I'm recording this on Friday, June 5th, almost one week after the Black Lives Matter protests started and spread throughout the country. To say this is an interesting time in our history is an understatement. And to say I'm curious about where we go from here, equally so.
I like asking questions. I like learning. And I like talking to interesting people. And this week, I got to do just that with my friend Christian.
He's black, he's a cyclist, and he's been in the cycling industry for almost two decades.
In this episode, we have a candid chat on his back porch about how he's feeling right now, what it's like being african american in a predominantly white industry, and more
It's an awesome conversation, and I'm seriously stoked that I have friends like that who are open to having the conversations that matter. I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. Hit us up on social and let me know what you think...we're @bikerumor on all the major platforms. And if you like, please share it with your friends.
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036 - A Conversation with a Black Cyclist

Exploring the "why" & "how" behind the bicycles, components, gear & tech we ride everyday.

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The Bikerumor team recaps their favorite products, experiences and happenings at the Sea Otter Classic 2024. 
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Find the Bikerumor Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and through RSS, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Can't find it? Let us know which players you use so we can get them up to speed! And let us know who you want us to interview. Click here to send in your suggestions!
Hit like, hit subscribe, and hit play. Then just get out and ride!
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101 - Sea Otter Recap

Silca's Josh Poertner gets his new product ideas from the craziest places.
Take the new Strip Chips, for example. These hot melt chain wax additives were inspired by the food industry, where they're trying to find a replacement for trans fats and hydrogenated oils.
Turns out, they can make it a whole lot easier to wax your chain, too!
In this episode, we geek out on how that product works, the nuances of wax temperatures for proper chain waxing, and talk a lot about where his ideas come from, what else he's excited about, and why his stuff costs more than everyone else's.
I always love talking to Josh, and I think you're going to really enjoy this one, too.
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Find the Bikerumor Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and through RSS, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Can't find it? Let us know which players you use so we can get them up to speed! And let us know who you want us to interview. Click here to send in your suggestions!
Hit like, hit subscribe, and hit play. Then just get out and ride!
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100 - Silca explains their Strip Chips, Chain Waxing System & more!

While at the launch for the new Fox GRIP dampers, I pretty much had my brain melted by VP of engineering Bill Brown as he explained their inner workings.
So, naturally, I brought him on the show here to run through it again. The level of fluid dynamics and engineering discussed is still well above my pay grade, but I think we do a pretty good of of explaining how the new dampers are able to simultaneously offer more support and be more sensitive to small bumps.
It's all about pressure balancing, and we go deep on it. If you've always run your suspension wide open so it's as comfortable as possible, you may want to listen in. The new GRIP dampers provide better, faster damping so you have more control with less harshness. And they work phenomenally well.
Get ready to geek out!
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Find the Bikerumor Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and through RSS, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Can't find it? Let us know which players you use so we can get them up to speed! And let us know who you want us to interview. Click here to send in your suggestions!
Hit like, hit subscribe, and hit play. Then just get out and ride!
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099 - Fox explains Pressure Balancing in 2025 GRIP Dampers

If you've ever wondered how route creation and ride mapping works, you're going to love this episode.
My guest is Eric Semianczuk, co-founder of Sherpa Map. I'm guessing you haven't heard of them… yet.
But the cycling route map service they're building is incredible, using AI and granular LIDAR data compiled over weather, surface type, and elevation data to create the most sophisticated route data you can imagine.
And they just keep improving it. It's wild, and in this episode, Eric explains how they got started, how mapping and route building works, and how they're using AI to predict everything from surface type to how many calories you'll need and even advise on tire selection for your next race.
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Find the Bikerumor Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and through RSS, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Can't find it? Let us know which players you use so we can get them up to speed! And let us know who you want us to interview. Click here to send in your suggestions!
Hit like, hit subscribe, and hit play. Then just get out and ride!
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Keep tabs on all the latest bikes, wheels, components, gear and tech on The World's Largest Cycling Tech Blog by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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098 - Sherpa Map Routes us to Better Cycling Maps

So, apparently, not every cheap e-bike sucks after all.
Until recently I was firmly in the camp that cheap, hub-motor e-bikes with cadence sensors were all terrible and unsafe. Then I talked to Kevin Dugger, founder of Ride1Up e-bikes, and he changed my mind.
It's not so much the bikes that bugged me, although we'll talk about that, too, it was the cadence sensors that told the motor to start going. It turns out, there's a lot more to the "on" of "off" systems of the early days or the cheapest bikes.
Also, it turns out there are also some really good use cases for hub motors and cadence sensors, and that their performance, or lack thereof, really comes down to how their controllers are programmed.
Kevin and I get into the details of what makes a good cadence sensor system, when you might want one instead of a torque sensor mid-drive bike, and lots of other interesting details about making e-bikes affordable without sacrificing quality and safety.
If you're in the market for an e-bike but have a small budget, you'll definitely want to listen to this one.
WANT MORE? 
Find the Bikerumor Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and through RSS, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Can't find it? Let us know which players you use so we can get them up to speed! And let us know who you want us to interview. Click here to send in your suggestions!
Hit like, hit subscribe, and hit play. Then just get out and ride!
FOLLOW BIKERUMOR
Keep tabs on all the latest bikes, wheels, components, gear and tech on The World's Largest Cycling Tech Blog by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
FOLLOW TYLER
Like us? Love us? Follow your host, Tyler Benedict, on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

036 - A Conversation with a Black Cyclist

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