Geek Warning

Latest Episodes:

Campagnolo goes top-tier on gravel, now where’s Shimano? Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

Jeez, that Dave and Ronan can sure ramble on about a new groupset. Indeed, this week’s Geek Warning has the geeks geeking over Campagnolo’s much-awaited release of 1x13 wireless. They chat about what's new, the limitations of a single chainring for general road riding, and why the future for the iconic Italian manufacturer seems brighter.

While that chat may be a little premium for some tastes, the rest of the episode is all about more practical things. From tips for freehub servicing through to chatting good tech docs, this week’s episode lives up to the podcast’s name.

Time stamps:

2:30 - A Corrections Corner that only members need
4:00 - Campagnolo’s big Super Record expansion and the limits of 1x road
26:00 - Looking at Look’s Vision pedals
30:00 - New warranty options for CSS rim customers
32:00 - a PSA for your freehub
41:00 - Readily available technical manuals are a Good Thing
48:50 - Ask a Wrench (Members Only, with Zach Edwards)
49:30 - What’s up with gravel suspension?
55:00 - Threaded bottom bracket creaks
1:04:00 - Putting new Shimano XTR Di2 on a road bike
1:17:00 - Zach’s preferred brakes to bleed

WorldTour rumours and a split in aero bikes Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

Warning, geeks inbound. This week, Dave and Ronan catch up to discuss WorldTour rumours and a few of the bigger stories in tech. One of which is Wilier’s new aero bike, and while it wasn’t what Ronan had expected, it raises questions about whether the new crop of Hyperbikes are a consumer-friendly option.

Of course, there’s a PSA and Dave shares a ‘Good Thing’ that was on his mind from earlier in the day. And as per usual, members of Escape Collective get an extra half an hour of geekery as submitted questions get answered.

Time stamps:

1:00 - A little bit about electric tyre inflators
10:45 - Wilier’s new Filante SLR aero bike isn’t so radical
17:15 - WorldTour tech rumours
31:00 - Strava wants to be friends with Garmin again
34:00 - PSA to preventing stuck tubeless valve nuts
37:00 - Good Things for bleeding brakes
44:00 - Ask A Wrench (Members Only)
44:30 - Maintenance time versus durability in chain lubes
52:00 - Wedges in cycling shoes
1:01:00 - How to know when a slick tyre is worn
1:05:00 - Finding a 160 mm crank for use with 2x GRX

Saddle positioning and Campagnolo goes Ultra Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

Gravel World’s, Bespoked Dresden, and new products have kept Escape’s tech team busy over the past week. In this episode of Geek Warning, Dave and Ronan discuss a few of the bigger tech sightings and why they may prove to be irrelevant.

There’s talk of Campagnolo’s latest products, plus Ronan further explains the role of saddle positioning tools.

Members of Escape Collective also get access to the Ask a Wrench segment (this week with Boulder Groupetto). Of particular interest for many is a question related to the use of grease versus anti-seize versus threadlocker.

Happy geeking!

Time stamps:

2:20 - Tech at UCI Gravel Worlds
8:00 - Ultra-wide wheels from Dangerholm
19:00 - Campagnolo goes Ultra
27:30 - Good products, inspired by another podcast
33:30 - Pet peeve meets PSA related to saddle positioning
45:00 - Ask a Wrench with Boulder Groupetto (Members Only)
47:00 - Tech that less tech-savvy riders should avoid
58:30 - Grease vs Anti-Seize vs Threadlocker
1:12:00 - A member-submitted tip
1:15:00 - Omnium tyre choices

Special ep: In for review, October 2025 Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

It’s a rare occurrence that timezone align for Escape’s entire tech team to get together and casually chat about what’s keeping each of them busy.

For this bonus episode of Geek Warning, Dave, Ronan, Suvi, Josh, and Alex discuss some of the test products and testing that has been on their minds as of late.

Enjoy!

Time stamps:

3:00 - The bikes we rode last
5:00 - Early thoughts on the Cervelo Aspero 5
8:00 - Canyon Grizl
12:00 - Trek CheckOut
18:00 - Stinner Refugio Ti and Salsa Spearfish
21:00 - A long-awaited Basso review
23:00 - A tangent (rant) into how we do and don’t get review bikes to fit us
37:30 - PFAS-free waterproof and cool-weather kit (Members Only)
44:00 - Wolf Tooth’s entry to SPD pedals
53:00 - Ronan’s power meter pedal deep-dive
56:00 - Josh’ Dynamo adventures
58:00 - Not feeling the difference in Shimano’s new cleats
1:07:00 - Ronan thinks he’s owned a Tarmac SL8 for 7 years. Alex praises the Scott Addict RC.
1:13:00 - THE electric inflator test is coming this week!

Emergency Ep: SRAM's win and what it means for the UCI Oct 10, 2025

Show notes

Emergency episode time!

Caley and Ronan dive into a story that started with chainrings and cogs, and ended up in court. The BCA has ordered the UCI to suspend its new Maximum Gear Ratio Standard, siding with SRAM in a dispute that could reshape how cycling’s rules are made. What began as a “safety test” for rider speed has become a battle over who really governs the sport, and whether the UCI is still above competition law.

Fancy bottom brackets and adjustable crank lengths Oct 10, 2025

Show notes

Come get geeky with Dave, Ronan, and Zach (Boulder Grupetto), as they add context to the latest cycling tech.

This week you’ll hear about adjustable crank lengths, whether fancy bottom brackets are worth the expense, and if modular mechanical rear derailleurs will succeed.

Members of Escape will also hear a non-safety-critical PSA, and of course, Ask a Wrench. That Ask a Wrench is a little different from the usual, with a long chat about whether the review bikes we get are given special treatment by the brands.

Time stamps:

1:50 - Adjustable length cranks return with SRM
10:15 - A dive into fancy fancy bottom brackets via CeramicSpeed’s overhaul
29:30 - Did Specialized get the new Aethos right?
37:30 - Debating premium, modular, mechanical rear derailleurs.
44:00 - PSA - Check your hex keys for wear (Members Only)
51:00 - Ask a Wrench (Members Only)
53:00 - Do we get special bikes to review?
1:04:00 - Solving mystery air in disc brakes

Back to basics with chain lubes Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

Long-time listeners of Geek Warning are in for a treat as Zach Edwards (Boulder Groupetto) returns for a full episode. Along with Dave Rome and Alex Hunt, there is a whole lot of ultimate bike geek to this week’s episode.

Within, you’ll hear about some unintentionally leaked information related to what’s likely the next generation of Shimano road pedals.

Dave then takes the conversation to an old favourite topic – chain waxing. Next, those new to cycling or less knowledgeable about the technical aspects may appreciate a dedicated new section that aims to cover topics that bike shop staff frequently repeat multiple times a week. This week, it’s all about drip-on wax lubes.

Of course there’s some industry news to talk about, and finally a decision on the UCIs handlebar width pondering.

All of that is free for all, but members of Escape Collective then get access to the Ask a Wrench segment of the podcast. Here, the geeks answer a number of member-submitted technical questions with information that should prove helpful if you’re working on bikes or keen to expand your technical knowledge.

Happy geeking!

Time stamps:
01:50 - Is a new generation of Shimano road pedals around the corner?
10:40 - Chain waxing temperatures, does it matter?
17:00 - Back to basics: Chain lubes
31:00 - UCI adjusts and confirms its bar width ruling
37:30 - YT set to close
42:50 - CSS Composites closing
48:00 - Ask a Wrench (Members only)
48:30 - Getting perfect shifting with Shimano Tiagra
56:30 - Where to begin with modern mountain bike geometry
1:04:30 - Shimano 12-speed cassettes and the Adhesive Ring

Workshop wishes and crooked hoods Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

This week on Geek Warning, Ronan Mc Laughlin and Dave Rome discuss why SRAM’s battle with the UCI may also prove positive for Shimano.

Ronan asks Dave what his workshop wish is, which leads to an unexpected tangent about bike washing. There’s, of course, a PSA, which ends up being a conversation about how to align dropbar shifters. And the geeks summarise a bunch of the latest and biggest new tech.

Lastly, Zach Edwards (Boulder Groupetto) joins the pod to answer some questions from members in the Ask a Wrench segment. As a reminder, only members of Escape Collective get access to this section of the podcast.

Happy geeking!

Time stamps:
1:00 - A hypothetical question
5:30 - SRAM taking the UCI to court, explained (plus a big rumour)
10:15 - Waiting on an update to the UCI’s handlebar ruling (now out of date since recording)
13:00 - Ronan ponders Dave’s dream workshop wish
25:00 - PSA that alignment markings on bars may be fictional plus an explainer on road shifter alignment
38:00 - Rotor returns to the groupset game, sorta
40:15 - Further update on SRAM’s Transmission firmware update
41:40 - Trek’s CheckOut, a full suspension gravel bike
43:15 - RockShox’s matching Rudy XL
45:00 - RLS helmet safety system and Canyon growing the full-service side of the business
48:30 - Lezyne enters the rear Radar game
50:00 - Ask a Wrench (Escape members only)
52:30 - Shimano Di2 rear shifting woes
58:30 - Adding shifters to SRAM AXS
1:04:00 - Greasing posts and cleaning seat tubes

Geek Warning Bonus: Trek on testing gravel suspension and bike design Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Today, Trek launched a bike that’s sure to spark debate in comments sections. It’s called the CheckOut. It features a new 60 mm travel front suspension fork, courtesy of the RockShox Rudy XL, and 55 mm rear travel to match. It fits gravel-width cranks and has official clearance for up to 56 mm tyres (about a 29x2.25in).

However, it’s the design and testing of this bike that brings our fascination up to a boiling point. Trek published a white paper explaining how it used a rolling road with 3D motion capture, on bike sensors, and a metabolic mask to understand the benefits of having suspension on typical gravel terrain. We had questions.

So with that, Alex Bedinghaus (Lead Design Engineer) and Kyle Russ (Analysis team) jumped on to geek out with Escape's Dave Rome. The conversation covers the design of the bike, what modern off-road efficiency testing looks like, why gravel bikes continue to go where mountain bikes have been, and plenty more.

Meanwhile, head over to Escape Collective.com to see Dave Rome’s early coverage of the new Check Out.

Those on the free feed for Geek Warning get the first 25 minutes free. Meanwhile, members of Escape Collective get the whole thing, which frankly, includes the best parts.

Time stamps:
3:00 - Introductions
6:00 - The design goal of the CheckOut
10:00 - Why not a mountain bike?
15:30 - Designing for bikepacking
20:00 - Longer suspension and stack heights
25:00 - Suspension layout versus Trek’s IsoTrust
27:00 - Testing explained (Escape Members Only from here on)
35:00 - Body is a damper and a spring
37:00 - Suspension versus bigger tyres
44:00 - Measuring steering compensation
49:00 - Qualitative versus quantitative data
53:30 - Is smoother always faster?
57:00 - CheckOut versus a gravel race bike

There is no best bike Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

When Escape Collective first launched, Ronan Mc Laughlin announced plans for an aero leaderboard. The goal was to test race bikes in real-world conditions using the latest testing tools to determine which bikes are the fastest. That obviously didn’t come to fruition, and this week, Dave and Ronan discuss why. The conversation leads to the two discussing how they approach reviews and the anxieties that surround them.

The geeks also have a PSA, Dave attempts to explain pedal kickback in mountain bikes to Ronan, and there's chat of SRAM's speed update for Transmission.

Members of Escape Collective (via the member podcast feed) get the full episode, which contains Ask a Wrench. This week Dave answers a handful of member-submitted questions, which this week relate to bottom brackets, servicing hydraulic disc brakes, and cassette wear.

Time stamps:
2:00 - Why bike reviews can’t have conclusive answers
26:00 - PSA related to replacing disc brake pads
31:00 - DT Swiss’ new DF system and pedal kickback explained
39:30 - A quiet release from SRAM that speeds up Transmission shift speed
50:00 - Ask a Wrench (member-only feed)
50:00 - Specialized’s OSBB explained
56:30 - Cassette wear and how to measure for it
1:04:00 - SRAM Road Hydro lever service
1:11:00 - Buying a bike with a BB86 bottom bracket

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