Yes, folks, it’s once again that time of year where we here at CyclingTips hand out the most prestigious, coveted, and occasionally dubious awards in all of cycling: the CyclingTippies! What was the most important bike launched this year? What was the biggest miss? What was just the flat-out most ridiculous, or most annoying? And what was the absolute biggest bummer of the year? We cover all of this, and more, in this week’s episode.
Dec 18, 2020•1 hr 1 min
James has locked the Nerds out of the recording studio for this episode, disregarding the traditional format to instead do a (very) deep dive into the world of bearings. What makes for a good bearing or a bad one? Are ceramics really all that? How are we supposed to take care of these things? And why does press-fit suck in the bicycle world, but is the norm in industrial settings? Hope you’re sitting somewhere comfy because we’re nerding out big time for this one.
Dec 04, 2020•1 hr 17 min
We’ve said before that we’re in a “golden age” of chain lube these days, with big advancements in recent months that not only reduce drivetrain friction but dramatically extend the lifespan of your components, too. We discuss the latest releases from CeramicSpeed and Silca — one for wet conditions, the other for dry — and make the argument for why they’re actually better bargains than you might think. We’re also on the cusp of a potentially big revolution in frame materials, with magnesium final...
Nov 19, 2020•1 hr 18 min
Winter is coming, and so is new winter riding gear. Nerd Alert this week kicks off with a discussion about the new Assos winter jacket that retails at $725 USD (0:03:40) as well as Rapha's new Windproof Explore Pullover sweater (0:13:10). There are more and more companies adopting environmentally sustainable methods, like Trek's new packaging for their Marlin hardtail. (0:19:10). James chats with Erik Bronsvoort, author of "From Marginal Gains to a Circular Revolution: A practical guide to creat...
Nov 06, 2020•1 hr 26 min
In this episode of Nerd Alert, we discuss the merits of Ratio Technology’s new 12-speed conversion kit for SRAM 11-speed levers, as well as the pros and cons of wireless technology for Shimano’s next-generation Dura-Ace Di2 groupset. We then have a chat with the folks at Cadex and discuss the challenges of positioning a high-end “in-house” brand against established third-party aftermarket labels. Finally, we finish off with another round of “Ask a Mechanic”. Moral of the story: don’t take mechan...
Oct 24, 2020•1 hr 21 min
The UCI has a lot of silly technical rules, but there’s one that isn’t on the books that could potentially keep a lot of riders from crashing. It doesn’t have anything to do with the bikes themselves, though; it would apply to bottles and cages. Existing rules for aero tube shapes are also about to change either way and how exactly that will affect the shape of future bikes is anything but certain. Will your next bike sprout a seatpost out of its top tube? Will road bikes look like triathlon bik...
Oct 08, 2020•1 hr 21 min
With the Tour de France wrapped up, we take a look at the tech that popped up and discuss what it might mean for the rest of us.
Sep 23, 2020•1 hr 2 min
What's the saying? Those who can't make something, podcast about it? With much adoration for the good people behind our favorite bike stuff, sometimes things just miss the mark. This episode is a celebration ... no, the opposite of that ... of bike tech that makes us want to pull our hair out.
Sep 09, 2020•1 hr 21 min
We kick off this week's episode with some tech news, including a discussion of the new Classified two-speed hub, which gives you a 2x without a front derailleur. James chats with Luke Musselman about tire width standards, and why the number on the sidewall often bears little resemblance to a tire's actual size.
Aug 18, 2020•1 hr 41 min
This week's episode kicks off with a discussion of EvilCorp's ransomware attack on Garmin's systems, then we take a look at the future of Mavic now that it has new owners. James hops on the phone with an analyst from Bank of America who has been looking into the bike industry and has some good news. Finally, the tool nerds debate the merits of various brands of hex key.
Aug 03, 2020•1 hr 22 min
This week's episode is a deep dive interview with Jason Gabriel of Toray Advanced Composites, the company that provides much of the raw material to carbon bike manufacturers all over the world.
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr 5 min
This week's episode discusses new wheels from Reserve (Santa Cruz) and the return (again) of Spinergy. Then, we ask our resident pro mechanic your reader questions. Should you tip your mechanic? Should you bring a six pack of beer? What assembly compound will stop a press fit bottom bracket from creaking?
Jul 06, 2020•1 hr 13 min
We open this week's episode with a discussion of SRAM's wild patent for a front shifting system that puts three derailleurs on the chainrings themselves, plus a look at the company's new 52-tooth cassette. Then, James speaks with the head of graphics and design at Trek. Finally, we jump back into a What Bike Should I Buy. Who will take home a coveted Podcast Point?
Jun 22, 2020•1 hr 11 min
New wheels from Zipp and Roval have just hit the market, and both bring with them as many questions as answers. Roval is ditching tubeless and Zipp is requiring it. What's going on? Finally, we Ask a Mechanic about BB90, chain cleaning, and disc brakes that won't line up.
Jun 08, 2020•1 hr 15 min
There's much tech news to dissect in this week's episode, from Strava's aggressive new paywall to the new Cannondale Scalpel to which podcast host did the dumbest weightweenie things to his XC bike back in the early 2000s. Plus, we bring back Ask a Mechanic, and Zach runs through how to fix a floppy SRAM hydro shifter, the best way to wrap bars, and more.
May 25, 2020•1 hr 9 min
This week's episode is a deep dive on carbon repair. After Caley broke his mountain bike, he sent it off to be fixed. We speak with Shawn Small and Dan Steinle from Ruckus Composites about the process, what they'll fix, and what they won't. Then, James chats with Raoul Leuscher about why carbon bikes break in the first place.
May 12, 2020•1 hr 39 min
This week's episode opens with the latest tech news, from new POC helmets to fast lube from Silca, and then dives into helmet safety with Kali Protective's Brad Waldron.
Apr 28, 2020•1 hr 9 min
This week's episode opens with the latest news from Pond Beaver 2020, CyclingTips' virtual trade show. We have new wheels from Fulcrum and Enve, new cranks from Rotor, and much more. Then, James calls up an engineer at Continental, who lets us in on what the company and some pro teams had planned for Paris-Roubaix. Hint: It wasn't tubular.
Apr 13, 2020•1 hr 32 min
We all know that it’s easier to climb on a lighter bike. What isn’t as obvious is exactly how much it matters. And as it turns out, it doesn’t matter as much as you probably think it does. Dave Rome takes a deep dive into the hard science of how mass affects performance in relation to other factors like aerodynamic efficiency and friction. How much is too much? Fair warning: If you’ve always considered yourself a weight weenie, be prepared, because you might not love what you’re about to h
Mar 30, 2020•45 min
This is a coronavirus-free podcast. Just a bunch of nerds sitting around talking bikes. This week's episode kicks off with a look into the somewhat shadowy world of carbon manufacturing. We speak with someone who has built bikes for big brands and small, and who provides insight into the way the whole system works. Then, we Ask A Mechanic about corroded cables, proper brake bleed technique, and more.
Mar 16, 2020•1 hr 28 min
This week's episode comes to you from our Gravel Bike Field Test, and, unsurprisingly, we've got gravel bikes on the mind. James and Dave dig into gravel geometry, and specifically on the ways that gravel bikes are borrowing from mountain bikes. Sometimes that borrowing is a good thing, sometimes it's a bad thing. Then, a What Bike Should I Buy with everything* on the line. *Everything, in this case, is doing the dishes at the CT gravel house.
Mar 03, 2020•47 min
Elite amateur bike racers deserve free stuff, right? Well, not so fast. This episode, James digs into the world of sponsorship, including dos and don'ts of requesting it. Then, we ask Zach some mechanic questions, and try to figure out which rim brake bike can fit 32mm tires.
Feb 18, 2020•1 hr 3 min
This week, James chats with brake engineer John Thomas about the difficulties in perfecting disc brakes, and how the very nature of the way we put bikes together these days makes it almost impossible to make them completely silent. Then, we pepper pro mechanic Zach with audience questions, and help Jakob pick a new bike in a contentious What Bike Should I Buy segment.
Feb 03, 2020•1 hr 5 min
This week your favorite Nerds are in Adelaide, Australia for the Tour Down Under, and the episode opens with a walk through the mechanic's pits. What's new in 2020 pro equipment? Then, we sit down with pro, and known geek, Adam Hansen to discuss his scientific and real-world exploration of bike fit.
Jan 21, 2020•1 hr 18 min
It's Awards season! James, Dave, and Caley sit down to award the best tech of the last decade and discuss where those developments are going next. Is the future of road disc brakes finally quiet? Will mechanical shifting stand the test of time? What will gravel bikes look like in ten years' time?
Jan 07, 2020•55 min
This week's episode opens with a few indoor riding topics - Zwift's new off-road courses and Rapha's indoor riding clothing. We then switch gears to gravel and discuss the new Evil Chamois Hagar, which looks (and will ride) like nothing else on the market.
Dec 20, 2019•44 min
Welcome to the CyclingTips Nerd Alert podcast! In this episode, we discuss in detail the key findings in Dave Rome's most recent tech feature, which dives into Adam Kerin’s incredibly exhaustive research on chain efficiency and durability. Which chains last the longest, and which ones aren’t worth the extra money? What’s the most economical way to keep your expensive drivetrain running smoothly? And what are our hosts’ favorite chain lubes?
Dec 06, 2019•36 min
The world of bicycle tech is just too big to live exclusively within the confines of our regular podcast, so we’re now expanding Nerd Alert into its own regular pod, which will be released every other week. Subscribe now to make sure you never miss an episode.
Nov 24, 2019•1 min
