Cycle Systems Online

This week we are joined by Cycle Systems friend and long term podcast listener, Andy Pettitt. Andy is a very well travelled cycle tourer, a bike collector and connoisseur of fine beer and music, so we had plenty to chat about.I’m sure many of you are planning some cycling trips after a couple of years at home, so tune in and let Andy inspire you to hit the road.

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

While many from the cycling world went to Glasgow for COP 26, not many did so with a journalist's pass. Luckily for us,Carlton Reid was one of the few who did. We managed to chat to him as soon as he returned and got right into why seemingly green activities like cycling were sidelined by the conference.Here is Carlton’s dispatch from the conference https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2021/11/10/electric-cars-wont-save-the-planet-say-transport-experts-at-cop26/?sh=4993d7579782 And his article about Biden’s creepy transponders https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2021/11/06/bidens-12-trillion-infrastructure-bill-hastens-beacon-wearing-for-bicyclists-and-pedestrians-to-enable-detection-by-connected-cars/?sh=5a9aafe35a3dIf all this is too depressing, here is Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel of what could be possible, The Ministry for the Future https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50998056-the-ministry-for-the-futureAs discussed in the pod and featured in KSR’s book, The 2000 Watt Society https://www.2000watt.swiss/english.html

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

This week we welcome back Graeme Freestone King from https://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk/campagnolo.shtml as well as catching up on Graeme’s latest news and finding out how Campagnolo are faring in the current economic climate, we find out about Graeme’s work in South Africa with the https://buffalo.foundation/ and https://songezo.co.za/ In a far reaching and humbling interview Graeme discusses being introduced to South Africa by our friend, Sven Thiele from https://www.hotchillee.com/ and seeing first hand the massive disparity in opportunity between the haves and have nots in the suburbs and townships of Cape Town.Being a practical sort, Graeme decided to do something to help and his insight can maybe inspire all of us to make the world a better place? You can donate bikes, equipment and of course money directly at the Buffalo Foundation website above, or contact Graeme at Velotech directly. https://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk/index.shtml and https://twitter.com/gfk_velo even old, punctured inner tubes will be welcomed.

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

The UK’s national hill climb championship, hosted by the RTCC, ran yesterday at Winnats Pass in Derbyshire. https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/22013While many of you know Xavier Disley from https://www.aero-coach.co.uk for his work in Aerodynamics (doh), drivetrain optimisation and rolling resistance, he is also a bit of a (not so) secret weight weenie!Having seen some pictures of Xav’s tasty looking hill climb machine on social media, we decided to look at the funny old world of super lightweight equipment and the waif-like riders that excel when the road points uphill.Of course, not all of us have thousands to spend on a specialist hill climb bike like the ones used in the Nationals, but we may want to scour eBay for some equipment to lighten up our bike. Sean and Xavier discuss the best equipment for competition and day to day leisure rides for those of you who want to save a few (hundred) gramms.https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro-bike/2020-hill-climb-national-championship-tech-galleryIf you want more, here is a great film just out about hill climbing. https://youtu.be/kdGEbwxsauE

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

Remember when the Cyclist Touring club geeks were the butt of all jokes? Plastic bags full of oily components, a 30 year old steel touring bike and a Carradice saddle bag that was older than Grandad?Well, guess what. Turns out they were preppers for 2021. Not only will their bikes go on forever with no firmware upgrades needed, but cycling touring is the coolest thing right now! With even pro bike teams unsure if they can get components for next season we are all in new territory for bike maintenance, whether you are a pro wrench or home enthusiast, you can’t magic a Di2 mech or hydraulic caliper into existence.In this pod, John and Sean delve into the world of post apocalyptic bike mechanics and try not to get too glum while looking at the best way to keep riding in 2022.China’s 3 day week https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/29/china-hit-by-power-cuts-and-factory-closures-as-energy-crisis-bitesBack to the 1990s https://cyclingtips.com/2017/12/mixing-road-groupsets-what-works-together-and-what-doesnt-2/ Hack your gears https://archercomponents.com/

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

Jean-Paul Ballard, CEO of https://www.swissside.com/ joins us again for an engaging chat about aerodynamics and Swiss Side’s new Pressure Measurement Rake which visualises as well as measures aerodynamic drag. We also discuss frame and wheel design, tyre technology and particularly the current ISO road bike tubeless standards and what they mean for consumers.Finally, Jean-Paul has a beef, and we ain’t talking medium rare! Tune in to find out.

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

This week we follow on from recent mountain bike pods by chatting to World Cup MC, Dan Jarvis.Mostly focussed on the world of XC racing, we look at the scene historically and in 2021.

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

You’ve probably read all about the new Dura Ace 9200 and Ultegra 8100 groupsets. Mostly gushing reviews and podcasts have given us the perfect marketing hook.What do a couple of grumpy mechanics make of it though, (I’m sure you’ve been thinking) as flash is all well and good, when it's not in a pan.Now we know that Di2 is now over a decade in (it’ll never catch on said John) but are the strained supply lines and crumbling edifice of just in time economics now unable to support such a high tech product?

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

Join Sean on a trip to the UCI headquarters in Aigle to meet Britain’s Simon Burney, head off all things off road.Encompassing MTB in all its disciplines, BMX, Cyclocross and Gravel, the off-road sector is as wide as it is deep. Simon’s decades of experience in Cyclocross and Mountain Bike racing are shown to be valuable assets in the world of increasingly specialist off road racing niches.

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.

We have all heard of the new cyclists hitting our streets, towpaths and trails since the first lockdown. Well, meet Noor and Sham from https://www.youtube.com/c/2MuslimNightRiders who have discovered the love of cycling and inspired thousands of people from many diverse communities to try it for themselves.Their videos on YouTube are very well shot, and show a side of Manchester only a cyclist will see. So, while we normally speak to experts about cycle tech, let’s hear what it has been like for two brand new cyclists to get into riding, how to select the right gear, where to ride and keep safe while doing so!We are sure you’ll agree that Noor and Sham exude positivity and represent all that is great about cycling and as Noor says, “a holistic lifestyle for wellbeing”.

Want to immerse yourself in community and a year long learning programme in bike maintenance? Check out our Team Camp membership program.