Spin Cycle (Escape Collective)

This week's Spin Cycle podcast opens with the news that Rabobank is returning as a sponsor for Visma-Lease a Bike, like a salmon returning a once-polluted river. Rabobank's history in the sport is long and somewhat sordid, and their departure due to doping scandals felt final. Well, now they're back. What does that mean? 

Then Caley, Jonny, and Dane preview the upcoming Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne races, analyzing route changes, potential contenders like Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock, and the "Omloop curse." We touch on UAE's classics team and possible favorites for the races. Finally, we head into corrections corner. 

In this week's episode of Spin Cycle, Jonny Long breaks down his plan for the future of pro road cycling. National teams, a Classics Cup, a draft, and more. It's big, it's bold, it's almost certainly impossible, but it's a lot of fun to talk about.

Plus, Thibau Nys and Mathieu van der Poel are going skiing, teams have to go to more races, and Tom Pidcock is a bit cheap. 

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.

Matilda Raynolds, or Tils as she’s known to the members of the Wheel Talk Podcast Discord group (available to members of Escape Collective), joins Gracie and Abby on the podcast this week with some insider information on the Tour Down Under and some thoughts on the upcoming Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

And, as promised, here is a link to G Flips's cover of Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift.

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Two Milan-San Remos for the price of one? Sign us up. 

This week's Spin Cycle previews the best 15 minutes in bike racing, the finale of Milan-San Remo, and makes some guesses about the return of the women's MSR for the first time in 20 years. But first, we dive headlong into the UCI's hatred of nipples, some strange man management at Cofidis, the Tours de France coming back to the UK, and the potential for a new stage race in Colorado. 

Dan Bigham once said something along the lines of, get aero and train the body to sustain it: it's easier than getting stronger. As much as that makes sense, it's also not how we have typically thought of bike fitting. Our focus has typically been on comfort, power production, perhaps symmetry. But like so much in cycling, how we think about bike fitting is changing.

In this episode of Performance Process episode Ronan is joined by Daniel Schade, CEO of Gebiomized and the fitter working with Bigham at at the Ineos Grenadiers to find a balance in those aero positions , to discuss how bike fitting is changing and the pros and cons of some of the current trends.

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.

Stage 1 of the Tour de France and the home nation, if not the host nation, already have something to cheer about. Caley, Jonny, Ronan, and Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal come to you from a coastal restaurant in Rimini to talk through Romain Bardet's big day out front, Mark Cavendish's rough day out back, and what the next few days might look like. 

The Placeholders crew comes to you live from Kortrijk, Belgium, this week, where they tackle life's greatest questions (who's better, Boonen or Van der Poel?), debate the merits of goat-based cobble upkeep, and have some Weekly Pain with a real live member.

News dropped on Wednesday that GCN+ and the GCN app will be shuttered in December. We have thoughts. We have emotions. Caley Fretz, Joe Lindsey, and Cosmo Catalano got together to talk through it. 

Caley, Ronan and Jonny come to you live from the Roubaix velodrome to break down the action and discuss the long-term narrative implications for what was a day out on the cobbles of northern France that will live long in the memory.

One last Tour de France Daily podcast, delayed by some lost luggage but finally here for your ears. An annual tradition, the Awards Episode looks back over a highly enjoyable Tour de France and hands out the most prestigious awards that we hand out. 

For our final episode of the year, Gracie, Loren and I chat the recent Giro d’Italia Women route announcement, development pathways from Australia for women, the UCI’s weird wildcard decision, and more. Plus we answer a handful of your questions.

Stay tuned for an exclusive members only episode with the three of us coming next week.

This week's episode of Performance Process delves deep into the topic of heat and how it can be both a powerful, free, and accessible training intervention and a major problem.

In the podcast, we speak to Chris Bloomfield-Brown, a performance engineer for most of his life, in everything motorsport to pro bike racing and with plenty of work in triathlon along the way. Chris is perhaps best known in the WorldTour peloton for his work in recent years with CORE, the company behind those small rectangular white sensors attached to almost every heart rate strap in the peloton. 

We talk to Chris about all things heat training, cooling, and better warm-ups and dissect some of the adaption, acclimatisation, strain, and other terminology with regard to heat.

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.

A quieter week in the world of tech news means Dave and Ronan have more time in this week's episode of Geek Warning to ramble about what's on their minds, their favourite eyewear, and servicing pedals. 

Princeton Carbon Works has released its 5th iteration of its Wake 6560 wheels. Perhaps best known as the wheel company used by Ineos over their sponsor-correct Shimano options, Princeton continues with its wavy rim design, plenty of colour options, and a whole lot of choice in hubs, too. As we discussed, the 28.2 mm external width is narrower than we thought we’d see on a new aero-focussed hoop. 

We chat about the saddle that’s already received too much attention. The SaddleSpur is undoubtedly a silly saddle.

Well-priced and easy to install, the Asssavers Win Wing has been updated. The new version is stronger, more subtle, and now with paint-protecting stickers. As Dave and Ronan discuss, this one is likely an excellent option for keeping your kit clean, but it won’t do much for pleasing anyone riding behind you. 

Raleigh UK, owned by the Accell Group, has been “restructured”, or, more specifically, greatly consolidated into its parent company’s operations. It’s yet another sign of the tough times facing the bicycle industry. 

Sure, Black Friday is good for a deal, but we’re all for the companies using the day of consumerism to promote something more positive. Ortlieb is just one example, with its repair week offering 40% off repairs for any of its bags that fall outside of the five-year warranty period. 

All that and plenty more in this week's episode. 

Plus, we're having an introductory sale for new members. Join as a monthly or annual Escape Supporter today, and pay only $1 for the first month. Not only will you receive full access to all Escape Collective content, you’ll also have access to exclusive podcasts and ad-free episodes. Simply head to our join page, select the monthly subscription, and enter the code PODCAST at checkout to redeem this special trial offer!

Timestamps:

3:00 – New Princeton Carbon Works 6560 wheels
11:05 – A silly silly saddle
15:22 – Asssavers improves on an interesting fender
22:20 – Accell Group massively downsizes its investment in the UK
25:03 – Ortlieb doing Black Friday in a way we’re happy to discuss
28:09 – Ronan has Tear-Offs on his mind
36:23 – What we’ve been testing
45:05 – Pick One, the eyewear edition
53:48 – Your pedals need love, too

Jonny Long, Kit Nicholson, and Dane Cash join Caley Fretz on this week Placeholders to cover all of the big news as racing is heating up around the world from Oman to Colombia.

On this week's How the Race was Won pod, Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano break down the Tour de Romandie, where the Ineos Grenadiers put on a familiar show and where Decathlon-AG2R showed us that they are a sprinting team after all.

Abby Mickey, Dane Cash, and Ronan Mc Laughlin join Caley Fretz to talk Red Bull, MyWhoosh, Ekoi, and more ...

On this week's Placeholders, Caley Fretz, Kit Nicholson, and Jonny Long discuss Tadej Pogačar's fueling at the 2023 Tour de France, Remco Evenepoel's floor needs, 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.

Cosmo Catalano and Dane Cash break down the 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné, where Primož Roglič narrowly held off Matteo Jorgensen to win the overall title, and discuss what it all means ahead of the Tour de France.

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.

The Tour Daily crew breaks down a stage 17 that finally saw a breakaway stage winner in the mountains – but that still featured attacks from Tadej Pogačar. Plus, the crew ponders whether someone on the Internet actually has special insight into what goes on behind the scenes at UAE.

The question before the stage was simple: would they go for it? Would today be the true kickoff in the fight for the yellow jersey? The answer was an emphatic yes. Stage four took in the mighty Galibier and the race for the GC is officially on. Caley and Jonny come to you from the finish town in Valloire, where they speak to Jonas Vingegaard, chat about Pogačar's wheel selection, and break down how the best of the rest all faired. 

It's a beautiful rest day in Orléans and Caley, Jonny, and Iain bring you a week one vibe check plus a big ol' bag of mail.

For the full episode, sign up at escapecollective.com/TDF or, if you're already a member, click here. 

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We're in the thick of it. Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, rain, snow, riders warming hands on motorcycle exhaust manifolds, Jonas Vingegaard falling down. Caley, Jonny, and Dane break it all down on this week's Spin Cycle. 

Plus, is David Gaudu the baddie? 

He's Ganna Poel up the Pog-gio! And other Milan-San Remo puns. 

How good was that weekend of bike racing? This week's Spin Cycle kicks off looking at Pogačar's team tactics in light of a behind-the-scenes video that dropped after the race. Things seemed to go mostly to plan, but did they? 

Then, why can't cycling have more races like MSR? How do you build proper launchpads? We have some ideas. 

Plus, Mads Pedersen's gut is not a place you want to be,  the UCI Track Champions League bit the dust, Marc Madiot thinks France is best, and Vingegaard is back riding again. 

On this week's Placeholders, Dane Cash and Kit Nicholson join Caley Fretz to discuss Sepp Kuss's victory parade in Durango, the Tour route unveiling, gravel, and more ...

Abby, Gracie, and Loren break down the major talking points from Setmana Ciclista Valenciana over the weekend and what to look for at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad coming up on Saturday. Plus, we’re all excited about one rider on the start-list for Omloop van het Hageland!

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.

The crew discuss the cleansing power of Dad Watts, the fireworks that await, and dig into the listener mailbag.

This week on the How the Race was Won Podcast, Cosmo Catalano and Dane Cash break down the action at Strade Bianche. Could the race have been won any other way? Was the winner playing mind games with his rivals?

Plus, the podcast discusses what's on tap for this week at Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico.

Cosmo Catalano and Dane Cash discuss La Flèche Wallonne, where the weather made for a more interesting men's race than we often get while the women's race ended with a long-awaited win, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where one rider's dominance made for a less intriguing finish than we might have hoped on the men's side while the women kept it suspenseful to the very end.

An unexpected stop-ride notice from SRAM, a new bike from Lotus, and thoughts on tyre widths and pedal choice gave our tech team plenty to discuss in this week’s Geek Warning podcast.

Rumours of a Lotus road bike have been circling for some time, but we didn't expect it to be an aero-e-road bike. The Type 136 takes design concepts from current Lotus-designed track bikes, adding a lightweight HPS mid-drive e-bike system for a complete claimed weight of just 9.8 kg. Lotus has launched the bike with a limited edition model with just 136 available at a cool price of £20,000 / €25,000, ouch.

Ratio Technology – the company best known for bringing new life to old SRAM DoubleTap shifters – have done it again. The company’s latest release is a new ratchet and pulley wheel kit for SRAM 10 and 11-speed mechanical road groupsets, allowing you to use a Shimano 12-speed cassette and chain.

Speaking of SRAM, the American company has announced a stop-sale notice (for North America) related to its aftermarket 12-speed road levers. Set to become a voluntary recall, the notice applies to all SRAM 12-speed road shifters manufactured prior to July 2023 (it’s a long list). And before you run to your local store, know the issue is simply that too much thread locker is applied to the clamp bolt, meaning the levers aren’t clamping as tightly as what a torque wrench says. If you’re already riding a bike with SRAM 12-speed then this one doesn’t apply to you, but we’ll keep you updated if things change.

The biggest news in the bicycle industry has been related to the loss of funding for Signa Sports United, the parent company to Wiggle, ChainReactionCycles, and countless other brands. Now, Wiggle/CRC is in administration with reports of widespread redundancies in business segments responsible for future product and growth.

The first mover in producing truly great kids bikes, Isla Bikes, announced it's ceasing production. It’s a brand that James has fond memories associated with the first Isla bike he purchased, and it’s a brand that will surely be missed by many.

POC Sports have launched an LED-equipped version of its Omne road helmet. Integrated lights have been done before and are often somewhat underwhelming in terms of brightness, it’ll be interesting to see how POC’s new integration goes.

After the news, we get into the recurring segments of the Geek Warning. We think that SRAM’s Transmission gearing favourability seems to be largely related to geography and riding style. We discuss our preferences related to road tyre width. And then our new ‘Pick One’ segment returns, this time we each share and justify our favourite road pedals.

Tadej Pogačar wins Roubaix? Demi Vollering wins two Grand Tours? Aero bikes will come back with a Vengeance? (See what we did there?) 

The Spin Cycle crew sit down to make some bold predictions for 2025. Who will be most wrong? 

In this episode, Jack takes some time to reflect on a difficult few weeks. Pro cycling has ups and downs, and the entry to spring was a down. How does one get through such a period? 

This week on the Placeholders, Dane Cash, Abby Mickey, and Kit Nicholson join Caley Fretz to ponder whether anyone will remember Visma's Opening Weekend results if they can't win a Monument, who is the best sprinter right now, and whether team mechanics can disguise themselves as riders to get into races.

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

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Today on Spin Cycle: Caley, Jonny, and Dane dive into the Algarve Poop Show, alternative race endings, and the curious case of Mou. Then, we head back to Ratcliffe Row with the help of a very handy compass.

We're back from the Tour de France but the racing hasn't stopped. The Olympics are on and Caley, Jonny, and Dane discuss two thrilling mountain bike races, some very wet time trials, and look ahead to this weekend's road races. Plus, Iain Treloar jumps in to update us on some of his Capital J Journalism and its impact. 

Off the back of the Transparency Report we published on the site a couple of weeks ago, we followed up with a live Discord Q&A with many of our members. We tried to turn that into a podcast, but it didn’t work very well. With so many of our members being podcast listeners, we felt it was important to do a good job at making our Transparency Report Q&A into something this significant portion of our membership would listen to. We hope you enjoy it. 

Good chain lubes can extend the life of your drivetrain, and bad ones can shorten them – but do you know how much that might actually cost you? A new online calculator using Zero Friction Cycling’s data aims to tell you just that. Our crew of geeks also pick their favorite road helmets, Ronan has some thoughts on stock component sizes, the UCI is at it again, 3T and Bianchi have some fancy new gravel bikes, and if come across some new Pinarellos that seem way, way too cheap, there might be a reason for that.

Timestamps:

6:03 – The UCI has updated their penalties, but it’s probably not going to change anything
10:07 – That cheap bottle of chain lube might actually cost you $5,000.
17:20 – More bad news from the bike industry
18:19 – Pinarello needs a better fence – and maybe a stronger door
20:25 – Stock component sizes, chickens, and eggs
32:54 – Our favorite road helmets
47:50 – Bianchi’s new Impulso RC gravel bike actually looks really good
48:21 – 3T is going really, really big with its new Extrema Italia gravel bike

Jonny Long and Dane Cash join Caley Fretz on the Placeholders this week for a form check as early-season racing ramps up. The crew also circles the Plugge hole (Erzen's version) and makes some knee-jerk predictions ahead of Opening Weekend.

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. 

On this week's Placeholders, Jonny Long and Kit Nicholson join Caley Fretz to do a form check of the big contenders ahead of the Tour de France and field a few questions from members.

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.

Ok, ok, Pogačar is probably not going to Paris-Roubaix. But what if he is? WHAT IF?! Wouldn't it be glorious? 

This week's Spin Cycle tackles this cobbled hypothetical, discusses the use of time trial helmets in road race, and has a look at how the sprinters are doing so far this season. Plus lots more, of course. 

Ronan Mc Laughlin, Jonny Long, and Kit Nicholson join Caley Fretz on this week's Placeholders to discuss new helmets and new helmet regulations, Tadej Pogačar's talent, and hookless rims.

The crew also gives the BikeGrid game a go.

In this week's Performance Process, we talk to Mehdi Kordi, PhD and Head Coach (Track Sprint) at the Dutch National Cycling Federation. Kordi recently coached Jeffrey Hoogland to a new Kilo World Record, and having spoken with him for our optimising deep dive looking inside that new World Record, we knew we had to get Mehdi on the podcast. 

In this episode, Mehdi talks us through his unique route into coaching, including a detour into researching CPR techniques for use in space on the one-way mission to Mars. He also breaks down the benefits of an inquisitive mindset and how to harness it. There's a discussion on the importance of improvement-focused process goals and why ultimately everything still hinges on binary results, and the challenges of coaching Olympic athletes from a different country.

Slightly worryingly, Mehdi explains why track cycling is so dependent on the Olympics and why its days at the Games might be coming to an end, and his take on the challenges the UCI faces in ensuring a level playing field. 

The Performance Process is a members-only podcast from Escape Collective. If you're not a member, you'll need to become one (insider or supporter level both apply – monthly or annual both apply) to listen to the full show. 

A plan to “ride around Australia” is just one of many nuggets from Lachlan Morton on this week’s Performance Process podcast. The 2024 Unbound Gravel winner also spoke of how his training changed in preparation for this year’s Unbound, all the tweaks and hacks he made to his bike and why he is constantly adjusting his position as he gives us an insight into his incredible versatility and unique take on bike racing.

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.

Welcome back to The Rest Day with Jack Haig. This is another solo episode, a life update of sorts, as Jack prepares to take on the 2024 Tour de France. 

Loren, Gracie, and Abby are back to talk about Trofeo Alfredo Binda over the weekend and look ahead to Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem coming up. Plus, if you haven’t seen Miss Americana on Netflix … well, now you’ve got your night planned for you, you’re welcome.

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.

Kit Nicholson, Dane Cash, and Ronan Mc Laughlin join Caley Fretz on this week's Placeholders for a Vuelta debrief, some kit discussion, Britain corner, and more.

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

This week's Performance Process podcast is a TT special as we trial a new format. First we kick off with a performance news round up and then delve into an interview with none other than Stefan Küng. We ask the former European and Swiss TT champion if "watt monsters" are an endangered species in time trialling, if he is actually a TT specialist, and if time trialling is now just an arms race and too dangerous. Plus, we get an update on his lost wedding ring.

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.

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Spin Cycle, now earlier in the week! 

This episode dives into the Australian Nationals, focusing on the win by Luke Durbridge and the strategic role of Luke Plapp. Caley, Jonny, and Kit examine the unusual situation surrounding Caleb Ewan's contract with Jayco Alula and what we hear is going on behind the scenes.

Also on the docket: Upcoming races like the Tour Down Under, Jonas Vingegaard's potential participation in the World Championships in Rwanda, the retirement of some notable riders, and another trip to Pidcock Paddock. Finally, the episode touches upon Peter Sagan's foray into Slovakian reality television and Tom Dumoulin's impressive half-marathon times.

Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano break down the first two stages of the Critérium du Dauphiné, field some questions in a Q&A session, and look at what's next on the bike racing docket.

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.

Loren, Gracie and Abby have a lot to say about this year’s La Vuelta España Femenina. They discuss the final two stages, but also general takeaway from a week of racing in Spain and what it could mean for the rest of the season.

The episode includes audio diaries from Maike van der Duin of Canyon-SRAM, Brodie Chapman of Lidl-Trek, Kim Cadzow of EF Education-Cannondale, Alessia Vigilia of FDJ-Suez, and Georgia Baker of Liv AlUla Jayco.

Obsessions this week: Abby - The Idea of You on Amazon Prime, Loren - Low Tox Life, Gracie - The Giro! (catch her on the first 8 stages of SBS commentary).

There are so many people who make pro cycling tick along who never get TV time, don't see the limelight, but are nonetheless indispensable. In this episode, Jack sits down with Elias, one of the bus drivers for Bahrain-Victorious to discuss his role in keeping pro cycling moving. 

The end of the Tour de France. Tadej Pogačar is now a three-time champion and the first to do the Giro/Tour double since Pantani. Caley, Jonny, Iain, and Ronan talk through the biggest storylines of the month, plus a bit of tech from the paddocks in Monaco. 

Thank you to everyone who listened along this month, we hope you enjoyed this Tour as much as we did. 

With the release of season 2 of Netflix's Tour de France: Unchained, the Unchained Binge podcast is back. In this first episode of the year, Kit Nicholson, Jonny Long, and Caley Fretz dive into the first episode, which sets the scene for another season of drama behind the scenes at the Tour.

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.

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

On this week's Placeholders, Caley Fretz, Jonny Long, and Kit Nicholson talk transfers, Dane Cash pops by to preview the Vuelta a España, and Ryan Simonovich provides the lowdown on Leadville.

It's the eve of the first stage of the Tour de France and Caley, Jonny, and Josh Robinson of the Wall Street Journal (#JRotWSJ) are joined by a live audience in an alley of Florence. On the docket: Visma's new van, press conference vibe checks, a brief mailbag, plus a chat between Jack Haig and Fred Wright. Finally, we have José Been's first cultural instalment. 

Surprise. We are interrupting our usual fortnightly episodes of Performance Process to bring you a bonus episode with Frank Overton of FasCat coaching. 

When we announced Performance Process a little under two months ago, we promised we'd bring you some of the insightful conversations we would be having anyway with experts and industry insiders. That's exactly what we are doing in this episode. It's less a performance process and more an insight into an interesting offering. Hence why it is a bonus episode and not a bi-weekly deep dive.

As a long time listener to the Fascat Coaching podcast I was pretty interested when I heard Frank and the team had developed an app for combining wearable sleep data and on bike training metrics to provide a traffic light, red, amber, green, training readiness score for any given day. It was the promised simplicity and actionable insights that really caught my eye. So, when Fascat reached out looking to setup a meeting to tell me more about the Optimize app, I gladly obliged. About two minutes into that call, I decided to start again and this time we'd hit record on the Google Meet. This week's episode is that meeting. Enjoy.

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

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

We just want to watch cycling on TV for a reasonable price. Is that too much to ask? 

Caley, Jonny, and Dane kick off the show with a discussion of the new unfortunate and expensive reality for anybody trying to watch bike racing in the UK. How exactly do these rights work and what do major players like ASO think about it all? Should we start doing VPN affiliate links? 

Then, back to Pidcock Paddock, which is already filling with new silverware. Plus, Ritchey lost its rainbows and Rigoberto Uran still can't play ball sports. 

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

Loren, Gracie, and Abby sat down this week to break down Ronde van Drenthe, look ahead to what some performances mean for the upcoming Cobbled Classics, the return of Ellen van Dijk, and how Trofeo Alfredo Binda fits into the calendar.

Sign up for Escape Collective today at escapecollective.com

This week's Spin Cycle podcast kicks off with Caleb Ewan's transfer to Ineos Grenadiers after mysteriously disappearing from Jayco's website weeks ago. Then we discuss Danny Van Poppel's yellow card for blocking at the Tour Down Under, and consider whether the yellow card system adequately penalizes dangerous riding. New feed zone rules are in effect, will we see more hunger knocks? 

In other news, Mark Cavendish has posted a very detailed photo of his lip, Rigoberto Uran is probably not going to be a pro soccer player, and Akrea-B&B might be in trouble. 

From its incarnation as Team Sky in 2010, the team swiftly rose in the sport's ranks, winning seven Tours de France in eight years. But after billionaire Jim Ratcliffe purchased the team and rebranded it as the Ineos Grenadiers, its position atop the sport has eroded – slowly at first but with increasing speed. In just a few years, cycling's once-dominant stage racing team has transformed from an innovative powerhouse into a rudderless corporation, haemorrhaging talent and results despite its massive budget.

To dissect this empire’s collapse, Escape Collective spoke with more than a dozen sources in and around Ineos – former riders and staff, agents, and other well-connected people in pro cycling – to learn what took the team from winning seven Tours de France in eight years to struggling to hold onto talent both on and off the bike.

This is an audio version of the written story on Escapecollective.com now. Because this story is behind our paywall, you will only hear about half of it on this podcast. To listen to the whole thing (or read it), plus get access to everything else Escape makes, sign up here. 

If you are already a member and want access to the members-only podcasts, click here (you'll need to be signed into the website to access this page). 

For years, bikepacker Lael Wilcox wasn't sure whether she wanted to try and break the Around The World record. But with politics and climate change threatening global stability, the 36-year-old thought it was now or never, and has set out to try beat Jenny Graham's 2018 record by two weeks by circumnavigating the globe in 110 days.

Finally, Jasper Philipsen gets his stage win. Caley, Iain, and Jonny discuss the sprint, what it means for the green jersey, and then add a bit of Adrie van der Poel parking woes, an alpaca update, and a cheat sheet for the random things we like to talk about. 

The fight for the yellow jersey is over. Tadej Pogačar now has over five minutes, Jonas Vingegaard conceded it won't happen for him this year. Richard Carapaz has come close to locking the polka dots, and Biniam Girmay is close to making history. Caley, Jonny, Iain, and Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal digest and discuss the Tour's high water mark atop Isola 2000, and then catch up in Nice to bring you inside the race. 

This week is a very special episode. Abby sat down with friend of the podcast Rebecca Charlton to chat about cycling through pregnancy, missing the first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, and the backlash of covering men’s cycling as a woman.

It’s been said that Kona is 'The Smallest Biggest Bike Company in the World'. They’re best known as the quintessential North Shore bike brand, yet their global head office is just down over the border in Ferndale, Washington.

The quirky company stood out with outrageous bike model names such as the Stinky Dee-Lux, Sex One, Sex Too, and, Jackshit, which placed them well and truly as the "alternative" bicycle company.

The business was founded by Dan Gerhard, Jacob Heilbron in Vancouver, BC along with mtb hall of famer Joe Murray as their designer.

With a rich history of iconic bikes and factory race teams, it was all overshadowed by the recent events of their former owners, Kent Outdoors, who were responsible for running Kona into the ground (my words, not theirs) before the original founders bought the company back last month. 

Only a few weeks after Dan and Jake bought the company back, I spoke to Jake about Kona’s founding story that dates back to 36yrs ago in 1988, the sale of the business to a private equity-backed company, and what happened that led them to buying Kona back. 

If you like this podcast and want to hear more, please support our work by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/member/

This week's Placeholders recaps one of the greatest Grand Tour stages in history, goes into the history of the race radio debate, and discusses nationality swaps of Olympic athletes. 

It's time for another bonus episode of The Geek Warning podcast, exclusive to our members. This week, Brad Copeland – former world cup pro mechanic and now service director at Hush Money Bikes – joins James and Dave to answer member-submitted questions.

This week, the geeks answer questions related to chain waxing, degreasing, what grease goes where, removing stuck cassettes, tool tips, how we store small parts, how to solve noisy brakes, and plenty more.

While the weekly Geek Warning podcast remains unchanged, we’re now providing these additional bonus episodes each fortnight. These bonus episodes will be a mix of Ask a Wrench, deep-dives, or interviews with the people behind popular products.

The Geek Warning bonus episodes are exclusively available to Escape Collective members, though select segments of certain episodes will find their way into our free feed.Your membership makes this podcast possible. If you are already a member, you can follow this link to receive a unique RSS link to add the Geek Warning bonus episodes to your library in your chosen podcast app (this is very easy, promise). If you are not yet a member but want to hear, support, and enjoy the Geek Warning bonus episodes, join Escape Collective today.

Join as a monthly or annual Escape Supporter today, and pay only $1 for the first month. Not only will you receive full access to all Escape Collective content, you’ll also have access to exclusive podcasts and ad-free episodes. Simply head to our join page, select the monthly subscription, and enter the code PODCAST at checkout to redeem this special trial offer!

Ronan Mc Laughlin, Kit Nicholson, Dane Cash, and Joe Lindsey all join Caley Fretz on this week's Placeholders to talk Campagnolo, the media landscape, swords, milk, and more.

There’s an undeniable truth that an overnight success takes about 10 years, not a single night. Almost no one comes up with a winning business idea all at once. And if you’re not Peter and Tom Marchment or those around them who created the aftermarket wheel brand Hunt, you might be mistaken that they came out of nowhere. 

Tom and Peter are brothers who grew up riding in a small fishing village on the Isle of Man and like most of us at the beginning, cycling was a way to get around and a source of freedom. That progressed to mountain biking and then cross-country racing then road racing and time trialling - as you do in the UK.   

At University Peter got some background in materials sciences while Tom took a degree in ergonomics, which is human psychology and physiology applied to design, which he admits that he really didn’t like. Their paths diverged after university when Tom started working in a bike shop where he got some cycling industry experience, while Peter went to work at a bank. 

Peter and Tom have been slowly putting the building blocks of their steadfast aftermarket wheelset business together for nearly a decade now, all starting with an online store called The InnerTube Shop back in 2013. 

Here’s Peter and Tom Marchment who started InnerTube Shop telling about how it all began.

With 2024 just around the corner Abby chatted with EF Education-Cannondale’s new General Manager Esra Tromp about the process of building a team from scratch, the hurdles the team might come against in the new year, and more.

Who said road riding was dead? Clearly a lot of industry folks haven’t gotten the message. Lauf just introduced its first road bike, Classified and TRP are seemingly teaming up for an integrated wireless electronic road groupset with Classified’s novel two-speed rear hub, and Ingrid Components showed a prototype mechanical road lever with Shimano flippy-shifter vibes.

This week Abby, Matt and Gracie answer listener questions about the Olympic road race course, the season so far, which team they would want to be on and more.

Obsessions: Abby - Hook, Matt - Three Body Problem, Gracie - Slow Horses *and other TV shows

It's time to treat our members to another bonus episode of the Geek Warning podcast. This week, Brad Copeland – former World Cup pro mechanic and now service director at Hush Money Bikes – joins James and Dave to geek out on all things related to building a dream home workshop.

In this episode, you'll learn about how to build out a tool kit, our thoughts on tool organisation, what to do if you don't have a dedicated workspace, and a whole lot more.

While the weekly Geek Warning podcast remains unchanged and open to all, we’re now providing additional bonus episodes each fortnight. These bonus episodes are a mix of Ask a Wrench, deep-dives, or interviews with the people behind popular products. The Geek Warning bonus episodes are exclusively available to Escape Collective members, though select segments of certain episodes will find their way into our free feed. 

Another great episode this week with Abby Mickey, Loren Rowney and Gracie Elvin.

They talked about Classic Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem, specifically SD Worx-Protime’s tactics and the sprint finish where Lotte Kopecky made the difference for Lorena Wiebes.

In order to really pick apart the sprint finish on Sunday they watched it live while recording. If you’d like to join in you can find the video we watched here.

Welcome back to Spin Cycle! We kick things off by diving headfirst into the opening weekend of the classics: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

First up, Omloop. What a weird day of racing, especially from the women's peloton. How and why did FDJ and SD Worx let the break get 15 minutes? It was a game of chicken where everyone ended up as a chicken. In the men's race, the surprise came in the finale as small groups came back together, which they don't usually do, resulting in a bigger bunch sprint than we've seen in years. At least a lovely old lady got her Arnaud de Lie moment. 

At Kuurne, Kaden Groves got a yellow card and Jasper Philipsen was fastest. Is Caley's Jonathan Milan draft pick already looking foolish? At Tour du Rwanda, the final stage was cancelled due to bad conditions. Not a great sign ahead of the planned World Championships later this year.

Finally, we like to end the show on a high note, so last up is the news that the 2027 Tour de France might start in the UK. Jonny is ecstatic. 

This week's Performance Process is the latest in our series delving into how and why World Tour racing is getting so much faster. The first of our deep dive episodes on the specifics of how racing is getting faster, Dr Tim Podlogar is our guest to discuss all things "high-carb."

The jokingly self-professed Mr Carbohydrate, Podlogar is an exercise physiologist at Birmingham University focusing on sports nutrition, exercise metabolism, environmental physiology and endurance performance. He is a former rower turned 5.5 w/KG cyclist and head nutritionist at Bora-Hansgrohe World Tour team.

Podlogar has tested low-carb diets in the past and is now a high-carb advocate. In this episode we discuss the benefits of a high-carb approach, why the simple carbohydrate is having its day all over again, how to fuel your own rides, and why we still need to consider supply and demand. Podlogar even gives us a grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight for various breakfast timing options.

The Performance Process is a members-only podcast from Escape Collective. If you're not a member, you'll need to become one (insider or supporter level both apply – monthly or annual both apply) to listen to the full show.

Timestamps:

08:00 – Changing from low carb to high carb
16:00 – Advancements in nutrition products 
17:40 - Doing your homework
25:00 – Pros v amateurs
26:32 – Post ride window
27:51 – Fuel the activity 
32:30 - All about the balance
35:10 – How many crabs and when
38:04 – Why you are always hungry post ride
47:10 – How to fuel for early morning rides and races

The third different gravel world championships took place in Troyes, or TRWA!, on Sunday. Caley, Iain and Jonny sat down over a 4/10 pizza to discuss the race for the win and the fight behind between the GC guys.

In our final episode of this limited series, we turn the floor over to member questions. Thank you to everyone who became members throughout this series. Every single one of you helps make us produce more content like this. If you're not a member, you can join here: https://escapecollective.com/join/

You can listen another podcast you'll enjoy about 'Why are modern bikes so expensive' podcast here: https://escapecollective.com/why-are-modern-bikes-so-expensive/

The Spin Cycle crew talks Paris-Roubaix. Caley Fretz, Jonny Long, Dane Cash, Ronan Mc Laughlin, and Zac Williams discuss all the storylines and field a few member questions ahead of the big race in front of a live audience in Kortrijk, Belgium.

Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano discuss just exactly how the men's Amstel Gold Race was won, and how the riders who finished both first and second did lots of things right, whereas the rider whose shadow loomed large at the start only finished 22nd.

This week on the Spin Cycle podcast, Caley, Jonny, and Kit kick off with an update on Tom Pidcock's dramatic transfer saga. It turns out he's going nowhere. Or is he? This whole situation adds to the growing narrative that INEOS is a difficult team to be on, as evidenced by Ethan Hayter's recent comments about the "weird environment." Despite the failed transfer, it sounds like there are a few other teams still interested in acquiring Pidcock, but it'll probably take a hefty buyout to pry him away from INEOS at this point.

Next up, the crew discuss Chris Froome's shocking admission that he won't be vying for another Tour de France victory. It's tough to see a legendary athlete come to terms with the limitations of their body, but we admire Froome's honesty and grace in addressing the situation. We also take some time to discuss the UCI's exploration of budget caps within the WorldTour. Chris Marshall Bell, who broke the story for Escape Collective, joins to talk about the potential implications of these financial regulations. While there's no consensus on the matter yet, it's clear that the UCI is serious about addressing the financial disparities within the sport. 

And finally, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the tough news regarding Chris Hoy's health. His strength and positivity in the face of such a challenging diagnosis are truly inspiring, and we wish him and his family all the best.

Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano join Caley Fretz on this week's Placeholders to discuss Tadej Pogačar's recent comments about his calendar and how he plans to keep targeting races beyond just the Tour de France. Plus, we get a cyclocross update and then the podcast debuts the first ever member showdown in the Weekly Pain segment.

On this special episode of the Wheel Talk podcast, Abby calls up Matt de Neef to briefly discuss stages 5 and 6 of La Vuelta España Femenina, with audio diaries from Alessia Vigilia (FDJ-Suez), Kim Cadzow (EF Education-Cannondale), Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco) and Elynor Backstedt (Lidl-Trek).

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.

This week on the Spin Cycle podcast, Caley, Kit, and Jonny discuss the UCI's proposed change to the 3K rule and the peloton's protest of the dangerous racing conditions at Tre Valli Varesine. Plus, discussion of Tadej Pogačar's first post-Worlds victory and subsequent hefting aloft of a giant mortadella. 

We then pivot to a discussion of Strava's beta "Athlete Intelligence" feature, sharing humorous examples of its feedback and debating its purpose. Luke Rowe's surprising transfer from Ineos Grenadiers to Decathlon AG2R is analyzed, along with the controversy surrounding whether the Gravel World Championships were gravelly enough. 

The Geeks are back for another round of Ask a Wrench. In this member’s bonus episode, Zach (of Boulder Gruppetto), James, and Dave answer a bunch of technical questions submitted by Escape members. 

This week, our geeks discuss how to find a good mechanic, how to torque bolts when there are multiples, change of crank bolt material for easier removal, servicing of cartridge bearings, rattling saddle bags, how to prep a bike for winter use, and plenty more.

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.

In this super chaotic episode, Abby, Gracie and Loren are joined by Matt de Neef and Matilda Raynolds for an NFL-snake-style draft. Who will the first pick be? Who’s already winning by a heck of a lot points? Find out in this episode.

We also chat a bit about an exciting start to the women’s Classics season at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and what it might mean for the season ahead.

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!

Kit Nicholson and Dane Cash join Caley Fretz to discuss Mathieu van der Poel's longterm deal with Canyon and extension with Alpecin-Deceuninck, whether the pros should be friends, and what's coming up in the Spring Classics.

It's a massive Spin Cycle show this week because we have something special: our 2025 Men's Pro Cycling Draft! Your favorite Spin Cycle podders, plus one member standing in for all the rest of you, pick their teams for the coming season. 

The first part of the show is your standard fare - discussion of the two best GC riders in the world and how they fared at their respective early-season stage races, plus an unfortunate trip to Crash Courtyard, where Chris Froome is waiting.