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How do bike magazines test bikes? How do they form their opinion? If you ever wondered how the testing process looks behind the curtain or how it evolved over the last decades, this podcast is for you.

Mike Kazimer is the editor in chief for Pinkbike. Joining host Jens Staudt on the Testpilot Podcast, he opens up about his journey from a decade of wrenching in bike shops to spending the last 15+ years testing gear at the top level of media.

In this episode, Kazimer breaks down the shift from isolated, jet-lagged press camp reviews to Pinkbike’s structured Field Tests, sharing how side-by-side loops, control parts, and diverse test crews keep bike reviews honest. The two also dork out on how geometry hit its modern sweet spot, why mid-tier aluminum workhorses are better than ever, the headaches of electronic over-complication, and why simple, durable bikes still win out at the end of the day.

Whether you are a tech dork obsessed with suspension telemetry or just love getting out on two wheels, hit play for a candid look at how the bike industry actually works.

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Pinkbikes editors pick for geometry.

Podcast: 25 years of history in bike media. A retrospective with James Huang and Jens Staudt

Podcast: The Category Trap with Guy Kesteven – Why Your Bike is Lying to You

Podcast: Leo Kokonnen about the rebirth of Pole Bicycles

Podcast: Keith Scott from Banshee Bikes – Engeneering over hype

Podcast: Joe McEwan – 10 years of Starling Cycles and staying true to yourself

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Testpilot.bike – Your magazine for deep insights on product, bike culture and the two wheel industry.

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In this episode of the TESTPILOT.bike Podcast, host Jens Staudt sits down with Leo Kokkonen, founder and chief designer of Pole Bicycles. Following a tumultuous period in the bike industry, Kokkonen returns to detail the brand's pivot from high-volume manufacturing to ultra-exclusive, bespoke bike building.

The conversation focuses on the debut of the Pole Hiisi, a revolutionary e-MTB platform machined from solid billet 7075-T6 aluminum, featuring modular travel options (152mm–200mm), bridge-less swingarm compliance tuning, and the high-torque, silent Maxon BikeDrive Air S motor.

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Podcast: Keith Scott talks about Banshee Bikes

Podcast: Joe McEwan – 10 years of Starling Cycles

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The mountain bike industry is obsessed with acronyms, and after decades of marketing buzzwords like "EVO," "Aggressive," "Downcountry," and the (now fading) Enduro-Race, it feels like we’ve finally reached peak confusion. We spent years defining our sport, only to throw the rulebook out the window the moment e-bikes hit the scene. But are these ever-shifting categories actually helping you find the right tool for the trail, or are they just a clever way to sell you the "N+1" bike you don't really need?

In this episode of the Testpilot podcast, Jens Staudt sat down with industry veteran Guy Kesteven to strip away the "Excel spreadsheet" side of mountain biking. From the 32-inch wheel debate and the evolution of VPP versus Horstlink suspension to the honest reality of whether geometry innovation has hit a plateau, we’re cutting through the marketing noise. Whether you're a bike nerd with a garage full of vintage frames or a rider wondering if your bike is "capable enough," this is the reality check you’ve been waiting for.

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Podcast: Is MTB media biased, because it is paid?

Podcast: A journey throuhg 25 years of MTB history in bike media.

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If you’ve ever found yourself deep in the weeds of suspension kinematics or obsessing over damping curves, you’re in good company. In the high-tech sanctuary of Push Industries in Colorado, founder and CEO Darren Murphy has spent two decades following his very own revolution in mountain bike suspension. This isn't just about making better parts; it's a technical philosophy—and perhaps a bit of stubbornness—required to build a manufacturing powerhouse that prioritizes elite performance above all else.

This episode sheds light on the history of the company and later takes a deep dive in how Push suspension works. It explains a lot about how suspension works and you will learn a lot directly from the mind behind the product.

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Review of the Nine.One fork.

Read more suspension nerd articles.

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Testpilot.bike – Your magazine for deep insights on product, bike culture and the two wheel industry.

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Es beginnt oft mit einer mutigen Idee, und der Jürgen Schlender von Alutech Bikes ist so einer, der sie einfach umsetzt. Er muss keine großen Konzernvorgaben abnicken, nicht in Asien Formen öffnen – er baut einfach. Und zwar selbst. Ausprobieren liegt ihm und so experimentiert er schon immer mit allem, was spannend ist. Egal ob Mullet, (extrem) flache Lenkwinkel oder auch Motoren.

Und jetzt? Jetzt prescht er mit dem nächsten Thema vor: 32 Zoll.

Jürgens Motto: „Nich’ lange schnacken! Machen!“, greift auch bei der neuesten Laufradgröße. Auf dem Bikefestival Freiburg haben wir dann aber doch geschnackt. Im Kurz-Podcast diskutieren Jürgen und Jens über 32-Zoll. Wie es sich anfühlt, in welchem Bikesegment es sinnvoll sein kann und die Frage, ob es von der Bike-Community angenommen wird.

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The e-MTB motor war has entered a new phase. With the arrival of the DJI M1 (Avinox) system, the industry’s obsession with peak power and Newton meters has reached a fever pitch. Today they launched the M2S version. 1,300 watts peak and 130 Nm. Will this outnumber the competition like Bosch, Mahle, Brose, …? The last couple of weeks we had been busy. After countless back-to-back tests, climbing challenges, and rider feedback loops, a more differentiated picture emerges. More power is not always better. Different philosophies suit different terrains, riding styles, and expectations. But there is a place for the new high power Avinox M2S. Follow us into what now is possible and what is at stake.

Full article with all important motors with their data and more details you can find here.

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Unser Ziel bei Testpilot ist es, die Seele dieser Produkte zu verstehen: Wo liegen ihre wahren Stärken? Welcher Charakter verbirgt sich hinter den Einstellern? Und vor allem: Welche Gabel passt wirklich zu deinem Fahrstil, deinem Gewicht und deinem Budget?

Denn am Ende ist es wie mit der Bike-Geometrie: Es gibt nicht das eine perfekte Produkt für jeden. Ob du die unkomplizierte „Set-and-Forget“-Mentalität einer Stahlfeder suchst, dich im „Setup-Wunderland“ italienischer Entwickler verlieren willst oder nach dem ultimativen, handgefertigten Goldstandard aus den USA strebst – das aktuelle Testfeld zeigt, was der Markt abseits der Main-Player bietet.

Begleitet uns auf einem Deep Dive durch die Highlights unserer Einzeltests und erfahrt im zugehörigen Podcast, was wirklich wichtig ist für eine gute Federgabel.

Hier alle Artikel lesen.

Der Podcast und die Testreihe hat dir geholfen die richtige Gabel zu finden?

Du möchtest mehr solchen Content? Du kannst uns hier unterstützen.

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Dominik Heinstein ist einer, der in der Mountainbikeszene herumgekommen ist. Jetzt ist er sein eigener Chef bei True BC, baut Laufräder und Rahmen aus Carbon. In diesem Podcast gewährt er tiefe Einblicke in die Welt der Carbon-Felgen, die Entwicklung seiner Laufräder und erklärt, warum jedes Gramm und jeder Faserwinkel seine Berechtigung haben muss.

Link zum Begleitartikel mit weiteren Einblicken: https://www.testpilot.bike/magazin/podcast-truebc-dominik-heinstein

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Testpilot.bike – Your magazine for deep insights on product, bike culture and the two wheel industry.

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