically I am out the $24 or whatever it is with one magazine to show for it. Outside is not garnering any good will from me for taking my money with no refund or replacement content or anything. I am waiting for my class action letter to arrive any day now...
  • 8 0
 Levy and Kaz on the Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan, podcasting after each summit lol
  • 4 0
 Not a terrible plan
  • 3 0
 @mikelevy: see if Kaz can “shred-pack” that spur
  • 5 1
 Another car comparison in regards to mtbers being upset about auto-shift Di2: I don't see a whole lot of manual transmission TRD Tacomas at the trails.
  • 4 0
 Quit looking in my cab! I think lines are drawn in both worlds between commuting and sporting.
  • 3 0
 As far as fights go I remember when Brian lopes punched Geoff kabush after the race on the podium because he sprayed him with champagne.
  • 1 0
 1. PB podcast is in my top 5 podcasts overall (on the podium)... easily has the best theme music of any podcast out there. 2. This was another great episode, many thanks. 3. Benoit Coulanges may or may not be Kazimer pretending to have a french accent. 4. What happened to Coulanges in qualis today? 5. Kaz seems to have uttered the phrase "we're vagging around" at around 19:20
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy Enjoying the podcast mate. I'm sure you're already on this but can you get Chris Ball on? It would be great for fans and riders to find out more about next year. There seems to be a lot of nonsense being speculated and it would be great to hear from Chris to put everyone's mind at ease. Gwin episode was mint btw.
  • 1 0
 For sure, he's on the list of people to chat with.
  • 1 0
 I hate to be a killjoy, as most of the time I appreciate Kaz and Levy's irreverent humor, but I don't like talking up bad sportsmanship. Nino and Mathias have put the conflict it behind them, and that's a good thing. One thing I like about our sport is the humility and comradare that is usually on display, and I don't like undermining that, even it it is a joke. I remember Richie Rude getting DQd in last years EWS finale with a lot on the line. He didn't have a melt down over it, and to me further enhanced his status as an athlete and a human being. Too much blaming and hostility in the world, and even when we don't feel like it we should all try to rise above that.
  • 1 0
 I'm waiting for Levy and Henry to review the new CrossDownEnduroTrail E-Bike. Preliminary reports say it will have adjustable geometry thanks to pivots at all tubing junctions, new Shimano DI2 auto shift system, Fox Flight Attendant, Tire Whiz, a yet to be unveiled motorized seatpost, built in air compressor, and Trailforks integration. This combination allows the rider to have the perfect gear, perfect geometry, perfect tire and shock pressure, along with correct seat height for any trail in the world. Design and prototyping is being done by Adrian Newey and the Red Bull F1 team.
  • 2 0
 You'll be waiting a while for Henry or me to review E-anything Wink
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer What size Meta SX did you end up running? One of those pesky bikes where I sit right in the middle of sizes.

Also what's the list of bikes in the next field test? I must have missed the memo on that one.
  • 4 0
 I'm on a large Meta SX - the 481mm reach is a good fit for me. We haven't revealed the full list yet for the next Field Test. The SX is in it, the SC Megatower, Contra, and four other contenders. Those articles / videos will start dropping soon(ish).
  • 4 3
 Don't have time to listen to a podcast but I'd definitely skim a transcript and read the parts that interested me.
  • 5 0
 I don’t think this one will be transcribed, but I am doing that with some of our previous podcast interviews.
  • 3 0
 I has a set of shokz bone conducting headphones and I find podcasts are great to listen to while doing yardwork or dishes, or on a solo ride. The PB pod is usually a good listen.
  • 3 0
 You don't commute to work? How don't you have time to listen to a podcast?
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: Might be an idea for beta users? I think you can get a software/service pretty cheap.
  • 1 0
 Talking about doing more events, I'd like to see Levy and Henry do an Ews E
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy What happened to James Smurthwaite, hasnt been on the pod or posted in a while.
Is he still with PB?
  • 4 0
 Unfortunately for us, he left for a job outside the cycling industry. We miss him terribly tbh
  • 1 0
 That is a shame Mike, thanks for the reply
  • 2 0
 Please go to SwampFest
  • 1 2
 Thanks again for reminding us how "silly" some of us are for wanting sealed drivetrains.
Starting to feel like an agenda.







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