Velo Podcast
The Velo Podcast brings you inside the world of gravel and road racing with Velo's team of reporters and commentators.
Episodes
The Tarmac SL9 "Win Fin," a Shrinking Eurobike, and Tour de France Hype
In this week's episode, we question whether the Specialized Tarmac SL9 is a true upgrade or just an iPhone-style micro-update, look at the shrinking footprint of Eurobike, and talk Tour de France storylines.
Show Notes:
This week is a big one for me. Logan is out doing the Tour de France thing, and Mike is nursing his wounds somewhere. That leaves just myself and Lisa Charlebois running the stu
755-Mile Ultra-Endurance Ride Through Freezing Rain and the Arctic Circle
This week we are doing something a bit different. Often this podcast is a space for a deep dive into an article that you can read about on the Velo website. This week we are instead going to learn more about contributor Lisa Charlebois.
Mike Levy and I sat down to chat with Charlebois about a ride she once did. This wasn’t an ordinary ride, though. Charlebois does a lot of big rides, but this one
The Case Against Endurance Bikes and 20 Hours on a Climbing Frame
This week on the Velo Podcast, the crew discusses a 13-pound Everesting rig, women's specific bike shoes vs unisex options, and why your next road bike might actually be a gravel setup.
I’m back, but Mike Levy is still playing in the woods on a bike. We’ll talk to him about that soon, but for now, Logan Jones-Wilkins, Lisa Charlebois, and I get into women's cycling shoes, 13-pound climbing bikes,
The "GRXTR" Mashup: Why 12 Speeds Might Be All You Need
wash lines, and why the UCI is suddenly policing your jersey pockets and screen size.
This week on the Velo Podcast, it's lonely! I was away doing an interview, and Mike Levy is out in the wilderness doing a big ride. That left just Logan Jones-Wilkins and Lisa Charlebois to cover the week's topics.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 - Unbound Aftermath & Press Camp Prep: The pair starts off discussing C
Team Tactics, Peeing on Chains, and 32-Inch Wheels: The Unbound 2026 Debrief
Logan Jones-Wilkins is back from the mud in Kansas to break down a wild 26-mph crash, the dominant Specialized Crux 5 debut, and why gravel racing might never be the same.
As we mentioned last week, Logan was in Emporia, Kansas covering Unbound 2026. Now he’s back in the studio and Mike Levy and I get to talk about what he saw. Part of that is the new Specialized Crux, but before we get there, we
The Great Gravel Debate, 32-Inch Wheels, and Ride Audio Confessions
We dive into the controversial Scott prototype at Unbound, argue over what makes the perfect gravel bike, and reveal the top picks from our new Road Bike Buyer's Guide.
Last week Josh missed the pod, but this week it's Logan Jones-Wilkins’ turn. He is currently on the ground in Emporia, Kansas for Unbound 2026, but his Starlink connection failed. That leaves host Mike Levy, Lisa Charlebois, and J
When is Course Cutting Cheating? + Giro Water Bottle Fines and Strava Feuds
Mike Levy, Lisa Charleboise, and Logan Jones-Wilkins hold down the fort talking about pee, ultra-racing, and Strava feuds. First, Levy tries to pry embargoed information out of Jones-Wilkins before Charleboise recaps another massive weekend ride. From there, it's on to the main topics:
Urine Intel from the Giro d'Italia
The trio tackles the recent UCI warnings at the Giro d'Italia. Racers have b
Radical TT Designs, the UCI's Tech Controversy, and Chris Froome
From wild TT bikes spotted at China Cycle to the real reason behind the Jan-Willem van Schip DQ, we break down the week's biggest tech news. Plus, I talk about sitting down with Chris Froome in China to talk bikes
Episode Notes:
Once again I hit the podcast mic completely jet-lagged and out of my mind to talk about the trip I’d just returned from. This time I was back in Asia, specifically China
Factor's New Ultra-Distance Race Bike & Lisa's 600km Adventure
This week's episode is all about riding long.
Factor's new Sarana ultra-distance race bike made its first appearance at last weekend's Traka gravel race in Girona, Spain, and Velo tech editor Logan Jones-Wilkins answers Levy's questions about how it aims to combine speedy handling and all-day comfort. Its geometry leans more towards speed and agility than outright stability, but it also has room
Dueling Over 32-Inch Wheels and Testing Two Polar-Opposite Gravel Bikes
This week's episode was just like any other. There was definitely nothing controversial… Logan Jones-Wilkins and I dive into two vastly different gravel bikes we’ve been testing, starting with my review of the XDS X-Lab GT8.
On paper, the GT8 is a standard, run-of-the-mill gravel bike. It lacks a unique "special sauce" and won't revolutionize the category, but it is a highly capable all-rounder t
The 32-Inch Wheel Debate, $6,500 Wheels, and the Wildest Tech at Sea Otter
We break down the polarizing "big wheel" trend, compare ultra-premium Partington wheels to Hunt's high-value alternatives, and dive into the coolest gear from the Sea Otter Classic.
This week, the podcast is all about Sea Otter and we’ve got a full house. Lisa Charlebois, Logan Jones-Wilkins, and I all spent time in California at the event, and we’ve got stories to tell. We kick things off by sha
Free Speed for 3,000 Miles: Joe Nation's Extreme Bikepacking Aero Hack
This week the Velo team is at Sea Otter covering the latest tech and Mike Levy is holding down the fort. In this episode, Levy sits down with New Zealander Joe Nation, a rider who possesses one of the most uniquely varied racing resumes in the sport.
Nation spent years following the mountain bike World Cup circuit as a privateer and racing in the Enduro World Series. Today, he’s trading three-min
Stop Under-Tiring Your Gravel Bike (and Other Hot Takes)
I went to Taiwan, but the show must go on. While I was away covering the Taipei Cycle Show, Mike Levy, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins had plenty to talk about. Predictably, things got heavily focused on gravel tire pressure, but that wasn’t all.
This week, the podcast crew debates why roadies need bigger gravel tires, breaks down Specialized’s newest tech, and confesses to their strange
A $31,000 Titanium Bike, 32-Inch Wheels, and Breaking the Factor One
Five minutes after walking in the door from the Taipei Cycle Show, I sat down with Mike Levy to unpack what it was like being there. We immediately dive into the wildest tech from the show floor: what a $31,000 3D-printed titanium road bike actually looks like, whether those budget power meter pedals are legit or just vaporware, and the exact physics behind Pirelli’s claim that their new aero tire
Why a Former Tour de France Pro Recommends Gaining Weight
Legendary Canadian racer Svein Tuft joins Mike Levy to chat about stories from his book, We Will Never Be Here Again. The two cover wild stories ranging from epic bike-packing trips while pulling Tuft's 60-lb dog named Bear in a homemade trailer, to winning stages at the Tour de France and Giro. Tuft has had an unconventional career and lived an unconventional life.
Tuft is likely also the only p
The Truth About One-Sided Gravel Pedals: Brilliant Upgrade vs Industry Scam
We debate whether dumping half your pedal is actually worth the cash, unpack a terrifying lead-vehicle disaster at the Mid-South gravel race, and explain why buying price-point carbon is a mistake.
0:00 - Intro
0:00:35 - Welcome Logan and Mid-South
0:18:10 - Listener questions
0:34:18 - CAAD14 first impressions
0:45:34 - Otso Waheela R launch
0:58:27 - Single sided gravel pedals
How to Steal Giant’s 18 Free Watts, the CAAD14 Apology, and Pro Peloton Road Rage
There has been an alarming amount of physical assault and middle fingers flying in the pro peloton lately. Last weekend, UCI race officials disqualified NSN Devo rider Kiaan Watts after he reached out and struck a competitor in the head mid-race. Just days later, British time trial champion Ethan Hayter earned himself a $645 fine and a docking of 25 UCI points for flashing his middle finger to a T
Pogačar Deep Dive with Andy McGrath, the Man Who Literally Wrote the Book on Pogi
What does it take to be considered one of the greatest of all time? A boatload of major wins doesn't hurt, of course, but how a racer wins can be just as important. Tadej Pogačar's list of victories includes four Tour de France titles, two World Championships, and a remarkable ten Monuments, among many others. They're super-human performances, no doubt, yet it's the Slovenian's willingness to race
MVDP and Vollering Dominate at Opening Weekend
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 a
The Garmin Trap, Garbage Geometry, and Hookless "Marketing BS"
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" ju
The $10,000 SuperSix EVO Reality Check (and the $3,000 Sleeper Hit)
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
Bigfoot, Hi-Viz Victim Blaming, and the Garmin Drafting Hack
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 rea
The 2026 Drivetrain Shootout & Trek Check-Out First Impressions
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
30% More Efficient? The Math Behind Aero vs. Steel
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
Gravel Suspension Fork Shootout (Cane Creek vs. Fox vs. RockShox) + The Leadville Drop-Bar Ban
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
Testing Litespeed's $16,500 Titanium Dream Machine & the Best Winter Jackets
“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 l
Dangerholm: The Mad Genius Behind the World's Most Boundary Pushing Bikes
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,
Factor's Wild Geometry Gamble and What It Says About the Future of Road Bikes
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
Can Rider Airbags and Licenses Make Pro Cycling Safer?
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 e
Meaghan Hackinen on Winning the Silk Road Mountain Race, Moroccan Adventures, & Sketchy River Crossings
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 throu
Finding Speed for Less Money & the 150 km Wheelie World Record Explained
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
Why Mike Levy Switched Gravel Bikes After 20,000 km and the Meta AI Glasses in Review
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
Predicting 2026 Gravel & Road Trends & How Prepared Are You for a Mid-Ride Disaster?
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
What We've Learned After 32,000 Miles on Indoor Trainers, Campy's Gravel Drivetrain, and the New Rivian E-Bike
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
Is UCI Gravel Worlds Harder Racing Than Life Time Grand Prix? Santa Cruz Stigmata Review, and More
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 t
Virtual Roads, Real Sweat: Rouvy’s Vision for the Future of Indoor Cycling
It’s cold. It’s wet. Maybe it’s even snowing. Outside is always the best
side, of course, but sometimes the only realistic option is to put your Bike on the trainer and get after it inside. Today’s sponsored podcast sees Levy sit down with Marek-Martin Matyska, Product Director at Rouvy, to chat about all things indoor training.
Founded in the early 2000s by two brothers in the Czech Republic,
UCI Gravel Worlds Tech, Debating Your Strava Data, & 3T’s Racemax 2 Italia
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 we
The Sury Straggler Reviewed, The Argon18 Nitrogen, Pre-Ride Rituals and Why They Matter | Velo Podcast
Some of the best athletes in the world employ pre-game rituals out of superstition, habit, or to “get into the zone,” but you don’t need to be Michael Jordan or Maria Sharapova to benefit from such a routine. It turns out that those rituals, be it your lucky socks or that one song you just have to put on before heading out, can play an important role in readying your mind and body for what’s about
Trek’s Full-Suspension Gravel Bike Explained & Getting to Know Will Tracy
Gravel bike? Adventure bike? Bikepacking rig? With a drop handlebar but wide tires, proper suspension on both ends, and geometry that makes sense for good times on dirt, the just-released Trek CheckOUT looks like it’s ready for... well, just about anything, be it a quick singletrack rip or a race from Canada to the Mexican border. Will Tracy and Levy look into the CheckOUT’s features, including it
Riding the New 13lb Specialized Aethos & the Limit of Lightness
Velo Senior Tech Editor Josh Ross has been testing the second-generation Aethos and explains what’s changed and how it performs out on the road. We also talk about that kinda mostly hidden cable routing, the advances in FEA software that allow more grams to be shaved, and the new Roval Alpinist CLX III wheels that use thermoplastic spokes with titanium ends. Fancy.
Josh also compares the just-re
SRAM VS the UCI & Why Illegal Drivetrains Might Affect You
Will lower gearing make for safer racing? The UCI thinks so, but it could also make all of SRAM's 1X drivetrains verboten at the highest level of competition without affecting Shimano or Campagnolo. SRAM disagrees, obviously, and has begun legal action in Europe, citing reputational damage and EU competition laws. And as you'd expect, the UCI responded yet again. That and more on this week's episo
Riding the 13-Pound Cervelo R5 & Specialized's New Diverge Goes All In on Suspension
Aero is... not everything? Forget about the wind tunnel, kammtail tube shapes, and 65mm deep rims because Cervelo's just-released R5 proves that light isn't just right, it's also fun. Alvin has been testing the new climbing-focused R5 and tells us what it's like to ride and why it might make more sense than an objectively faster aero bike, especially if you swap the tires.
We headed off-road as S
Getting to Know Velo Tech Editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross
Do you dream about reviewing the newest bikes and equipment? In this episode, Levy goes behind the curtains at Velo to find out how Alvin and Josh ended up testing the latest (and sometimes) greatest gear, and what it's like to ride a different bike every other week. We dig into Josh's origin story, which includes long-distance rollerblading epics, because of course it does, and how his love of p
Shimano's $480 Gravel Shoes, Zwift Partners On Headphones, & MADE Bike Show Highlights
This week’s Velo Podcast takes a tech-heavy turn while Mike Levy is away, while Josh and I (Alvin Holbrook) dive deep into the latest gear, updates, and trends shaping cycling.
We kick things off with Wahoo’s firmware updates. Credit to Wahoo, here, as they pushed a series of updates to its first-generation bike computers, experiencing mass file corruptions and problems, a long eight years after
Lessons from Riding 610 km in Three Days & Real-World Aero Testing
On this week’s Velo Podcast, we’re asking the hard questions: Why would anyone pay $50 to effectively suffer through a 20 km FTP test? And who rides 610 km in three days on a race road bike… on purpose?
Alvin Holbrook did the former, signing up for a local time trial with less than 48 hours to prepare. Instead of tapering, he went full aero-nerd — swapping wheels, testing tires, fiddling with bar
Hookless Rims: Lighter, Faster, & More Dangerous?
If hookless rims weigh less while being more aero and stronger than the antiquated and surely inferior hooked rim design, why are some of us so hesitant about using them?
Today's show features Velo editors Josh Ross and Alvin Holbrook debating which rim design makes the most sense, while Levy questions whether changing from the proven hooked system is even worth the hassle. The guys also dig into
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's Madeleine Masterclass – Tour de France Femmes Wrap-Up
Three years to win the Tour de France Femmes? Not so much. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot had said that it would take that long for her to transition from World Cup MTB competition to the very different challenges of multi-day road racing, but stage 8 showed that she's far ahead of schedule.
Andrew Hood and Shane Stokes discuss her historic performance on the Col de la Madeleine that saw the Jumbo-Visma
How to Race the Tour Divide in Under 12 Days & Look After Your Bum While Doing it, with Robin Gemperle
How does 370 km (230 miles) a day, every day, for eleven days sound to you? That's what it took for Robin Gemperle not just to win this year's Tour Divide but to arrive at the Antelope Wells finish line, otherwise known as the Mexican border, quicker than any other rider in the history of the race.
The latest episode of the Velo Podcast sees Mike Levy question Robin about his self-imposed sleep r
Wout's Greatest Win & The Fastest Tour de France Ever
Who had money on Wout van Aert dropping Pogacar on a climb during this year's Tour? With fans lined ten-deep and hanging out of apartment windows, the stepped and cobbled pitches of the Montmartre ascent looked more like a soaking wet spring Classic than the final stage of the La Grande Boucle.
It's also where the Visma–Lease a Bike rider did the near-impossible by opening a gap on the yellow je
Arensman's Big-Brain Attacks Deliver Another Mountain Win, & the Perfect Finish Line Shoulder Check
The end is near, and the overall win is, barring a Pogi disaster, essentially wrapped up. That doesn't mean that the closing stages of this year's Tour de France have been boring, however, with Milan trucking towards Paris in green and Visma doing their best over the last two mountain stages to force a comeback for the ages.
This episode sees Levy and Peter Cossins dig that idiotic fan trying to
The Colnago Y1RS vs Cervelo S5 - Aero Hyper Bikes Ridden & Compared
The new Colnago Y1RS and Cervelo S5 have already won stages in this year’s Tour de France, but what are the latest (and some of the most expensive) aero road bikes like to ride and work on when you’re not a GC contender?
Velo’s Josh Ross has been putting huge miles on both hyperbikes, and today’s podcast sees Levy and Alvin Holbrook question him about how they compare on the road, why the S5 feel
Remco Withdraws, Jonas Attacks, & a French Win on Ventoux
Mike Levy and Pete Cossins return to unpack a wild stretch of Tour de France action from stages 14 to 16, plus all the bizarre, brilliant, and brutal stories behind the racing.
Jonas Vingegaard has said many times that he's not at the Tour to race for second, and that's exactly what it looked like as he attacked Pogacar again and again on the slope of Mount Ventoux. Peter Cossins and Mike Levy ar
Did They Extend the Cutoff Times Because of Pogi? Tour de France Stages 11, 12, and 13 Recap
In this episode of Velo’s Tour de France Podcast, Mike Levy and Pete Cossins dig into stages 11–13 of the 2025 Tour and what really goes on during a so-called “rest day.” Pete explains how riders still spend hours on the bike, tending to injuries, staying sharp, and preparing their bodies for what’s next.
Stage 11 was shaped by an audacious breakaway from kilometer zero, with Jonas Abrahamsen (Un
Van der Poel’s Heartbreak, Healy’s Yellow—Stages 8, 9 and 10 Tour de France Recap
In this episode of the Velo Podcast, Mike Levy and Peter Cossins recap Tour de France stages 8, 9, and 10, which delivered a mix of heartbreaking breakaways, sprints that come just short, and all kinds of tactics in the mountains.
Stage 8 saw Italian powerhouse Jonathan Milan power to his first Tour stage win, finally breaking through after numerous intermediate sprint efforts. Pete and Mike marv
Is Pogi Working Too Hard & How Vingegaard Can Still Win the Tour de France
Pete Cossins is back with Mike Levy to explain all the action from stages 4-7 of the Tour de France, including the GC contenders fighting each other for early stage victories yet again, Ben Healy's epic solo win, and they dig into what could be a Tour-defining time trial loss for Jonas.
We're all hoping that it's far from over, however, with some monster mountain stages in the coming weeks that
$52,000 TdF Bikes, Two New Cervelos, & Mathieu van der Poel's Private Jet Deal Explained
Cervelo debuts new aero and climbing bikes at the Tour de France that couldn't be more different, yet also match in one very important way, and we've also spotted the Visma–Lease a Bike squad rolling on prototype Reserve wheels laced with carbon fiber spokes.
Tadej and the rest of the UAE team won't feel left out, though, as they're using the just-released ENVE SES 4.5 Pro wheels. But what abo
The Chaotic First 3 Stages of the Tour de France Explained
Tricky roads and strong winds have made it a hectic start to Le Grande Boucle, and the conditions have already seen two big names abandon the race due to injury, while two GC contenders have lost over half a minute to the favorites.
Legendary Tour de France reporter Pete Cossins unpacks the sprints, the breaks, the crashes, and especially the wins that make up the first three stages, and he also
The Tour de France Preview
The 2025 Tour de France is right around the corner, the largest race in cycling all year. Mike Levy, Andrew Hood, and Jim Cotton get together on the Velo Podcast to break down the key stages of the 112th Tour de France – including one with over 18,000 feet (5500 m) of climbing. They dig into the history of the stages relevant to this year, the key contenders and teams to know, and a whole lot more
Shimano's First Wireless 1X Gravel Drivetrain Ridden & BMC's Revamped Teammachine SLR Goes Even Lighter
Shimano's *mostly* new GRX Di2 12-speed group is the Japanese giant's
first single-ring drivetrain for gravel, and it borrows tech from the
mountain bike world to make it happen.
Senior tech editor Alvin Holbrook has unboxed, installed, and ridden GRX Di2, and this week's episode sees the crew dive into his early impressions on shift speed, gear range, and how it compares to SRAM's wireless of
TRP's New Vistar Drivetrain Tested, the UCI's Weird Tech Clampdown Explained, & Fresh 13-Speed SRAM Groups
TRP's new Vistar drivetrain combines a 12-speed cassette with a
Classified internally geared hub to give you the benefits of a front
derailleur without the hassle and complication, but does it work in the
real world? Senior Tech Editor Josh Ross has spent months using it and
explains the benefits, drawbacks, and how the hybrid 1X system compares to a traditional drivetrain.
Josh has also bee
Unbound 200 Winner Cam Jones on 200g of Carbs per Hour & His Unusual Tire Choices
New Zealander Cam Jones talks to Mike Levy about escaping early with an eager partner, how they built an 8-minute gap on the field, and the importance of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They also get into the time Cam lived in a U-Haul truck while racing in America, his lifelong love of good adventures, and how he plans to tackle the Leadville Trail 100.
For your consideration:
Power An
Chaos in the Unbound Pits, All of the Prototype Road Bikes, and New Gravel Suspension Tested
Unbound gave us some incredible racing and smashed previous course records, but it wasn't without controversy. With higher speeds, larger fields, and more competition than ever before, the Unbound pit zones were hectic and dangerous, especially with pros and amateurs alike taking a free-for-all approach. Should Unbound add more rules to keep racers safe, or should they move to a fully unsupported
Rob Britton on Winning Unbound XL, Chasing Lachlan, and Being Reborn with a Sunrise
Fresh off his record-breaking win at the 350-mile Unbound Gravel XL race, Rob Britton chats with Levy about his strategy, how he fuels for an ultra, and why an aero bar and suspension fork make so much sense. They also get into stopping for pee breaks, those low moments before being reborn with the sunrise, and how he mentally recovers from such a massive effort.
Prototype Bikes, Monster Gearing, and all the Unreleased Tech from Unbound Gravel
Unbound has become the epicenter for not just the latest gravel bike tech but also some of the most interesting equipment choices of the year.
Alvin Holbrook spent the week in Emporia, Kansas, tracking the race and also tracking down prototype bikes from Orbea, Pinarello, and Specialized. He also found Lachlan Morton's Cannondale Topstone with its water-carrying Tailfin rack and custom front bag
Why Is Zwift Tracking Outdoor Rides?
Today's show takes a deep dive into two new bikes at opposite ends of all the spectrums: State's no-fuss 4130 All-Road sells for under $1,000 USD, and Cannondale's Topstone Lefty Gravel bike that employs a single-sided suspension fork and 30mm of rear-wheel-travel via a clever system combining built-in frame flex with a single pivot.
Alvin, Josh, and Levy also dissect Zwift's new outdoor ride-tra
What It Takes to Organize a Major Gravel Race (with Amy Charity of SBT GRVL)
This week's episode sees us go behind the scenes with Amy Charity, SBT GRVL co-founder and retired professional racer, to find out what it takes to organize one of North America's premier gravel races.
Did you know that you can never have too many outhouses?
Levy and Will take notes on how to find four hundred volunteers, and how to deal with permits, police, and politics while putting on an e
$16K Cannondales, Thoughts From The Traka, and DT Swiss’s Not-So-Secret Weapon
New Tech Alert: A speedy all-road bike with all the tire clearance,
an unreleased (and still embargoed) gravel bike, and a clever gravel
suspension fork from DT Swiss make this a gear-focused show.
Senior Tech Editor Alvin Holbrook chats with Levy about riding Cannondale's completely redesigned Synapse that offers massive tire clearance, a best-in-class storage box, and integrated lighting th
How We'd Design Our Anything-Goes Dream Bikes
This week's show sees Alvin, Josh, and Levy step into a parallel timeline where they have the power to create the bike of their dreams
without those pesky engineering limits we have to put up with here.
Impossibly good tire clearance, ultra-light aero everything, more frame
storage than a steamer trunk, and gravel bike geometry that's not trying
to kill you is all too much to ask for in the re
The Liège-Bastogne-Liège Preview, Pogačar's Revenge, & Factor's Less-Expensive Aero Bike
Beware: this episode of Velo Podcast is a packed one.
Amstel Gold has to be one of the best races of the year, and this year was no exception. While everyone thought Tadej Pogačar was gone, he sat up and started to soft pedal. And instead of blowing it all up at the last climb, Amstel Gold ended up being decided in a three-person sprint. The first two names–Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel–are to be
Pogi's New Colnago Race Rig, the Most Aero Road Bike, & Tons of Sea Otter Tech
Josh, Alvin, and Levy unpack a massive week in tech that includes self-inflating tires winning Paris-Roubaix under a mountain biker, Pogačar's fresh V5RS, and an aero road bike that promises forward thrust in any wind conditions. The guys also dig into Allied's new Able that combines speed and tire clearance, the smart geometry of Norco's redesigned Search, and why (or why not) drop-bar mountain b
Paris-Roubaix Primer: Cobbles, Chaos, & How To Beat Pogačar
There isn't anything else like the Queen of the Classics and, if this season so far is anything to go by, we've got an exciting weekend of racing in front of us. The women's field will face the thirty cobbled sectors under the sun on Saturday, while there's a chance of rain and mud for the men on Sunday as Tadej Pogačar aims to be the first reigning Tour de France champion to win the Hell of the N
The Taipei Cycle Show Is Ready for Showtime
This week's Velo Podcast brings Mike Levy and tech editor Alvin Holbrook together to talk about our favorite trade show: the Taipei Cycle Show.
Velo had Jessie-May Morgan, Shoddy Dave Everett, Alvin, and a video team there to wander all four floors and never-ending aisles that are always packed full of everything from the interesting, exciting, exotic, and maybe even useful to the just plain quest
Can a $600 Pair of Cycling Shoes Really Be Worth the Price?
Can a $600 pair of shoes really be worth the price? Surely not... but also maybe, depending on who you ask.
Today's show sees tech editor Josh Ross and Mike Levy talk about Specialized's new S-Works Ares 2 shoe, as well as how to test expensive bikes and gear, and how relevant that pricey equipment may — or may not — be for many riders who have different priorities.
Should Your Next Bike Play to Your Strengths or Fix Weaknesses?
Here's a burning question we've had for quite some time: should your bike complement your strengths or shore up your weaknesses?
Wait, hear us out! We thought about the best bikes we've ridden, and there's always something in common: they make us feel superhuman. But what about that that bike makes you feel that way? Is it how it makes up for your weaknesses on the descents, or is it how it only
The Spring Classics Are Here: Pogačar’s Magic, Vollering vs. Van der Breggen, and Milano-Sanremo Predictions
Bike racing is back! With the UAE Tour and Volta in the rearview mirror, it's time to jump feet first into what looks to be an epic Classics season that kicked off with Omloop and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. Then, it was off to the rolling white roads of Italy's Chianti region for the Strade Bianche, where the women's race climaxed with a duel between Demi Vollering and Anna van der Breggen up the stee
What the Heck is an All-Road Bike, Anyway?
Some of the Velo team is in the midst of gearing up for a field test, where we're testing all-road bikes and comparing them against a traditional racey road bike and a gravel bike. Between all the testing and riding we're doing, it's got us wondering what the heck is an all-road bike, anyway?
Yeah, yeah, all-road bikes are supposed to bridge the gap between the race road bikes and the performance
Our Biggest Tech Pet Peeves (and What Bike Companies Should Do About Them)
Today's bikes are really, really good. That doesn't mean we don't have major pet peeves, however. Proprietary seat posts and stems, are an easy one, as are companies cheaping out on bolts and bearings. But we went further, talking about the bike industry's propensity to push bikes on us that don't help riders address their weaknesses, and perhaps most importantly, how we wish the bike industry sol
Group Rides Explained, $500 Flat Tires, & Banned Visors | Velo Podcast
If you grew up or currently live and ride bikes in a town with any sort of population, we bet there’s either a group ride of some sort that just happened or will be happening in a few days.
Maybe it starts from the local bike shop, or maybe it starts from the go-to coffee shop. Some rides are a chill Sunday spin that's gone on uninterrupted for the past two decades, while others are the three-hour
Debate: Aero Bikes Are Dumb, Right?
Host Mike Levy has a hot take — or is it Senior Tech Editor Josh Ross who has the hot take? Find out this week as we debate the merits of aero road bikes.
And first, we take a closer look at Classified's patent on a self charging shifting system that could make the burgeoning alternative drivetrain maker's offering a whole lot simpler to live with.
How to Own a Bike Shop: Booking Orders, Margins, Covid Sales, and Ebike Fires
Mike Levy sits down with Dan Sommer, owner of Jack's Cycle, to talk about the realities of running a bike shop.
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