Marginal Gains Cycling Podcast, Presented by Silca

Alexey Vermeulen is exhausted. He deserves to be, having just taken a hard-fought podium spot in the Life Time Grand Prix. And wins in multiple BWR races. And producing a show where he mentors novice cyclists. And much more. But he still found time — hours after flying home from Big Sugar and hours before he flies out to his next event — to get together with the Marginal Gains crew to talk about how he doesn't just survive in this demanding environment, but actually thrives. Don't miss this episode of Marginal Gains!

We rely on Marginal Gains listeners to provide intelligent and provocative questions, and as always, our listeners do not disappoint. In this Ask Josh Anything episode, we re-open the question of hour record attempts, this time considering pros and cons of a negative-split effort. We talk about Nitrogen and its merits of using it instead of air for tires with sealant. We talk about the aerodynamic penalty of tucking your glasses into your helmet vents. Plus tire temperature talk, cyclocross marginal gain tips, and why most BMX bikes don't race tubeless. 

Jeremiah Bishop proclaims he is a "nerd in recovery," but we know better. Bishop was a crucial member of 2015's Team Topeak-Ergon, which set a record Leadville 100 time that stands to this day. And this was not just a story of strong legs and lungs; it was a Marginal Gains story, through and through. Whether you race road, mixed surface, or dirt, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.

After a nice long summer break, we're back with more questions for Josh. Josh, Hottie and Fatty met IRL in Leadville last month, so we spend a good chunk of this episode talking about the LT100 MTB race -- altitude, aerodynamic speed minimums, and other marginal gains available two miles above sea level. We also make time to talk about Dan Bigham's amazing new hour record, aerometers, and the story behind the new Gravelero pump. Don't miss this episode!

Phil Gaimon takes on serious topics, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He uses his social media to document is KOMs and occasional Everesting attempts, but also takes us on interesting rides and shows us how cyclists and motorists can get along on the same piece of tarmac. Phil is a fantastic climber, an advocate, a humorist, a Silca athlete and a newlywed. It's a pleasure to have him join us on Marginal Gains

Josh answers a batch of listener questions, from the extremely practical to the fascinatingly hypothetical. Are pros flatting more than they used to? Has the balance between strong and light swung too far toward light? How do you make your hydration as aero as possible? What air pressure should be used for the back wheels on a competitive trike? And how good would electronic / wireless brakes have to be before you could trust them? We get into all this and more in this Ask Josh Anything episode of Marginal Gains!

Dan Bigham, a performance engineer for Team Ineos and holder of the British hour record, dives deep into the world of aerodynamics in cycling. He discusses the innovative journey from motorsport to cycling, emphasizing the importance of data analysis and strategy. The conversation touches on how a low-budget team successfully challenged richer rivals through creativity and teamwork. Bigham also shares insights on breaking barriers in endurance cycling and the vital role of mental preparation in achieving record-breaking performances.

What if CDA measuring were brought to the masses via some sort of attachable device? Michael Liberzon—an engineer and triathlete coach—has field tested an aerometer and researched several others. In this episode, we talk with Michael to get an overview of where we are with aerometers and whether real-time CDA will ever become a thing.

Putting 50 years of Tom Ritchey's history and knowledge would be nearly impossible, so for this conversation, we focus on some of Tom’s game-changing ideas and innovations, as well as how he got there. You’ll also hear some great stories, a little family history, and how this pioneer's ethos turned into one of the world's most-respected bike brands.

Hopefully you've seen Ashton’s gutsy world record effort and his killer performance for the rainbow jersey. Now Josh gets the inside scoop on what it took to succeed at both, even as his partner is working on going to outer space.