What’s going on in the mountain bike world? The Pinkbike Digest showcases the top dirt articles from our mountain bike sister-site, Pinkbike.com. You’ll get coverage from racing, tech, and some fun storytelling along the way.
UCI Launches five-Round eMTB World Cup XC Series
By: James Smurthwaite
The UCI has announced a five-round XC World Cup for e-MTB racing to be run in conjunction with the WES (World E-Bike Series Management).
Unlike the e-MTB World Championships at Mont Sainte Anne last year, this World Cup series looks like it will be run at separate venues to the regular World Cups with four of the five locations already announced.
Check out the full UCI eMTB schedule here.
The 2019 Pinkbike Photo of the Year Winner is…
By: Pinkbike Staff
Pinkbike gave its audience the top 32 images from 2019 and after more than 319,000 votes were cast, our readers, have voted for the winner and ultimately chosen the 2019 Photo of the Year presented by Jenson USA. The winner will be divvying up the $10,000 in CASH with the top four.
Opinion: Does Mountain Biking Need a Race of Champions?
By: Mike Levy
… I [also] came to the conclusion that our sport could use some sort of Race of Champions-style event. What the hell is that? The motorsport world has countless formulas and categories, from rally cars, open-wheeled cars like F1 and Indy, touring and stock cars, and even electrics and motorbikes; the Race of Champions takes some of the best from each and pits them against each other in equal machinery at the end of the season.
It’s a given that anyone and everyone competing at the ROC is a current or future legend with otherworldly abilities, and that’s why winning the whole thing is such a big deal. Imagine if mountain biking had an event where the sport’s finest competed aboard identical bikes and on a specially designed, spectator-friendly course to find who really is the best on that day?
Round Up: 10 Lesser-Known American Manufacturers Making Exciting Stuff
By: Daniel Sapp
This week, we’re boarding a jetliner and heading across the Atlantic from Europe to the good ‘ol US of A, the birthplace of baseball, competitive eating, NASCAR and, of course, mountain biking. Depending on where you look, you’ll find nearly anything you might need to build a bike, produced here, with a high level of pride. Scattered all across the country are smaller and lesser-known manufacturers making some really cool parts.
Industry Insider: The Potential Impacts of the Novel Coronavirus on the Bike Industry
By: Dan Roberts
While the loss of life is tragic and the virus is a serious concern, there is not yet enough known about its ability to spread or cause fatality. Comparing it to other virus outbreaks suggests that it may not be as serious as some news outlets are suggesting. The current flu virus outbreak in the US has far higher figures of people infected and deaths, yet hasn’t had the same weight of coverage in mainstream media.
That said, it’s still vastly important to curb the spread of any virus, let alone a new one. As of this writing, the global infection count has passed 45,000 with more than 1,100 dying from the virus. The province of Hubei, in which Wuhan is in, is home to 60 million people and is on complete lockdown, but the virus has spread to neighbouring countries such as Japan and Taiwan as well as the US, Canada, and countries in Europe.
China plays a critical role in the bike industry for its manufacturing capabilities of frames, components, and accessories. So, how will the coronavirus affect the bike industry?
Interview: Santa Cruz’s Rob Roskopp Talks eMTBs
By: Mike Levy
Did you hear that Santa Cruz has just launched its first e-bike? The Heckler has 150mm of rear-wheel travel, a 160mm fork, and is powered by Shimano’s 250-watt E-8000 Steps system. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Santa Cruz first used it way back in 1996 for one of their early full-suspension trail bikes. Given the flak that some battery-powered riders have to deal with, especially online, it seems like an appropriate name to bring back for their first e-bike as well.
We quiz Rob Roskopp, one of Santa Cruz’s three original founders, and Aaron Foley, the lead engineer on the Heckler, about the new bike, why it’s happened now, and what to expect from Santa Cruz when it comes to motors and the future.
Niner Announces New Lifetime Warranty
By: Dan Roberts
Niner recently announced a lifetime warranty on bike frames purchased after September 1, 2019.
To be eligible for the warranty it’s mandatory to register your Niner product. You also need to be the original owner for the warranty to be valid and have had the bike assembled at an authorized Niner dealer.
Mike Sinyard Advocates for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Following Decriminalisation in Santa Cruz
By: James Smurthwaite
Mike Sinyard’s Project New Day has increased its efforts advocating for alternative mental health therapies following a Santa Cruz council vote to decriminalize psychoactive plants and fungi. The vote, that was passed on January 28, includes plants such as magic mushrooms, ayahuasca and peyote.
Mathieu van der Poel Wants to try Enduro Racing
By: Ed Spratt
After securing his third cyclocross World Championship title, Mathieu van der Poel told Cyclingnews that he would love to race enduro.
The 25-year-old spoke of his admiration for enduro racing, although he does say it would be difficult to fit it into an already packed year-round racing schedule.
“I would love to do enduro races but it’s not possible to combine. I think it’s one of the coolest disciplines around but for now, I have my hands full with these (other) disciplines.”
10 of the Best Mountain Bike Saddles Ridden & Rated
By: Nikki Rohan
There is no more intimate—figuratively as well as literally—connection to your bike than the saddle. At the same time, the saddle is maybe the most overlooked component on bikes today. Everyone always brags about their new handlebars, how much travel their dropper has, their new tires or wheels, but no one really talks up their brand new saddle. But here’s the truth: a saddle, whether you’re a man, woman, newbie, or pro, can make or break the fun-o-meter of a ride quicker than just about anything else.
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