Is 1x the new disc brake debate? Single chainring simplicity at the Tour de France discussed + the benefits of lactate testing to track your cycling performance

Send us Fan MailThe Tour de France is in full swing for episode 54 of the road.cc Podcast, and throughout this season we couldn’t help but spot that some riders have been missing something in their drivetrains! If Jonas Vingegaard – currently the hot favourite to claim another Tour de France yellow jersey – is now using a single chainring (1x) set-up for some stages of the biggest bike race in the world, is it now a no-brainer that the rest of us should make the switch? Will we see road race bikes being sold in bike shops with 1x soon? Isn’t this just another disc brakes, and the death of the small ring is already inevitable? George is joined by Jack and Jamie to discuss. In part 2, Jamie heads to Synergy Performance to take a comprehensive test that will lay out his full metabolic profile… sounds fancy, but how is it more insightful than the classic FTP or VO2 max tests? Listen in for plenty of useful info on improving your cycling performance, plus a little bit of panting and gurning for good measure…