The Pinkbike Podcast: Episode 84 - Explaining RockShox's Computer Controlled Suspension

 Words cannot express how uninterested I am in having any type of battery on my bike.

 Microchipping my suspension? No thanks. I don't need Bill Gates to know how I'm riding. I'm switching to a hardtail with a rigid fork.

 Good to hear Sarah back! Felt like the podcast was turning into dudes-only shuttle van for a little while.

 Just a thought, given the success of the podcast, pinkbike academy, buyout, ect... might be cool if you all were to branch out a bit more and made a few top-gear/grand-tour style "specials".
Maybe something like:
- Everyone each has $1500 to spend to put together a complete bike (new/used/whatever), who can record the fastest time down a-line with what they come up with?
- Everyone has a [insert name of some "challenging" bike] (fully rigid/singlespeed/whatever), and we're going to take them out on [insert name of some super tough trail].

 I am sure it is a very nice and interesting product, which will not be worth the price for 99% of people. Bu rich guys on Yetis will be delighted.
But seriously, in my opinion it has potential to stop designing bikes with stupid amount of AS and focus on downhill performance instead. Electronics will then make the bike climb reasonably well. Now this is something I would pay for, but this requires prices to go down and a solid mind shift in bike and suspension design.

 Sounds like a pretty rad piece of tech that I am going to allow to trickle down to my price range and get a round or two of updates for a few years. I do have some questions from a crazy week I had in Moab last week though....
I have always ridden a hardtail, but we rented full sus bikes in Moab for the week to try out and they were nothing like I expected. I was on a Rocky Mountain Instinct and on day one I had more pedal strikes than I've had over the last 5 years put together. It was awful and messed with my rhythm all day. I also felt like there were times when I was getting bucked by the suspension, which was another new sensation. I think it felt more tiring too despite being in better shape than previous trips. I had ridden Moab a few times on my hardtail in years prior and remember having a great time, same trails even. My riding partner had an easier time with it, but I was super frustrated. On day two I switched the shock to as firm as it would go and that helped a bit. Did the shop set my bike up wrong? Am I just used to riding a different style of bike? Is the RM instinct just not for me? Definitely made me feel like I could keep waiting to upgrade to the full squish life.

 I just picture myself in 2030 parking my bike on the wireless charging mat I have laying in the garage. Sure it might cause me some hair loss and a couple tumors. But it keeps my suspension, dropper post, shifter, saddle, grips and chain all fully charged.

 It would be fascinating to see how this works on that Giant Trance X with Live Valve that was reviewed awhile back. It seems like the major complaint in that review was that Live Valve defaults to closed so it was not great at reacting in rooty sections. I wonder if Flight Attendants defaulting to open would be the perfect thing for that bike.

 I think it's a badass system and honestly I'd highly consider it. Yes I'm in the demographic with plenty of disposable income. What I really want is for it to be readily available on framesets and for the frame to be sold with the fork as well. Example, the Enduro build with it is great but SWorks builds are always more than what you can do on your own and they make decisions I wouldn't like a AXS Reverb vs a longer and lighter Oneup 210 post.

 I'll be curious to see if EWS or even downhill allow the technology, as it would definitely have an effect on motorway sprints or climbs in EWS. Even on the transfers, riders expending less energy to get to the top. Surely that would provide an advantage being fresher for the downhill. I just can't see how all riders will have the technology, given how this is rockshox only and the expense of it would alienate privateers. Obviously other brands have similar tech, but I'm not sure it's on the same level. That being said, Pidcock had something like this in the Olympics, so its already been in races... More to come I'm sure!

 I'm in agreement with Kaz on not wanting batteries on my mountain bike. I just want to be able to hop on and ride and not have to worry about my bike not working because batteries are dead. I much rather have a nice mechanical group set and suspension than the newest thing with batteries.

 Sram really does seem to be losing the plot lately. Concentrate on the lower tier components that have far greater market than this silly overpriced high end stuff. Sell to the classes live with the masses. Sell to the masses live with the classes.

 I always love your podcasts and really enjoyed this one Only one small criticism: It seemed like you hadn‘t really taken much time to select a comment gold

 Had a 2010 Marin Attack trail and it was awesome. Great suspension kinematics, proper head angle, but the largest size they made is a large, with an extremely short reach by modern standards.

I'm nostalgic about a time when you got name brand parts (shimano hubs, Fox float fork), shimano LX/XT drivetrain/brakes, and an aluminum frame that actually had some thought put into being somewhat lightweight, all for $2000cad ($2800 today). Imagine if they updated the geometry on those frames, 1x/clutch rear derailleur, tubeless rims. Sell for $3000. Nowadays you'll get no-name hubs, a rock shox gold fork, and maybe NX garbage if you are lucky at that price...

 I think in a possible close future, if bikes compagnies are taking it in consideration, they can design suspension to be very efficient towards downhill, and the system will make whatever suspension design efficient for climbing. Like of those trendy High pivots are not very pedal efficient compare to a Vpp or DW system. Add the flight attendant, and all the sudden it pedals like a 130 bike.

 PB Crew, thanks for covering the new tech so thoroughly. Sounds like the Flight Attendant works pretty well but it's not worth all the battery charging to me. then the weight, and lastly the cost. Sounds like it's time for RS to incorporate a single battery and wire everything to that battery.

 question for the next one: would you argue a nicer fork is more important on a hardtail than a full suspension because it's the only suspension you've got, or less important because you're going to get rattled on a hardtail either way, and it'll be harder to feel what a nicer damper is doing at speed?
Edit: Third option: equally important.

 Mountainbiking is great because no matter if you're on a 3k bike or a 12k bike, you are generally on a level playing field.

This advancement in suspension tech does probably make you a few percent faster but at an obvious financial cost. Are bikes going to head down a path of seeing more and more tech piled into suspension performance and alternating tyre pressures that will ultimately push up the price of the top-spec bikes? Great for people who can afford it and factory team riders but what about aspiring racers?

A bridge between the top of the sport and the low end needs to be reasonable otherwise we are just following the same path as dirt bikes. Are we not in danger of turning into an elitest sport similar to most/all motorsports?

 Once again, why are we so enamored why reducing fork suspension on the uphill? I sure remember the days of my 160 becoming a 140 on the climbs and never using it. I realize that the flight assistant goes beyond this for the long causal ride. At the same time though, seems unnecessary. Not to mention my lack of desire to charge one battery (aka my phone) vs a bakers dozen.


@pbgang is there a future you'll see this fitting seamlessly into? Seems like y'all think this is a cool idea but also not a required piece of equipment like everyone who skis needs heated socks...

 I would love to hear a podcast talking about mountain biking as a plus sized rider.

I really appreciated when PB did a few segments last year on kits options for plus sized riders and would love hear more product testing, reviews, and stories from other plus sized riders. Guys like @nrml_mtber on Instagram or Leo Smith (@landosteezy) are really adding to the freeride scene, and Kailey Kornhauser and Marley Blonsky are doing some rad things with bikepacking and other types of riding.

@mikelevy would this be possible in the future?

 A thought on something to discuss in a podcast - cheap ways to give your tired bike a new lease on life. Given how hard it is to get new bikes at the moment it would be cool to hear your thoughts on ways to refresh your bike rather than replace, in a cost effective way.

 Rather boring reply, but the proper pronunciation of AXS is "ACCESS", not "AXIS". Sooo, no worries about an "AXIS OF EVIL from SRAM"... Henry just has to worry about the "ACCESS TO EVIL" in the form of the electrical battery madness. support.sram.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017162894-What-is-AXS-and-how-do-you-pronounce-it

 If you purchase all the latest and greatest and don't PR all your next rides on Strava have you just wasted money? Maybe it's not your 2 year old bike or kit that's holding you back.

 Nice troll PB crew! At the end of ep 83, Levy said that the next episode will be about saving money. Surprise! This is the exact opposite! Will listen anyway because you guys are always entertaining.

 I miss when there were XC races everywhere and they were full of people. I miss when you could go to a DH race and see new DH bikes of different never before seen designs that did not look like all the other bikes.

 Future -
Mtb bikes stays mechanical.
E-bikes - will be all inclusive: LV/FA, gearbox/shifiting, lights, phone settings/adjustments.

 love Henry’s james bond voice, sense of humor…but fire him, he’s lost in the wilderness on his wired old 26in wheel caliper braking stoic seatpost nutbanger bike! wireless on my Colnago and my Intense….its great, better than Shimano? dont know dont care. no im not a dentist or lawyer, i just make a good living bc i work hard (and smart) and spend on kids college, wife and bikes!!

 I'm still waiting to see if I can convince myself that AXS is worth it. "Flight Attendant" and "Live Valve" are not even on my radar of interest.

 can I please start a petition to make @henryquinney a permanent fixture on the podcast? the man was made for them! @mikelevy

 @henryquinney
Hard choices to be made between wires/cables/spartan-setup VS batteries.
Too many cables and too many batteries must be a close battle.

 The advertorial continues

 Going to have to wait about a decade for the cost of this electronic system to come into my price range. Not a fan of Tesla's and not a fan of all this electronic's on bike

 Seb Stott: “Locking out suspension doesn’t really help.”

PB: “Check out this wireless lockout!”

Amazon developer: *Add to cart*

 What is the background on using the Canyon Strive as a punishment?

 Maybe having just an electronic shock adjuster would be the ticket on something like the Giant Trance X?

 Do a podcast on the best or most memorable events you've participated in

 I've never ridden a Canyon Strive but Henry's comment had me lol'ing for real

 Quinney has been a fantastic addition to the past few episodes, please keep him on as a regular co-host!

 Finally the answer for getting rid if the Scott Twin Lock system!

 It's funny you could buy and E bike and another nice Acoustic bike for the same price as a flight attendant bike

 I just wanna know what Henry thinks of flight attendant. He needs to ride it and give his review next podcast!!

 Looks kinda clunky, version 2 should look sleeker.

 Hey levy whats your Strava name?

 Can we use a filter to eliminate vocal fry?