With Mike Levy out, tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross take over the Velo podcast to unpack some of the biggest stories in cycling right now, including one bike that calls itself the lightest bike in the world, and another that calls itself the fastest in the world. Big day.

Of course, we had to start with the news. Specialized just busted $1.5 million worth of counterfeit gear with help from AliExpress and the Chinese police. So why now? And what does this bust mean for cycling gear? Spoiler: probably not much.

Campagnolo is in a bit of a financial crisis, reportedly having laid off 40 percent of its workforce and lost 24 million euros over the last few years. There is hope yet, though. We discuss why.

Then it's time for bike reviews. Josh breaks down the XDS X-Lab RT-9, the lightest disc brake road bike you can buy, at just 550 grams. It's a super light frame with some spec quirks, and nearly impossible to find in the US.

Finally, we discuss the Factor One review, a bike that makes some heady claims and has the performance to back it up. But the aero shaping isn't the most interesting part of the bike: it's the geometry.

Further reading:

-⁠⁠⁠We Rode the ‘Fastest UCI-Legal Bike Ever Made.’ The Best Part of the Bike Is Hiding Under the Surface.⁠⁠⁠ 

-⁠⁠⁠The World’s Lightest Production Bike Is an Engineering Marvel At a Discount Price⁠⁠⁠ 

-⁠⁠⁠Specialized Seizes $1.6M in Fake Tarmac Frames and Roval Wheels – With AliExpress’s Help⁠⁠⁠ 

-⁠⁠⁠Campagnolo Lays Off 40% of Staff After €24 Million Losses⁠⁠⁠ 

00:00 Intro

1:23 Specialized's counterfeit bust

8:36 Campagnolo responds to reports of layoffs

25:03 Riding the XDS X-Lab RT9

44:09 Riding the Factor One

In this episode of the Velo Podcast, host Mike Levy sits down with tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross to tackle one of cycling's hottest debates: how do we make professional racing safer?

Jim Cotton brought up the valuable question of whether or not skills tests and rider airbags – two suggested solutions to make pro cycling safer – would actually make cycling safer for folks. Bib shorts equipped with automatically inflating airbags are proven in MotoGP to protect riders during high-speed crashes, but are they practical for the pro peloton? What about a licensing system, one that CPA president Adam Hansen has hinted at in the past?

The team discusses weight penalties, comfort concerns over long stages, and whether clothing sponsors would embrace the technology. Further, they debate whether proficiency tests make sense for athletes who live on their bikes, what such courses should teach, and whether the bureaucratic hurdles are worth the potential safety gains.

Finally, the crew discusses their predictions for new gravel bikes that will be predicted in 2026, as well as what gravel bike trends Alvin hopes fall by the wayside in the new year. Is there a new Specialized Crux coming, and if so, how different will it be in the future? There are nine in total, and we talk about the biggest and best of them all.

Want to join Josh and Levy at their group ride? See the info here.

See previous episodes of the Velo Podcast here.

Further reading:

00:00 Intro

6:10 Are airbags in bib shorts going to make things safer?

28:10 Solutions off the cuff

32:45 Is a ‘Super License’ a good idea?

41:00 New gravel bike predictions for 2026

After winning the 2024 Tour Divide, Salsa Cycles' Meaghan Hackinen set her sights on the three-part Mountain Race Series that spans Africa, Europe, and Asia. Meaghan not only became the first female finisher of the wildest race series on the planet, but she also won both the Hellenic in Greece and arguably the most remote and challenging event of all, the Silk Road Mountain Race that travels through the isolated mountains of Kyrgyzstan.

See the latest from Meaghan Hackinen: https://meaghanhackinen.com/

See the latest from Velo: velo.outsideonline.com/featured

See prior episodes of the Velo Podcast: velo.outsideonline.com/tag/velo-podcast

Velo tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross teach Levy how to find more speed on the cheap, from $1,000 wheels from China to relatively inexpensive power meters and aero helmets that make sense. The crew also lays out their budget speed-enhancing picks for $500, $250, $100, $50, and especially our favorite price point: zero dollars.

Alvin has been testing Factor's new Monza, which he argues is a "good value" at $7,200 USD when compared to other aero road bikes. He defends this claim by breaking down the specs, features, and ride impressions versus the competition.

Lastly, doing 150km is a big day on the bike for most of us, but can you imagine spending that entire time on only your rear wheel? Frenchman Oscar Delaite just broke the wheelie world record by doing exactly that, and the guys discuss their wheelie skills... or lack thereof.

Want to join Josh and Levy at their group ride? See the info here.

See previous episodes of the Velo Podcast here.

Further reading

Sure, we've reviewed the fastest World Tour aero road bikes and the newest gravel machines, but what about an off-road capable folding bike? Variety is the spice of life, and Velo tech editor Alvin Holbrook has been getting spicy on Brompton's G Line, a bike that should be more capable than any of the legendary UK brand's previous offerings, thanks to larger wheels and much better tires and brakes.

Alvin rode the G Line on his usual gravel test loop and reports back on how it performed and what type of rider it makes the most sense for.

Would you wear AI on your face? Josh Ross has been in the shape of Oakley's new – and very expensive – Vanguard glasses that come with a video camera, mic and headphones, and a connection to artificial intelligence that's ready to answer *almost* any question you might have.

Josh answers our questions, without any AI help, about what the Vanguards are like to live with, why they might have the best mic and headphones for cycling, and explains how they can actually cost less than buying separate glasses, headphones, and a camera.

Levy has that new bike fizz after buying an Allied Able and shares some of his early ride impressions, as well as how it compares to his much-loved Santa Cruz Stigmata that he's lived on for the previous two years. Is it love at first ride, or might there be some regrets?

Further reading

0:00 Intro
2:02 Alvin and Josh: Are the Meta x Oakley glasses good for cycling?
30:00 Brompton G-Line
41:20 Are the new Vittoria gravel tires greenwashing?
46:35 Levy’s new bike day!
1:08:20 We want your input on a new Zwift ride!

Tech editor Alvin Holbrook fires up Velo's crystal ball to make some predictions about what the road and gravel world might look like in 2026. He makes his case for peak tire width combined with improved casings, more integrated pressure-monitoring systems (and more batteries), Chinese gravel bikes shaking up the market, and the continued slow demise of 2X drivetrains.

But is he channelling Edgar Cayce, or are his divinations more in line with Miss Cleo?

Josh, Alvin, and Levy also discuss how prepared they are (or aren't) for a mid-ride disaster, and the crew describes their own go-to repair kit that they each bring on every single ride. Also, when is it best to just call someone to come pick you up?

Want to join Josh on his Zwift group ride? See the info here.

See more episodes of the Velo Podcast here.

Further reading:

0:00 Intro
1:20 Josh’s inflammatory no-tube comments
3:11 Gravel predictions
32:30 Interlude: Josh used the new Oakley x Meta Vanguard glasses
39:45 Road predictions
51:30 How prepared are you? What we carry for our rides
59:00 Josh, Alvin, and Levy’s toolkits

Campagnolo’s Super Record X evolved from their 13-speed wireless road drivetrain and employs an off-road-specific rear derailleur with their Nano Clutch and race-focused gearing, but can it compete against GRX and Red? Velo tech editor Josh Ross explains the just-released Italian gruppo and their new, 50mm tall Bora gravel wheels.

Alvin was at Rivian's launch of their (questionably named) Also TM-B e-bike and has all the details of this tech-heavy city rig. The Also employs a pedal-by-wire belt drive system, magnesium housing with TWO motors, an inverted suspension fork, and a car-like regenerative braking feature, but Levy wants to know if it will ever be available or if it's destined for vaporware status?

Lastly, the crew digs into Josh's comprehensive indoor trainer buyer's guide, including the least expensive smart trainer that makes sense, why you should consider buying used, haptics and other add-ons, and what his price-no-object indoor setup might look like. They also share their tricks for making indoor rides "fun."

Further reading

Timestamps

00:00 Intro
2:00 Talking about Rivian’s new e-bike
19:50 Campagnolo Super Record X
37:00 Indoor training
57:44 How much do you need to spend?
1:03:00 Alvin: How do I make indoor training not suck?
1:17:55 Josh’s dream setup

No one thinks “race bike” when I say Santa Cruz Stigmata, yet it’s probably the winningest pro gravel bike over the last bunch of years. It’s not light, but why might that not matter? KILLER livability No aero anything, forget about integrated shit, external seat post clamp (replaceable), and the fork is suspension corrected. Its glorious.

Putting out nearly 5w/kg for 180km earned Matej Mohorič third place at the UCI Gravel World Championships, but how does it compare to one of the most intense Lifetime Grand Prix races? We look at Mohorič's effort versus Simon Pellaud's race data from a punchy Sea Otter course to see which event was "harder," and also how their numbers compare to our own much more human abilities. Spoiler alert: it ain't even close.

Back in the real world, Alvin spent the last six months testing Santa Cruz's Stigmata and might have fallen in love with its off-road handling, but is the bike's geometry right for everyone? No, of course not, but Levy still tries to convince Josh that most gravel riders would have more fun (and be just as fast) on a slacker, longer bike like the Stiggy.

Finally, we review Wolf Tooth's new gravel-specific, one-sided DEL pedal that promises low weight, more support, and an adjustable Q-factor.

See the latest from the Velo Podcast here.

Further reading:

00:00 Intro
11:20 Wolf Tooth DEL pedals
23:15 UCI Gravel Worlds vs Life Time Grand Prix
36:30 Big Sugar Gravel takeaways
44:30 All about the Santa Cruz Stigmata
53:45 Progressive geometry, where it works, and where it doesn’t
1:12:00 Is downtube storage important?

It’s cold. It’s wet. Maybe it’s even snowing. Outside is always the best

How different is European and North American gravel racing? Velo was at the Gravel World Championships in the Netherlands to inspect the bikes used by Marianne Vos, Tom Pidcock, and many others, with the relatively fast and smooth course necessitating some interesting equipment choices. Integrated air pressure adjustment systems, huge (for gravel) gearing, and wildly different tire combinations were all spotted, as well as more than a few custom paint jobs for the special occasion.

Alvin, Josh, and Levy also delve into Suunto's legal action against Garmin and why it differs from the Strava debacle all while Levy attempts to convince the crew that social media is a psy-op while denying being addicted to Strava. We also dig into the latest 3T Racemax2 gravel bike, its background, Josh's early impressions from riding the bike, and ultimately, why the bike is so dang interesting.

Finally, we talk about SRAM winning its suit with the UCI and the perfectly passive-aggressive response the UCI offered as a response.

Further reading

See prior episodes of the Velo Podcast here.