Velo Podcast

Opening weekend in Flanders saw chaos, carnage, and the inevitable, with Omloop first-timer Mathieu van der Poel taking a dominating win and Demi Vollering showing some impressive early-season strength. This episode of the Velo podcast has European editor and race correspondent Andrew Hood breaking down all the action from Belgium and answering Levy's questions about how to stop MVDP's dominance at the classics, why there were so many huge crashes, and when a podium feels like a victory.
Hoody and Levy also get into the action from Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, where 20-year-old Matthew Brennan's dominating sprint form has finally given Visma–Lease a Bike some good news. They also preview this weekend's Strade Bianche and weigh in on the chances of anyone beating Tadej Pogačar for his fourth win on the white roads, something that Tom Pidcock and Paul Seixas will be doing their best to prevent. 

In this episode of the Velo podcast, we're doing some collective venting about the stuff that grinds our gears, but we don’t start there. Instead, we open with some breaking news from Lisa about Ironman of all things. We don't usually spend much time on triathlons, but this is less about the sport and more about the corporation that controls it. We have to ask: Is a new gear ban with a "safety" justification actually just a thin veil for a commercial cash grab?

From there, we pivot to the two years I’ve spent living with the Garmin Edge 1050. The "fancy walled garden" of the Garmin ecosystem creates a trap that’s hard to escape, but is the tech actually enough to keep anyone there? I think it is, but I also made a big mistake with my initial read on the 1050 when it launched, and it’s time I owned up to it.

Then, the episode shifts into a rapid-fire round of industry complaints:

Mike kicks things off by explaining why a "standard" designed to fix creaking has actually created a new nightmare for home mechanics. We mostly agree on this one, but we want to know if you’ve felt the same pain in your workshop.

Then it’s my turn to rant about unwritten rules. I dig into why I never quite seem to fit in on the local ride, while Lisa offers some perspective, then firmly lays down the real rules of engagement.

Rules established, we jump back to Mike’s crusade against electric mini pumps. We’re all in agreement that they're a bit silly, but Mike shocks us with an unexpected admission about a different strategy he actually endorses. There’s a brief mention of hookless here, too, but I let it go... for now.

Lisa gets surprisingly fired up about the "rules" of jersey pockets, and Mike has his own gears to grind here regarding bibs. Lisa starts with a strong point, and we think she's on to something, but she loses us after Mike swoops in with his own complaint about bibs.

Mike gets on his high horse to explain why your gravel bike shouldn't just be a road bike with fat tires and how current designs make descents scarier than they need to be. I eventually force him to admit he’s wrong, and I may have done a small victory dance off-camera.

My victory doesn't last long. To close things out, I get on my own high horse to talk hookless. We get into a heated discussion about why hookless even exists and whether "mini-hooks" are a real solution or just more marketing. I’ll call it like it is: I think the public is falling for the marketing BS, but maybe you think I’m the one who’s wrong?

Let us know in the comments where you think I’m off my rocker and where Lisa and Mike are spot on. Or, if there’s something else driving you crazy in the bike world that we missed, tell us about it.

00:00 – Episode Intro and "Things that Grind our Gears"

00:57 – Breaking News: Ironman Corporation bans athlete video equipment

07:40 – Garmin Edge 1050: A two-year long-term review and the ecosystem trap

38:20 – Things that grind our gears: Mike hates T47 bottom brackets

42:32 – Things that grind our gears: Josh hates group rides

45:29 – Things that grind our gears: Lisa hates stopping at the top of the climb

46:56 – Things that grind our gears: Everyone hates electric mini pumps

53:34 – Things that grind our gears: Lisa hates bad jersey pockets

54:21 – Things that grind our gears: Mike hates bibs without pockets

56:16 – Things that grind our gears: Mike hates gravel bike geometry

01:07:58 – Things that grind our gears: A heated debate over Hookless Rims

Senior Tech Editor Josh Ross has spent the last month living with the 5th generation Cannondale SuperSix EVO, and he’s come to a blunt conclusion: either he’s jaded, or the flagship "superbike" just isn't that exciting. While the marketing suggests this is a category-defining machine, Josh explains why at $10,000 for the Hi-Mod (and more for the Lab71), the SuperSix has essentially become a clone of the Specialized Tarmac SL8 without actually hitting the same high marks. The crew discusses the "Tarmac-ification" of the all-around race bike and why the real winner of this launch is actually the $3,000 mechanical 105 build at the bottom of the range.

The SuperSix launch is just the start of the episode. Mike Levy, Lisa Charlerbois, and Josh dive into the polarizing news of the upcoming Lance Armstrong movie starring Austin Butler. Does another big-screen biopic help or hurt the sport’s image? The crew also tackles your listener questions, including the rise of Chinese wireless drivetrains, Mike’s story of being chased through the dark by a "squadron" of squirrels, and whether radar is actually ruining the purity of the ride.

Finally, Josh doubles down on the take that set the Velo comments section on fire: Hi-viz clothing is victim blaming. He explains why he's rejecting the "common sense" argument and why we need to stop shifting the burden of safety onto cyclists.

00:00 – Welcome to the show 

01:53 – The Austin Butler/Lance Armstrong Movie Debate 

08:17 – Listener Q&A 

30:58 – Trek Check-Out Long Term: Ditching the "Dorky" Rack 

36:07 – SuperSix EVO Gen 5: What Actually Changed, how the Lab71 compares to the Tarmac SL8 and Cervélo S5, and why the 105 mechanical build is what you be buying

50:13 – Wrap up and a tease about the Garmin 1050 and how it's possible the company made a mistake

From donkeys in the Oman desert to a kangaroo take-down at the Tour Down Under, the 2026 racing season is off to a wild start. But the real creature chaos starts when Levy tells the story of being hunted through the woods by something he can't quite explain.

This week, we also have a heated discussion on whether the push for hi-viz apparel is actually a form of victim blaming that ignores the real dangers of the road. Plus, we discuss the new Garmin RearVue 820 and how its same-speed tracking effectively turns it into a high-tech drafting sensor for catching wheel-suckers.

00:00 – Intro 

00:35 – Wildlife Chaos: Donkeys and Gazelles in Oman 

04:25 – Wildlife Chaos: Kangaroos at the Tour Down Under 

05:53 – Hazardous Animal Encounters: Dogs and Bee Stings 

08:09 – Hazardous Animal Encounters: Locusts and Tarantulas 

09:26 – Levy’s Mystery Woods Encounter (The Bigfoot Story) 

13:55 – Listener Q&A: The Cost of Campagnolo Batteries 

17:41 – Listener Q&A: Electronic Drivetrains and "E-Waste" 

23:53 – Listener Q&A: Lower Tier and Chinese Group Sets 

29:54 – Garmin RearVue 820: The Drafting Sensor Hack 

47:15 – The Ethics of Safety: Is Hi-Viz Just Victim Blaming? 

This week, Velo tech editor Josh Ross dives deep into the "Big Four" road groupsets. After months of testing SRAM Red AXS, Shimano Dura-Ace, Campagnolo Super Record 13, and the TRP Vistar // Classified partnership, Josh argues that the "best" groupset doesn't exist—only the one that fits your personality.

We also discuss:

Trek Check-Out: Lisa gives her early impressions of Trek’s genre-bending new gravel platform.

Pro Safety: The fallout of the 100kph Alula Tour crash and the debate over peloton speed limits.

Listener Q&A: We answer your questions on everything from aero bras to the struggle of skin suits.

We dug into the data to find out. After a 20-minute head-to-head test between a modern aero setup and a classic steel bike, the results were staggering: The aero setup was 30% more efficient, requiring just 221 watts to outpace a rider pushing 288 watts. In this episode, the Velo tech team breaks down the physics of why "Weight Weenie" upgrades fail where aerodynamics succeed, and how you can find these same "free" watts on your next ride.

Also in this episode:

The Vingegaard Incident: A deep dive into Jonas Vingegaard’s recent crash in Spain involving a "stalker" fan and the reality of pro/fan interactions on open roads.

Gravel Suspension Shootout: Is the Lauf leaf-spring fork actually better than the Cane Creek Invert? We answer listener Q&A about upgrading the Salsa Cutthroat.

The Leadville Ban: The crew debates LifeTime’s decision to ban drop bars at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB.

Tech Hot Takes: A defense of the critical take on Pinarello’s new Grevil MX mountain bike conversion.

Pro Encounters: Lisa and Levy share their own awkward moments with pros in Girona and F1 drivers.

Do you actually need a damper on a gravel bike? Logan Jones-Wilkins joins the show to discuss his massive suspension shootout comparing the Cane Creek Invert, RockShox Rudy, and Fox 32 TC. We break down the winners, the losers, and where the "upside-down" tech actually makes sense.

Then, we tackle the controversy of the week: The Leadville Trail 100 MTB drop-bar ban. Josh digs into the archives to see if drop bars truly offer an advantage, or if this rule change is purely aesthetic. Finally, we ask if the new Pinarello Grevil MX is a legitimate race bike or just a way to move overstock frames.

“Owning the Litespeed Coll dels Reis isn’t smart," according to Velo tech editor Josh Ross, but sometimes you have to go with your heart rather than your head. Today's episode sees Josh describe how the lightest titanium disc road frame performs, and he explains that there's much more to this US-made metal bike than its lack of heft. We also dig into comparisons to carbon bikes, its 187lb weight limit, and why there's no such thing as the mythical "forever bike." 

Velo contributor and ultra-distance cyclist Lisa Charlebois joins us to report back on her findings after testing a load of women's winter riding jackets, and both she and Josh share their top picks for different conditions and budgets. They also give Levy some pointers on how to stay warm, including a high-tech alternative to the ol' newspaper stuffed down the front of your jersey trick. 

New year, same rider... But fresh goals? Lastly, from 500km epics to simply aiming to get on the bike more often, Will, Lisa, Josh, and Levy talk about their ride plans and goals for the 2026 season. 

Best known for heavily modifying carbon fiber mountain bike frames and components to shave grams and hide every cable, Dangerholm set out to create two wild gravel machines based on Scott's Spark RC and Scale frames. But the real talking point is the wheels used on both bikes: fully custom carbon rims with a 45mm inner width, 52mm on the outside, and a stepped height of up to 70mm. In other words, absolutely massive. But are they too wide?
Levy has Dangerholm explain how the design is essentially a hidden rim inside of a fairing, tire choices, the upsides that go far beyond aero benefits, and how you'll never know what works if you don't go a bit too far sometimes. 

The end of 2025 means that it's time to look back at all of the bikes and gear used by the Velo tech editors and make some difficult decisions.

Today's episode sees Josh Ross and Alvin Holbrook explain the Road Bike of the Year nominees, which included the Colnago Y1RS and Lightspeed's Coll dels Reis, and why neither of those fancy machines took the overall win. We also get a bit heated over the Gravel Bike of the Year, Innovation of the Year, and finally, Product of the Year.

The second half of today's show sees Levy, Alvin, and Josh list out their personal best-of-2025 product picks, which include everything from "budget" power meters, definitely not budget indoor trainer bikes, 13-speed drivetrains from Italy, 12-speed drivetrains from America, an AI assistant, and a whole load of music recommendations.

See prior episodes of the Velo Podcast here.

Further reading