This week’s episode is shorter than usual, but no less geeky. Join Dave and Brad as they discuss some of the bigger tech news. Within, the geeks discuss Mavic’s new US$999 Cosmic S 42 Disc carbon road wheels. Pivot has wholly overhauled its Vault gravel bike. Wolf Tooth has a new free app for dialling in off-road tyre pressures. The iconic folding bike company Brompton goes gravel. And of course, there’s a quick discussion of that new RAF1 backpack thing. You’ll also hear Dave and Brad share som...
Sep 20, 2024•41 min•Ep. 105
In this week's Geek Warning, Brad, Ronan, and Caley delve into a project that wants to answer all our compatibility questions, forever. Plus, a bit of Campagnolo news, some thoughts on the unreleased bike Lachlan Morton is riding around Australia, and Brad's suggestions for Caley's brake and suspension fork woes.
Sep 12, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 104
Tyres tyres tyres! Aero tyres, big fat gravel tyres - in this episode has a lot of tyres in it. We have a bit of a shakeup this week. Dave Rome is on a well-deserved holiday so Caley and Ronan are joined by pro mechanic Zach Edwards to talk through Parcours' latest tyre testing and what the data can teach us about optimising for various road courses. Then we discuss the trend toward 50mm+ rubber at the pointy end of gravel races, some updates from Zwift, and Caley's new cross-country bike....
Sep 06, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 103
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!
Aug 30, 2024•33 min•Ep. 102
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 (per...
Aug 30, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 101
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 n...
Aug 23, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 100
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 Thr...
Aug 16, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 99
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 ...
Aug 15, 2024•49 min•Ep. 98
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 r...
Aug 08, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 97
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...
Aug 02, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 96
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 p...
Jul 26, 2024•53 min•Ep. 95
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 f...
Jul 19, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 94
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 hea...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 93
It’s the week of all weeks for cycling tech. The Tour de France has kicked off, the world’s largest cycling tradeshow – Eurobike – is on, and we’ve seen many smaller handmade bike shows, too. With that, Dave Rome, Brad Copeland, and Ronan Mc Laughlin have plenty of things to geek out over. The geeks discuss the new Classified and TRP drivetrain collab , plus new budget groupset options from Microshift and SRAM. Ronan gives a brief overview of Continental’s new aero tyres , while there’s also cha...
Jul 05, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 92
If you managed to take a look at some of the bikes from Spoken , you’ll quickly realise there’s a whole lot of tech to talk about. For this member’s special bonus episode of Geek Warning, Dave Rome sits down with a number of exhibitors while at the show. In this episode you’ll hear interviews with builders such as Feather Cycles and Woods Bicycle Co. Dave chats with Silca’s owner Josh Poertner about the future of chain waxing and 3D titanium printing. You’ll learn about the latest from Melbourne...
Jun 28, 2024•34 min•Ep. 91
In this week’s episode of Geek Warning, Escape Collective's tech editors Dave Rome and Ronan McLaughlin get lost in thought and go well over the magic hour. Hit play to hear whether Trek’s move to turn two race bikes into one is a decision based on performance or business, whether lateral chain wear is a measurement we should be considering, what we look for in bib shorts, and what possessed Ronan to do a nearly 20-hour-long ride. Of course, the geeks also talk about other new products just rele...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 90
It’s time to geek out. This week Brad Copeland, Ronan McLaughlin, and Dave Rome are on the pod to talk all the major news in the world of tech and what’s on their minds. There’s a new road bike from Pinarello, and a new head unit that promises to be self-sustaining, and a more affordable full suspension race bike from Specialized. Plus Dave and Brad share some things on their minds. Forward warning and an apology as the sound quality on this one doesn’t meet our usual standard. Dave was already ...
Jun 21, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 89
The tech never stops. This episode Brad Copeland and Dave Rome discuss a handful of new dropbar bikes, a recall, common mistakes with fitting chains, and their favourite… grease. Oh yes, it’s Geek Warning! Those new bikes include the fascinatingly simple Specialized Crux DSW , a refreshed Bianchi Arcadex gravel bike, and OBED’s entry into the endurance road space. Meanwhile the geeks discuss Ellsworth’s recent return and entry into gravel. Following a repair during the week, on Brad’s mind is ho...
Jun 14, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 88
A €9,000 frame, a €27k build, and €22K spent on developing the bottle alone… Wilier has a new TT bike. E scape Collective had exclusive access to the development of this new bike in a seemingly impossible time frame. Leading the design project was Marco Genovese, Head of Design at Wilier Triestina. With 14 years of experience in developing over 100 frames, Genovese knows a thing or two about carbon frame design. Escape Tech Editor Ronan Mc Laughlin sat down with Genovese to deep dive on all thin...
Jun 10, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 87
A lot has happened in the world of cycling tech over the past week. The Dauphine has teased new bikes getting dialled in for the Tour. While Unbound has shown that gravel tech is still progressing at a rapid rate, including wider tyres , new 1x drivetrains , and aero-shaped suspension. There’s a full cast of geeks to chat about it, with Ronan Mc Laughlin tuning in to discuss what’s new in the road space, while Dave Rome and new-old voice Brad Copeland discuss the rest. Of course the geeks discus...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 86
It's time for another bonus episode of Geek Warning. Typically, we keep these bonus episodes for subscribers and members of Escape Collective, however, this one is being left open to all as a teaser for the type of stuff you’re missing by not being a member. If you like this and want more, sign up here . This episode is about gravel tire selection and trends in the thinking that bigger is better. It all came about through an Instagram post by former WorldTour pro-turned Gravel Pro Alex Howes , w...
May 31, 2024•55 min•Ep. 85
Welcome back to Geek Warning, a podcast by the Escape Collective, that covers everything to know in the world of bicycle tech. James Huang said farewell in our past episode, and with that, Dave is joined by a new voice that knows a thing or two about bicycle-related things – Brad Copeland .With a mountain bike World Cup race at Nové Město freshly finished, Dave and Brad discuss things in use by the winners, technical problems by a race favourite, and trends in tyre tech.The geeks share their fav...
May 31, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 84
Ever feel like you’d like a lighter bike? Now imagine what your current bike would feel like if it was half of your body weight. For all too many kids who are learning to ride bikes, that’s exactly what it feels like to them. Premium kids’ bikes are a relatively new category, but also one that’s rapidly growing with more brands, models, sizes, and genres than ever before. Are they expensive? As compared to what you’d find in a big-box store, sure. But when you really think about what your kid mi...
May 25, 2024•32 min•Ep. 83
It’s just a regular week in May, but you can bet the bike industry is its usual buzz of activity. James Huang and Dave Rome offer some strong thoughts related to Shimano’s latest release of GRX Di2 . There’s chat about Felt clawing its way back into the spotlight. Of course the geeks can't ignore the return of Kona Bikes. And there are rumblings that the old Interbike tradeshow may be coming back, too. We’ve got custom bikes on our minds. We fail at picking one saddle. And there’s a PSA for all....
May 24, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 82
Not surprisingly given the big product launch this week, Dave and James have a lot to dive into with SRAM’s new Red AXS wireless road groupset: what’s different about it, what’s not so different, what’s been improved, and what’s stayed the same – and the thing everyone will invariably ask us, whether we’d choose that or the latest Shimano Dura-Ace. We also chat about the neat features embedded into the new Hammerhead Karoo GPS computer, and the significance of the new tire partnership between Zi...
May 16, 2024•59 min•Ep. 81
Much leaked and recently teased, SRAM has now officially unveiled the latest iteration of its Red AXS road groupset. This top-tier offering introduces a new approach to shifter ergonomics and braking, along with a number of other smaller changes. Shile at the product launch, tech editor Dave Rome sat down with a few key members of SRAM’s road product and engineering team to discuss what’s new, what isn’t, and why. Following the chat about new SRAM things, Dave then sat down with the team from Ha...
May 15, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 80
We know, we know, it’s been ages since we did our last Ask a Wrench episode – late January, in fact. Guilty as charged. Better late than never? But as a nice bonus, our panel of geeks had an extra-long list of repair and maintenance questions to answer this time around, like why bedding in your new brakes is important, what not to do with your fancy digital torque wrench, how to diagnose a curious front-end clunk, how to protect your fancy new bike for the long haul, the best way to fix a paint ...
May 10, 2024•31 min•Ep. 79
Welcome back to Geek Warning! This week, James and Dave have a varied conversation covering tech related to road, gravel, and mountain bike. The Giro has begun and Tadej Pogačar took a little tumble that many were quick to blame the equipment for. James and Dave discuss that such finger pointing was not warranted this time. At the opposite end of UCI disciplines, the conversation then turns to aero gains returning to professional downhill mountain bike racing. In the tech new front, the geeks pr...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 78
The Sea Otter Classic just wrapped up literally a few days ago, but clearly someone forgot to turn off the tap of new bikes and gear. Cervelo just announced a redesign of its ultra-popular Aspero gravel bike, and clearly put a lot of thought into what needed to change – and perhaps more importantly, what didn’t. Colnago also just dropped a new gravel bike of its own, the G4X, and Giant finally revamped its Trinity TT bike – no more rim brakes! Dave and James also chat about the eight billion tub...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 77
In this episode of Geek Warning, James is just back from the Sea Otter Classic and Dave is still thinking about chain lube and tools. On the Sea Otter front, James and Dave discuss new eco-friendlier tyres from Vittoria, new metal bikes from Ritchey and Digit, parts from 5Dev and Xpedo, along with new tools from PrestaCycle and Stan’s NoTubes. Check out James’ Sea Otter Classic galleries for visuals of what was discussed (and so so so much more). The conversation then turns to larger questions a...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 76
