2023 Pinkbike Awards: Innovation of the Year Nominees

Innovation is a funny one. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as "the introduction of new things, ideas or ways of doing something." So, while a new product or service can be defined as an innovation, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing. I mean, by that definition, the introduction of semi-finals at World Cups is arguably innovative, in spite of the fact that it wasn't unanimously popular with all of those who were affected by it. Regardless, innovation is wholly necessary in this consumer-driven capitalist world in which we live, and an essential part of any brand's activities, should they wish to stay relevant and competitive in the market.

All that said, this list is formed of innovations that we believe are, in some way or another, beneficial to the rider. Some are considerably more affordable than others, and some are yet to have their supposed merits thoroughly tested by the market. In any case, all of them in their own way represent a step in the right direction.

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Why it's nominated
The Cane Creek Tigon takes the stiction-free supple ride feel of a coil shock, and combines it with the progressivity imparted by an air spring, to create a single reduced-compromise unit. Thanks to the Ramp Tube, which can be pressurized between 0 and 30 psi, riders can tune the mid- and end-stroke support of this coil shock to improve control toward bottom-out. Practically, it does provide extra bottom-out resistance, akin to that provided by a separate hydraulic bottom-out circuit, but with the capacity to introduce that extra support much earlier in the travel.

In back-to-back testing of the Cane Creek Tigon versus the RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Coil with Hydraulic Bottom Out, Matt Beer felt that the Tigon was allowing the bike to ride higher in its travel through big compressions and flat-landings. Such characteristics will surely hold great attraction to the freeride hucking community.

But, the application is much broader than that. Frames from some brands such as Specialized, Ibis and Kona have, until now, had to rely on the progressivity of an air spring, owing to the fact that their linkages aren't particularly progressive. Now, riders of these bikes have another option that offers the much-needed end-stroke control of an air spring, as well as the off-the-top sensitivity of a coil. Albeit, it is almost twice the weight of a comparable air shock, but it's often the case that those looking for improved performance in these areas aren't too fussy about how much their bike weighs.

And, thanks to the increased shaft diameter imparted by the Ramp Tube, the chassis stiffness is increased such that the Tigon can be used with clevis-style shock mounts - a configuration that has, historically, been identified as the culprit of many a coil shock failure.

Cane Creek does seem to have stumbled upon something special. They've taken the best qualities of air and coil springs, and combined them into a single suspension product that offers the best of both worlds. If that's not innovative, I don't know what is. Chapeau.



Why it's nominated
Over the last few years, bicycle industry innovations have centered around the use of electronics. Everything from the way our bikes are propelled, how our suspension damping is adjusted, to how our drivetrains shift, even monitoring our tires pressues has come under scrutiny for how it can be improved with the use of electronics and well-executed firmware. We've felt it more acutely this year, with the introduction of the SRAM 12-Speed Transmission groups, some of which you must part with $2,199 USD in order to become the proud owner of.

Don't get me wrong, these things are cool, and the performance is undeniable. But, I reckon it'll be a good number of years before the technologies trickle down to price points that are even remotely acceptable to the average mountain biker. It's refreshing then, that some in the industry continue to develop purely mechanical technologies aimed at those with shallower pockets, shall we say. Shimano's new 11-Speed LinkGlide drivetrains fall under that heading, marketed on the basis of their improved durability.

As compared to Shimano's top-level HyperGlide+ drivetrains, the LinkGlide drivetrains are slower to shift. That's because the cogs of the cassettes have fewer shift ramps; so, per revolution of the cassette, there a fewer opportunities for the chain to up- or down-shift. So, dependent on your cadence, you will have to wait an undetermined fraction of a second longer to get the gear you want. The cassettes are also heavier, owing to use of more steel to widen the base of each tooth. But, the upside of that is the (claimed) 300% improved durability over Hyperglide+.

And, as Henry discovered this year, the marketing claims do hold water. Henry wasn't able to explicitly confirm that 300% improvement, but he did have this to say of the Shimano XT Linkglide drivetrain...



Beyond the cassette lasting a really long time, Linkglide drivetrains have another point of attraction that Shimano make less of a show of. What's that? Improved compatibility. As all of the Linkglide drivetrains - 9-, 10- and 11-speed versions - run shifters with the exact same pull ratio, scope for mixing and and matching various components of the drivetrain is high. Sure, small setup tweaks will need to be made to ensure they all play nicely together, but the cross-compatibility is there. That means last minute sourcing of parts should be easier, and it could mean that bike shops can reduce the number of parts they have in stock at any point in time.

The Shimano XT Linkglide drivetrain that Henry tested comes in at $360 USD. No, it's not an insignificant amount of money, but put beside the $610 price tag of Shimano XT Hyperglide+, and in the context of the 300% improved durability claims, it seems like an absolute steal.

In the current climate of cost-of-living crises and market uncertainty, I'd argue that the bicycle industry isn't especially in need of more Bobby Dazzler products. And, the proverbial wheel does not need reinvented in order to improve the experience of end users. Proper, customer-oriented product developments will effortlessly demonstrate their justification through widespread adoption. And, we reckon that the Shimano Linkglide groups will do just that. They slot nicely into a less-celebrated, utility-focused niche, and deliver on their promises without fuss or fanfare. It's not even remotely sexy, and that's OK.




Why it's nominated
SRAM took the bicycle industry by a storm this year with the introduction of Transmission. It is by far and away their best electronic drivetrain to date, offering crisp, positive shifting under high loads, with a direct-mount derailleur that is much quieter on the trail than any of SRAM's previous electronic drivetrains. And, while it is inordinately expensive in the grand scheme, it is impressively robust and largely rebuildable in the event of a failure.

Though the improved shifting and more effective clutch are welcome improvements deserving of kudos themselves, it's the less visible innovations that we celebrate here. The brilliance of the SRAM Transmission lies in its complete lack of necessary adjustments. Installed as per the very clear and basic set of instructions, the T-Type Transmissions will just work. No messing about with stop-screws, B-tension or barrel adjusters. Designed as a complete system, with chainring, flat-top chain, cassette and derailleur each optimized to work with one another, the Transmission performs flawlessly from the get go. Installation is incredibly easy; SRAM provide the exact chain length required for every bicycle sold with a Transmission group, removing guesswork and time spent fettling.

The value proposition remains contentious for now, especially when there are such well-performing mechanical options out there that are significantly more affordable. However, we're discussing innovation here.


The full potential of Transmission is realized when paired with Powertrain. With the power of the all-knowing all-seeing AXS ecosystem, Transmission can even think for you. Similarly to the aforementioned XT Linkglide Di2 (which got there first, by the way), the Powertrain is able to Auto Shift and Coast Shift. It takes away the need to think about what gear you want to be in, and while you're coasting, shifts in accordance with your speed to ensure that, next time you pedal, there's something to pedal into. The latter feature is nothing short of excellent.



Why it's nominated
German gearbox manufacturer, Pinion, stole the show at Eurobike this year, presenting their all-new Motor Gearbox Unit, or MGU.

The brand has been plugging away with gearbox drivetrains since 2006, and over 100 brands now spec their P-LINE, C-LINE and Smart.Shift units across a multitude of different bicycle types. However, uptake has largely been limited to smaller, often boutique mountain bike brands that combine the gearbox with other niche or alternative frame features. Indeed, we've seen little to no uptake from the biggest brands.

While gearbox drivetrains certainly have their merits, the increased drag associated with the planetary gears, and of course the unique aesthetic, are two factors (among others) that have been obstacles along their path to the mainstream. The former is a particularly large barrier to overcome, given that us porridge-powered cyclists want all of our efforts translated directly into forward propulsion.

Nevertheless, a gearbox provides an interesting alternative to the traditional derailleur-operated drivetrain. Firstly, and most obviously, it does away with the derailleur, a component that is about as vulnerable as it is persistent. Its absence, along with the elimination of a cassette, helps to further centralize mass at the bottom bracket, reducing the un-sprung mass. That in itself can be attractive to full suspension frame designers, with another bonus being that certain kinematic characteristics now need only take one chain position into account, rather than an entire spread of 12 cogs.

The advent of the eMTB brings with it the best justification for a gearbox we've seen to date. Combining a gearbox with a motor feels like the natural progression for both drivetrain and e-bike technology. After all, what's a little extra drag in the context of 85 Nm torque and a 960 Wh battery? We feel its time has come.

The Pinion E-Drive E-1.12 and E-Drive E-1.9 offer pedal-assistance up to a maximum power of 600 W, with a maximum torque output of 85 Nm. Packed into a neat mid-drive unit is all the hardware necessary to produce that electrical assistance, as well as 12 or 9 discreet gears covering a 600% and 568% range, respectively. They manage that with a Q-Factor of 174mm, which isn't that much wider than that of the popular full-powered mid-drive motors. Shifting can be entirely manual or semi-automatic by virtue of the Pre.Select mode. Oh, and you can shift under load, too.

In some ways, I like to think of it as a condensed version of the Shimano EP801-XT Linkglide Di2 and SRAM Powertrain-Transmission combos. They all carry out much the same functions, but the latter examples distribute the hardware necessary to execute those functions over a much larger footprint, with seemingly few advantages, if any, to speak of.

While the unsprung mass is reduced massively by the Pinion MGU, the system is a bit heavier overall. Versus a Shimano EP8 motor combined with the SRAM T-Type X0 Transmission, the Pinion E-1.12 with its single rear sprocket, chain and chain tensioner, is around 865 grams heavier. The weight penalty is reduced by just over 100 grams with use of a belt.

While our initial experience of the Pinion MGU was largely very positive, we are yet to put in a huge number of miles on this system. So, the jury is very much still out on the performance of the E-1.12 and E-1.19 systems. However, if the technology proves to be reliable, efficient and as maintenance-free as the claims suggest, I think it'll be hard for the early adopters to look back.

There's also the fact that Pinion offers their Smart.Shift system without the motor for use on regular bikes - that means an electronic push-button shifter is now available instead of the twist-shifter that Pinion used for years. Faster shifting combined with the reliability of a gearbox could help the system gain more widespread acceptance, but no matter what, there's no denying that it's an innovative advancement.

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Why it's nominated

Love them or hate them, electronics have made their way into drivetrains, and not just derailleurs either. One of the year’s most intriguing innovations was Classified’s Powershift system which uses a electronically controlled, two-stage internally geared hub to give a whopping 520% gear range - more than SRAM’s Eagle cassette. Previously, that gearing was only possible with a front derailleur. Now, that’s available with the security of a singular, narrow-wide front chainring and instantaneous shifting.

The Powershift hub allows riders to switch from a 1:1 ratio to 1:0.7 instantly by flicking a silky smooth Bluetooth ring-shifter on the handlebars. Best of all, that change can be made under full power, or without pedalling at all. This is especially convenient when surprised by sudden uphill grade changes on the trail - you’ll rarely be stuck in “too hard of a gear”.

Achieving those performance gains does come at a cost in a few ways though. First, you’ll need to use Classified’s proprietary hub shell and cassette. This does allow the Powershift system to be swapped between wheels quickly though and still utilizes a standard 12-speed derailleur and chain.

There’s a small weight penalty (less than 100g) versus a traditional 12-speed SRAM Eagle drivetrain and like most electronic drivetrain options, it’s not cheap.

Does it offer performance benefits though? You bet. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a few enduro riders run the Powershift Hub, making it a shoe-in for an Innovation of the Year Nominee.