In a member's only Geek Warning episode, Dave Rome and framebuilding expert Rob English discuss some of the highlights from the 2024 Made handmade bike show. We have made a shortened version of the ep available here on the free Geek Warning feed, but to get the full show, you'll need to head on over to escapecollective.com/member to sign up!

It’s the end of the week and that means the geeks are back with another geeky episode. Join Dave and Brad as they discuss the latest in the world of cycling tech.

The first topic of discussion is Hunt’s new 40 Gravel Race wheels with H_Cyclo, a new technology that aims to bring recyclability into a thermoset carbon fibre product. The resin-based technology appears to come from Taiwanese company Swancore (unconfirmed by Hunt), and dare we say, this won’t be the last time the geeks discuss it (perhaps expect a full feature on the tech in the future, too).

Brad and Dave then cover their favourite Presta-type pump heads and offer a PSA on basic drivetrain maintenance. Finally, a few members pose mechanical questions to the geeks in the Ask a Wrench segment.

Plus, keep an ear out for a bonus episode of the Geek Warning podcast with framebuilder Rob English and chatting all things related to the recent MADE Bike show.

Time stamps:

2:20 - Hunt’s H-Cyclo tech allows recycling of thermoset carbon
10:30 - Wolf Tooth’s new Internal-External headset
16:55 - Picking One Presta pump head
26:30 - a PSA applicable to all forms of chain lube
34:20 - Ask a Wrench (AaW) about bigger chainrings on SRAM Force AXS
41:50 - Smelly chains (AaW)
44:15 - Handlebar width for women’s XC racing (AaW)
53:20 - Getting more range from SRAM XPLR AXS 12-speed (AaW)

It’s the week of all weeks for cycling tech. The Tour de France has kicked off, the world’s largest cycling tradeshow – Eurobike – is on, and we’ve seen many smaller handmade bike shows, too. With that, Dave Rome, Brad Copeland, and Ronan Mc Laughlin have plenty of things to geek out over.

The geeks discuss the new Classified and TRP drivetrain collab, plus new budget groupset options from Microshift and SRAM. Ronan gives a brief overview of Continental’s new aero tyres, while there’s also chat of a new fancy chain waxing tool seen at the Tour.

There’s a chat about how to keep a check on your brake tracks. And then to finish things off, you’ll hear Brad and Dave discuss new hubs from OneUp, a new gravel bike from Giant, some question marks about Ohlins suspension, and the entrance of drone-experts DJI into bicycles (wait, what?). And lastly, the new Buffalo bike for World Bicycle Relief is discussed.

And once again, we apologise for the sound quality on this one. This time, it was Brad with the technical issues, sounding a little distant on the backup audio we had to use.

Time stamps:

3:50 - Classified and TRP collaborate on a groupset
14:45 - The Aero111 tyre from DT Swiss, Swiss Side, and Continental
21:40 - SRAM’s new S-1000 Transmission
27:05 - Microshift Sword Black, even cheaper and 9-speed
31:35 - Cyclowax teases on-bike chain waxing
38:25 - Handmade bikes everywhere!
43:40 - PSA: saying it once more, measure those brake tracks!
54:45 - A workforce reduction at Ohlins
57:40 - Oneup enters the hub market
1:01:58 - KOM’s Xeno hub has us intrigued
1:05:00 - We drone on about DJI’s entrance into e-bikes
1:08:20 - Giant’s new Revolt Advanced gravel bike
1:11:15 - The new Buffalo bike

It’s been a big week for the Geek Warning crew and we’ve got an equally big episode!

This week Dave, Ronan, Caley and one other familiar voice discuss...

• Shimano’s biggest product release, ever?
• New SRAM and how it stacks up
• A win for Princeton CarbonWorks
• That new Cannondale and its triangular-shaped steerer
• How to Listen to your disc brake pads
•      And much more!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

• New Silca pumps
• A 62-tooth chainring at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
• New Enve gravel bike
• New Pinarellos
• Bad news for a power meter
• New ETRTO standards
• A dropper that's also an upper
• What you can do to stop your steerer tube from crashing you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Geek Warning. This week Dave, Ronan, and Caley dig into...

- A Parlee restructuring update

- Peaks and bulges as a lawsuit between Zipp and Princeton Carbon goes to trial

- Lab71, the fastest Cannondales

- Strava's CEO is stepping down. What does Strava need? 

- Why are heart rate straps terrible these days? 

- PSA: Bleed your damn brakes 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

• Ideal Everesting geometry
• A phone holder that doesn't
• Parlee's bankruptcy
• '90s mountain bike grips
• A very cool toolbox

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you managed to take a look at some of the bikes from Spoken, you’ll quickly realise there’s a whole lot of tech to talk about. For this member’s special bonus episode of Geek Warning, Dave Rome sits down with a number of exhibitors while at the show. In this episode you’ll hear interviews with builders such as Feather Cycles and Woods Bicycle Co. Dave chats with Silca’s owner Josh Poertner about the future of chain waxing and 3D titanium printing. You’ll learn about the latest from Melbourne-based Curve Cycling and Project Flock. Plus, discussion on bike fit with RiderFit.CC and the future of the Spoken show with event co-founder Nathan Lorkin.

Only members of Escape Collective can listen to the full version of this episode, however, this shorter version is available here for free (and hopefully to once again, encourage you to join).

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

Time stamps:

1:00 - Feather Cycles and the launch of WKNDR
9:40 - Woods Bicycle Co on hidden cable routing
19:30 - Josh Poertner on 3D titanium printing and the next-generation of chain waxing
40:00 - Project Flock
44:30 - Curve Cycling and going higher-end
49:00 - Stewart Morton of RiderFit
56:30 - The future of Spoken?

In this week’s episode of Geek Warning, Escape Collective's tech editors Dave Rome and Ronan McLaughlin get lost in thought and go well over the magic hour. Hit play to hear whether Trek’s move to turn two race bikes into one is a decision based on performance or business, whether lateral chain wear is a measurement we should be considering, what we look for in bib shorts, and what possessed Ronan to do a nearly 20-hour-long ride.

Of course, the geeks also talk about other new products just released, including Wolf Tooth’s entry into mini pumps, Wahoo’s new heart rate strap, and Willier’s latest road bike. Enjoy!

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

Time stamps

3:00 - Trek goes all-in on the new Madone
21:30 - Wilier’s new climbing bike
31:30 - Abbey Bike Tools introduces a less thought way of measuring chain wear
44:20 - RIP Jurgen Falke
45:10 - Ronan’s big ride is on Dave’s mind
55:30 - Picking one bib-short
1:02:30 - Wahoo’s new heart rate strap, will this one last?
1:09:40 - Wolf Tooth gets into mini pumps with internal storage
1:13:30 - Bossi’s new Grit titanium gravel bike
1:14:20 - MADE Australia is this weekend, while Ronan is heading to the Tour and Eurobike

It’s time to geek out. This week Brad Copeland, Ronan McLaughlin, and Dave Rome are on the pod to talk all the major news in the world of tech and what’s on their minds.

There’s a new road bike from Pinarello, and a new head unit that promises to be self-sustaining, and a more affordable full suspension race bike from Specialized. Plus Dave and Brad share some things on their minds.

Forward warning and an apology as the sound quality on this one doesn’t meet our usual standard. Dave was already under the weather, and if that weren’t enough, he then had mic issues. The information is there, it’s just Dave sounds like virus-riddled bot!

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

Time stamps:

2:24 - New Pinarello Dogma
11:50 - Coros’ entry into head units
22:05 - More new alloy from Specialized, this time the Chisel FS
28:33 - Spoken has been run, a bonus episode is incoming
29:25 - Spare seatpost length is on Brad’s mind
33:30 - Dave explains why he’s a reformed chain waxer
43:50 - Quick tech bite in the form of Giant’s new kids bike
50:05 - Brad shares a tip for getting tips

The tech never stops. This episode Brad Copeland and Dave Rome discuss a handful of new dropbar bikes, a recall, common mistakes with fitting chains, and their favourite… grease. Oh yes, it’s Geek Warning!

Those new bikes include the fascinatingly simple Specialized Crux DSW, a refreshed Bianchi Arcadex gravel bike, and OBED’s entry into the endurance road space. Meanwhile the geeks discuss Ellsworth’s recent return and entry into gravel.

Following a repair during the week, on Brad’s mind is how chain direction matters and it spurs a larger conversation about other common chain-related mistakes. Then Dave asks the hard hitting questions, asking Brad to pick a single grease of choice.

The episode wraps with a recall from Kuat and a tease for the upcoming Spoken Show (formerly Handmade Bicycle Show Australia) in Melbourne, Australia.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

Time stamps:

5:25 - Specialized’s new alloy bike and why simple wins
20:00 - Bianchi new Arcadex and why UDH is now the common feature in gravel
26:48 - Ellsworth returns to the dropbar world
33:00 - OBED RVR is another option with a taller stack height
39:25 - Chain direction is on Brad’s mind
46:40 - Pick one: Grease. Yes, grease.
53:50 - Roval releases a Team version of its Rapide CLX II road wheels
58:32 - Kuat has a recall that impacts 86,000 racks
1:01:30 - High-fives await in Melbourne

A €9,000 frame, a €27k build, and €22K spent on developing the bottle alone… Wilier has a new TT bike.

Escape Collective had exclusive access to the development of this new bike in a seemingly impossible time frame. Leading the design project was Marco Genovese, Head of Design at Wilier Triestina. With 14 years of experience in developing over 100 frames, Genovese knows a thing or two about carbon frame design. Escape Tech Editor Ronan Mc Laughlin sat down with Genovese to deep dive on all things frame design to discuss everything from brainwaves in the shower to initial concepts and from modern design tools to made-up UCI rules.

The Supersonica may be a time trial bike, but this bonus episode of the Geek Warning podcast is for anyone who has ever wondered how bikes are designed.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

A lot has happened in the world of cycling tech over the past week. The Dauphine has teased new bikes getting dialled in for the Tour. While Unbound has shown that gravel tech is still progressing at a rapid rate, including wider tyres, new 1x drivetrains, and aero-shaped suspension.

There’s a full cast of geeks to chat about it, with Ronan Mc Laughlin tuning in to discuss what’s new in the road space, while Dave Rome and new-old voice Brad Copeland discuss the rest.

Of course the geeks discuss something on their mind which should prove helpful for anyone with a stuck crank. The episode closes with tech news including Fulcrum’s new Sharq wheels, a new gravel race handlebar from Pro, a well-priced mountain bike shifter upgrade from SRAM, and more.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

Time stamps:

4:26 - A swarm of new road bikes are coming from Canyon, Willier, Pinarello, and more
24:00 - A corrections corner
24:51 - New tech seen at Unbound Gravel, including things from SRAM, wider wheels, aero Fox suspension, and new bikes
42:20 - On our mind: stubborn crank bolts and methods for overcoming them
55:00 – Bianchi’s ribbon-cutting ceremony has us giggling
58:20 – Fulcrum’s new wavy-shaped Sharq wheels
1:02:40 – Pro Bike Gear’s new Discover Aero Carbon handlebar for better GRX integration
1:08:10 - SRAM’s new Pod Rocker upgrade for AXS

It's time for another bonus episode of Geek Warning.

Typically, we keep these bonus episodes for subscribers and members of Escape Collective, however, this one is being left open to all as a teaser for the type of stuff you’re missing by not being a member. If you like this and want more, sign up here. 

This episode is about gravel tire selection and trends in the thinking that bigger is better. It all came about through an Instagram post by former WorldTour pro-turned Gravel Pro Alex Howes, who had shared just how much he had been obsessing over tire selection for the 2024 edition of Unbound Gravel. And what makes this conversation all the more interesting is that Howes isn’t sponsored by a single tire brand, but rather an online retailer that sells all the brands - biketiresdirect.

Dave Rome and Howes cover a lot of ground in this one, including chatting slicks versus treads, picking the biggest volume possible, inserts or not, what to carry on a self-supported race like Unbound, and why white bar tape.If you don’t care about why, where, when, or how, and assuming the weather holds, Howes plans to race on Vittoria Terreno Zero tyres, in a 50 mm width up front and a 47 mm rear with inserts. He expects to start the day with approximately 19 psi in the front, and 24 psi rear. Still, if you find these details interesting, you’ll surely appreciate the conversation. Enjoy!

Welcome back to Geek Warning, a podcast by the Escape Collective, that covers everything to know in the world of bicycle tech. James Huang said farewell in our past episode, and with that, Dave is joined by a new voice that knows a thing or two about bicycle-related things – Brad Copeland.With a mountain bike World Cup race at Nové Město freshly finished, Dave and Brad discuss things in use by the winners, technical problems by a race favourite, and trends in tyre tech.The geeks share their favourite tubeless tyre sealants and a PSA applicable to all.It’s a relatively light week in terms of tech news, still, Brad and Dave share their thoughts on DT Swiss’ new premium gravel wheelsets, new well-priced carbon wheels from Easton, and a new gravel race jersey with its own sweat-patch.

Time stamps:
4:10 – Pre-Olympic tech spotted in use by Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Tom Pidcock
10:55 – Speculating about Victor Koretzky’s tech woes
15:20 – Are wider tyres always better for gravel and MTB? What does that mean for the future of tyre inserts?
37:25 - Pick one: tubeless tyre sealant
50:05 - PSA: test your spares!
57:10 - New DT Swiss GRC 1100 and 1400 Dicut gravel wheels
1:08:00 - Easton’s new EC90 ALX gravel and all-road hoops
1:10:40 - Castelli adds a hydration bladder to an aero jersey, so gravel

Ever feel like you’d like a lighter bike? Now imagine what your current bike would feel like if it was half of your body weight. For all too many kids who are learning to ride bikes, that’s exactly what it feels like to them. Premium kids’ bikes are a relatively new category, but also one that’s rapidly growing with more brands, models, sizes, and genres than ever before. Are they expensive? As compared to what you’d find in a big-box store, sure. But when you really think about what your kid might get out of a nicer bike, what actually goes into them, and even what you might get out of them once they’ve outgrown them, the numbers become easier to justify.

Fair warning: The full episode is only available to Escape Collective members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

It’s never a boring week when you’re a bike geek. Join Brad and Dave as they discuss the latest from the last week of tech, including interesting developments in wax options from Silca, why gravel tyre trends have caught the bike industry by surprise, plus the latest from Fox and Ratio Technology.

The geeks also share thoughts on a few round seatposts to consider and answer three member-submitted Ask a Wrench questions.

Time stamps:

3:10 - Save some fresh tech for the TDF Femmes
6:35 - Silca’s new Speed and Endurance chips
11:25 - Trek’s CheckMate and rapidly changing tyre width trends
23:45 - Picking one seatpost (well, at least the things to consider)
38:55 - Ask a Wrench: mixing and matching SRAM AXS and Shimano 12
45:05 - Ask a Wrench: pedals and install torque
51:10 - Ask a Wrench: servicing Shimano pedals
59:00 - Fox’s Neo Wireless dropper post
1:08:20 - Ratio Technology turns AXS Road into XPLR

It’s just a regular week in May, but you can bet the bike industry is its usual buzz of activity. James Huang and Dave Rome offer some strong thoughts related to Shimano’s latest release of GRX Di2. There’s chat about Felt clawing its way back into the spotlight. Of course the geeks can't ignore the return of Kona Bikes. And there are rumblings that the old Interbike tradeshow may be coming back, too.

We’ve got custom bikes on our minds. We fail at picking one saddle. And there’s a PSA for all. The episode wraps with a round-up of new wheel-related things from Reynolds, Zipp, Roval, Chris King, and Hunt.

And then James shares his own news. Indeed this is the last episode you’ll hear James’ voice as he hangs up his digital gauge.

Time stamps:

2:00 - Shimano GRX 12-speed Di2
16:40 - Felt’s new VR endurance road bike
20:25 - Kona is back!
25:45 - Is the Interbike tradeshow coming back?
30:40 - On our mind: would we buy our own fully custom bike?
43:25 - Pick one: saddles
56:45 - You get accustomed to things being crummy
1:01:10 - Talking new wheel-related things from Reynolds, Zipp, Hunt, Roval, and Chris King
1:11:30 - James’ heart sinking news (tear emoji)

Not surprisingly given the big product launch this week, Dave and James have a lot to dive into with SRAM’s new Red AXS wireless road groupset: what’s different about it, what’s not so different, what’s been improved, and what’s stayed the same – and the thing everyone will invariably ask us, whether we’d choose that or the latest Shimano Dura-Ace. We also chat about the neat features embedded into the new Hammerhead Karoo GPS computer, and the significance of the new tire partnership between Zipp and Goodyear, Dave gets his thoughts about road bike cockpit reach off his chest, we choose our favorite tubeless plug kits, and we’re still worried about loose headsets.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Timestamps:

2:05 – A neat detail about Chris King’s new hubs we overlooked
3:51 – A clarification on our position regarding road hookless tubeless wheels and tires
6:04 – The lowdown on SRAM’s new Red AXS road groupset
12:22 – Do we like it?
16:19 – SRAM Red AXS or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2?
21:15 – Don’t call it the Hammerhead Karoo 3
25:45 – Goodyear’s new tires are Zipp-specific, but we’re not entirely sure why
30:02 – Effective reach is an overlooked fit dimension
36:50 – Pick One! Our favorite tubeless plug kits
47:20 – We’re still worried about loose headsets
53:08 – Ratio Technology has a neat cage option for SRAM Transmission rear derailleurs
55:53 – Pirelli has gotten even more Italian

Much leaked and recently teased, SRAM has now officially unveiled the latest iteration of its Red AXS road groupset. This top-tier offering introduces a new approach to shifter ergonomics and braking, along with a number of other smaller changes.

Shile at the product launch, tech editor Dave Rome sat down with a few key members of SRAM’s road product and engineering team to discuss what’s new, what isn’t, and why. Following the chat about new SRAM things, Dave then sat down with the team from Hammerhead to discuss the equally new Karoo computer.

You can also read our thoughts (and see photos) of these new products over at escapecollective.com.

This deep dive is a bonus episode of Geek Warning podcast. Full access to such bonus episodes are typically limited to Escape Collective members, however, this one is free for all to access. If you enjoyed this content then please consider supporting our mission of being a wholly member-funded and independent media outlet. You can join at escapecollective.com/member.

We know, we know, it’s been ages since we did our last Ask a Wrench episode – late January, in fact. Guilty as charged. Better late than never? But as a nice bonus, our panel of geeks had an extra-long list of repair and maintenance questions to answer this time around, like why bedding in your new brakes is important, what not to do with your fancy digital torque wrench, how to diagnose a curious front-end clunk, how to protect your fancy new bike for the long haul, the best way to fix a paint chip, and much more.

Fair warning: The full episode is only available to Escape Collective members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Welcome back to Geek Warning! This week, James and Dave have a varied conversation covering tech related to road, gravel, and mountain bike.

The Giro has begun and Tadej Pogačar took a little tumble that many were quick to blame the equipment for. James and Dave discuss that such finger pointing was not warranted this time.

At the opposite end of UCI disciplines, the conversation then turns to aero gains returning to professional downhill mountain bike racing.

In the tech new front, the geeks praise Chris King’s new Gen 4 hubs and discuss why Forge+Bond entry into the road market may not be hugely successful. Plus there’s discussion of a new Bike Yoke dropper, Zwift’s price rises, and more.

Meanwhile, a new Shimano Di2 patent has surfaced teasing wireless 13-speed shifting. Dave got Terry of BetterShifting.com on the phone to discuss the discovered patent and what it may mean.

Our pick one this week is perhaps better described as a buyer’s guide to selecting a wheelset for gravel. From rim choices, to spoke choices, to hub choices, you’ll hear what our geeks prefer for their own bikes.

Please jump into the comments section on our website for any feedback or questions related to the episode.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Time stamps:

4:00 - Hookless now getting undeserved blame..
9:25 - Downhill mountain bike racing getting aero?
16:30 - Chris King’s new Gen 4 hubs
21:45 - Forge+Bond brings its thermoplastic rims to road
28:40 - Chatting with Terry of BetterShifting.com about a certain Di2 patent
36:07 - e-Cargo bikes being covered by car media is on James’ mind
40:50 - Picking one gravel wheelset, or at least, what we look for
52:00 - A member-submitted PSA
56:15 - 3T’s Strada Italia, made in Italy
57:15 - Bike Yoke’s Revive V3 dropper looks great
59:20 - Wolf Tooth updates its chainguides
1:00:25 - Zwift price increases
1:04:20 – A gimmicky indoor stationary bike on Kickstarter

The Sea Otter Classic just wrapped up literally a few days ago, but clearly someone forgot to turn off the tap of new bikes and gear. Cervelo just announced a redesign of its ultra-popular Aspero gravel bike, and clearly put a lot of thought into what needed to change – and perhaps more importantly, what didn’t. Colnago also just dropped a new gravel bike of its own, the G4X, and Giant finally revamped its Trinity TT bike – no more rim brakes! Dave and James also chat about the eight billion tubeless valve stems out on the market, our favorite mountain bike computer mounts, and some of the latest happenings on the industry side.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/join to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Timestamps:

3:17 – Cervelo’s ultra-popular Aspero gravel bike gets a careful redesign
10:50 – Zwift has added a whole bunch of new features, and some of them sound pretty sweet
15:15 – What’s up with seemingly everyone having their own high-flow tubeless valves now?
28:11 – Pick one! Our favorite mountain bike computer mounts
38:54 – A dirty cassette can easily turn into a skipping chain
43:22 – Colnago announces its new G4X gravel race bike
58:54 – The last holdout of rim brakes in the pro peloton is no more
59:30 – Enve Composites has been sold
1:01:07 – What the heck is going on at Rapha?
1:06:29 – More industry layoffs, this time at Cannondale

In this episode of Geek Warning, James is just back from the Sea Otter Classic and Dave is still thinking about chain lube and tools.

On the Sea Otter front, James and Dave discuss new eco-friendlier tyres from Vittoria, new metal bikes from Ritchey and Digit, parts from 5Dev and Xpedo, along with new tools from PrestaCycle and Stan’s NoTubes. Check out James’ Sea Otter Classic galleries for visuals of what was discussed (and so so so much more).

The conversation then turns to larger questions around Stages Cycling and Kona who were both missing-in-action at America’s largest trade show and cycling event.

On Dave’s mind is a better way to apply chain lube following a recent video from Josh Poertner of Silca. Our PSA is less of a public service announcement and more a basic guide into figuring out where noises may be coming from in order to silence them. And then the geeks bring back the Pick One segment to discuss floor pumps.

The episode finishes up with a new crank-related recall from FSA.

All this and more in this week’s episode of Geek Warning – a podcast created for and funded by the members of Escape Collective.

Time stamps:

3:00 - Sea Otter highlights, including things from Vittoria, Ritchey, Digit, PrestaCycle, 5Dev, Xpedo, and more.
26:00 - Unknowns ahead for Stages Cycling and Kona Bikes
36:00 - Circling back to the HighBar helmet strap as seen at Sea Otter
39:20 - A better way to apply chain lube?
45:15 - Chasing down those noises
52:40 - Picking one floor pump
1:02:30 - An explainer on Time’s revamped pedal range
1:06:00 - FSA recalls some its AGX+ gravel cranks

In this jam-packed episode, James and Dave discuss a handful of new gravel and road bikes that caught their attention during the week. Trek enters the rear Radar game to compete with Garmin, yet James’ early impressions of the CarBack raises more questions than answers.

DT Swiss has just released a new mountain bike rear hub with a wholly new ratchet system, you can read about the new 240 DEG hub at escapecollective.com, and a bonus episode of Geek Warning with DT Swiss is also available, too. Meanwhile the coverage of new products from EVT, Fox, RockShox, and more continues at the end of the episode.

On our mind and over the heads of the geek's families is the topic of gravel suspension. The geeks discuss who it’s for (and who it’s not), and why it’s proving to be more than a gimmick.

Plus there’s a PSA, which is likely a repeat on something previously discussed, but that only makes it more important.

Time stamps:

3:00 - Kona’s new gravel bike for mountain bikers
6:30 - FiftyOne’s new Sika road bike
11:55 - Parlee’s new and unexpectedly-European-made Ouray road bike
15:40 - Trek enters the rear radar game with its CarBack
23:15 - DT Swiss’ 240 Ratchet DEG hub
26:30 - Chatting all things gravel suspension (including Cane Creek’s Inverted answer to the space)
43:25 - PSA: Your dropper needs love
47:50 - Classified adds Enve to its partners list
49:25 - New RockShox things
50:40 - Fox overhauls its Transfer dropper
53:00 - EVT enters the portable repair stand game
55:10 - OnGaurd’s new RockSolid angle-grinder-resistant lock

It’s time for another bonus episode of the Geek Warning podcast. Typically only Escape Collective members have access to the full versions of these, but this week we’re feeling generous.

This episode coincides with the release of DT Swiss’ Ratchet DEG system (link to review), effectively an oversized 90T version of the famous Star Ratchet design. Here, tech editor Dave Rome interviews Friso Lorscheider and Brandon Wold from DT Swiss about this new mountain bike rear hub and how it fits into the company’s modern line-up.

The discussion then turns to new spokes, how to choose spokes, and an explainer on understanding DT Swiss’ wheel range names. Geek Warning, indeed.

A special thank you to our members for helping to fund deep dives like this. If you're not already a member, then joining Escape Collective will help us to create more good things and provide you with access to experience it.

The 2024 Sea Otter Classic hasn’t even kicked off yet, but the Geek Warning crew has already got a ton of new bikes and gear to talk about this week. All-road/endurance road bikes are clearly enjoying a moment in the sun with the launch of the new BMC Roadmachine and Enve Fray, and Liv has another fresh full-suspension mountain bike landing in shops. Fox has also completely revamped its range of suspension forks for MY2025, Dave and James chat about why they’re big fans of Project321’s third-generation hubs, and James makes a desperate plea for folks to properly wash their water bottles – because mold isn’t an energy drink. Also: more product news from Chris King, Fizik, Castelli, and a neat little photo stick (you know, for the ‘gram).

Timestamps:

2:42 - BMC’s new RoadMachine gets more endurance’y
5:43 – Another endurance/all-road bike, but this time from Enve
11:52 – Another new bike from Liv that’s yet to be released by Giant
15:20 – Fox revamps its entire premium fork line-up for 2025
 25:00 – New hubs from Project 321 are on our mind
36:05 – a PSA related to drinking germs
40:25 – Chris King expands its range of internal headsets (which will fit many existing bikes)
41:45 - Velcro remains Fizik’s lightest option
43:20 – New Castelli Gabba for soggy days
44:30 – The most niche of products: a bike photo stick

What do dropbars on mountain bikes, our love for electric tyre inflators, and a random chirping noise have in common? Very little, but it’s all covered in this week’s jam-packed Geek Warning!

Join Dave and Brad as they discuss emerging trends in gravel bikes, which are increasingly getting rowdy. The recent Leadville race and the new BMC URS both offer discussion points for this.

This week, Dave is thinking about battery-powered tyre inflators, which will be covered in this week’s edition of Threaded. The geeks then discuss their favourite bartapes and why they like them.

You’ll then hear three member questions answered in the recently returned “Ask a Wrench” segment. From chain lube for Cross to solving a mystery chirping noise, and the geek’s most embarrassing/costly mistakes.

Finally the episode wraps up with a few new tech bites from around the cycling industry. There are new shorter-length ShockStop suspension stems from Redshift. Forge+Bond brings its theromplastic technology to a handlebar. There are more bad e-bikes from the automotive world. And a heads-up of two custom bike shows coming this month.

Enjoy!

Time stamps:

4:45 - Leadville showing bike trends or just one-offs for a specific event?
15:48 - BMC has updated its URS gravel bike
23:05 - Electric tyre inflators are all the buzz
28:50 - Pick One: Bartapes
34:25 - Ask a Wrench
1:02:40 - Ford's new bad e-bikes
1:06:05 - Forge+Bond has a handlebar
1:09:05 - Redshift adds 55 and 70 mm versions of the ShockStop stem
1:12:20 - MADE is nearly here

Whew, so much new product news to discuss today, and Sea Otter is still two weeks away! Shimano looks to strengthen its stranglehold on the entry-level market with a new range called Essa, while some updates to the CUES collection may provide some hints at higher-end bits to come, too. Campagnolo finally announces a power meter to go along with the Super Record Wireless groupset launched last year, there’s turmoil at Scott Sports, and some hooked wheel companies are out for blood. Dave and James also discuss the pros and cons of on-bike tool storage along with a PSA that’ll hopefully save you from being awkwardly stuck to your bike, and there’s a whole bunch of new stuff on the way from Rene Herse, Vittoria, Gore Wear, Enve, Hutchinson, Feedback Sports, and Robert Axle.

Timestamps:

1:15 – Dave has some thoughts on T47
5:42 – Shimano is smart to not ignore the entry level market
17:00 – Campagnolo finally announces its Super Record power meter
22:47 – Scott Sports’ CEO is out – or is he? Depends on who you ask.
26:35 – Hooked road wheel companies smell blood in the water
31:16 – On-bike tool storage is a trend we can get behind
38:13 – Check your cleat bolts!
43:50 – Rene Herse now has TPU inner tubes – and they have metal valve stems!
44:30 – Vittoria is getting into running
45:34 – Gore Wear is stepping up its clothing game
46:48 – Enve’s new race day road tires are “like crack”
48:06 – Hutchinson is hoping its new Blackbird road tire can take flight
50:38 – Feedback Sports is almost old enough to buy alcohol in the US
53:10 – Want a nicer Universal Derailleur Hanger? Robert Axle has got you

Bridge Bike Works is an upstart brand that's trying to make a go at building premium carbon fiber bikes in Canada. It's not just a geographic thing or a point of national pride here, though. Bridge says it's obviously proud of making bikes in its own backyard, but it's also striving to make better product, period, by keeping the entire process – from R&D to lay-up and curing to paint – under a single unobtrusive industrial roof in Cervelo's old stomping grounds. In this Geek Warning episode, James sits down with Bridge co-founders Frank Gairdner and Mike Yakubowicz to see just what makes the company tick, why it might be smart to start asking about hobbies the next time you interview someone for a job, and how the quest to build its own fork nearly broke them.

Welcome back to Geek Warning! In this week’s edition of the regular show, Ronan and Dave discuss why current road bikes may not be ready for emerging trends in seated positions. Later Ronan shares a PSA related to multi-tools that turns out to be more of a Pick One and a rant.

On the news side, the geeks discuss the new Cannondale Scalpel cross-country race bike. Pinarello has finally officially revealed its Bolide F HR that Italy will race on the track in Paris. There’s more 3D-printed tech to discuss in the hubs of Scope’s new and impressively light Artech wheels. And Dave gets excited at the chance to talk about Feedback Sports’ new Pliers Wrench tool.

As usual, the end of the episode is kept for a quick discussion of other interesting new things. There you’ll hear about Wahoo’s firmware update, another new Mirror saddle (the comfy 3D-printed type) from Specialized, and CeramicSpeed’s new OSPW RS derailleur cages.

Happy geeking!

Time stamps:

4:25 - Cannondale’s new Scalpel is yet another 120 mm cross-country bike option
9:10 - Pinarello’s 3D-printed Bolide F HR track bike is now official
15:10 - More 3D-printed tech with Scope’s new Artech wheels
23:40 - Feedback Sports release a Pliers Wrench
28:00 - The limitations of modern road bike geometry is on Ronan’s mind
40:45 - A non-PSA that unexpectedly into a wider topic and Pick One about multi-tools
53:40 – A firmware update to Wahoo head units
55:15 – Specialized brings S-Works Mirror technology to the Phenom saddle
56:04 - Our thoughts on CeramicSpeed’s new OSPW RS
1:01:00 - Where much of the Escape Collective team will be next week

Four weeks on from Thomas De Gendt's now infamous crash, Zipp has released its findings and explanation, but many questions still remain.

In this podcast, Ronan is joined by David Morse and Nathan Schickel from Zipp as he seeks the answers to the questions many have been asking.

There’s certainly been a lot of outrage over the price of bikes in recent years, and for sure, when the price of a new bike falls inline with a new Ducati, it’s bound to give people pause. There are more ultra-expensive flagship bikes than ever before, but are mainstream bikes more expensive in general? Not really. And in fact, you can pretty easily make the argument they’re not only more affordable, but also a lot better, and the real problem might not be with bike prices, but how the bike industry markets itself.

Yeti is also back in the XC game with the resurrection of its storied ASR nameplate, and while it sounds like a heck of a bike, it also raises some questions about the direction of mountain bike suspension in general. Do more e-bikes equal more bikes sold? Salsa sure hopes so with a recent pivot in its product range. And if you haven’t removed your crankset in a while, one listen to our PSA this week might have you heading into the garage.

Timestamps:

0:56 – Dave makes his case for why you should buy a 3D printer
4:28 – Yeti’s back in the XC race bike scene!
22:25 – Salsa is jumping into the e-bike market, and at a very enticing price point
32:17 – Bikes aren’t really more expensive than they used to be, but the bike industry sure seems hell-bent on convincing you they are
45:25 – We hate to break it to you, but your frame is anything but waterproof
51:44 – DT Swiss has some ultralight carbon fiber XC race wheels on the way
53:06 – WTB has brought back the Solano name, this time for a new short-nosed saddle
54:29 – SRAM’s wireless Blips can now be used on their own for more flexible cockpit setups
56:15 – Finish Line is cooking up a new range of hot wax and drip wax chain lubes
58:38 – Strava has some new features for cyclists

Why are bikes so expensive? In this episode, Factor's Rob Gitelis speaks openly, providing an insight deep into the world of premium bicycle manufacturing and breaking down the costs of making a modern high-end bike. More broadly, Gitelis talks us through some of the inner workings of the manufacturing facilities brands employ, staffing models and transient workforces, and his fears that a repeat of the Covid boom and bust is just around the corner.

So many new bikes to talk about this week! Giant’s new TCR is a meaningful evolution of the previous one, but should it have been a revolution instead? Meanwhile, the new Liv Pique offers a preview of the next-generation Giant Anthem, and Specialized’s new Epic and Epic Evo genuinely push the envelope of what XC bikes are supposed to be. And do electronics belong on bicycle suspension? Why does Trek offer seven colors in one model of Emonda? And what the heck does “Ari” mean? All of that and more in this week’s episode of Geek Warning.

Timestamps:

3:04 – Giant’s got a new TCR road racing bike, but is it all it could (or should) have been?
14:04 – Liv’s new Pique Advanced mountain offers a sneak preview of what’s to come in the new Giant Anthem
16:35 – The new Specialized Epic ticks an awful lot – maybe all? – of the boxes.
26:33 – RockShox’s Flight Attendant electronic terrain-sensing suspension finally comes to XC
34:33 – Trek is “right-sizing” in a big, big way
41:01 – US-based consumer-direct brand Fezzari finally addresses the elephant in the room
46:24 – Not everyone wants to know how the sausage is made
52:50 – The suckiest addition to any home workshop

Framework Bicycles isn’t afraid to say it’s making its frames a little differently from usual. In fact, the Canadian company is not only extremely proud of that, but feels its unusual methods are also integral to what makes its frames what they are. In this week’s members-only episode, James sits down with Framework founder – and one-person fabricator – Jonathan Kennedy for an ultra-deep dive on his philosophy behind what makes a good bike.

Geek Warning is back, with Dave and Ronan on hand to discuss the latest happenings from the world of cycling tech. James is currently roaming the halls of the Taipei show, so this week, you get two-thirds of our geeky Geek Warning trio discussing the Fraser Group's acquisition of whatever is left at Wiggle-CRC after another round of layoffs and the latest questions as the hookless conversation rages on following what appears to be another failure.

There's also news of Look's new Keo Blade and X-Track power meter pedals and Rapha's latest aero jersey that might save you 7 watts, four watts, or both; we're not sure. 

Later in the episode, the conversation changes to Ronan's concerns we may be headed for an automotive industry-style "approved service centre only" model for our bike's servicing and maintenance needs. While the conversation throws up some potential positives from such a move, worryingly, Dave suggests we are already there. 

Finally, Dave has another reason to buy more tools dressed up as a PSA. 

Time stamps:

5:20 - Frasers Group's Wiggle-CRC takeover
10:00 - Hooked on hookless 
16:50 - New Giant TCR
21:55 - Stupid helmets everywhere
28:10 - Look's new power meter pedals
32:50 -Rapha's new Pro Team Jersey
37:40 - On Your Mind - "Approved service centre only" 
48:00 - A PSA from Dan Bigham's mechanic 

The time has come for the geeks to share their strong opinions on road tubeless and the movement toward hookless rims. In this episode, and off the back of a high-profile failure, James, Ronan, and Dave dive into the growing concerns related to the many caveats around hookless road rims.

Later in the episode, the conversation changes to fancier ways to hide cables through smaller headsets and the problems this may present. Then there’s a polarising PSA many probably won’t want to hear.

In many ways, this episode is just our geeks ranting about the issues of modern bikes, but hopefully, it proves useful!

Time stamps:

3:15 - Digging into the big topic of road tubeless tyres blowing off hookless rims
36:00 - A little promo of a podcast series not to miss
37:12 - Baum and slotted steerer tubes are on Dave’s mind
43:55 - The only good fix for contaminated brake pads
47:10 - New things from Cadex
48:05 - A new endurance road tyre from Vittoria

It’s time for a bonus episode of Geek Warning. Usually, we keep such bonus episodes for members of Escape Collective, but it simply wouldn’t be right to limit this one. It’s a conversation about what is arguably the most impactful bicycle-centric not-for-profit in the world. Indeed, we’re talking about World Bicycle Relief, aka, WBR.

In this episode, Escape’s Dave Rome chats with Dave Neiswander, the CEO of World Bicycle Relief and the organisation’s Lead Product Designer, Andy Samways.

Within you’ll learn about World Bicycle Relief and how the humble bicycle is used to change lives and benefit communities. Of course we also chat about the interesting tech behind the new Buffalo Utility S2 bike.

You can learn more and donate at worldbicyclerelief.org.

Silca’s new StripChip claims to take (most) of the hassle out of properly immersion-waxing your chain, but while it sounds promising, Dave’s got his doubts. Favero unveiled its long-awaited SPD-compatible power meter pedals for MTB and gravel, and although they tick a lot of boxes, pedals in general may not be the best power meter format for everyone.

In big-brand component news, we read the tea leaves on Campagnolo’s new Ekar GT midrange gravel groupset to see what it might indicate for the Ekar family in general, and SRAM’s new Maven mountain bike hydraulic disc brakes could signal a sea change.

Colnago recently debuted its latest C68 model – the C68 Gravel – and while it seems like a pretty nice gravel bike in its own right, what’s more interesting is understanding more about what that new bike means for Colnago’s strategy in general moving forward, particularly since being bought by a UAE-based investment group in 2020. In this members-only episode, James sits down with Colnago CEO Nicola Rosin and Colnago’s head of marketing, Manolo Bertocchi, to get the scoop on how things have been going there (shockingly well), where Colnago wants to be (“the most desirable”), and who the brand sees as its customer base in the years ahead (hint: probably not you).

It’s time for another episode of Geek Warning. Dave and Ronan are back to discuss the latest happenings in the world of cycling tech and what’s on their minds.

Ritchey and Factor have new bike (frame) releases that sit near polar opposites of the road market. Ritchey has brought back its well-loved Road Logic frames, while Factor’s Ostro VAM, a bike we’ve looked at before, is now officially official.

There are new shoes from Trek and Specialized, with the former leaving Ronan a little confused over what size his feet are. And Dave shares what’s on his mind (hint, tools), and then there’s a quick wrap of other interesting tech and industry news.

Timestamps:

5:03 - Ritchey Logic brings back its rim brake road frames
8:03 - Factor’s new Ostro VAM is now official and Ronan has built one
23:43 - Black Inc’s 1,270 g aero wheels
26:45 - Specialized’s new mid-price helmet and shoes
28:45 - Trek’s many new shoes, many new fits
41:45 - On Dave’s mind
46:58 - 4iiii’s new Pro 3+ dual-sided powermeter
50:40 - KMC gets into cassettes
52:05 - F+B Shift wheels bring thermoplastic carbon to a lower price point
54:52 - Giant Bicycles to be sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods

Welcome back to Geek Warning. In this episode, Dave and Ronan talk through a bunch of the biggest tech news in the cycling world and cover a few test products at the top of their minds.

It’s hard to find a new racing product today that doesn’t at least tease the “aero” word, however, TuboLight may just be the first to make such a claim for a product that goes inside the tyre.

The recently seen shoe and pedal system from Ekoi caught unwanted attention from the UCI, but them’s the rules. One that is UCI-certified for racing is Ridley’s new X-Night RS cyclocross machine.

SRAM has officially issued a recall related to all aftermarket 12-speed dropbar levers, but the fix is one you can likely do yourself. Another you could probably do yourself is convert an existing Specialized Crux or Roubaix to run SRAM’s 1x Transmission (typically requires a UDH-frame); it’s a new product offered by 5Dev.

The conversation then turns to the weirdly named premium thermal skinsuit that Ronan is testing from Q36.5. And Dave has a little rant related to the new Trek Domane AL just reviewed.

All that, and more, on this week's Geek Warning.

Timestamps:

3:55 - Tubolite gets aero, inside the tyre
11:35 - Ekoi pedals and UCI rulings
21:08 - Ridley’s new X-Night RS, aero(ish) meets cyclocross
28:49 - A DIY recall related to SRAM’s brake lever
33:07 - 5Dev’s adapter to install SRAM Transmission on a Specialized Crux or Roubaix.
36:53 - Ronan is testing a £808 thermal skinsuit from Q36.5
43:05 - What Dave is testing and a rant on entry-level bikes
53:35 - A PSA related to dropbar levers, and another related to crockpots
58:30 - A quick wrap of other news, including Amer Sports, Curve’s carbon Walmer handlebar, and BeSpoked to be held in Manchester.

With much of the industry languishing under the post-Covid, brands are trying harder than ever to carve out a niche for themselves to stay afloat. Colnago’s new C68 Gravel bike is super premium by design, but based on their sales figures, the focus on luxury is clearly getting the job done. Campagnolo seems to be falling into the same strategy almost by accident, but is it working as well? That’s not so clear. Hunt also debuted its latest aero wheels and they look like they could be quite the performance bargain – as long as you’re ok with hookless rims – and just when you thought clipless road pedals couldn’t get any better than they already are, French brand Ekoi’s new road pedal-and-shoe system might actually move the needle.

And finally, have we finally reached a stable point for road bike tire sizes? Maybe. Or maybe not.

Timestamps:

6:45 – Colnago’s got a fancy new gravel bike, and they’re ok if it’s out of your reach
20:19 – Campagnolo’s new aero road wheels are absolutely gorgeous
27:53 – Hunt’s new Sub50 Limitless Aero Disc road wheels could be an incredible performance bargain
38:45 – Ekoi has a truly novel new road pedal-and-shoe system in development, and they might actually be good
48:04 – Noble Wheels tools are back! Well, sort of
49:55 – More musings on using candle wax to lube your chains
51:39 – Vittoria’s got a new Corsa Pro Speed go-fast tire
52:52 – Want to stand out from the crowd? Bossi has expanded its range of titanium gravel frames
54:28 – Orange Bikes is back in business
56:49 – Road tire sizes seem to have stabilized (and yes, James is getting old)

It’s time for another gathering of the geeks for an episode of Ask a Wrench. In this member’s bonus episode, Zach (of Boulder Gruppetto), James, and Dave answer more technical questions submitted by Escape members.

This week, the geeks answer questions related to using alternative cassette options, fitting bigger cassette ranges than allowed, selecting parts for the Paris-Roubaix sportive, replacing a Cannondale Lefty, and using saddlebags with carbon saddle rails. Then the conversation continues with questions related to swapping Shimano brake components, bike packing with waxed chains, learning to bleed brakes, and torque wrench calibration testing.

Our weekly Geek Warning podcast remains unchanged and open to all, we’re now providing additional bonus episodes each fortnight. Only members and paid readers of Escape Collective can access the full versions of these bonus podcasts. These bonus episodes are a mix of Ask a Wrench, deep-dives, or interviews with the people behind popular products.

There’s always something going on in the world of cycling tech. This week, James and Dave discuss a bunch of news items, what their favourite clothing is for shoulder season, and a little safety warning related to new tyres.

It’s been a busy week of tech news out of Europe and the UK. First up, the heritage brand of Eddy Merckx is back, but looking at the range today, it looks a lot like business as usual from when we last saw the name on downtubes.

French cycling brand Look has officially released its new Keo Blade pedals. Meanwhile, the two-speed hub maker Classified has updated the rims of its carbon wheels.

In the UK, Mason has a new version of the Definition aluminium dropbar bike. Plus we cover further news regarding Schwalbe, Holding, Wolf Tooth, and candles, yes, candles.

Timestamps:

5:25 - Eddy Merckx bikes are back
11:25 – Our obligatory segment related to chain waxing
16:50 - Look release its new Keo Blade pedals
22:30 - Picking one, our favourite shoulder-season kit (all disciplines)
34:45 - PSA on brand new tyres
40:20 - Classified’s own carbon wheels get lighter and wider rims
41:12 - Schwalbe consolidating its manufacturing
42:39 - Mason’s new aluminium dropbar bike
43:54 – Hovding files for bankruptcy
45:15 - Wolf Tooth ReMote Pro now in colours

The 2024 WorldTour season is under way at the Tour Down Under and Escape Collective is on the ground all week bringing you the latest news, tech, and Escape podcasts. Today we've got a combined Geek Warning and Performance Process tech special episode as Jean Paul Ballard of SwissSide joins us for the first of two podcasts with the former F1 aerodynamicist. 

In this episode JP takes us on a wandering roam around the Tour Down Under pit zone talking us through which teams and manufacturers are optimising and which are compromising. JP breaks down some aero myths, explains the true benefit of aero bikes, wheels, helmets, critiques some of the latest tech, and whether a "do-it-all" all rounder can really do-it-all as we discuss each team's setup.

Timestamps:

07:06 – SwissSide's AG2R partnership and a conflict of interest.
12:12 – Bora Hansgrohe & Soudal Quickstep setups from Specailized.
14:59 - Arkea's dedicated aero and do-it-all bike choices. 
16:08 – UAE's Colnago V4RS, handlebars, wheel, and tyre choices.
19:38 – Do wider tyre rolling resistance savings offset the increased aero drag? 
21:05 – Cofidis team bikes and their "catastrophic," double digit watt penalty tyre choice.
23:31 - Jayco's bikes and why rider preference isn't always best. 
27:06 – Are hookless rims more aero?
28:37 – Aero versus vented helmets.
30:05 – The counterintuitive effect of helmet visors.
31:58 - One of the best aero bikes on the market and handlebar sail effect.
33:52 - Varying rim depths and tyre widths front to rear and a common mistake. 
34:51 - The "detrimental for performance" design elements of the Ineos Pinarello Dogma F.
37:54 - Is there an aero gain from smaller front brake rotors? 
39:58 - The importance of textiles. 
41:55 - The other "aero interesting" design element of the Trek Madone. 

Dave and Ronan are in thick of the Tour Down Under and have a whole lot of new (and old!) race tech to discuss. The industry has woken up from the holiday break with a flurry of new products worthy of discussion. And, as usual, the geeks cover so much more.

Timestamps:

3:00 – Spotting three new helmets on rider heads.
11:10 – Trek working on a knit shoe.
15:15 – New Look pedals, and more from Time.
19:50 – Enve’s new InnerDrive hub and SES AR one-piece handlebar, including a quick tangent on measuring lever angle.
27:10 – Budget smart trainers from Decathlon.
31:25 – Explaining Australia’s two competing custom bike shows.
34:20 – Last year’s race bikes are on our mind.
39:08 – Pro mechanics making do with things from a hardware store.
43:32 – Our PSA.
47:55 – Rapid fire of tech news including new Fulcrum Speed 25+ wheels, OneUp’s V3 dropper seatpost, BlackHeart’s new Gravel AL bike, and Leap Components’ Blip button adapter.

Dave and James have lots of spy photos to discuss this week! Factor’s got a revamp of its Ostro VAM lightweight road bike about to break cover, and Specialized and Trek have some enticing new road shoes roaming about in the wild. Lazer also brings its Kineticore technology to its popular Z1, we debate the pros and cons of anti-seize vs. grease, and we chat about what we look for in our favorite gravel shoes.

Timestamps:

1:52 – Ostro’s new Factor VAM may be fast, but it’s not especially pretty – and it’s not alone
7:03 – Lazer brings Kineticore technology to the revamped Z1
12:01 – Even tools aren’t immune to hacking
15:27 – Blurring the lines between auto mechanics and bike mechanics
18:17 – Dave (anti-)seizes the day
26:12 – Pick One! Our favorite gravel shoes, and what we look for in them
32:54 – PSA: dried sealant and wheel imbalance
36:02 – New lightweight S-Works road shoes coming from Specialized?
37:09 – Some very intriguing mid-range road shoes are definitely coming soon from Specialized
37:58 – And some new flagship road shoes from Trek/Bontrager, too!
38:15 – Ratio Technology is at it again with a new aluminum cable spool for SRAM DoubleTap levers
38:46 – Iconic UK MTB brand Orange is in serious financial difficulty
40:24 – Enve parent company Amer Sports Inc is going public
41:12 – Brompton with a capital B!
41:19 – 9point8 has angle-adjust headsets for IS-style frames