Velo Podcast

Mike Levy, Lisa Charleboise, and Logan Jones-Wilkins hold down the fort talking about pee, ultra-racing, and Strava feuds. First, Levy tries to pry embargoed information out of Jones-Wilkins before Charleboise recaps another massive weekend ride. From there, it's on to the main topics:

Urine Intel from the Giro d'Italia

The trio tackles the recent UCI warnings at the Giro d'Italia. Racers have been put on notice for urinating into their water bottles and tossing them to the roadside. Levy attempts to defend the logistical efficiency of the "bottle pee," while Logan and Lisa outline the absolute horror for roadside fans hoping to snag a souvenir bidon.

Strava Feuds and Indoor Aerobars

Addressing reader questions, the team discusses the mental health aspects of chasing Strava KOMs in highly saturated areas. Logan shares his philosophy on defending niche segments against World Tour riders, and Levy confesses to running a high aerobar setup on his indoor Zwift bike strictly for comfort during three-hour sessions.

The Traka 560 Controversy & Ultra-Racing Ethics

The crew dives deep into the messy world of ultra-distance racing. Logan breaks down why Victor Bosoni's victory at the Traka 560km Adventure event sparked intense debate after he cut approximately 400 meters off the official GPS track. This leads to a fiery debate: Lisa firmly believes missing that much of the course is grounds for immediate disqualification, while Levy and Logan argue for a bit more nuance in self-supported "adventure" events.

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:08:52 - Peeing in water bottles

00:14:14 - Reader Questions

00:23:37 - The Traka 560 Controversy & Ultra-Racing Ethics

From wild TT bikes spotted at China Cycle to the real reason behind the Jan-Willem van Schip DQ, we break down the week's biggest tech news. Plus, I talk about sitting down with Chris Froome in China to talk bikes

Episode Notes:

Once again I hit the podcast mic completely jet-lagged and out of my mind to talk about the trip I’d just returned from. This time I was back in Asia, specifically China, at China Cycle to see all the craziest tech from brands that people are absolutely eating up right now.

No doubt about it, Chinese bikes are having a moment right now, but what did I actually see in China? Turns out one thing I saw was Chris Froome so, obviously, we talked about how I had the chance to sit down with one of the most famous roadies of recent memory and talk about gravel racing. I also chatted with Froome about his involvement in Factor Bikes and which Factor model he actually prefers.

Outside of Chris Froome, we also talk about aerodynamics a lot in this podcast. It’s what happens when Logan Jones-Wilkins is away, probably riding a gravel bike in another country. This time, though, we took it about as extreme as it gets. At China Cycle, I spotted a couple of wild TT bikes that take completely different approaches to cutting through the wind.

Before we get into that discussion, though, first we talk about disqualifications in a UCI race. Why did Jan-Willem van Schip get disqualified after the fact for a setup that was approved ahead of the race? If you don’t know the answer, don’t worry; lots of people don’t seem to understand and I take a shot at explaining it a bit more.

All that discussion doesn’t get rolling right away, though. First we talk a little bit about where the riding is best between Europe and Asia and we give some notes for a brand manager who wants to see the product they launch put to the test in better situations. Lisa Charlebois thinks she’s missing out on spending four days traveling for two days in Europe, so Mike Levy and I give her a healthy warning.

We also spend some time answering listener questions and we talk about segments on local roads. Levy claims he’s not fast enough and Charlebois pretends not to care. I don’t believe them, though—what do you think? And how do you treat local segments?

This week's episode is all about riding long.

Factor's new Sarana ultra-distance race bike made its first appearance at last weekend's Traka gravel race in Girona, Spain, and Velo tech editor Logan Jones-Wilkins answers Levy's questions about how it aims to combine speedy handling and all-day comfort. Its geometry leans more towards speed and agility than outright stability, but it also has room for 2.2" tires and a carbon frame designed for vertical compliance and integrated frame bags, making the Sarana a novel endurance racing option, but did Factor go far enough? 

And speaking of all-day (and all-night) adventures, Lisa recounts her recent 600km / 373 mile ride at the Mendocino 600 that saw her on the move for over 20 hours while bagging 5,128 meters (16,824-feet) of climbing. Logan and Levy ask her about the pre-ride planning that goes into an effort like this, how she fueled herself while on the bike, and why she rode a steel frame equipped with some ultra-light carbon wheels and components. They also get into using a power meter to limit yourself, how being a trash panda is a superpower during ultra-distance events, and the deeper meaning of being on your bike for such a long time. 

Also, more reader questions answered about 32" wheels and bikes not being too expensive. 

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:07 - Reader questions
00:12:59 - Factor Sarana gravel bike
00:28:22 - Lisa's 600Km ride at the Mendocino Coast 600K

This week's episode was just like any other. There was definitely nothing controversial… Logan Jones-Wilkins and I dive into two vastly different gravel bikes we’ve been testing, starting with my review of the XDS X-Lab GT8.

On paper, the GT8 is a standard, run-of-the-mill gravel bike. It lacks a unique "special sauce" and won't revolutionize the category, but it is a highly capable all-rounder that will handle just about any unpaved road. Then you see the price. The GT8 comes with a full carbon build and a power meter for about half the cost of its mainstream competitors. XDS is a massive Chinese manufacturing powerhouse that is now entering the US through a traditional dealer network. We discuss whether you should buy the GT8, and what its aggressive pricing means for Western brands.

Then we pivot to the Obed GVR, which Jones-Wilkins has been putting through its paces. Despite sharing the gravel category, the Obed is the polar opposite of the XDS. It is not an all-rounder. Instead, it is a highly specialized, direct-to-consumer machine built around big tire clearance and a DT Swiss suspension fork that was previously a Canyon exclusive. We break down the tech and figure out exactly who this bike is built for.

Oh and we’ve got more 32-inch wheel discussion. Of course there’s no way we can get away from that. If you read my recent piece, you know I think the standard makes zero sense for most riders, and I absolutely hate the idea of a new wheel size standard. Logan is taking a more measured approach, analyzing why the industry is pushing this standard regardless of public opinion. Of course, Mike Levy set this up as a pair of dueling articles, so we hash out the details on the air and try to predict where this is all headed. Tune in and let us know your take.

We break down the polarizing "big wheel" trend, compare ultra-premium Partington wheels to Hunt's high-value alternatives, and dive into the coolest gear from the Sea Otter Classic.

This week, the podcast is all about Sea Otter and we’ve got a full house. Lisa Charlebois, Logan Jones-Wilkins, and I all spent time in California at the event, and we’ve got stories to tell. We kick things off by sharing what the vibe was like on the ground, especially for Jones-Wilkins, who was attending the show for the very first time.

After that, we get into the big news: big wheels. Some of us are skeptical and some favor the potential efficiency, but either way, 32-inch wheels are the topic we had to cover. There is a lot to take in, but we focus on the Salsa Fargo, a 32-inch lugged carbon bike from Faction, and a Ventum mountain bike coming this summer.

From there, we talk gravel bikes. This is Sea Otter, so gravel is the focus, and Logan dives deep on a few cool bikes, including the Look G85 and an aero-focused SEKA featuring integrated Fidlock bottles.

Despite the dirt-heavy show, I try to keep it road-first whenever possible, and there were some notable road launches. Partington showed off a crazy expensive wheelset that is incredibly light for a 50mm depth and uses a continuous carbon spoke system. The real surprise, however, was Hunt. Hunt launched a wheelset that is thousands of dollars cheaper than the Partington offering, slightly deeper, and nearly as light.

It wasn’t only wheels, either. I saw a Tavelo aero bike with 40mm of tire clearance and a 650g frame weight that will likely cost half the price of its competition. The No. 22 3D-printed titanium bike definitely won't cost half of anything, but it was spectacular to see getting closer to production. It might even cost more than the lugged-carbon Colnago C72 that launched just before the show.

Finally, we wrap it up with our favorite things from Sea Otter. Charlebois easily had the best answer, but jump into the comments on Velo and let us know what you thought was the coolest tech we reported on.

00:00 Intro: The Sea Otter Classic Experience

05:10 The 32-Inch Wheel Debate

19:30 Look G85 Gravel Bike

23:42 Wheel Tech: Partington vs. Hunt

27:56 Tavelo 650g Aero Road Frame

32:00 Sika Aero Gravel Bike

35:00 No. 22 3D-Printed Titanium Bike

37:20 Colnago C72 & Expensive Paint

40:14 The $25,000 Factor Bugatti Concept Bike

42:30 Our favorite things