

The BikeRadar Podcast
Our Media
BikeRadar delve into the world of road and mountain biking to bring you the best tech content in cycling. Join the team for their weekly episodes and occasional bonus episodes.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 23, 2025 • 34min
How many Tours de France can Tadej Pogačar win?
As the Tour de France races towards Paris, we’re back with veteran Tour journalist, Daniel Benson, to discuss the current dominance of Tadej Pogačar.
The Slovenian rider is on the cusp of winning his fourth Tour at just 26-years old, and comparisons to cycling’s legendary riders are beginning to come thick and fast.
Hosted by Simon von Bromley, Daniel offers his take on how many Tours Pogačar could win, whether he can match Eddy Merckx, and why his current dominance could come back to bite him at some point.
For more on the Tour de France, and Daniel Benson’s exclusive dispatches from the race, head to BikeRadar.com
How many Tours de France can Tadej Pogačar win? The scary thing is, he's only just hitting his peak
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Jul 20, 2025 • 44min
Why BikeRadar tests expensive bikes, choosing the right e-bike for Parkinson’s, brake rotor mixing, Boost conversions, and more of your tech questions answered
The BikeRadar Tech Q&A is back, with Jack Luke, Simon von Bromley and special guest Vicky Balfour answering your most pressing bike tech questions.
In this episode, we cover:
Why do we always seem to test such expensive bikes? Spoiler: we don’t
Helping a 70-year-old rider with Parkinson’s find the perfect lightweight e-bike for mixed-terrain riding
Can you use the same disc rotor with two different brake callipers?
Are ebike tuning kits legal, safe – and will they wreck your e-bike?
Can non-Boost wheels be converted to fit a Boost frame and fork?
As ever, it’s a lively mix of practical advice, industry insight and a few strong opinions thrown in for good measure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 18, 2025 • 19min
Hookless rims are back under the spotlight – here’s everything you need to know
Josh Poertner, the former chairman of the Bicycle Wheel Technical Committee, dropped a bombshell recently when he issued a powerful rebuttal of the case for hookless road rims – one of cycling’s most controversial topics in recent years.
Specifically, Poertner claims “Hookless rims are a scam”, with “zero performance advantages”, and that they are “a safety risk” with too little margin for error.
In this episode of the BikeRadar podcast, Jack Luke sits down with Simon von Bromley – BikeRadar’s most learned correspondent on this topic – to discuss Poertner’s comments, and why this debate refuses to die.
"Hookless rims are a scam," claims former chairman of Bicycle Wheel Technical Committee
Hookless rims explained | How new standards have finally improved compatibility
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Jul 15, 2025 • 34min
What’s going wrong at Ineos, can Visma crack Pogačar, and more
On the first rest day of the 2025 Tour de France, we’re joined by cycling journalist and longtime Tour veteran Daniel Benson, who brings his trademark insider insight direct from the roadside in France.Alongside BikeRadar’s Simon von Bromley and host Jack Luke, Daniel breaks down the key talking points from the race so far:
What’s going wrong at Ineos?
Can Visma crack Pogačar?
Who’s been the best Brit at the Tour?
Is racing actually actually any less safe in 2025?
Plus, a behind-the-scenes look at life as a solo reporter on the world’s biggest bike race, and why Daniel had a Snickers for dinner. Don’t forget – Daniel’s exclusive dispatches are running throughout the race on BikeRadar.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 10, 2025 • 58min
These are the 2025 Tour de France tech stories you need to know about
The Tour de France is in full swing, and with it comes a flood of tech news, wild bikes and even wilder French car park encounters with pros and rival journalists.
In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, Jack Luke is joined by Simon von Bromley – fresh from the grande départ in Lille – to unpack this year’s biggest tech stories so far.
Top of the list is Jonas Vingegaard’s brand-new Cervélo R5, which Simon was first to spot. It’s lighter, sleeker, and could be key in the GC battle.
They also dig into Tadej Pogačar’s possible mountain time trial machine, the new Merida Reacto, and the surprising trend-bucking ENVE SES 4.5 Pro wheels ridden by Pog.
There’s also a peek behind the curtain at how BikeRadar covers the Tour, plus a look at last week’s top-performing story and our weekly ‘rant’ courtesy of Michael Woods, who thinks pro riders should be wearing hockey-style protective gear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 4, 2025 • 42min
NEW tech spotted at the Tour de France: what we've seen at the Grand Départ
We're on the ground at the Tour de France Grand Départ in Lille, hunting out the latest and greatest tech ahead of cycling's biggest race. Simon von Bromley and Ashley Quinlan have spotted an unreleased Cervélo R5, ENVE's trend-defying SES 4.5 Pro wheels and the new Continental Archetype tyre.
Read more:
Cervélo R5: https://www.bikeradar.com/news/new-cervelo-r5-2025-tour-de-france-matteo-jorgenson
ENVE SES 4.5 Pro wheels: https://www.bikeradar.com/news/enve-bucks-wider-is-better-trend-with-narrower-ses-4-5-pro-wheels-for-pogacar
Continental Archetype tyre: https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/road-bike-tyres/continental-archetype-tyre-review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 29, 2025 • 1h 1min
Our Tour de France tech predictions: what do we want – and expect – to see at the Grand Départ?
It’s Tour time! BikeRadar’s Simon von Bromley will be at the Grand Départ in Lille this week but, before heading out to northern France, Simon joins George Scott in the pod studio to run through his Tour de France tech predictions for 2025.
Listen to hear why aero bikes are back, tyres are getting wider, cranks are getting shorter and plenty more.
Buy the Official Tour de France Guide (UK only): https://www.ourmediashop.com/products/specials/2025-tour-de-france-standard-edition-516599
Read more about the UCI’s rule changes: https://www.bikeradar.com/news/uci-tech-rules-2026
Read more about the new Continental Archetype tyre: https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/road-bike-tyres/continental-archetype-tyre-review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 27, 2025 • 31min
The Eurobike 2025 trends you need to know about – eMTBs, electronic groupsets and urban mobility growth
High on pretzel fumes and delirious from two days trapsing the chasm-like halls of Frankfurt Messe, Jack Luke is joined by Stan Portus and Tom Marvin to run down on the key trends from Eurobike 2025. From the dominance of DJI to the bewildering growth of the German e-mobility market, the trio distill the key news from the world’s biggest cycling trade show.
Check out all of our Eurobike 2025 coverage here: https://www.bikeradar.com/events/eurobike Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 24, 2025 • 37min
Fox's new inverted Podium fork costs a small fortune but feels incredible: here's why
Senior technical editor Alex Evans sits down to discuss Fox's new upside-down fork, the Podium, the first from a mainstream brand of this size in decades.
Together with technical editor in chief, Rob Weaver, they talk through the reasoning behind Fox's move into the inverted fork world, along with the pros and cons of such a design, including how it feels on the trail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 20, 2025 • 42min
The UCI drops another HUGE rule change, plus SRAM and Shimano’s new groupsets
In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, digital editor Jack Luke and senior technical writer Simon von Bromley break down a huge week in cycling tech news.
From the UCI’s latest major rule change to new groupsets from SRAM and Shimano – and motorsport giant Brembo entering the cycling world via Specialized – they unpack all the key stories.
Plus, don’t miss BikeRadar’s top story of the week and our rant of the week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices