Spin Cycle

Performance Process returns for 2024 with the latest in our series delving into how and why World Tour racing is getting so much faster. Coach Jacob Tipper is our guest discussing various aspects of the training that goes into modern performances. Covering everything from the importance of fatigue resistance to off season binges, Tipper talks from his vast experience as a rider and coach to many. Tipper has coached EF's Ben Healy since the under 16 categories and talks us through some of the steps and plans that Healy has implemented in becoming one of the hottest prospects in the World Tour and why other aspiring athletes shouldn't throw the towel in when they see young mega-stars siging pro and winning big right out of the junior categories. Time stamps for the episode:04:06 – UCI lever angle rules09:24 – Is World Tour Racing getting faster?14:59 - Is it just speed increasing, or is power increasing also? 16:51 – Modern training and increased professionalism28:00 – Power training and its usefulness. 34:29 – The difference between pros and U23 riders and the key performance metric we should be talking about41:11 - On recovery44:38 – Altitude training49:14 – Heat training56:32 – A theory on how better fuelling may be heloping younger riders break through1:04:04 - How it's now the young riders leading by example1:06:53 - On how slower burner riders shouldn't look to emulate the teenage pros1:12:03 - Athlete development 

Dave Rome takes Abby's place leading the podcast on the ground in Adelaide to talk about the first stage of the women's Tour Down Under. Our favourite tech expert is joined by former professional Gracie Elvin and Escape Collective's managing editor Matt de Neef. The team discusses the event's growing prestige, why the Europeans are showing up to win, how the Aussies can compete, and how the new team kits look in person. 

Dave and James have lots of spy photos to discuss this week! Factor’s got a revamp of its Ostro VAM lightweight road bike about to break cover, and Specialized and Trek have some enticing new road shoes roaming about in the wild. Lazer also brings its Kineticore technology to its popular Z1, we debate the pros and cons of anti-seize vs. grease, and we chat about what we look for in our favorite gravel shoes.Timestamps:1:52 – Ostro’s new Factor VAM may be fast, but it’s not especially pretty – and it’s not alone7:03 – Lazer brings Kineticore technology to the revamped Z112:01 – Even tools aren’t immune to hacking15:27 – Blurring the lines between auto mechanics and bike mechanics18:17 – Dave (anti-)seizes the day26:12 – Pick One! Our favorite gravel shoes, and what we look for in them32:54 – PSA: dried sealant and wheel imbalance36:02 – New lightweight S-Works road shoes coming from Specialized?37:09 – Some very intriguing mid-range road shoes are definitely coming soon from Specialized37:58 – And some new flagship road shoes from Trek/Bontrager, too!38:15 – Ratio Technology is at it again with a new aluminum cable spool for SRAM DoubleTap levers38:46 – Iconic UK MTB brand Orange is in serious financial difficulty40:24 – Enve parent company Amer Sports Inc is going public41:12 – Brompton with a capital B!41:19 – 9point8 has angle-adjust headsets for IS-style frames

Jonny Long, Kit Nicholson, and Dane Cash join Caley Fretz to take the inside line into Plugge corner and continue the ongoing conversation about Mathieu van der Poel's cyclocross form, among other things.You'll also hear the first Weekly Pain of 2024, while Escape Collective members will get another edition of the Placeholders After Dark.

Abby, Gracie, and Loren are back to talk about Tour Down Under, what Willunga means for the race, our dream teams, and more. Have questions for us? Let us know on the Escape Collective discord!Also, check out the Wheel Talk Newsletter for a stage-by-stage preview ahead of the TDU.

Geek Warning is back for the new year! In this week’s episode, Dave and James chat about some mysterious Boa dial failures and how some pros are using gravel bikes this cyclocross season, how 3D-printing is becoming just as much a marketing tool as a manufacturing one, and what we look for in our favorite handlebar tapes.You might also just want to head out to the shed and check your disc brake rotor thicknesses, and the story of a lost bike in Colorado may help restore your faith in humanity.Timestamps:5:01 – What’s going on with Boa dial failures this cyclocross season?11:54 – Even the pros don’t think gravel bikes are all that different from cyclocross bikes16:35 – Everything that can be 3D-printed is being 3D-printed20:40 – Pick One! Our favorite handlebar tapes, and what we look for in them35:45 – PSA: Disc brake rotors don’t last forever40:04 – A lost bike, and restoring your faith in humanity44:30 – Rotor’s got a new dual-sided power meter for Shimano crankarms45:45 – Look, ma, no ears! Kask has a mysterious new aero road helmet46:30 – Bora-Hansgrohe has officially confirmed they’re on SRAM and Hammerhead this year46:40 – Chris King has added a new Microspline freehub body option for its R45 hubs

This week on the show: Red Bull's buy-in at Bora-Hansgrohe, Mathieu van der Poel's spit, Ronan's beard, and our New Year's resolutions for professional cycling. To get access to the members-only Escape After Dark segment of this podcast, sign up here. 

Following a break for our inaugural Awards episode, Dave and Ronan return with an episode of a familiar format. There’s plenty on the minds of the geeks, plus a sprinkling of new tech to know in this final Geek Warning episode for 2023 ...The biggest news is that the UCI wants to control just how weird racers can get with the angles of brake hoods. Dave and Ronan discuss the claimed safety concerns, and what are arguably the far larger concerns, too. For a detailed report, check out our coverage of the latest tech rulings.The geeks discuss whether the term “endurance” may be holding people back from buying the best bike for them. Ronan dreams of adjustable crank length being more mainstream. Then, the conversation turns to road tyres for the Pick One segment.In other news, it looks like a new SPD-compatible powermeter pedal is on the way from Favero, although for now the Assioma Pro MX is only available in Italy. Tacx recently released a new flagship trainer, the Neo 3M, a now motion-based trainer comparable to the Wahoo KickR Move –  a comparison that DCRainmaker has already made. Meanwhile, Classified now has an app for its Powershift hub, although its limited usefulness may be a better tease of what’s possibly to come.In mountain bike news, Niner is being moved out of Colorado and to the not-so-cycling-destination of Ohio. We're also seeing further examples of integrated cable routing on mountain bikes, with the Bike Ahead Composites Wonderbar being an example.Timestamps:2:05 – Biggest tech trend7:59 – Biggest surprise12:13 – The “It’s about time” award16:42 – The “most wanted” award20:00 – Our favorite bike-related purchases of the year25:46 – The “What the hell were they thinking?” award32:10 – The “problem solver” award36:20 – The “more of this, please, bike industry” award38:49 – The “meh” award43:36 – The “I am so here for this” award45:59 – The “Oops, I put my foot in my mouth” award48:04 – The most exciting new tool of the year53:57 – What products are we anticipating most in 2024?

The Geeks are back for another round of Ask a Wrench. In this member’s bonus episode, Zach (of Boulder Gruppetto), James, and Dave answer a bunch of technical questions submitted by Escape members. This week, our geeks discuss how to find a good mechanic, how to torque bolts when there are multiples, change of crank bolt material for easier removal, servicing of cartridge bearings, rattling saddle bags, how to prep a bike for winter use, and plenty more.

Jonny Long hosts the final Placeholders episode of the year, a quiz showdown with Iain Treloar, Kit Nicholson, and Ronan Mc Laughlin. Who will emerge as the end-of-year champion? Listen to find out ...