Geek Warning

In a member's only Geek Warning episode, Dave Rome and framebuilding expert Rob English discuss some of the highlights from the 2024 Made handmade bike show. We have made a shortened version of the ep available here on the free Geek Warning feed, but to get the full show, you'll need to head on over to escapecollective.com/member to sign up!

It’s the end of the week and that means the geeks are back with another geeky episode. Join Dave and Brad as they discuss the latest in the world of cycling tech.

The first topic of discussion is Hunt’s new 40 Gravel Race wheels with H_Cyclo, a new technology that aims to bring recyclability into a thermoset carbon fibre product. The resin-based technology appears to come from Taiwanese company Swancore (unconfirmed by Hunt), and dare we say, this won’t be the last time the geeks discuss it (perhaps expect a full feature on the tech in the future, too).

Brad and Dave then cover their favourite Presta-type pump heads and offer a PSA on basic drivetrain maintenance. Finally, a few members pose mechanical questions to the geeks in the Ask a Wrench segment.

Plus, keep an ear out for a bonus episode of the Geek Warning podcast with framebuilder Rob English and chatting all things related to the recent MADE Bike show.

Time stamps:

2:20 - Hunt’s H-Cyclo tech allows recycling of thermoset carbon
10:30 - Wolf Tooth’s new Internal-External headset
16:55 - Picking One Presta pump head
26:30 - a PSA applicable to all forms of chain lube
34:20 - Ask a Wrench (AaW) about bigger chainrings on SRAM Force AXS
41:50 - Smelly chains (AaW)
44:15 - Handlebar width for women’s XC racing (AaW)
53:20 - Getting more range from SRAM XPLR AXS 12-speed (AaW)

It’s never a boring week when you’re a bike geek. Join Brad and Dave as they discuss the latest from the last week of tech, including interesting developments in wax options from Silca, why gravel tyre trends have caught the bike industry by surprise, plus the latest from Fox and Ratio Technology.

The geeks also share thoughts on a few round seatposts to consider and answer three member-submitted Ask a Wrench questions.

Time stamps:

3:10 - Save some fresh tech for the TDF Femmes
6:35 - Silca’s new Speed and Endurance chips
11:25 - Trek’s CheckMate and rapidly changing tyre width trends
23:45 - Picking one seatpost (well, at least the things to consider)
38:55 - Ask a Wrench: mixing and matching SRAM AXS and Shimano 12
45:05 - Ask a Wrench: pedals and install torque
51:10 - Ask a Wrench: servicing Shimano pedals
59:00 - Fox’s Neo Wireless dropper post
1:08:20 - Ratio Technology turns AXS Road into XPLR

What do dropbars on mountain bikes, our love for electric tyre inflators, and a random chirping noise have in common? Very little, but it’s all covered in this week’s jam-packed Geek Warning!

Join Dave and Brad as they discuss emerging trends in gravel bikes, which are increasingly getting rowdy. The recent Leadville race and the new BMC URS both offer discussion points for this.

This week, Dave is thinking about battery-powered tyre inflators, which will be covered in this week’s edition of Threaded. The geeks then discuss their favourite bartapes and why they like them.

You’ll then hear three member questions answered in the recently returned “Ask a Wrench” segment. From chain lube for Cross to solving a mystery chirping noise, and the geek’s most embarrassing/costly mistakes.

Finally the episode wraps up with a few new tech bites from around the cycling industry. There are new shorter-length ShockStop suspension stems from Redshift. Forge+Bond brings its theromplastic technology to a handlebar. There are more bad e-bikes from the automotive world. And a heads-up of two custom bike shows coming this month.

Enjoy!

Time stamps:

4:45 - Leadville showing bike trends or just one-offs for a specific event?
15:48 - BMC has updated its URS gravel bike
23:05 - Electric tyre inflators are all the buzz
28:50 - Pick One: Bartapes
34:25 - Ask a Wrench
1:02:40 - Ford's new bad e-bikes
1:06:05 - Forge+Bond has a handlebar
1:09:05 - Redshift adds 55 and 70 mm versions of the ShockStop stem
1:12:20 - MADE is nearly here

It’s time for a bonus episode of Geek Warning. Usually, we keep such bonus episodes for members of Escape Collective, but it simply wouldn’t be right to limit this one. It’s a conversation about what is arguably the most impactful bicycle-centric not-for-profit in the world. Indeed, we’re talking about World Bicycle Relief, aka, WBR.

In this episode, Escape’s Dave Rome chats with Dave Neiswander, the CEO of World Bicycle Relief and the organisation’s Lead Product Designer, Andy Samways.

Within you’ll learn about World Bicycle Relief and how the humble bicycle is used to change lives and benefit communities. Of course we also chat about the interesting tech behind the new Buffalo Utility S2 bike.

You can learn more and donate at worldbicyclerelief.org.

It’s 2024 and yet we have a new high-end rim brake Colnago to discuss. We certainly didn’t expect to write that sentence.

Also in this week’s Geek Warning, you’ll hear Brad, Ronan, and Dave discuss some broad aero themes seen at the Olympic Games. There’s some chit-chat about Cervelo’s minor update to the Caledonia 5. And Ronan shares a Garmin-related PSA that he had to learn the hard way.

Perhaps the biggest news is that Ask a Wrench has returned. Members of Escape Collective can now submit a recorded question for use in future episodes (please introduce yourself at the beginning).

The episode wraps with some recall-related news out of the USA. And lastly, Dave and Brad discuss Madrone Cycles, a small company focussed on bringing beaten SRAM Eagle derailleurs back to life.

Time stamps:

1:00 - Tech at the Olympic Track
17:40 - Colnago’s novel new braking system
26:50 - Cervelo updates the Caledonia 5, but only a little
33:30 - Ronan’s PSA for Garmin users
36:15 - Ask a Wrench returns!
57:00 - CPSC rules Amazon is liable for recalls
59:10 - Brompton recalls 2024 T-line bikes
1:00:00 - Madrone repairs SRAM Eagle derailleurs

With no time for chit-chat, the geeks are excited about the first few bits of tech seen at the Olympics, chatting a few notable elements from the road Time Trials, and then chatting why some of the tech seen in the mountain bike races are likely relevant to all.

Then you’ll hear a summary of the latest gravel-going groupset from SRAM, and the matching ultra-wide wheels from Zipp. For more on these products, certainly check out Dave’s extensive write-ups on the SRAM Red XPLR AXS groupset and Zipp 303 XPLR wheels.
 
If you’ve got a modern bike with thru-axles then you may be intrigued to hear that your thru-axles may in fact wear out. In this week’s PSA you’ll hear how to make those axles happy and why you shouldn’t ignore early signs of issue.

Finally, there’s a couple of bits of tech news to wrap things up. Enjoy!

Time stamps:

1:30 - Straight into Olympic tech, so far
21:45 - New Red XPLR AXS, 13-speed on a 12-speed chain
27:30 - Zipp has a matching suite of XPLR products
45:50 - a PSA that your thru-axles may experience wear
56:30 - Ritchey’s comfortable-looking Montebello
57:40 - Shimano is helping to fund some trails

Welcome back for another episode of Geek Warning. This week, Dave Rome and Brad Copeland discuss the latest topics in the bike world. They ponder whether all-road and gravel bikes are now the same thing. And the conversation does cover Dave’s poor financial control.

Three new bikes are discussed. There’s Canyon’s new Aeroad road race bike, a bike that Ronan Mc Laughlin wrote about last week. Meanwhile, USA-based Otso Cycles and State Bicycle Co have both released new all-road/gravel bikes with prices starting from just US$2,500 – the Otso Cycles Warakin and State Titanium All-Road (yes, a budget titanium bike).

On Dave’s mind is the gravel bike he couldn’t bring himself to return, a Santa Cruz Stigmata that he just wrapped up reviewing.

You'll also hear a PSA about servicing freehub bodies, and the episode wraps up (in under an hour!) with a quick bite of news from Kask.

Timestamps:

4:35 - Canyon’s new Aeroad goes all-in on T25
16:30 - Defining All Road
21:00 - Otso Cycles’ new Warakin Steel
27:55 - State launches a budget titanium bike
33:20 - Reviewing bikes can get expensive
40:00 - PSA on freehub body servicing
50:35 - Kask unveils the Nirvana aero road helmet

For the first time in a long time the bike industry is taking a breather on new product drops. With that, Dave Rome and Brad Copeland catch up to discuss what’s on their minds.

There’s a nostalgic chat about Brad and Dave’s dream bikes as awkward teens. Dave raises his frustrations around integrated shifter and brake clamp systems on mountain bikes. And the geeks discuss what spares they carry on local rides.

There’s a small amount of worthy tech news at the end, including factory-waxed chains from KMC and Wippermann, plus a chat about Wolf Tooth’s updated dropper and how it compares.

Timestamps:

2:50 - Corrections Corner related to OneUp hubs
5:50 - Dream bikes in our teens, plus a tangent
21:00 - Why can’t MatchMaker make our match?
34:05 - Pick One Returns! Our spares
50:00 - A quick repeat of a PSA
52:10 - Waxed chains straight from the factory are here!
59:10 - Wolf Tooth’s Revolve Rev2 shows how Right to Repair should be
1:02:50 - Wolf Tooth’s news presents another Pick One segment

Eurobike is now in the rearview mirror and the buzz of the Tour continues to grow. In this week’s Geek Warning episode you’ll hear (without sound issues, horray!) a wrap-up from Eurobike, learn about Schwalbe’s intriguing new Clik Valve, Canyon’s Tempr shoes bring them into a new product category, and some bold claims from Parcours for the gravel race scene.

Brad and Dave also discuss the latest Trek Top Fuel mountain bike and Dangerholm’s incredible 5.89 kg (12.99 lb) hardtail. Plus you’ll hear about the latest from Feedback Sports, DT Swiss, Manitou, and Shimano.

The big conversation for this episode is all about the generally poor quality control of flat-mount brake mounts, and it warrants a language warning as Dave feels his anger grow. Seriously, a message to bike manufacturers and brands, it shouldn’t be up to the local shop to fix this stuff!

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.

Time stamps:

1:48 - Parcours’ FKT aero gravel race wheelset
10:00 - Canyon enters the high-end shoe market
18:40 - Ronan’s experience at Eurobike
25:55 - Schwalbe Clik Valve - a new valve we may just like
30:15 - Trek’s fourth-gen Top Fuel
37:30 - Dangerholm’s latest ‘lightest hardtail’
43:05 - Dave gets a little sweary: flat mount should be flat!
55:10 - Feedback Sports enters the electric stand market
1:00:20 - It’s DT Swiss’ 30th anniversary
1:02:00 - Manitou releases its R8 cross-country fork
1:04:45 - Shimano’s new second-tier S-Phyre RC7 shoes, plus the case for spending more on certain things