Bikerumor Podcast

Podcast Episode 103: A Guide to Practical Gravel Race Fueling

We'll be the first to admit it: Fueling for long events is challenging, especially if you don’t have a game plan or it's your first event. With the rise of longer and more intense gravel races and events, proper fueling is more critical than ever.

This conversation isn’t just for first-timers or elite gravel grinders; it's for everyone. I’ve often gotten my fueling strategy wrong, and I still do sometimes (and I’ve been at this for years).  Whether it was not eating enough, not eating the right food, or the dreaded “I’ll eat later” followed by a dreaded BONK and vision quest for the finish line.

We can all work on our fueling for training and racing, no matter how many races we have under our belt. 

For BikeRumor Podcast Episode 103, I sat down with the Fuel Good Nutrition (formerly Rider Box) team to dispel fueling myths and clarify what a race nutrition plan can look like. 

So, should I eat as many gels as I can? No, this isn’t a laundry list of 20 gels and 50 blocks for over 250k of racing. It's a real-food and practical look at what riders can do (and stomach) to achieve the most from their training.

We discuss what a fueling plan looks like from the very start. We  look at the week leading up to the big event (gravel race in our scenario) and forward from there. We are tackling not only what but also how to get in the correct amount of carbs and other fuels to stay robust and fresh over your ride. 

After the race, you need to replenish, recover, and rebuild. We discuss re-fueling, recovery meals, drinks, and strategies so you can be stronger in the next race.

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Jordan sits down and talks about all things Lefty with Cannondale Factory Racing (CFR) and the suspension team at Cannondale. Steve Exstance, Murray Washburn, and Lefty Larry walk us through the conception, progression, and even electrification of Cannondale's Lefty line.

Larry was kind enough to meet us at the CFR headquarters and described the "day in the life" of a CFR team member and how all the moving parts behind wins work in tandem.

We cover how the team dials in their suspension for different course demands and rider styles and what it's like servicing multiple Lefties while traveling worldwide. Plus, we get the insider scoop and some secret tips from Lefty Larry for setup, lockout and the team answers reader questions.

So, if you're a Cannondale fanatic or a rider looking to get a peek behind the scenes of World Cup life, this episode is a must-listen! 

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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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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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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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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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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.

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!

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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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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.

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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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If you've never seen any of Park Tool's tutorial videos or stopped by their booth at Sea Otter Classic, then you've been missing the wonder that is Calvin Jones.

His energy levels and excitement for tools and bike repairs is contagious, so I'm super stoked to share this interview with you.

We talk about his favorite tools, where repairs go wrong and how they overcome stuck and stripped bolts, among many other things. We also talk about Park Tool's history, why they're blue and why that color is so important to their brand, and how they come up with ideas for new tools.

I really enjoyed this one, and some of his insights on learning are world class.

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Find the Bikerumor Podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 that PODCAST link in the menu and 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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Recently, I had a chance to meet with BMC and Red Bull's Advanced Technology Team to learn about and ride their new Teammachine R, a top level, lightweight aero road racing bike.

But I left with questions, so in this episode I have Stefan Christ from the BMC product team and Rob Gray, technical director at Red Bull Advanced Technologies on board to discuss how they applied F1 technologies to a bike, what they learned about aerodynamics, and more.

We even touch on drive by wire systems and the potential for wireless or electronic brakes.

If you geek out on details, or are just curious about why an energy drink brand would be involved in high-tech CFD and composites, this one should scratch that itch nicely.

WANT MORE? 

Find the Bikerumor Podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 that PODCAST link in the menu and 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.

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Like us? Love us? Follow your host, Tyler Benedict, on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn

I wasn't really sure what I was going to talk about with my guest today, but it ended up being a wonderfully deep dive into speed, power development and strength training. If you want to get into the weeds on how to get faster and stronger on the bike, you'll love this episode.

My guest is Thomson Remo, lead educator for Watt Bike's professional division. Watt Bike makes a very smart, precise indoor bike that's used by USA Cycling and the UCI for talent identification, and their professional division supplies gyms and professional sporting teams around the world.

Thomson develops the protocols used to measure fitness and power, and in this episode talks about what metrics matter, how to effectively combine resistance and cadence, and what training, lifting, and speed workouts specifically translate into riding faster and longer.

If you're ready to build power and speed, get ready to take notes.

WANT MORE? 

Find the Bikerumor Podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 that PODCAST link in the menu and 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