Marginal Gains Cycling Podcast, Presented by Silca
The Marginal Gains Podcast, presented by Silca, is a cycling show that focuses on the small details that can make a significant difference. Hosts Josh Poertner of Silca, along with Hottie and Fatty, discuss design, manufacturing, marketing, riding, racing, management, and other aspects of cycling from a thoughtful, analytical perspective. Aimed at the thinking cyclist, the show takes a deep dive into the little things that matter.
Episodes
Gary Fisher
We believe in staying in touch with the history of bicycles. Knowing where we've been can often tell us where we are going. That idea has been frequently used when discussing the emergence of the 32 inch wheel. "It's like when we went from 26er to 29er" they say. But what was it really like to be in the trenches through the birth of the Mountain Bike? The struggle to find parts. The original wheel
AJA #52: Protocol Tire Tech-Cargo Bibs-Long Sleeves for Aero
Hottie and Fatty pepper Josh with tire questions. Specifically what is and is not a radial casing and how his team was able to move towards a radial ply angle without disrupting tire stability. Josh also explains how they arrived at Protocol's knob shapes and patterns. From our listeners we have quesions on putting gels in cargo bibs. Does this result in unecessary heavy lifting? Josh answers on
Leadville Trail 100 Bike Tech
The Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race has long been grounds for equipment tinkering and experimentation with the hopes of shaving minutes .. even seconds off finish times. Drop bars on mountain bikes at Leadville may seem recent but actually it was first tried by a pro in 2009. Travis Brown showed us by putting road bars on his Trek Full Suspension 26 inch mountain bike that anything can and should
Darren Baum - How Bikes Behave
If Bike sales were purely based on a beauty contest, Baum Cycles would be at the top of the charts. Baums are stunning, Titanium machines. Most of them are custom built by an out-of-the-box thinker in Geelong, Victoria, Australia: Darren Baum. But what motivates us to choose one bike over another is more than just looks. A bicycle -- especially a performance bike -- has to deliver where and when
Paige Onweller - Details Matter
While listening to Paige Onweller answer our questions, we found ourselves wishing we could be more like her. Wishing we had her organizational skills, her critical thinking, her ability to adapt quickly. Paige has the tools to be the kind of Marginal Gainer that makes us think, "I wish I was more like Paige." Paige's focus on details started well before she ever saw a Gravel Race start line. She
AJA #51 Road Spray Aerodynamics and Argon Gas in Tires
Josh sinks his teeth into questions on turning road spray on a frame into aerodynamic information, Argon gas in tires and deep, carbon wheels for XC mountain bike racing. We also talk about Fatty's successful Everest challenge – the Marginal Gains that worked and the ones that didn't. And we get into some new happenings with Silca.
Rolling Resistance Testing with John Karrasch
A favorite topic on the Marginal Gains Podcast is rolling resistance, also known as CRR. It is one of the cornerstones of this show. While we have interviewed aerodynamic experts who have devoted hundreds of hours to CdA, we have found very few who have made CRR their passion. Tom Anhalt was an early guest but we can't think of another since. That changes with this episode. John Karrasch makes a
Inflatable Inserts and Radial Tires
It's funny how tubeless freed is from tubes and years later some of us turned to putting something else in the space between rim and tire. Namely inserts. Most of them are foam and a real struggle to install. Then there's OPTIS: The Odyssey Tire Pneumatic Insert System. Cool acronym that basically means "inflatable insert." The people at Odyssey will be quick to say OPTIS is not a tube. While it d
AJA #50 Inserts-Optimal gears-Narrow Bars
Our 50th Ask Josh Anything! That's a lot of questions and answers and "It Depends." Thanks for hanging with us to the mid century mark. On the Q&A agenda this episode: The perfect padding for aero armrests. Tire inserst for Unbound Breaking in tires for best CRR The right gears for an Everesting Narrow flat bars for Leadville Gravel wheels on a road bike and the rule of 105
Sea Otter Pt. 2 - Big Wheels Keep on Rollin'
Our first episode that covered the topic of 32 inch wheels focused on the bigger wheels being used on mountain bikes. Daniel Yang of Neuhaus Metalworks put us on a prototype rigid mountain bike and took us for a ride. It was eye opening. But it also raised questions. At Sea Otter we saw a shift by some builders and manufacturers as to where they thought the big wheels might perform best. Drop Bar
Sea Otter Pt. 1 - Hooked on Road Wheels
We're not afraid to share an opinion on this show. At no time was that more apparent then when Josh let his thoughts known about hookless road wheels. It caused a bit of a reaction in the industry to say the least. And while we have some firm beliefs on certain technologies, we also believe in fairness. Which is why at Sea Otter we gave some wheel brands a platform to explain what has become a som
From Bike Magazines to YouTube with Ben Delaney
It feels like now more than ever it is important to find sources of information and reporting that are trustworthy. It used to be fairly easy: subscribe to a credible outlet and trust that said newspaper or magazine would have guardrails in place to get it right and to exercise fairness. As the internet and social media became the predominant sources we rely on, a lot of those guardrails were knoc
Building Zipp with Andy Ording and Josh
Josh has spoken on many occasions about his time with Zipp. The engineering. The R&D. The wins. The fails. Josh was part of a team that changed the scene, both for pro and amateur racers. At the head of that team was Andy Ording. Andy took over Zipp from Leigh Sargent in 1998 and guided it through its glory days that Josh is so fond of. Andy's journey to carbon wheels is far from linear. A native
AJA #49: Helping Fatty Everest (A Marginal Gains Intervention)
Fatty drops a bombshell: he's turning 60 and attempting an Everesting challenge this June — and he needs Josh and Hottie to marginal-gain every aspect of the ride. From course selection and bike setup to tire choice, chain wax strategy, pacing by heart rate, and why a leaf blower might be his secret weapon, the crew breaks down how to get a self-described "card-carrying AARP member with a paunch"
Rethinking Bidons with Bivo and Carina Hamel
Most of us hardly give those water bottles in our cages a second thought. It's plastic. It's there. It's got what we need. But in the late 20-teens, Carina Hamel and her partner started giving those bidons and second thought. And a third. And a fourth. And like a lot of new ideas, they thought, "There's got to be a better way." Their critical thinking led them to develop Bivo Bottles: stainless st
AJA #48: Travel Kits, Drop Bar Drama, and Rants About Beeps and Boops
Josh answers listener questions about essential race-day gear, from what to pack for Cape Epic to whether digital torque wrenches are worth the beeping. We into Lifetime's controversial drop bar ban at Leadville, exploring whether safety concerns justify the change and what aero options remain for marginal gainers.
Getting AiRO with Ingmar Jungnickel
For most of us getting into a wind tunnel is but a dream. Tunnels are hard to find and harder to afford. As an alternative Josh has recommended the Chung Method. It's proven yet it does take some expertise to get right. What if there were something in the middle? Something that is more accessible and less expensive than a wind tunnel yet doesn't require the hours of commitment and trial and error
AJA #47: Aluminum Velodromes, Forever Chemicals, Big-Wheel Aesthetics, and valve stem nerdery
This Ask Josh Anything grab-bag starts with Tucson's new aluminum velodrome, evolves (devolves?) into altitude hacks for hour records, "no-rules" speed dreams, and holiday gift picks. From buying a kid's first bike (and why chain waxing might be the cleanest parenting win) to ESG-minded shop habits, Roubaix wheel diameter fever dreams to, aero brake-hose routing, and the Clik Valve debate—this epi
Melisa Rollins: From Hand-Me-Downs to Leadville Champ
Fatty sits down with 2024 Leadville champion (and his daughter) Melisa Rollins to discuss her meteoric rise from riding borrowed bikes to the professional peloton. Joined by fitter Barry Anderson, they dig into the biomechanical challenges of world-class power, the dangers of athletic stoicism, and the chaotic reality of stage racing in Africa.
AJA #46: Safety Pins, TPU Wins & Indoor Suffering
Josh tackles why we're still pinning race numbers instead of printing them on jerseys, then dives into the tech story behind Silca's translucent TPU tubes. We talk about real-world marginal gains for everyday riders, and Fatty's recommendations for indoor training setups. Last but not least, you do NOT want to miss Josh's unfiltered take on the UCI–SRAM 10-tooth cog controversy.
32er Test Ride with Daniel Yang
We rarely chase trends or product announcements on the Marginal Gains Podcast. The news of the day we mostly leave to other shows. So allow us while we make an exception to our normal behavior and take a stab at the 32 inch wheel. The wheel size is not the new thing here. It's the tire that's creating some buzz. A viable, tubeless mountain bike tire to be precise. When Maxxis started showing its
AJA #45: Pump Accuracy & Cheap Carbon Parts
Hear why that "psst" when you pull the chuck is just hose air (not lost PSI), how to set smarter pressures for tandems and "big-butt" weight splits using a bathroom scale, and what tread actually grips on loose-over-hard. Josh also demystifies analog vs. digital gauge accuracy (and drift) and tackles the carbon-on-the-cheap question—when a bargain is fine, and when it's a dentist bill waiting to h
Best Bike Split Founder Ryan Cooper
Marginal Gainers are familiar with Best Bike Split -- the website where using rider data you can forecast a finish time on a specific course. It has been a great tool for years for amateurs and pros alike. Josh has frequently referenced BBS on the show. Fatty and Hottie have discussed it on their Leadville Podcast. But we wanted to know what is under the hood. For that we turn to its founder Ryan
AJA #44: Hookless Controversy, Tire Myths, and Aero Hacks
Josh tackles the fallout from his viral "hookless is a scam" comment, clarifies the real risks and physics behind hookless rims, and dives deep into tire pressures, gauges at altitude, and disc wheel aerodynamics.
Brendan Johnston: Racing, Resilience, and Results
Australian cycling champ and Grand Prix contender Brendan Johnston shares the races that shaped him, the setbacks that tested him, and an upcoming project that may become his ultimate proving ground.
3X Natl Champ Lauren Stephens
Lauren Stephens has been easy to spot in both Road and Gravel events; just look for the stars and stripes. She has won three US titles: two gravel and one road. Oh, but there's so much more to her career. How about more than 30 UCI road race victories? She has twice won the Joe Martin Stage Race, the Tour of the Gila and Unbound 100. Lauren has also raced Track, Time Trials, Mountain Bike and Cycl
AJA #43: CRR/CDA and Hookless plus The Magnus Effect
We take a look at what has become a dilemma for some Marginal Gains seekers and that is optimizing aero, rolling resistance on a tubeless, hookless rim. Josh has an admittedly unpopular take on the subject. We also get into the aerodymanic idea known as the Magnus Effect. The principle says that a spinning object will develop unequal pressure on either side as it moves throught air. Josh expains
AJA #42: Pipe Cleaners and Crack Baggies
We know, the title sounds like we're doing an episode about drug paraphernalia, but trust us, it's the (very good) answer to one of many great questions posed to Josh in this latest listener-driven Q&A episode. We get into using the right lube under the right conditions (including super dry moondust mountain biking), aero combos with the Conti Aero 111, TPU tube challenges, and much more. It's a f
The Marginal — and maximal — gains of a great bike fit
Behind every great cyclist is a great bike fit, which means a great bike fitter. Honestly, we're not sure it's possible to overstate the gains — or losses— a bike fit can bring. And a startling number of top pros we've had on this show trust Barry Anderson of Cyclologic, in Scottsdale Arizona. Barry has popped up on our radar numerous times and for numerous reasons recently. We're excited to share
From Running to Riding to RED-S and Beyond with Cécile Lejeune
Cécile Lejeune is a rising star in women's pro cycling, but this Frenchwoman (and now Arizonian) is no stranger to speed. With roots in Tri and a number of impressive running records in her native country, Cécile has been challenging herself since the age of 12. A RED-S survivor, Cécile brings an inspiring and candid story to this year's Life Time Grand Prix, where she currently sits in a top-10 r
AJA #41: Hard water, hard jobs, and hard to get
Fatty is obsessed with mini compressors and so jumps the line in this episode of Ask Josh Anything with several questions he has about Silca's new Elettrico series, Silca's innovative, just-released electric mini pump that is available everywhere (except the US) now. We also got some great feedback/pushback on part of Josh's recent FAQ episode, and a novel new product idea involving tap water from
Sea Otter Special
We are on the ground at Sea Otter chasing Marginal Gains. A top theme at this year's show is something we have been discussing in our episodes: the wider tire revolution. Older XC tires have found new life on gravel race bikes and tire makers are responding. We hear from two major players on the tire side of things. Plus Dylan Johnson weighs in on how widespread the wider tire movement has become
Levi Leipheimer & Melisa Rollins: The Growler from Pro and RD perspectives
We've done plenty of interview episodes before, but this one's a little different. The twist here is we have pro cyclist Melisa Rollins joining as co-host in hopes of improving her chances at Levi Leipheimer's The Growler, a race that boasts the world's largest payout in a one-day race: a $156,000 purse, split evenly among men and women.
AJA 40: How will new tariffs affect Silca, bike retailers, and customers?
We had a whole suite of super nerdy and fun questions ready to ask Josh...and we will still ask them, next time. But we also wanted to know Josh's thoughts about how the newly-announced tariffs might affect Silca, the businesses it buys from and sells to, and its customers. The resulting unscripted conversation is a must-listen.
The Meteoric Rise of 2024 Unbound Champ Rosa Klöser
2024 Unbound Champion Rosa Klöser's trajectory to the top step started with a stolen townie, and has kept surprising —and impressing — ever since. You're going to love this conversation with this analytical, detailed, smart, and fast fellow marginal gainer.
Ask Josh Anything: Josh's FAQs
This is a little different from most Ask-Josh-Anything episodes. Here, we ask Josh to answer the questions he gets most often. What we got was an insightful hour of experiences, career advice, and thoughts on the culture within pro cycling teams. This is seriously an episode you do NOT want to miss.
TrainerRoad's Jonathan Lee puts the "smart" in smart trainers
Jonathan Lee is Communications Director and one of the OG's at TrainerRoad, one of our favorite tools for marginal-gaining our bodies. TrainerRoad is all business (or at best, Type 2 fun) about making you the strongest, fastest version of yourself...or at least, it was that way until recently. Hottie and Fatty talk with Jonathan about TrainerRoad's why, how, and what's next.
AJA #39: Short cranks, bar tape and tandems
Short cranks are all the rage right now, and it just wouldn't be right to let this cycling trend go by without asking Josh to weigh in on its actual merits from aero, weight and engineering perspective. We've also got practical answers for your tire inserts and rolling resistance questions, measuring CRR, old-school cables and bar tape strategies, and an inquiry into the compromises tandem and ben
Sofia Gomez Villafane: Making a Statement & Backing It Up
We could have talked with Sofia Gomez Villafane for hours about nothing but her head-spinning palmares: Olympian, winner of Lifetime Grand Prix Series in 2023 and 2024, Leadville, twice at Unbound and Sea Otter, Belgian Waffle rides, and so much more. But the fact is, her wins are just the exclamation marks to the powerful voice Sofia is bringing to the sport. Do not miss this smart, instructive a
AJA #38: Waxing Long, Waxing Cold, and Avoiding Speed Wobbles, and Taping to be Aero
The Marginal Gains crew thought we'd throw a real curveball this episode and make every single question about cycling...and relevant, even. Wacky, huh? We talk about how the Silca Endurance chip might affect your lube schedule, the challenges of riding with a waxed chain in very cold weather, strategies you can use to reduce / remove speed wobbles on your bike, how a racer in the Leadville 100 MTB
Tinker & Test: Chase Wark Brings Innovation (and hugs and hotdish) to Pro Cycling
Chase Wark shares his unique journey in the cycling world, from his unconventional bike setups to his passion for community-building through cycling events, Chase's story is one of creativity, resilience, and a deep love for the sport. Josh Poertner and Chase Wark discuss innovative bike setups, aerodynamics, and the importance of tinkering with equipment to gain performance advantages. Enjoy thi
AJA #37: Oval Chainrings, Squeaky Wheels, and Everesting Hypotheticals
If the premise of these Q&A episodes is that you can Ask Josh Anything, and we continue asking questions forever, shouldn't we really change the name of this series to "Ask Josh Everything?" The answer to that question is, of course, "it depends." In this installment, Josh addresses the surprisingly contentious oval chainring, speculates on why a squeaky wheel is squeaking, talks about the presen
Marginal Gains Scorecard with Dylan Johnson
Dylan Johnson is back with a follow up to the testing he and Josh did in the spring. The race season started with the two of them in the wind tunnel looking for Marginal Gains that could be used in the Lifetime Grand Prix and the other off-road races Dylan had on his calendar. Dylan reports back with his "on-course" experience and a look at how other racers are adopting some of the advantages he a
AJA #36: Pre-wax prep, traction problems, and aero for the flexibility-challenged
Is it a coincidence that Fatty picked all the questions for this episode, and that all the questions in this episode are topics Fatty finds either interesting or personally relevant? Probably not! But if you're wondering if chain waxing makes sense for dusty trail conditions, are curious how much (if any) the outside temperature should affect your tire pressure, or are wondering how inflexible cyc
Zwift & Marginal Gains, with Zwift Product VP Mark Cote
Zwift VP of Product Mark Cote joins the Marginal Gains crew, picking up where we left off in our last conversation: the wind tunnel. This time, his time in the tunnel is all about future-looking features for Zwift, and this peek at what's to come is not to be missed. From there we talk about everything in the present and future state of Zwift and Marginal Gains, from the extremely practical (tips
Paralympic Track Racer Bryan Larsen: Excelling after Injury
Bryan Larsen tells us his only real talent is that he's too dumb to quit. We strongly disagree, but take his point: Bryan is no quitter. In this episode, Bryan talks us through how he took the constraints given to him through birth and accident, and used passion, perseverence, and a love of marginal gains to reinvent his racing career.
AJA 35: Hookless rims & PSI limits, tire pressure on worn tires, Ti quicklinks, CRR on wet roads
We're so excited to kick this 35th episode of our "Ask Josh Anything" series with a discussion of the announcement of Silca's partnership with Visma Lease-A-Bike. Fatty does his level best to pitch having Hottie in the team car, hot-waxing on the move. We move from there to the challenges of high pressure with hookless rims, and how it has put Josh in the position of being the PSI bartender and cu
Amy Charity and SBT GRVL
Gravel Racing is moving face and Amy Charity is one of the movers. Amy is the founder of SBT GRVL in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The race started on the back of a napkin in 2018 and has quickly become one of the premiere off-road events in the U.S. After a few short years of success, Amy expanded SBT to Europe and Australia. But before the dirt roads, Amy raced on tarmac. She was a pro roadie wit
AJA 34: Wind tunnels, cargo bibs, ti printing, and axle handles
At this point we've lost track on how many episodes we've dedicated to wind tunnels, but this is at least partially one of them. We've also got great questions about Fatty's new Firefly and the Ti-printed parts Silca created for it, a classic question on the best body position for riding in a strong tailwind, axle handle alignment, and a remarkably well-considered question on calculating tire pres
Erwin Vervecken and the UCI Global Gravel Series
Gravel Racing has gone global, and governing bodies have gotten involved. The UCI is now in its third year of putting on its Gravel World Series. It has more than two dozen races on four continents. Instead of running the series itself, the UCI has turn to a sports group and the point person in that group is three-time Cyclocross World Champ Erwin Vervecken. It's an understatement to say he knows
Time's Tony Karklins and Josh Talk Bike Shops and Carbon Manufacturing
Tony Karklins is the founder of Allied Cycle, is currently the founder of Time, and has deep knowledge of all aspects of the cycling industry, all the way back to when as a teenager he owned a bike shop. He's the perfect match for a conversation with Josh about bike business, manufacturing, racing and more.
John Cobb-Wind Tunnel Pioneer
John Cobb may be best known for his bike saddles, but his experience and innovation go much deeper. John may be the first person to take a bike to the wind tunnel, and is likely the only person to crank up the tunnel to 70mph...with a rider in it. Enjoy this great episode with a cycling innovator
Kimo Seymour and the Life Time Grand Prix
Life Time puts on what is arguably the biggest and most important pro bike racing series in the US: The Life Time Grand Prix. And one man is in chage of it all: Kimo Seymour. Fatty and Hottie talk with Kimo changes in the race, the "Call of a Life Time" series, aerobars, Keegan's Swenson's chances for dominating the event for a third year running, and much more.
AJA #33: Wind Tunnels and Wax
Our recent wind tunnel episodes have triggered a LOT of aero questions from our listeners, and Josh -- with hand hovering over the "It Depends" button -- takes them on. From IRL Burrito Powerups (IYKYK) to the StripChip and the Chain Waxing System to aero chainrings to leg hair stubble as a potential aero advantage to shoe aerodynamics, Josh will — apparently — answer anything. Enjoy!
Ask Josh Some More About Wind Tunnels (Wind Tunnels Series Part 3)
Josh answers more of Fatty & Hottie's pressing questions about the surprises people are in for when visiting a wind tunnel for the first time, what happens when key learnings from a wind tunnel session are ignored, how often follow-up questions triggered by a wind tunnel session are actually followed up on, whether it's worth it to bring anyone but a top-pro into the wind tunnel, how bike companie
Marginal Gains And Windtunnels, Part 2: An Interview with Mark Cote
An argument can be made that Mark Cote is the father of the Specialized Wind Tunnel. During his tenure at the Big S, he convinced the powers that be that the Big S needed its own wind tunnel — an amazing story Mark shares with Josh. Enjoy this deep dive into Mark's backstory and conversation between Mark and Josh as they swap stories on how they've found marginal gains with this one powerful tool
Ask Josh Anything...About Wind Tunnels (Part 1)
Josh's experiences in wind tunnels have come up in dozens of episodes of Marginal Gains, and we always find ourselves with more questions. In this episode, we're finally giving ourselves permission to ask them, from the essentials of using a wind tunnel to a day in the life before, during, and after testing in a windtunnel. Look, we'll be honest here: we brought way more questions to this convers
Darren Murphy: Developing and tuning high-end suspension products
When it comes to bikes, Josh is usually the smartest person in the room. But Josh will tell you, when the topic turns to mountain bikes and suspension, Josh turns to Darren Murphy of Push Industries. Josh and Darren talk about Darren's journey in the industry, as well as a dive into how advanced bike products are developed, tested and brought to market.
Data and Downhill Racing with Nick Lester
With World Cup races being decided by tenths or even hundredths of a second, many racers and teams are now using sensors and data acquisition to dial their setups. Our guest this show is a leader in this area: Nick Lester and Josh get deep into how Nick and his Downamics team help the world's fastest downhillers get the most out of their suspension.
AJA #32: Marginal Gains for Commuters, Big Riders, and Motorcycle Chains
Would your motorcycle chain benefit from an afternoon in the chain wax spa? If you use a gel packet as an improvised tire boot, how much will it affect your bike's performance? When using the Rule of 105, should you be using the rim width at the brake track, or the widest point of the rim as your measurement? And for those of us carrying lunch, clothes, and a computer to the office as we commute b
Xavier Disley with Aerocoach
Aerocoach's business is to help athletes improve their aerodynamic performance, through testing, coaching, and equipment. Josh and Xavier Disley get into a wide-ranging discussion of aerosensors, hype vs data, the need for wind tunnel standards, and so much more. This is an in-the-weeds episode you Marginal Gainer supernerds will not want to miss. NOTE: A prior version of this episode gets cut off
Russ with Path Less Pedaled
Russ Roca - founder and host of the YouTube Channel the Path Less Pedaled - is our guest. The Path Less Pedaled has become a place to learn about the non-competitive side of the cycling world . Russ has produced hundreds of videos that focus on using bikes to carry stuff, explore, cruise, travel, ride comfortably and yes he has a couple on chain waxing and finding the right tire pressure. We talk
Rob Britton does Badlands
Rob Britton is an accomplished pro road cyclist who has turned to the off-road scene in the second half of his career. He's been doing the Lifetime Grand Prix and other mass start events but he is also taking on ultra endurance challenges. This summer it was an event called Badlands: Longer than Unbound XL, more climbing than an Everest Challenge and a landscape that blows the mind. Rob takes u
AJA 31: Chain Guards, Speed Wobble, and Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Josh, Hottie, and Fatty take on your questions in this, our 101st episode of the Marginal Gains Podcast (we forgot to check that we hit 100 episodes -- and 1,000,000 listens -- last time). From contemplating the aerodynamic benefits of chain guards to analyzing terrifying moments of physics in action when riding a high speed descent, to raising our collective eyebrows at the new 750d wheel size, w
The Stromm Track Bike: It's All About the Marginal Gains
Industry legends Dave Koesel and Stephen Doll join Josh for a discussion about the Stromm track bike, a frame and fork aiming to take advantage of recent UCI tube shape restrictions being lifted. If you love wind tunnels, marginal gains, and engineers getting into the weeds with other engineers (and let's face it, we know you love all these things), this is the episode for you.
Kristen & Nick Legan: Mud, Mayhem, & Marginal Gains
If you think the stories you've heard about the 2023 Unbound are crazy, wait 'til you hear Kristen Legan's story of her XL win. She focused on this race this year, and her preparation and dedication will resonate with any endurance Margingal Gainer. Kristen's joined in this episode by Nick Legan: author of the popular book Gravel Cycling, Unbound vet, top-tier mechanic, and Road Brand Manager with
AJA 30: Debunking the Valve Stem Location Myth
We take our mission of making a big deal about the little things very seriously in this episode, where we talk about whether there's any actual basis for the superstition behind where you rotate the wheel to before inflating a tire. We then move to the admittedly more pragmatic questions of how much of a draft an aero rider provides to the riders behind them, the low-hanging gains for DH racing, a
Travis Takes on Unbound
For Silca's E-commerce manager, Travis Verhoff, the 2023 edition of Unbound has been a bit of an ongoing science project. In this episode of Marginal Gains, we dig into Travis' expectations, last-minute changes, and key learnings from this experiment...and after all is said and done, what he would change and whether he'd ever race this monster again.
Dan Empfield: Slowtwitch, Quintana Roo, Tri Hall of Fame...and Marginal Gains
You've no doubt heard Josh mention Slowtwitch.com many times on this show. It's one of the key places he goes to share ideas and get feedback. But Slowtwitch is more than just a place. It's a person too. The site was founded by Dan Empfield in 1999, and remains publisher to this day. But before Slowtwitch even existed, Dan was a competitor. He did his first Triathlon in 1978 and competed in the
AJA 29: Hot Wax on a Hot Day
It's an Ask Josh Anything episode! We talk about The Rule of 105, the extent to which "bigger is better" is true for fairings, whether tire inserts need to be factored in when using air pressure calculators, why you might get conflicting recommendations from different air pressure calculators, how many watts a slow-turning old derailleur cog might cost you, the challenges a hot day might bring to
Making it Personal: Silca's Travis Verhoff Looks for Marginal Gains at Unbound
Silca's own Travis Verhoff has an unusual work assignment: plan, train for, and execute the most Marginal Gain-y Unbound possible. If you've been following the Silca YouTube channel, you've been tracking his progress. In this episode, we catch up with his bike setup, key learnings and surprises from time in the wind tunnel, using the Chung method on course to select tire pressure just days before
The Fiercest Panda: A Conversation with Cyclist, Promoter & Advocate Amanda Nauman
Amanda Nauman has one of the most disarming nicknames in all of cycling: she is affectionately known as Panda. But make no mistake: behind the woman named after a docile creature is a fearless person, both on and off the bike. Amanda has taken on the toughest gravel events — and the toughest questions — that face our sport. She has won Unbound Gravel twice and taken 2nd in the 350 XL. She has won
USAC CEO Brendan Quirk: The Past, Present, and Future of USA Cycling
Josh and USAC CEO Brendan Quirk share a love of the history of cycling, as well as a deepseated desire to move it forward. In this wide-ranging conversation, Josh and Brendan talk about their love of bike racing, wind tunnels, and the complexities of cycling product development and retailing. Most importantly, they have a candid discussion of the difficult position USAC is in and Brendan's plan to
Alison Tetrick and the Who's Who in Women's Pro Cycling
With three Gravel World's Championships, an Unbound victory, an induction into the Gravel Hall of Fame, a bronze medal in UCI Worlds Road Championship TTT, a win in the Tour de San Luis, and more than a decade as a pro, Alison Tetrick has proved she's among the best in the world on pavement and dirt. As it turns out, she's also right at the top in analysis of the current women's pro peloton. In th
AJA 28: When are 2X drivetrains NOT worth aero, chainline and aero costs?
It's a no-topics-barred Ask-Josh-Anything episode of Marginal Gains, and (as usual) Hottie and Fatty get their own burning questions to the front of the line. Hottie desperately wants to talk about F1 porpoising and its connection to Hopf bifurcation. Josh accomodates. Fatty overheard a rocket scientist proclaim he wouldn't trust a repaired carbon fiber hardtail for technical mountain biking and n
Olympic Gold Medalist Gwen Jorgensen: Training, Responsibilities, & Bold Decisions
In the early and mid 2010s, Gwen had a winning streak that astonished both the Tri world and the sports world at large. She won an unmatched 13 races in a row, capped off with Olympic gold in Rio. She then stepped away to focus on running for a time, but is now back, again with a focus on the Olympics. We catch up with Gwen between training sessions and taking care of her kids to talk about what i
Alex Dowsett: Marginal Gains Jedi
Alex Dowsett has been a Marginal Gainer since he started riding with his dad on the roads of his hometown in England. He quickly became a time trialist and then pro, riding for a handful of teams and racking up more than a dozen wins before finally hanging up his wheels after the 2022 season. But the fact that Alex became a sportsman at all is a major win. You will not want to miss this great conv
Selene Yeager: Athlete, Author, Podcaster & Advocate
You may know her by her nickname in Bicycling Magazine (The Fit Chick) or you may know her by others' names (she's ghost-written and co-written scores of books), but you almost certainly know her work in one way or another: Selene Yeager is as well-respected as she is prolific in the cycling world. And now she's the host of "Press Play Not Pause" -- a popular podcast that brings candor and wisdom
Michael Marckx & the Belgian Waffle Ride(s)
Michael Marckx — the head of the Belgian Waffle Ride series — has guided clothing brands, sunglass companies and magazines on his way to making his dream classic. This is a great conversation about vision, instinct, survival, the future of american racing...and if you're looking to do a Belgian Waffle Ride, there are some tips in here for you too.
Dylan Johnson: Offroad Endurance and Marginal Gains
Anyone who's ever spent any time watching Dylan Johnson's popular Youtube channel could be forgiven for thinking it and the Marginal Gains show were separated at birth. In this episode, we get together with this incredibly smart, incredibly fast cyclist to talk about not just his achievements in racing, but the little things he does to beat the competitoin. Don't miss this episode!
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