Velo Podcast

Latest Episodes:

TRP's New Vistar Drivetrain Tested, the UCI's Weird Tech Clampdown Explained, & Fresh 13-Speed SRAM Groups Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

TRP's new Vistar drivetrain combines a 12-speed cassette with a Classified internally geared hub to give you the benefits of a front derailleur without the hassle and complication, but does it work in the real world? Senior Tech Editor Josh Ross has spent months using it and explains the benefits, drawbacks, and how the hybrid 1X system compares to a traditional drivetrain.

Josh has also been riding the new SRAM Force and Rival drivetrains that aim to bring the performance of Red down to a lower price point; he describes the differences between each group and tells Levy why Force is the answer.
Cervelo also just released their Aspero-5 gravel race bike that trades tire clearance and comfort for pure aero-focused speed, which is the opposite approach that we're seeing with most new designs.

Alvin has been testing the fresh Aspero and explains why this new "gravel bike" might be the ideal all-road machine for many riders.

Lastly, the crew debates the UCI's strange new tech mandates that limit handlebar width, fork leg geometry, rim height, and aero helmets, all of which are intended to slow racers down and increase safety. But are yet more rules really the answer, and how do the UCI's decisions affect what consumers can purchase?

For your consideration:

Unbound 200 Winner Cam Jones on 200g of Carbs per Hour & His Unusual Tire Choices Jun 19, 2025

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New Zealander Cam Jones talks to Mike Levy about escaping early with an eager partner, how they built an 8-minute gap on the field, and the importance of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They also get into the time Cam lived in a U-Haul truck while racing in America, his lifelong love of good adventures, and how he plans to tackle the Leadville Trail 100.

For your consideration:

Chaos in the Unbound Pits, All of the Prototype Road Bikes, and New Gravel Suspension Tested Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

Unbound gave us some incredible racing and smashed previous course records, but it wasn't without controversy. With higher speeds, larger fields, and more competition than ever before, the Unbound pit zones were hectic and dangerous, especially with pros and amateurs alike taking a free-for-all approach. Should Unbound add more rules to keep racers safe, or should they move to a fully unsupported format without pit zones?

Alvin, Josh, and Levy also dig into all the new prototypes, including the unreleased Cervelo, something that sure looks like a new Specialized Diverge, and Factor's wild-looking aero machine that takes its DNA from their track bike. Alvin has also been riding DT Swiss' new F132 ONE gravel suspension fork and it sounds like he's a believer.

Rob Britton on Winning Unbound XL, Chasing Lachlan, and Being Reborn with a Sunrise Jun 07, 2025

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Fresh off his record-breaking win at the 350-mile Unbound Gravel XL race, Rob Britton chats with Levy about his strategy, how he fuels for an ultra, and why an aero bar and suspension fork make so much sense. They also get into stopping for pee breaks, those low moments before being reborn with the sunrise, and how he mentally recovers from such a massive effort.

Prototype Bikes, Monster Gearing, and all the Unreleased Tech from Unbound Gravel Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Unbound has become the epicenter for not just the latest gravel bike tech but also some of the most interesting equipment choices of the year.

Alvin Holbrook spent the week in Emporia, Kansas, tracking the race and also tracking down prototype bikes from Orbea, Pinarello, and Specialized. He also found Lachlan Morton's Cannondale Topstone with its water-carrying Tailfin rack and custom front bag, some unreleased rubber from Pirelli, and what most of us would consider a reverse tire set-up that ended up winning the race.

Why Is Zwift Tracking Outdoor Rides? May 23, 2025

Show notes

Today's show takes a deep dive into two new bikes at opposite ends of all the spectrums: State's no-fuss 4130 All-Road sells for under $1,000 USD, and Cannondale's Topstone Lefty Gravel bike that employs a single-sided suspension fork and 30mm of rear-wheel-travel via a clever system combining built-in frame flex with a single pivot.

Alvin, Josh, and Levy also dissect Zwift's new outdoor ride-tracking feature that may (or may not) eventually challenge Strava as many people's go-to app, and Alvin reports back on how using shorter cranks for the last five months has propelled him to new heights and watts... or maybe not?

What It Takes to Organize a Major Gravel Race (with Amy Charity of SBT GRVL) May 16, 2025

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This week's episode sees us go behind the scenes with Amy Charity, SBT GRVL co-founder and retired professional racer, to find out what it takes to organize one of North America's premier gravel races.

Did you know that you can never have too many outhouses?

Levy and Will take notes on how to find four hundred volunteers, and how to deal with permits, police, and politics while putting on an event that's both fun and safe. Additionally, we dig into the changes made to SBT, what the future of gravel racing looks like, and more

Topics covered:

$16K Cannondales, Thoughts From The Traka, and DT Swiss’s Not-So-Secret Weapon May 09, 2025

Show notes

New Tech Alert: A speedy all-road bike with all the tire clearance, an unreleased (and still embargoed) gravel bike, and a clever gravel suspension fork from DT Swiss make this a gear-focused show.

Senior Tech Editor Alvin Holbrook chats with Levy about riding Cannondale's completely redesigned Synapse that offers massive tire clearance, a best-in-class storage box, and integrated lighting that (might) finally make sense. Further, he explains how one battery powers all of it and the AXS derailleur. The price? $16,499.

He's also spent some time on a new gravel suspension fork from DT Swiss that features integrated brake hose routing and aero-ish shaping, and even got to use one while racing a very wet Traka 100 in Spain just a few days ago.

Topics covered:

How We'd Design Our Anything-Goes Dream Bikes May 02, 2025

Show notes

This week's show sees Alvin, Josh, and Levy step into a parallel timeline where they have the power to create the bike of their dreams without those pesky engineering limits we have to put up with here. Impossibly good tire clearance, ultra-light aero everything, more frame storage than a steamer trunk, and gravel bike geometry that's not trying to kill you is all too much to ask for in the real world, but it's entirely possible in today's podcast.

The crew also talks about riding Kona's MTB-influenced Ouroboros Carbon, the pros and cons of the new Coros Dura computer, and what should be done to the "fan" who rode alongside the race leaders at last weekend's Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes.

The Liège-Bastogne-Liège Preview, Pogačar's Revenge, & Factor's Less-Expensive Aero Bike Apr 25, 2025

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Beware: this episode of Velo Podcast is a packed one.

Amstel Gold has to be one of the best races of the year, and this year was no exception. While everyone thought Tadej Pogačar was gone, he sat up and started to soft pedal. And instead of blowing it all up at the last climb, Amstel Gold ended up being decided in a three-person sprint. The first two names–Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel–are to be expected. But Mattias Skjelmose? He seemed surprised to even be there, much less that he won.

In this latest episode of the Velo Podcast, we talk about Skjelmose winning Amstel Gold, Mischa Bredewold taking the win at Women's Amstel Gold.

They also preview Liège-Bastogne-Liège and discuss Remco's 100-percent win record at The Old Lady; two starts, two victories! Can he do it again against the likes of Pidcock, Pogi, and Van der Poel? Levy is a believer, whereas Hoody has his money on a certain Slovenian.

And in the tech world, Levy and Tech Editor Alvin Holbrook talk about the newly-released Factor Monza aero bike, his latest gravel bike in for test, and Silca’s Tariff-Limited Electronic Pump.

We told you it would be a packed one!

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