The BikeRadar Podcast

Many roadies are obsessed with buying upgrades for their bikes. If it’s carbon, light, aero or ceramic (or perhaps even all four simultaneously), we want it and may be prepared to part with large bundles of cash to get our grubby hands on it. But which ones are all style and no substance? In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, Simon von Bromley sits down with Liam Cahill to discuss the road bike upgrades you should steer clear of and why. Go faster with this new cycling tech (BodyRocket) The best value aero upgrades Does cycling shoe stiffness actually matter? How to make your own energy drinks Bike Fit 101 | Why should you get a bike fit? 5 mountain bike upgrades you don’t need… and 5 you do   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with another Tech Q&A – our listeners have been sending their technical conundrums to podcast@bikeradar.com and we have some answers!In this episode, we look at how to pick the best dropper-post length, whether there’s a way of adding UDH to existing frames, and why pedal threads are the way they are.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cargo bikes could be the N+1 to your current vehicle, if you have space in your home or garage for one.Over the past few months, senior technical editor Warren Rossiter has been taking trips to the tip, doing his weekly shop, carrying camera equipment and taking his dog for walks, all while testing a selection of electric cargo bikes.In this episode, Warren and Tom discuss the cargo bike scene, their pros and cons, the models Warren tested, and more home-brew options, including trailers and DIY conversions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mountain biking is a male-dominated sport, and so in this episode we talk to Fi Spotswood, associate professor in marketing and consumption at the University of Bristol, who researches female participation in sport, with a focus on mountain biking. We also hear from Rachel Bennet, MBUK’s staff writer.We discuss the structural and cultural barriers to female participation, as well as looking at spaces and areas in which participation has grown successfully. Fi’s blog on the subject can be found here - https://fias.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/Rach’s article on BikeRadar covering this subject can be found here - https://www.bikeradar.com/features/long-reads/womens-cycling-participation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, Jack Luke catches up with Tom Marvin and Alex Evans to discuss whether riding an eMTB makes you a better rider. The team share their experience of riding electric mountain bikes and talk about how they’ve shaped their riding on non-assisted bikes. https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-electric-mountain-bikeshttps://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/what-is-an-electric-bikehttps://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/7-reasons-why-electric-mountain-bikes-are-taking-over Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past two decades, Team GB has been the dominant track cycling force at the Olympic Games – and arrives at Paris 2024 looking to add to the haul of gold medals. In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, triple Olympic champion Ed Clancy reveals the space-age tech used to help power British riders to glory through his career.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, Simon von Bromley catches up with Warren Rossiter to discuss all of the groupset’s new features and find out how SRAM Red XPLR AXS performs out on the trails. The duo also discuss Zipp’s new 303 XPLR wheelset, which features an enormous 32mm internal rim width. While Warren says they perform fantastically, could these radically wide rims signal even more tyre compatibility woes ahead?  https://www.bikeradar.com/news/sram-aims-to-set-the-gravel-standard-with-red-axs-xplr https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/groupsets/gravel-groupset/sram-red-xplr-axs-review https://www.bikeradar.com/news/zipp-303-xplr-gravel-wheels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, Tom Marvin and Jack Luke recap on a busy period for mountain bike launches, kicking off with the Specialized Status 2 – an interesting do-it-all shred sled that offers the unusual option to run a 27.5/26in mullet wheel setup on smaller sizes. The pair then discuss the fourth generation of Trek’s all-rounder Top Fuel, which gets lightly updated geometry, suspension and in-frame storage for 2025. We then round out with the Lapierre Spicy and YT Decoy SN – two hard-hitting enduro bikes with very different views on what makes the ‘best’ enduro bike. ·         https://www.bikeradar.com/news/specialized-status-2 ·         https://www.bikeradar.com/news/2025-trek-top-fuel-gen-4 ·         https://www.bikeradar.com/news/lapierre-spicy-cf ·         https://www.bikeradar.com/news/yt-decoy-sn  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

José Antonio Hermida is an institution of cross-country mountain bike racing.  From humble beginnings – winning his first race at age 14 in a hockey helmet, swim shorts and a T-shirt – he racked up a wealth of impressive wins throughout his 20-year racing career, culminating in a dominant performance at the 2010 World Championships. He also took silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics and fourth at the 2012 London Olympics. In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, deputy editor Jack Luke and Hermida discuss coaching Tom Pidcock to victory at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, his predictions for the 2024 Games, how 29ers changed XC racing, how training and nutrition strategies have evolved since he retired, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the 2024 Tour de France coming to a dramatic close, we look back on the past three weeks of racing and some of the classic climbs that have defined the action. BikeRadar's George Scott is joined by Simon Warren, author of The 100 Greatest Climbs of the Tour de France, to talk through five must-ride ascents from this year's Tour. Which climbs should you put on your bucket list? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices