Geek Warning Podcast

June has started with a bang when it comes to new cycling tech. This week we’ve seen the long-awaited release of new Shimano XTR Di2, the next generation Super Record from Campagnolo, and a welcomed new power pedal from Favero. All are new products that Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin discuss, in addition to being covered in more detail on Escape Collective.

In addition to all that, Unbound gravel saw a whole bunch of unreleased bikes being raced, which Dave and Josh Weinberg (US tech and culture editor) discuss.

Of course, there’s also the usual PSA, Ronan has something on his mind, and the episode wraps with the member-only Ask a Wrench segment (with Zach Edwards of Boulder Groupetto helping to answer questions). Members can submit new questions here.

As a reminder, this week also brought a special episode of Geek Warning where Shimano’s North American MTB product manager, Nick Murdick, was interviewed about all things related to new XTR Di2.

Timestamps:

2:30 - New Shimano XTR
7:50 - Campagnolo’s new Super Record WRL 13
19:15 - Favero Assioma Pro RS road power pedals
27:45 - PSA on eye safety
32:00 - On Ronan’s mind, uh oh
40:00 - Unbound tech
42:30 - Specialized’s new Diverge
45:30 - A name suggestion for the new Pinarello gravel racer
47:00 - Factor’s two new unreleased gravel bikes
51:50 - Orbea’s also got two new gravel bikes going around
54:00 - And Vos on a new Cervelo gravel race bike?
55:00 - Euro versus US gravel racing seen in bike design
1:00:30 - A pre-installed backup tube
1:04:30 - Ask a Wrench (member-only)
1:06:15 - How to adjust eccentric bottom brackets on single-speeds
1:11:30 - A tip for finding dropped items
1:15:40 - Our favourite hand cleaner? Hello gloves.
1:22:00 - Removing the impossibly stuck crank

Seven years have passed since we last saw an updated version of Shimano’s flagship mountain bike group. Assuming you weren’t holding your breath, and as a result are still with us, then today is the day of the update.

Yes, new XTR Di2 M9200 is here. It represents Shimano’s delayed entry into true wireless shifting, and brings with it a number of other interesting developments (a new brake oil, anyone?).In this episode, Escape Collective’s Dave Rome and Alex Hunt sit down with Shimano North America’s MTB Product Manager, Nick Murdick. The North American offices of Shimano have been playing an increasingly significant role in the development and design of Shimano’s next generation parts, and Nick has been at the centre of that for the new XTR.

This episode speaks candidly with Murdick about the new group, some challenges faced, some decisions behind the details, and a few teases of what may still be to come. Alex and Dave wrap up at the end with a few quick thoughts. Meanwhile, you’ll need to visit our article on Escape Collective to find all the nuanced details and ride impressions of the new XTR product range.

A chunk of this episode (along with our written report) is free for all to enjoy and learn from. However, as Escape is wholly member-funded (which means this isn’t sponsored or paid content), you will need to be a member of Escape Collective in order to hear it all.

Our necks are hurting from the whiplash of information regarding what tyres are actually fastest off-road. Ronan teases a fresh discussion he had about optimising one sponsored rider for Unbound and some surprising lessons that came from that. It's a topic that continues to fascinate, especially given some of the world's best cross-country mountain bikers have been racing Short Track on 50 mm gravel tyres.

In addition to that, you’ll hear Dave Rome, Alex Hunt, and Ronan McLaughlin explain why none of them are currently choosing to use 3D-printed saddles. There’s a PSA for anyone with wireless shifting, and of course, there’s new stuff to talk about, too.

As usual, members also get our Ask a Wrench segment, which this week sees Dave Rome and pro race mechanic Brad Copeland answer a handful of questions, including: how keep 11-speed shifting running long-term, understanding bike handling, and best practises for travelling with new SRAM Full Mount derailleurs (Transmission and XPLR). Members can submit new questions here.

Timestamps:

5:15 - Corrections corner related to 55 mm road tyres
8:40 - Corrections corner related to the Zipp 303 SW naming
11:00 - So mountain bike tyres aren’t always faster off-road?
24:00 - DT Swiss joins the gravel suspension game
29:30 - Why we don’t choose 3D-printed saddles
42:10 - A PSA to wireless shifting
44:30 - Polygon’s new Helios A road racer
50:30 - Goodyear’s new Connector gravel race range
55:00 - HED’s new gravel wheels
58:30 - Ask a Wrench with Brad Copeland (member-only)
59:40 - Keeping SRAM 11-speed going long-term
1:05:30 - How to understand rear handling?
1:09:00 - Travelling with SRAM T-Type/Full Mount derailleurs

Welcome back to the cycling tech podcast with a Geek Warning. 

This week, Escape’s tech editors Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin discuss what’s been on their minds. For Dave, that’s how good modern chains have become and a cool upgrade option for DT Swiss hub users.For Ronan, it’s the new wheels from Zipp that have been occupying his time. This is a fairly long episode for members of Escape Collective (go here). Those on the member-only podcast feed won’t just hear what’s new, but rather will hear some criticism of Zipp’s new built-in pressure gauges and whether the company has addressed Ronan’s concerns about hookless.

As always, members also get our Ask a Wrench segment, which this week sees Dave Rome and pro race mechanic Brad Copeland answer a handful of questions related to disc brakes, along with one about the trend to toward wide gravel tyres and where suspension comes into that. Members can submit new questions here.

3:30 - Corrections corner: 14-speed cassettes do exist, sigh.
4:30 - Williams Racing Product’s Zero Drag Kit is cool
9:30 - Some things are really good, especially new chains
17:30 - PSA: Don’t pluck your (tyre) hairs
20:50 - Gunnar and Waterford names return
21:30 - Standert’s new scandium alloy road racer
24:30 - Pirelli’s new endurance road tyre that goes to 55 mm wide
31:15 - Rex releases its Black Magik drip wax
34:30 - Silca’s first grease and Dave’s go-to grease
37:00 - Zipp’s new range of wheels
42:15 - Wolf Tooth’s new Clik valves and bottom brackets
49:00 - Opinions on Zipp’s new wheels and sensors (member-only)
1:03:00 - Where we stand on hookless (member-only)
1:13:00 - Ask a Wrench (member-only)
1:15:00 - Dealing with rubbing discs
1:26:00 - Crop circles on disc rotors
1:32:00 - Cleaning with disc brakes
1:39:00 - Pondering wide tyres versus gravel suspension for Unbound

You don’t have to look far these days to find a jersey and bib short that costs more than my first road bike, or one that costs less than lunch. In this episode, I sit down with Steve Smith, Brand Manager at Castelli and Sportful, to unpack what really drives the cost of cycling kit. From €1.50 chamois pads to €300 retail tags, we explore the full supply chain, manufacturing realities, sponsorship costs, direct-to-consumer myths, and why a €30 short might look the part and what it might be missing, if anything. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re really paying for, if it's marginal gains or just all margins for the manufacturers, this episode has answers.