The BikeRadar Podcast

The cause of much debate for riders who fondly remember the early years of mountain biking, we call in two of our in-house experts from CyclingPlus and MBUK to debate whether gravel riding is just mountain biking from the 90s. 

Both Robin Weaver and Warren Rossiter rode and raced mountain bikes across multiple disciplines in the 1990s, but today enjoy riding and testing modern gravel bikes alongside their usual helpings of 21st century road and mountain bikes.

Has gravel riding backfilled the void left by the progression of mountain biking tracks and tech? Or are we looking at something new altogether?

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After thousands of kilometres of testing and hours of deliberation, our annual Bike of the Year test has come to a conclusion. 

In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, deputy editor Jack Luke is joined by senior technical editor Warren Rossiter, who headed our gravel and endurance bike categories, and senior technical writer, Simon von Bromley, who looked after the performance bike category. 

The three discuss how the dozens of bikes tested across five categories were put through their paces before revealing this year’s overall and performance bike winners.

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Our annual Bike of the Year test is a massive undertaking where we tell you which bikes are category-leading, with this year being no exception.

Tom, who was in charge of the trail bike category, and Alex, who tested electric mountain bikes for the first time in Bike of the Year history, are joined by Luke to discuss the trials and tribulations of this year's testing, and to discuss Rob's Enduro Bike of the Year category in his absence.

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Planning a gravel ride well can make the difference between a mega day out and a disastrous one. In this episode, we chat about route planning, nutrition, tools and spares, sharing some of our past mistakes to help you prepare better than we did!

BikeRadar’s Robyn Furtado and Jack Evans join us for this episode, as well as multi-sport adventurer, komoot Global Community Manager and Hammerhead ambassador Gaby Thompson.

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Technical Editor-in-Chief Robin Weaver and Senior Road Technical Editor Warren Rossiter impart their vast knowledge to answer a depth of questions from you, our dear readers and listeners.

Warren recommends a Shimano-compatible 11-speed Miche cassette that includes the sweet spot 16t sprocket, while Rob tells why you need to carefully research whether your enduro bike frame is compatible with dual crown forks, or not as the case may be. We also discuss cycling kit for bigger riders and the best tyres for a mountain bike that’s been converted into a commuter.

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Last week we looked at how to choose the best gravel bike for you, and this time we’re taking a deeper dive into gravel bike setup.

To help us navigate this topic, we’re chatting to Vera Ngosi-Sambrook, an avid adventure cyclist who was thrown in at the deep end last year when she was awarded the 2021 Ultra Distance Scholarship, BikeRadar’s Felix Smith, a fellow long distance cyclist and gravel enthusiast, and mountain biker turned gravel convert Tom Marvin.

From drivetrain choice to wheel size, gravel bike position to droppers and suspension options, join us to delve into the intricacies of gravel bike setup.

Check out our online guide to gravel bike setup at https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/gravel-bike-setup/.

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Drawing on experience of testing a range of high-pivot mountain bikes over the past few years, our tech team of Tom, Al and Luke delve into the science and realities of this new breed of mountain bike.

More reading on high-pivot bikes:

What is a high-pivot bike? The pros and cons explained

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/what-is-a-high-pivot-mountain-bike/

High-pivot vs low-pivot mountain bike – which is better? Two suspension systems tested

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/high-pivot-vs-low-pivot-mountain-bike/

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Join us as we tackle what can seem like a really tough question: how to choose the best gravel bike for you.

With an overwhelming number of gravel bikes on the market these days, with offerings from every bike manufacturer plus some more niche brands or even custom framebuilders we help you to drill down exactly what will be the best choice for you, your budget and riding style.

We’re joined by two of our gravelliest bike testers, Cycling Plus’ Warren Rossiter, or Woz, and BikeRadar.com’s Jack Luke. Between them we’d be willing to bet that they’ve swung a leg over almost every gravel bike going, from the new generation of bling aero gravel superbikes to some really rather retro niche builds.

Check out our online gravel bike buyer’s guide at https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-gravel-bikes/.

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BikeRadar digital writer Jack Evans speaks to Ian Boswell, the former WorldTour pro who’s become one of gravel’s biggest names, about life post-retirement and recovering from crashes and concussion. Jack and Ian discuss his racing ambitions, gravel tech and where the sport is heading. 

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On the first of our 7-part gravel series we start at the beginning: why is gravel riding so great, and how did we get into it?

Joined by BikeRadar’s Jack Luke and Tom Marvin alongside cycling photographer, ultra racer and Epping Forest local Tom Gibbs, we discuss what you’ll need to get you started on your trail to gravel enlightenment.

Check out more about getting into gravel riding at BikeRadar: https://www.bikeradar.com/features/routes-and-rides/what-is-gravel-riding/. 

This episode is brought to you by Hammerhead.

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