Big Motorbike Maintenance

The Pinkbike Podcast: Episode 80 – The Best Vehicles for Mountain Bikers

Wait, isn’t this a mountain bike website? Thing is, there are many riders out there who end up with a specific truck, van, or car because it suits their riding lifestyle. And who among us hasn’t been bounced around the back of a ratty shuttle truck, slept in our wagon halfway to a race, or had aspirations of owning a drool-worthy van conversion? Point is, while we all love riding bikes, sometimes our vehicles go hand-in-glove with our sport.

Today’s podcast sees Alicia Leggett, Mike Kazimer, James Smurthwaite, and I talk about the vehicles that make sense for mountain bikers, vehicles that don’t make any sense but that we want anyway, trucks versus vans, tips for good van living, and what kind of bike racks make the most sense.

Alicia and Kazimer both own AWD Astro vans (AKA the Safari) and put them to good use. Alicia (left) lived in hers for a couple of years, while Kazimer (right) drives his at well under the posted speed limit. And probably in the passing lane.

Trailforks’ Trevor May is more of a truck guy, and something tells me he likes the color red. I owned my Mitsubishi L300 Delica for eleven years and drove it (very slowly) south to Utah every winter.

What vehicles work best for us? Much like mountain bikes, it depends on what you need to get done. Trucks are the obvious choice for many, but some (including me) would argue that vans make even more sense… Especially if it has six wheels and is a Pinzgauer. Then again, the sight of a motorbike with a mountain bike strapped to it brings a smile to everyone’s face, so maybe that’s the answer? As for me, I’ll happily sell what’s left of my soul for a classy Mercedes Benz 300 TD wagon that I’d drive the long way to the trailhead with some oldies turned 11.

What’s your dream vehicle for mountain bikers? Did you buy your current vehicle because it works well for riding? Next week is (probably) our big Q&A episode, so put those questions down below and we might even answer them in next week’s show.

THE PINKBIKE PODCAST // EPISODE 80 – THE BEST VEHICLES FOR MOUNTAIN BIKERS
Sep 10th, 2021

Who thinks we need a Pinkbike Pinzgauer? I’ll even let them park it at my house…

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?

Related Articles

Back to top button