Velo Podcast

Is climbing as simple as power-to-weight ratios? Not so much. In the January/February issue of VeloNews magazine, we dug into the rarely explored science of climbing. This podcast goes behind the scenes of the making of that article, and the many fascinating discoveries that came out of it.

Co-hosts Trevor Connor and Chris Case turned themselves into mad scientists and convinced WorldTour pro Sepp Kuss (LottoNL-Jumbo) to join them for several time trials up a few Boulder climbs in the quest for answers.

Chief among the questions was simply: does climbing come down to power-to-weight or does your climbing technique make a difference? In other words, if two riders weigh the same and average the same wattage, will they have the same time up a climb regardless of how they ride? Answering that question led to several others, including how a rider's "type" affects his or her climbing and what's the difference between pros and amateurs.

We also discovered some surprising answers about how different riders climb, how cadence plays a role, and if those basic online calculators can really predict your time up a climb. We also collected novel on-the-road biomechanical data.

This special episode of Fast Talk takes a deeper dive into our in-house experiment, more so than any magazine article could. No, our experiment wasn't worthy of publication in the journal Science, but we had a lot of fun, we discovered some things that we're very excited about, and, most importantly, we hope to help all of you become better climbers.

Joining us for the podcast is Ryan Kohler of the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center, who helped with the experiments on the road.

Is climbing as simple as power-to-weight ratios? Not so much. In the January/February issue of VeloNews magazine, we dug into the rarely explored science of climbing. This podcast goes behind the scenes of the making of that article, and the many fascinating discoveries that came out of it.

Co-hosts Trevor Connor and Chris Case turned themselves into mad scientists and convinced WorldTour pro Sepp Kuss (LottoNL-Jumbo) to join them for several time trials up a few Boulder climbs in the quest for answers.

Chief among the questions was simply: does climbing come down to power-to-weight or does your climbing technique make a difference? In other words, if two riders weigh the same and average the same wattage, will they have the same time up a climb regardless of how they ride? Answering that question led to several others, including how a rider's "type" affects his or her climbing and what's the difference between pros and amateurs.

We also discovered some surprising answers about how different riders climb, how cadence plays a role, and if those basic online calculators can really predict your time up a climb. We also collected novel on-the-road biomechanical data.

This special episode of Fast Talk takes a deeper dive into our in-house experiment, more so than any magazine article could. No, our experiment wasn't worthy of publication in the journal Science, but we had a lot of fun, we discovered some things that we're very excited about, and, most importantly, we hope to help all of you become better climbers.

Joining us for the podcast is Ryan Kohler of the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center, who helped with the experiments on the road.

With Compton crushing her 14th title and Hyde battling Powers for his second title, CX Nats was an instant classic. We look back on the key races, and what's ahead for the best American cyclocross racers.

Also in this show, we discuss the 2018 Women's WorldTour. Some key riders have moved to new teams, but will that stop Boels-Dolmans from winning nearly any race? The Dutch powerhouse team looks as good as ever.

With Compton crushing her 14th title and Hyde battling Powers for his second title, CX Nats was an instant classic. We look back on the key races, and what's ahead for the best American cyclocross racers.

Also in this show, we discuss the 2018 Women's WorldTour. Some key riders have moved to new teams, but will that stop Boels-Dolmans from winning nearly any race? The Dutch powerhouse team looks as good as ever.

Daniel Holloway burst onto the track World Cup this year winning an omnium event in Chile. First of all, he explains what the omnium event is all about. Then, we discuss his role on the new USA Cycling National Team and his diverse background as a pro cyclist. He's done everything from European racing to Red Hook Crits.

Daniel Holloway burst onto the track World Cup this year winning an omnium event in Chile. First of all, he explains what the omnium event is all about. Then, we discuss his role on the new USA Cycling National Team and his diverse background as a pro cyclist. He's done everything from European racing to Red Hook Crits.

Expectations are high for Richie Porte to podium (or win!?) the Tour de France. The trouble is, his past performances have been patchy. We debate the Australian's talents and weaknesses in the first half of this podcast. There are some reasons to be bullish and others to be skeptical of Porte's potential.

Then, we look ahead to this weekend's USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in Reno! Will Katie Compton get lost in a casino and open the door for a rival to break her streak of 13 consecutive wins? Did Stephen Hyde race too much in the lead-up to championships? Plus, we debate the event's move back to December after the Reno race.

Expectations are high for Richie Porte to podium (or win!?) the Tour de France. The trouble is, his past performances have been patchy. We debate the Australian's talents and weaknesses in the first half of this podcast. There are some reasons to be bullish and others to be skeptical of Porte's potential.

Then, we look ahead to this weekend's USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in Reno! Will Katie Compton get lost in a casino and open the door for a rival to break her streak of 13 consecutive wins? Did Stephen Hyde race too much in the lead-up to championships? Plus, we debate the event's move back to December after the Reno race.

Are you getting out to ride this winter? This podcast covers the physiological effects of training in the cold, from muscle damage to the increased caloric demands. We also discuss tips and tricks to set up your bike, stay warm, and even keep your bottles from freezing. And if it's too damn cold, we explain the best way to balance time indoors on the trainer with outdoor rides.

We speak with Dr. Stephen Cheung, Dr. Inigo San Millan, Trek-Segafredo pro rider Kiel Reijnen, and former cyclocross champion Tim Johnson about the best ways to get fit this winter.

To kick off the new year, we examine the key stories to watch in 2018: Sagan vs. Van Avermaet, Froome's Salbutamol scandal, and much more. We are joined by our new reporter, Dane Cash of VeloHuman and the Recon Ride podcast to look ahead to the coming cycling season.

Later in the show, Fred Dreier talks about a story he wrote for the January/February issue of VeloNews magazine about religion and cycling. Lots of top professionals are religious, but they often feel compelled to keep their faith under wraps. An organization called Athletes in Action is endeavoring to help support them and provide a community.