Geek Warning

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 Di216:40 - Felt’s new VR endurance road bike20:25 - 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: saddles56:45 - You get accustomed to things being crummy1:01:10 - Talking new wheel-related things from Reynolds, Zipp, Hunt, Roval, and Chris King1:11:30 - 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 overlooked3:51 – A clarification on our position regarding road hookless tubeless wheels and tires6:04 – The lowdown on SRAM’s new Red AXS road groupset12:22 – Do we like it?16:19 – SRAM Red AXS or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2?21:15 – Don’t call it the Hammerhead Karoo 325:45 – Goodyear’s new tires are Zipp-specific, but we’re not entirely sure why30:02 – Effective reach is an overlooked fit dimension36:50 – Pick One! Our favorite tubeless plug kits47:20 – We’re still worried about loose headsets53:08 – Ratio Technology has a neat cage option for SRAM Transmission rear derailleurs55:53 – 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 hubs21:45 - Forge+Bond brings its thermoplastic rims to road28:40 - Chatting with Terry of BetterShifting.com about a certain Di2 patent36:07 - e-Cargo bikes being covered by car media is on James’ mind40:50 - Picking one gravel wheelset, or at least, what we look for52:00 - A member-submitted PSA56:15 - 3T’s Strada Italia, made in Italy57:15 - Bike Yoke’s Revive V3 dropper looks great59:20 - Wolf Tooth updates its chainguides1:00:25 - Zwift price increases1:04:20 – 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 redesign10:50 – Zwift has added a whole bunch of new features, and some of them sound pretty sweet15:15 – What’s up with seemingly everyone having their own high-flow tubeless valves now?28:11 – Pick one! Our favorite mountain bike computer mounts38:54 – A dirty cassette can easily turn into a skipping chain43:22 – Colnago announces its new G4X gravel race bike58:54 – The last holdout of rim brakes in the pro peloton is no more59:30 – Enve Composites has been sold1:01:07 – 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 Bikes36:00 - Circling back to the HighBar helmet strap as seen at Sea Otter39:20 - A better way to apply chain lube?45:15 - Chasing down those noises52:40 - Picking one floor pump1:02:30 - An explainer on Time’s revamped pedal range1:06:00 - 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 bikers6:30 - FiftyOne’s new Sika road bike11:55 - Parlee’s new and unexpectedly-European-made Ouray road bike15:40 - Trek enters the rear radar game with its CarBack23:15 - DT Swiss’ 240 Ratchet DEG hub26:30 - Chatting all things gravel suspension (including Cane Creek’s Inverted answer to the space)43:25 - PSA: Your dropper needs love47:50 - Classified adds Enve to its partners list49:25 - New RockShox things50:40 - Fox overhauls its Transfer dropper53:00 - EVT enters the portable repair stand game55:10 - 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’y5:43 – Another endurance/all-road bike, but this time from Enve11:52 – Another new bike from Liv that’s yet to be released by Giant15:20 – Fox revamps its entire premium fork line-up for 2025 25:00 – New hubs from Project 321 are on our mind36:05 – a PSA related to drinking germs40:25 – Chris King expands its range of internal headsets (which will fit many existing bikes)41:45 - Velcro remains Fizik’s lightest option43:20 – New Castelli Gabba for soggy days44:30 – The most niche of products: a bike photo stick

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 T475:42 – Shimano is smart to not ignore the entry level market17:00 – Campagnolo finally announces its Super Record power meter22:47 – Scott Sports’ CEO is out – or is he? Depends on who you ask.26:35 – Hooked road wheel companies smell blood in the water31:16 – On-bike tool storage is a trend we can get behind38:13 – 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 running45:34 – Gore Wear is stepping up its clothing game46:48 – Enve’s new race day road tires are “like crack”48:06 – Hutchinson is hoping its new Blackbird road tire can take flight50:38 – Feedback Sports is almost old enough to buy alcohol in the US53:10 – 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 option9:10 - Pinarello’s 3D-printed Bolide F HR track bike is now official15:10 - More 3D-printed tech with Scope’s new Artech wheels23:40 - Feedback Sports release a Pliers Wrench28:00 - The limitations of modern road bike geometry is on Ronan’s mind40:45 - A non-PSA that unexpectedly into a wider topic and Pick One about multi-tools53:40 – A firmware update to Wahoo head units55:15 – Specialized brings S-Works Mirror technology to the Phenom saddle56:04 - Our thoughts on CeramicSpeed’s new OSPW RS1:01:00 - 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 printer4:28 – 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 point32:17 – Bikes aren’t really more expensive than they used to be, but the bike industry sure seems hell-bent on convincing you they are45:25 – We hate to break it to you, but your frame is anything but waterproof51:44 – DT Swiss has some ultralight carbon fiber XC race wheels on the way53:06 – WTB has brought back the Solano name, this time for a new short-nosed saddle54:29 – SRAM’s wireless Blips can now be used on their own for more flexible cockpit setups56:15 – Finish Line is cooking up a new range of hot wax and drip wax chain lubes58:38 – 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 Anthem16:35 – 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 XC34:33 – Trek is “right-sizing” in a big, big way41:01 – US-based consumer-direct brand Fezzari finally addresses the elephant in the room46:24 – Not everyone wants to know how the sausage is made52:50 – 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 takeover10:00 - Hooked on hookless 16:50 - New Giant TCR21:55 - Stupid helmets everywhere28:10 - Look's new power meter pedals32:50 -Rapha's new Pro Team Jersey37:40 - 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 rims36:00 - A little promo of a podcast series not to miss37:12 - Baum and slotted steerer tubes are on Dave’s mind43:55 - The only good fix for contaminated brake pads47:10 - New things from Cadex48:05 - A new endurance road tyre from Vittoria

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 frames8:03 - Factor’s new Ostro VAM is now official and Ronan has built one23:43 - Black Inc’s 1,270 g aero wheels26:45 - Specialized’s new mid-price helmet and shoes28:45 - Trek’s many new shoes, many new fits41:45 - On Dave’s mind46:58 - 4iiii’s new Pro 3+ dual-sided powermeter50:40 - KMC gets into cassettes52:05 - F+B Shift wheels bring thermoplastic carbon to a lower price point54:52 - 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 tyre11:35 - Ekoi pedals and UCI rulings21:08 - Ridley’s new X-Night RS, aero(ish) meets cyclocross28:49 - A DIY recall related to SRAM’s brake lever33:07 - 5Dev’s adapter to install SRAM Transmission on a Specialized Crux or Roubaix.36:53 - Ronan is testing a £808 thermal skinsuit from Q36.543:05 - What Dave is testing and a rant on entry-level bikes53:35 - A PSA related to dropbar levers, and another related to crockpots58:30 - 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 reach20:19 – Campagnolo’s new aero road wheels are absolutely gorgeous27:53 – Hunt’s new Sub50 Limitless Aero Disc road wheels could be an incredible performance bargain38:45 – Ekoi has a truly novel new road pedal-and-shoe system in development, and they might actually be good48:04 – Noble Wheels tools are back! Well, sort of49:55 – More musings on using candle wax to lube your chains51:39 – Vittoria’s got a new Corsa Pro Speed go-fast tire52:52 – Want to stand out from the crowd? Bossi has expanded its range of titanium gravel frames54:28 – Orange Bikes is back in business56:49 – 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 back11:25 – Our obligatory segment related to chain waxing16:50 - Look release its new Keo Blade pedals22:30 - Picking one, our favourite shoulder-season kit (all disciplines)34:45 - PSA on brand new tyres40:20 - Classified’s own carbon wheels get lighter and wider rims41:12 - Schwalbe consolidating its manufacturing42:39 - Mason’s new aluminium dropbar bike43:54 – Hovding files for bankruptcy45:15 - 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 alone7:03 – Lazer brings Kineticore technology to the revamped Z112:01 – Even tools aren’t immune to hacking15:27 – Blurring the lines between auto mechanics and bike mechanics18:17 – Dave (anti-)seizes the day26:12 – Pick One! Our favorite gravel shoes, and what we look for in them32:54 – PSA: dried sealant and wheel imbalance36:02 – New lightweight S-Works road shoes coming from Specialized?37:09 – Some very intriguing mid-range road shoes are definitely coming soon from Specialized37:58 – 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 levers38:46 – Iconic UK MTB brand Orange is in serious financial difficulty40:24 – Enve parent company Amer Sports Inc is going public41:12 – Brompton with a capital B!41:19 – 9point8 has angle-adjust headsets for IS-style frames

Geek Warning is back for the new year! In this week’s episode, Dave and James chat about some mysterious Boa dial failures and how some pros are using gravel bikes this cyclocross season, how 3D-printing is becoming just as much a marketing tool as a manufacturing one, and what we look for in our favorite handlebar tapes.You might also just want to head out to the shed and check your disc brake rotor thicknesses, and the story of a lost bike in Colorado may help restore your faith in humanity.Timestamps:5:01 – What’s going on with Boa dial failures this cyclocross season?11:54 – Even the pros don’t think gravel bikes are all that different from cyclocross bikes16:35 – Everything that can be 3D-printed is being 3D-printed20:40 – Pick One! Our favorite handlebar tapes, and what we look for in them35:45 – PSA: Disc brake rotors don’t last forever40:04 – A lost bike, and restoring your faith in humanity44:30 – Rotor’s got a new dual-sided power meter for Shimano crankarms45:45 – Look, ma, no ears! Kask has a mysterious new aero road helmet46:30 – Bora-Hansgrohe has officially confirmed they’re on SRAM and Hammerhead this year46:40 – Chris King has added a new Microspline freehub body option for its R45 hubs

Following a break for our inaugural Awards episode, Dave and Ronan return with an episode of a familiar format. There’s plenty on the minds of the geeks, plus a sprinkling of new tech to know in this final Geek Warning episode for 2023 ...The biggest news is that the UCI wants to control just how weird racers can get with the angles of brake hoods. Dave and Ronan discuss the claimed safety concerns, and what are arguably the far larger concerns, too. For a detailed report, check out our coverage of the latest tech rulings. The geeks discuss whether the term “endurance” may be holding people back from buying the best bike for them. Ronan dreams of adjustable crank length being more mainstream. Then, the conversation turns to road tyres for the Pick One segment. In other news, it looks like a new SPD-compatible powermeter pedal is on the way from Favero, although for now the Assioma Pro MX is only available in Italy. Tacx recently released a new flagship trainer, the Neo 3M, a now motion-based trainer comparable to the Wahoo KickR Move – a comparison that DCRainmaker has already made. Meanwhile, Classified now has an app for its Powershift hub, although its limited usefulness may be a better tease of what’s possibly to come. In mountain bike news, Niner is being moved out of Colorado and to the not-so-cycling-destination of Ohio. We're also seeing further examples of integrated cable routing on mountain bikes, with the Bike Ahead Composites Wonderbar being an example.Timestamps:2:05 – Biggest tech trend7:59 – Biggest surprise12:13 – The “It’s about time” award16:42 – The “most wanted” award20:00 – Our favorite bike-related purchases of the year25:46 – The “What the hell were they thinking?” award32:10 – The “problem solver” award36:20 – The “more of this, please, bike industry” award38:49 – The “meh” award43:36 – The “I am so here for this” award45:59 – The “Oops, I put my foot in my mouth” award48:04 – The most exciting new tool of the year53:57 – What products are we anticipating most in 2024?

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.

We’re skipping the usual news this week because it’s once again time for our annual tech awards! 2023 was certainly a memorable year for a multitude of reasons, but what were the cycling tech-related things that stuck in our minds of our resident geeks, James, Dave, and Ronan? What were the biggest trends? What were our favorite products? Who was doing things right? What was the biggest flop? What was the best thing we bought this year?We’ve got all of that – and much, much more – in this don’t-miss episode of Geek Warning.Timestamps:2:05 – Biggest tech trend7:59 – Biggest surprise12:13 – The “It’s about time” award16:42 – The “most wanted” award20:00 – Our favorite bike-related purchases of the year25:46 – The “What the hell were they thinking?” award32:10 – The “problem solver” award36:20 – The “more of this, please, bike industry” award38:49 – The “meh” award43:36 – The “I am so here for this” award45:59 – The “Oops, I put my foot in my mouth” award48:04 – The most exciting new tool of the year53:57 – What products are we anticipating most in 2024?

Hoo boy, it’s been a big week in tech, and our resident geeks had a lot to talk about.It was just a matter of time before Cervelo jumped into the e-bike market, and that day has finally come with the new Rouvida. The same frame is used for two road and two gravel models, but Cervelo has incorporated flip chips in the front and rear dropouts to adjust the geometry accordingly. Despite the sizable battery hidden away inside the down tube, the carbon fiber frame looks pretty good, too – not entirely unlike Cervelo’s original Soloist Carbon, in fact. All versions are powered by Fazua’s Ride60 mid-drive motor for smooth and quiet running, and James has just received a gravel test sample so stay tuned for a proper review in the weeks ahead.Looking for some marginal gains on your SRAM Transmission-equipped mountain bike? CeramicSpeed has released a new version of its OSPW oversized pulley cage assembly with 14T upper and 20T lower pulleys, smooth-running hybrid ceramic bearings, and a novel self-cleaning design. But while the eye-watering price is getting all the attention, what you might really want to think about is the lifetime warranty.Fulcrum’s new Red Zone Carbon+ mountain bike wheels tick a lot of boxes: low weight, an inventive rim design that supposedly produces perfectly even spoke tensions, a solid outer rim wall for easy and reliable tubeless setup, and low-friction adjustable angular contact hybrid ceramic bearings. The pawl-type rear hub engagement is on the slower side, though. Does that matter? Maybe – or maybe not. It depends.Gravel bikes have unquestionably been the hot segment of the bicycle market for the past several years, and the progression in the product has been astronomical. But with such a narrow gap between road/all-road bikes and XC mountain bikes to fill, how much space is there really for innovation? Not that it’s at all a bad thing to reach this level of maturity this quickly, but have we already hit peak gravel?The geeks are rarely in agreement over everything, but in our Pick One! segment this week, there’s surprisingly little debate among us when it comes to our favorite mountain bike pedals.James just received a bike he’s especially excited to test, and it’s also one of the least-expensive ones he’s tested, too: Trek’s entry-level Marlin 7 aluminum hardtail. It might not be fancy, but it’s arguably far more important than any bike that costs ten times as much.And finally, Wiggle has dramatically contracted its business, the MADE handmade bicycle show has also announced its dates for the 2024 event, Strava has launched a new direct messaging function, Campagnolo is out of the World Tour, Ag2r moves to Van Rysel bikes, TotalEnergies is now on Enve, and Bora is supposedly switching to SRAM components.Timestamps:3:24 – Cervelo’s new Rouvida e-bike looks pretty good9:40 – CeramicSpeed is coming for your Transmission rear derailleurs18:03 – Are Fulcrum’s new Red Zone Carbon+ XC mountain bike wheels fast (engaging) enough?23:09 – Has the bike industry reached peak gravel in terms of product development?31:55 – Pick One!38:12 – Cheap bikes are good42:40 – Wiggle’s mighty fall from grace44:22 – MADE is coming back for 2024!45:27 – Strava is sliding into you DMs46:33 – Pro team sponsor musical chairs

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.

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 anything10:07 – That cheap bottle of chain lube might actually cost you $5,000.17:20 – More bad news from the bike industry18:19 – Pinarello needs a better fence – and maybe a stronger door20:25 – Stock component sizes, chickens, and eggs32:54 – Our favorite road helmets47:50 – Bianchi’s new Impulso RC gravel bike actually looks really good48:21 – 3T is going really, really big with its new Extrema Italia gravel bike

This week's regular (and free!) episode of Geek Warning has James Huang, Zach Edwards (of the Boulder Grupetto), and Dave Rome back on the mics. With only a small amount of news to discuss, much of the conversation surrounds bigger and broader-reaching topics.Seeing so many sales out of the bike industry is great for those in the market for a new bike, but it's a worrying sign of financial struggles ahead. It's obvious the boom is over, and it may be a few years for stock glut to clear.The mountain bike brand Guerrilla Gravity (GG) quietly ceased operations in September. Now fellow American company Canfield Bikes is providing aftermarket product support for owners of the thermoplastic bikes.Zwift has announced new annual pricing options for those looking to save a little with a year-long commitment.The episode then turns to what's on our minds, including Dave's recent boiling point over squealing brakes and a deeper conversation about lower-cost race bikes off the back of Caley Fretz's Trek Emonda ALR 5 review. The geeks then discuss their favourite mountain bike dropper posts.The episode wraps up with Dave Rome at a Wera Tools media event, where he interviewed employees Lutz Buchholz and Ralf Joesch about the company's increasing presence within the cycling market.Geek Warning is produced with the support of our 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 our new exclusive podcasts. Simply head to our join page, select the monthly subscription, and enter the code PODCAST at checkout to redeem this special trial offer.Timestamps:5:03 – It’s a buyer’s market at the moment14:17 – Guerrilla Gravity is closing shop17:03 – New pricing options from Zwift19:45 – Squealing brakes are on Dave’s mind24:19 – Lower-cost alloy road race bikes used to be better36:39 – Pick One, our favourite dropper posts45:55 – a PSA related to tubeless valve stems49:30 – an interview with Wera Tools

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!

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 wheels11:05 – A silly silly saddle15:22 – Asssavers improves on an interesting fender22:20 – Accell Group massively downsizes its investment in the UK25:03 – Ortlieb doing Black Friday in a way we’re happy to discuss28:09 – Ronan has Tear-Offs on his mind36:23 – What we’ve been testing45:05 – Pick One, the eyewear edition53:48 – Your pedals need love, too

The Geeks answer your questions.The Geek Warning podcast is growing! Today, we’ve launched our first bonus episode exclusively for Escape Collective members.While the weekly Geek Warning podcast remains unchanged, we’re now providing 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 eps are exclusively available to Escape Collective members. That means this free feed only gets part of the episode. You'll need to subscribe to the members-only feed to get the full thing.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 the 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 podcast, join Escape Collective today. Your membership makes this podcast possible.

What do Aston Martin, Lizard Skins, Cinelli, Chris Froome, and bleed kits all have in common? We’re not entirely sure, but they’re all discussed in this week’s episode of Geek Warning!Hot on the heels of Lotus’ new bike comes an announcement from Aston Martin – they too have a new superbike. Made with 3D titanium-printed lugs and carbon tubes, this one is built in true collaboration with custom frame maker J Laverack. Aston Martin previously dabbled in bicycles with the help of Storck, but this one is on a whole new level. See more of the new Laverack Aston Martin .1R here.Iconic Italian brand Cinelli has announced that it’s bringing some frame-building back in-house, for the first time since 1981. It all makes sense once you know Cinelli and Columbus are under the one roof.Finished the Beckham documentary and have nothing to do? Geek out on this impressively detailed and playful content from Bartosz Ciechanowski. Thanks to reader Frederik Bonde for the tip on this one!In industry news, Rapha has seen “negative profitability” for a number of years, while it appears Lizard Skins’ parent company may soon come under the house of Fox Factory (the suspension company).All that and plenty more discussed in this week’s episode.Timestamps:0:50 – More high-end car collabs, this time Aston Martin and J Laverack9:28 – Cinelli brings (some) frame building back to Italy13:50 – Advanced visualisations for nerds15:50 – Rapha is in the news21:10 – Fox Factory set to buy Lizard Skins’ parent23:25 – Chris Froome’s fit is on Ronan’s mind28:06 – The one must-have feature of repair stands is on Dave’s mind33:45 – Pick one cycling computer39:55 – Our unintended PSA related to hydraulic disc brakes52:18 – There’s a new member-only bonus version of Geek Warning!

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.

Merida and Polygon have just announced some interesting new gravel bikes, and Campagnolo's new Hyperon road wheels are a far better value than the flagship version. But what we're really interested in this week is Focus's new Izalco Max semi-aero road racer. It's supposedly faster, stiffer, and lighter than before (naturally), but also unabashedly less comfortable. Is that a good thing?

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.

Welcome back to Geek Warning, the show that proves the world of cycling tech never stops.This week we published our vision for covering tech news. In response, many of you asked for links to see and learn more of what we discuss in the Geek Warning podcast. And just like that, we present links!Zwift has launched its Hub One smart trainer with a single cog. Ronan is working on a review, but in the meantime you can read what DCRainmaker thinks of it.The recently announced Shimano crank recall is picking up steam as other countries roll out their respective recalls. However, it appears to be getting uglier.We discuss BMC’s new all-rounder race bike, the Teammachine R. This bike left Ronan rather impressed, follow the link to find out why.The Gravel World Championships offered a glimpse at a new Merida Silex. Meanwhile, Canyon’s long-awaited Grail CF is finally here, a bike James has a full review on.We also touch on new mountain bike wheels from Princeton CarbonWork's off-shoot brand P1 Race Tech. And being a new week, there are of course, new chainrings from Wolf Tooth.Timestamps:4:58 – Zwift goes singlespeed and many tangents16:05 – Shimano crank recall is getting uglier21:50 – BMC’s new “not an aero bike” aero bike, automotive collabs, and narrow handlebars43:05 – Princeton CarbonWorks launches for mountain bikes46:50 – More new products from Wolf Tooth49:50 – New gravel bikes from World’s57:00 – How we’re thinking about covering tech news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There has been a slew of wheel introductions recently, with some of the most interesting ones being from Zipp (lightweight carbon XC!), DT Swiss (“Aero for All”!), and Mavic (hookless aluminum gravel!). Wait, what? Yep, Mavic is now so progressive that its new aluminum gravel wheels feature a hookless profile, and we have some thoughts on the idea.Timestamps:1:37 – A close at DT Swiss’s new “Aero for All” aluminum wheels8:27 – This most definitely is not the Mavic of yesteryear15:04 – Zipp enters the XC wheel market (and their carbon road wheels have quietly gotten heavier)25:56 – Bontrager cozies up with Look for a new range of clipless MTB pedals32:57 – Wahoo Fitness continues to streamline its operations35:58 – Brighter days are hopefully ahead for Parlee Cycles41:35 – The indomitable and indestructible Surly Cross-Check is no more46:30 – Dave is obsessing about what spare parts and – of course – tools to carry on his new bike52:59 – James’s safety rules of the road57:52 – More power or less weight for eMTBs?1:02:08 – Choosing the right chain lube is about saving money, not watts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roughly a decade after problems first started surfacing with its bonded aluminum road crankarms, Shimano has finally issued an official recall for certain Ultegra and Dura-Ace models – and we have some thoughts on the matter. SRAM is also making its long-awaited entry into the e-MTB scene with its new Powertrain system, Specialized wants people to start thinking about e-bike performance a little differently, X marks the spot for Pinarello, and there’s some dodgy stuff going on out there when it comes to ultralight road wheels.Timestamps:5:16 – Shimano’s bill has finally come due22:35 – SRAM is now entered the e-MTB game27:45 – How much does e-motor efficiency matter?32:05 – Pinarello’s new endurance road bikes40:31 – Canyon sure does like its CP0018 three-piece integrated cockpit46:28 – Ignore those ETRTO rim dimensions at your own peril51:50 – Introducing Ronan’s new podcast: Performance Process!55:58 – Dave has gone down the eMTB rabbit hole1:00:01 – Should MTB rims switch to Schrader valves?1:04:22 – Ronan’s view on aero gains? Testing, testing, testing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s Geek Warning has James, Ronan, and Dave covering a broad range of topics from Fulcrum’s new road wheels, a new airless tyre, and a tyre that’s recalled for being unwantedly airless.There’s also a surprising amount of chat about e-bikes, but perhaps not for the right reasons. There’s the new Moots entering the space, but not with its expected material. Rad Power promises safer batteries, which is great, but also feels late. And yet another recall has us asking whether cheap e-bikes are a responsible product.Timestamps:4:45 – Moots takes an Express train in an unexpected direction16:00 – New mid-range performance road wheels from Fulcrum21:40 – Another attempt at the airless bicycle tyre?25:42 – A road tyre recall from Pirelli28:52 – Rad Power announces safer batteries, bit late?34:38 – And another recall, this one impacts 45,000 bikes!46:42 – Ashton Lambie gets out of a stick’y situation51:50 – High-priced wheels are on Dave’s mind56:45 – A PSA for Shimano Di2 users Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Specialized announced its latest Roubaix and Giant launched its fifth-generation Defy Advanced this week, but while they’re both “endurance road bikes”, they could hardly be more different.We’ve also got a new aero all-rounder from Ridley, fancy 3D-printed titanium derailleur hangers, new indoor developments from Wahoo and Zwift, a whole day of hour records, thoughts on the UCI’s minimum weight limit, and a word of caution to maybe not trust that little map on your GPS computer *too* much.Timestamps:6:55 - A Specialized Roubaix, but no Cable Cobbler (yet)21:45 - More endurance road bikes and Giant’s new Defy fills a gap.32:20 – Silca has derailleur hangers with holes in them38:45 - News from Wahoo with special guest, GPLama (https://gplama.com/)!52:22 - A quick mention of Zwift things54:50 - Ridley replaces the Helium SLX1:01:30 - A new testing facility at MIPS1:03:43 - There’s a day of Hour Records and Ronan is very excited1:05:50 - The UCI weight limit is on Ronan’s mind1:11:14 - A PSA that James and Dave hadn’t considered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.