Marginal Gains Cycling Podcast, Presented by Silca

Latest Episodes:

Dylan Johnson: Offroad Endurance and Marginal Gains Nov 24, 2022

Show notes

Anyone who's ever spent any time watching Dylan Johnson's popular Youtube channel could be forgiven for thinking it and the Marginal Gains show were separated at birth. In this episode, we get together with this incredibly smart, incredibly fast cyclist to talk about not just his achievements in racing, but the little things he does to beat the competitoin. Don't miss this episode!

AJA 27: The Hour Record...On the Moon? Nov 10, 2022

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It's always fun to find out what questions are going to really catch Josh's attention. In this episode, we talk about tiny marginal gains, postulate why mountain bikes are not particularly aero, follow up on the best gases to fill your tires (and why), and much more. But the question that really grabbed Josh has to do with a crazy hypothetical: how would you optimize your bike and track for an hour record attempt...on the moon? It's an intriguing question and one we're far from done with. We think you'll love this episode of Ask Josh Anything!

Alexey Vermeulen: Racing, BWR, Grand Prix Postmortem, & Mental Marginal Gains Oct 28, 2022

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Alexey Vermeulen is exhausted. He deserves to be, having just taken a hard-fought podium spot in the Life Time Grand Prix. And wins in multiple BWR races. And producing a show where he mentors novice cyclists. And much more. But he still found time — hours after flying home from Big Sugar and hours before he flies out to his next event — to get together with the Marginal Gains crew to talk about how he doesn't just survive in this demanding environment, but actually thrives. Don't miss this episode of Marginal Gains!

AJA 26: Sunglasses, Nitrogen, Tire Temperature, and Cyclocross Sep 20, 2022

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We rely on Marginal Gains listeners to provide intelligent and provocative questions, and as always, our listeners do not disappoint. In this Ask Josh Anything episode, we re-open the question of hour record attempts, this time considering pros and cons of a negative-split effort. We talk about Nitrogen and its merits of using it instead of air for tires with sealant. We talk about the aerodynamic penalty of tucking your glasses into your helmet vents. Plus tire temperature talk, cyclocross marginal gain tips, and why most BMX bikes don't race tubeless.

Getting Marginal Gains on Dirt, with Jeremiah Bishop Sep 08, 2022

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Jeremiah Bishop proclaims he is a "nerd in recovery," but we know better. Bishop was a crucial member of 2015's Team Topeak-Ergon, which set a record Leadville 100 time that stands to this day. And this was not just a story of strong legs and lungs; it was a Marginal Gains story, through and through. Whether you race road, mixed surface, or dirt, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.

AJA 25: Leadville, New Hour Record, and the Gravelero Aug 27, 2022

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After a nice long summer break, we're back with more questions for Josh. Josh, Hottie and Fatty met IRL in Leadville last month, so we spend a good chunk of this episode talking about the LT100 MTB race -- altitude, aerodynamic speed minimums, and other marginal gains available two miles above sea level. We also make time to talk about Dan Bigham's amazing new hour record, aerometers, and the story behind the new Gravelero pump. Don't miss this episode!

Phil Gaimon and the Best Worst Retirement Ever Jun 29, 2022

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Phil Gaimon takes on serious topics, but he doesn't take himself too seriously. He uses his social media to document is KOMs and occasional Everesting attempts, but also takes us on interesting rides and shows us how cyclists and motorists can get along on the same piece of tarmac. Phil is a fantastic climber, an advocate, a humorist, a Silca athlete and a newlywed. It's a pleasure to have him join us on Marginal Gains

AJA 24: Making Hydration Aero, Carbon Wheel Failures, & Wireless Braking Jun 14, 2022

Show notes

Josh answers a batch of listener questions, from the extremely practical to the fascinatingly hypothetical. Are pros flatting more than they used to? Has the balance between strong and light swung too far toward light? How do you make your hydration as aero as possible? What air pressure should be used for the back wheels on a competitive trike? And how good would electronic / wireless brakes have to be before you could trust them? We get into all this and more in this Ask Josh Anything episode of Marginal Gains!

Dan Bigham: Aerodynamics Guru Jun 01, 2022

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Dan Bigham's job title — Performance Engineer — for Team Ineos really undersells his value. Dan is a through-and-through marginal gainer, with a special gift for figuring out how to beat the wind. And as such, he's the perfect guest for a one-on-one chat with Josh. Don't miss this episode of Marginal Gains!

Aerometers: CDA Testing for the Masses? May 18, 2022

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What if CDA measuring were brought to the masses via some sort of attachable device? Michael Liberzon—an engineer and triathlete coach—has field tested an aerometer and researched several others. In this episode, we talk with Michael to get an overview of where we are with aerometers and whether real-time CDA will ever become a thing.