I totally missed this late last year. Always enjoyed Levy on the podcast and the work he did likely impacted most riders who touched an MTB in the last decade or so. I am fully on board with Kaz’s mention of Hall of Fame for Levy.
Anyway, this is a great podcast and farewell to someone who made a mark in our little world.
Outside strikes again….
Wow. That’s a big one. I’m going to have to listen and find out more about the why.
Maybe… but I don’t think so per their comments specifically about that on the cast.
Could be my naive nature or them hiding something, but that group has been more straight forward than many other pubs so I take them at their word.
Hearing Levy at points in there and the simple recognition that he could well be looking for a change makes perfect sense to me.
I hope that is what it is……but the cynic in me still raises an eyebrow. Outside have managed to screw up so much of the bike media landscape.
Yeah, proper skepticism really. If we see more exodus like happened at CT, then I’d say that’s right on the mark. But if most of the OG crew continues and the site remains on target, I’d say it’s the more innocent side. Through all the CT side and after, I was impressed that PB seemed to sidestep most of the garbage. maybe that’s no longer the case?
Outside took a big hatchet to CT, wiping out 7/8ths of their staff and expected it to survive.
Didn’t seem like the same was asked of PB, but Levy didn’t agree with the direction/management style, or whatever else, I don’t know if they lost anyone else. I did notice they are crossposting stuff a lot more from their other sites, and also did pick up Jessie-May Morgan as a tech editor from Bikerumor.
That’s not what he says on the podcast. It’s a shame he’s finished up though, I really enjoyed his points of view (UFOs aside lol).
Bummer. Levy was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading his reviews and watching review videos with him
I am hesitant to say it was Outside since he has been gone for nearly a year, unofficially. He even mentioned in another interview somewhere else about making a big life change (selling his Mini).
As a guy who is middle age and working on making a massive life change, again, I get it.
But, also… maybe Outside?
I really liked Mike Levy, I found his reviews always matched what I wanted out of a bike. I also liked that he had strong opinions he was willing to defend, even when they were against the trends. Sounds to me like he just got burnt out, which is understandable. The Sea to Sky mountain bike community is very much a scene, and being a public figure in that community would be pretty draining.
It’s pretty clear he just wanted a change. He had stepped away for a few months prior.
He was great on video if you haven’t seem him work, watch one of his impossible climb test videos. He repeats a really technical mtb climb up a hill over and over again - fun watch.
He was also great at screaming at the MTB group-think and getting away with it.
“(Do you prefer) Flats or clips? (Pedals)”
Levy “CLIPS! I’m not a CHILD!”
Yeah, I don’t think the sinister ‘O’ is at the root here. Many things he touched on in the cast that show that IMO (relationship with kid on the way, hates plane travel, looong time doing challenging work, wanting a change in pace & focus, etc.)
Agreed that he excelled on camera (noted by Kaz too) and his approach to products and reviews was something I valued. The whole PB culture has my respect for their alternate route to their current space. It’s impressive the level of professionalism that Levy and others brought to this from their own paths. Puts many ‘journalists’ to shame in many ways despite the cache that those others claim.
They have a depth of thoughtfulness & thoroughness that isn’t matched by many. Seen in many of their field tests and the nearly scientific attention to detail vs the rather superficial “testing” done by far too many. I hope PB maintains that trajectory and thank Mike for the part he played in making that all happen.
I also hope to see him on a sim track in iRacing since I took that up again late last year 
I keep occasionally googling and hoping he starts a sim racing pod, or a UFO one 
. I’d listen.
I’d also listen to either/both! I’ll drop a link if it ever happens and please do the same
Funny since a friend of mine I met from MTB racing had gotten big into the iracing thing
He mentioned multiple times that he has an issues flying in a plane. For whom this is a reality (for me it is) knows that this could be 95% of the reason. These things can get worse with age.
Not claiming I know more than everyone else of course.
Leavy to Escape Collective would be an awesome move. Seems he would fit in with that crew + expand the type of content they cover and add a unique voice.
Maybe, but if we take Mike at his words, he is really looking for something different.
Related however, was the fact that Zapata Espinoza was “made redundant” from MBA a short while ago. I made a rare appearance in the EC Discord channel to make the immediate suggestion that they snatch him up for the same reason you mention Levy. Zap is a forever presence that would be a great add IMO.
If you think mtb is expensive, don’t even look at it! Consider yourself warned! Haha