PODCAST · sports
Velo Chumps
by Eric Poli
This is a podcast about bikes by some chumps who ride bikes. We are not industry experts or insiders, but we are seriously into riding bikes. This gives us extensive experience in being the target of bike marketing. We talk about all things bikes, but from an everyday person point of view. Velo Chumps Instagram: https://instagram.com/velochumps?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==
Episodes
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Good Ideas? Bad Ideas? Judge for Yourself
The Chumps talk about some new tech developments and what they mean for Chumps. Just because someone develops something new, doesn't always mean Chumps will benefit from it. Then we talk through another idea related to bike racing that we are not sure is a good idea or not. We'd love to hear...
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The Chumps go to Worlds!
The Chumps had quite an adventure driving to Montreal to watch the Road World Championships, and we take you with us live at race side to hear all about our experience. We have the factoid early in this episode, and then we finish with a recap of the racing and the entire weekend. If you couldn't...
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Do Chumps Need the Latest and Greatest?
This week the Chumps look into a new release from Shimano. We think it is a good example for chumps to learn from about how cycling brands develop and market new products. Do you need it? Listen to find out! Before we get to that, we have some listener feedback on our tires episode to discuss…
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The Golden Age of Tires
Tire releases have been fast and furious in the past month with quite a few brands trying hard to differentiate their tires in order to take your money. What do chumps out there need to know about these tires? The Chumps will tell you! Before the tires, we have an update on the Vuelta (remember...
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Groupsets and Tires and Bikes, Oh My!
There was a lot of news on the tech front since our last show, and the Chumps are here to shoot straight about it. We talk about the new Dura Ace spotted in the wild at the Vuelta, some new tires from Silca, and the rest of the Tarmac SL9 bike lineup. As ususal, we don't give you all of the tech...
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AI for Chumps?
This week the Chumps talk about the AI coaching app boom we have been seeing, especially with Wahoo's recent update of their app and partnership with Coros. Do chumps need this kind of AI training program, and does it replace a real coach? Chad and I give you the low down. We also have a brief...
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Watch the Femmes!
This week we briefly talk close out the men's Tour de France, and then we talk all about the Tour de France Femmes. We discuss the riders and team, and also how the course itself leads to fantastic racing. Either way, it's a super exciting race and you should be watching. Chad closes us out with…
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Rob English Talks to the Chumps!
This week, legendary frame builder Rob English joins the Chumps to talk about the bikes he built for us and building custom bikes in general. The conversation ranges from the technical aspects of frame building, to some great stories from Rob's custom building experience, and we can't leave out...
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The Tour is Over! Long Live the Tour!
The Yellow Jersey competition at the Tour de France has come to a close, even though we are only halfway through the race. The Chumps tell you why you should keep watching anyway! We also discuss some exciting news out of the Women's peloton and why you will want to keep an eye on some those…
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The Tour is Back and it's Still not the Bike!
As promised, the Chumps give you a chump breakdown of the Tour de France so far. We did have to come back and add an edit in because things changed dramatically between the time we recorded and the time we could edit and publish. Then we talk about the White Paper Specialized released along side...
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Mechanical Shifting and the Tour
This week the Chumps talk about some new mechanical group sets and the upcoming Tour de France. Of course they are separate topics - no one will use mechanical shifting at the Tour, but that doesn't mean Chumps should not have mechanical options! Eric has another PSA related to a bike that came...
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Click Here!
This week the Chumps start off with some racing tidbits and then we talk about a new UCI rule that is stupid (surprise!). Next we talk about the click bait epidemic we are seeing in cycling media, and we explain why chumps out there reading cycling media need to be wary of what "journalists" are...
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Causing and Averting Disaster
This week the Chumps tell you how that brand in Morgan Hill contributed to one disaster but maybe helped us all avoid another one. The Giro d'Italia Women and Unbound are the scenes. Though we don't talk about Unbound much, we do talk about the new Crux 5, but it's maybe not what you think. Then...
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Big Bike is Coming for You!
It is Unbound Week, and there is no other week on the calendar where Big Bike is more active. The Chumps give you the break down of what Big Bike will be shoving down our throats, and giving you some insight into why you might not want to jump on the Big Bike train. We have a corrections corner...
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The Chumps Told You!
Almost everything we discussed on the last episode came to pass in glorious fashion since that show. So, we take about what we got right and what that means for Chumps. We also discuss a leaked road bike and what it might portend for the road scene. We finish with a women's cycling storyline and…
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Gravel Sheep
Last weekend Girona hosted the many versions of The Traka gravel race. This is the biggest gravel race in Europe, and we spend a lot of time breaking it down (pun intended). We have words not just for The Traka but for gravel racing and gravel tech in general. Then we have a women's cycling...
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Record Prices
This week the Chumps talk about some new developments in bike prices that will definitely impact chumps one way or the other. Before that though we reveal the Velo Chumps Strava Group, which you are all welcome to join, and we talk about Zwift acquiring Rouvy. We also have a women's cycling...
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Innovate or Die
This week the Chumps talk about recent innovations and current trends in the bike industry and who really benefits from them. We explore what might be motivating the brands to develop the products they do, and, spoiler alert, it is not to make a better riding experience for chumps! We end with...
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Roubaix ❤️
The Chumps talk Roubaix! After this year's editions of the race, we talk about what makes Roubaix special as a sporting event, not even just a bike race. We give a bit of a breakdown of both the men's and women's races, and then we preview the upcoming Ardennes week. We relay some listener...
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Holy Week and Wide Tires (again!)
We are in the midst of cycling's Holy Week and Statler and Waldorf, I mean the Chumps, are back to talk about Flanders and Roubaix. Like normal we discuss the racing from a Chump point of view, and throw a little history in there for you. Then we talk about some new tires, which are obviously…
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Not April Fools!
Even if we recorded on April Fools Day, this episode was obviously published after. We talk about some of the annual April Fools products that cycling brands "release," and how those jokes reveal something about the industry. Before that though we talk a bit about racing, both our own races and…
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Endurance or Race? Or Both?
This week's show is in reverse order. After some listener feedback on last week's factoid, we start with the factoid this week. Then we talk about when Milan San Remo got exciting, and some important topics that came out of San Remo weekend. Then we end the show with some tech, including the…
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Is the Velo Chumps Podcast Exciting Yet
This week the Chumps talk a little bit about an epic bike race, but we focus on an even more epic website! You might have already guessed from the title of this show. We also talk about the evolution of gravel racing. Don't worry if gravel racing is not your thing - we are not breaking down any...
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Racing and Racing Bikes for Chumps
This week the Chumps lament how boring professional men's racing has become of late. But we give you a solution to this problem (hint: it's not watching more men's racing). We hit a few other fun topics before we get to the new CAAD 14. The CAAD has traditionally been the racing bike for Chumps....
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There is a lot going on!
Lots of topics this week with road racing officially starting (depending on how you look at things), new chump relevant products that brands recently released and rumors of new products that are not yet released. We also answered some listener feedback that stemmed from our last episode. This…
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The Chumps are Back!
Believe it or not, we are back for a 4th season! Before getting too far, I need to apologize for how long it took to edit and publish this episode. We recorded this episode weeks ago, but then I travelled to sunny Arizona for an early season race block. Maybe we will talk about that in a future...
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Velo Chumps Year in Review
We've come to the end of another season of the Velo Chumps! We start off this episode with our resident Shimanophile (Chad) talking up the new GRX updates that dropped recently. After that we go back and review what the Chumps got right (and not so right) this year. No factoid this week, but we...
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Chris Heerschap Talks to the Chumps
At the intersection of bikes and 3D Printing, you will find 3D printer extraordinaire Chris Heerschap. Chris was nice enough to come on the show and talk about 3D printing, in general and in the bike space. He has some great stories, and you will learn a lot about what are good bike related…
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Breaking Away
The Chumps return from an unplanned break in our programming to talk about a breakaway bike, and you might be surprised to hear Chad's take. We also follow up on Shimano moving to a 10 cog on the "road" side of things, and we bring you the Chumps take on the big news that Keegan Swenson is…
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The Oracle Returns
The all knowing Oracle of Canton (Chad) returns. We review news that yet another of his predictions came true, and he gives us a fresh prediction in this episode. We also have the return of Ryan, both to riding bikes and to the show. He inadvertently drops a factoid at the end so keep your ear…
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Name That Race
This week the Chumps talk about one of our *favorite* organizations, the UCI. Their shenanigans don't cease to amaze, so the Chumps were forced to develop a solution to end them. We need our audience's help though, so listen in to get your assignment and get back to us with your input!
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BONUS Episode - Lead Ore Post Race Recap
In a Velo Chumps first, we have a return guest! Luke Guyton, organizer of the Big River Gravel Series and the Lead Ore Gravel Race returns to do a post race recap. I (Eric) raced Lead Ore, and Luke turns the tables in this episode and asks me questions about my experience . We talk about the race...
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The Chumps Checkout
This week the Chumps Checkout a bike that just came on the scene - you know the one. We also talk a bit about recent news related to the UCI and its crusade for safety, and another bike that just came out - you don't know this one. No factoid this week, but we still have a fun way to end the show.
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Indigo Cycling Talks to the Chumps
This week we have Kai and Tyler from Indigo Cycling to talk about USACs recently updated Policy VII. USAC announced the change to their competition category policy on September 2 with an effective date of September 15. The response from Indigo and the rest of the Chicagoland cycling team…
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Luke Guyton Talks to the Chumps
This week, Luke Guyton, organizer of the Big River Gravel Series and the Lead Ore Gravel Race talks to the Chumps about his races and gravel racing in general. Luke has some great stories, and brings a grassroots passion to cycling, and gravel cycling in particular, that will cut through even the...
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The Velo Chumps Consultancy
Hire us! That's the intro. The Chumps are branching out into consultancy for all things bikes. You don't want to miss this one because this is our introduction where we give free advice! to demonstrate what you can expect from the Velo Chumps consultancy. Since this whole episode is really just…
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Derek Teel Talks to the Chumps
This week Derek Teel of Dialed Health joins the Chumps to talk about strength training for cyclists! We start the show talking about how Derek got started with strength training for cyclists, and then we clarify that pro cyclists do strength train. The bulk of the show though is about how…
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It's a Camp-spiracy
This week the Chumps tackle the big topic on everyone's mind - handlebar width! Chad has a unique take on what is really behind the UCI making this handlebar width rule and other rules in the name of "safety." We also discuss some new recently released groupsets, including the new wireless 1x12…
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Groupsets, Aero Bikes, and Faster Commutes
This week the Chumps talk about some new groupsets and what they mean for us Chumps. We also discuss a wild new aero bike spotted in the World Tour and how that might affect our Sunday coffee rides. Finally, in lieu of a factoid, we discuss a listener question about what changes on their bike…
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Wider Tires, More Gears, and Tariffs
After a hiatus while we recovered from a race (we tell you that story) the Chumps are back! Chad and Eric discuss a variety of topics, which are seemingly unrelated. Other than the fact that they will all probably lead to higher prices for bikes. Most importantly, Mike Green sent us a factoid…
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The Ten Thousand
The Chumps had the privilege to talk to Stu Garwick who has been a legendary figure in the history of the Ten Thousand Gravel ride and gravel riding in the Driftless area of the US Midwest. Even if you don't know Stu's name, rest assured he helped make Gravel (not GRVL) what it is today. Give…
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It's Not a Sport, it's a Participation
This week the Chumps start off with some GREAT news before moving on to a discussion of the new mechanical SRAM Transmission, and what that means for chumps. Then we take on the question of whether cycling is a professional sport, or not. Ryan gets some homework for a two part factoid so listen…
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Midwest Ultra Cycling
This week the Chumps talk to Jack Peck, organizer of some of the most exciting, and challenging, Ultra races in the Midwest. Jack talks about why you should register for the Mishigami Challenge and the Driftless Dagger, but he also gives us a lot of insight into Ultra racing and riding in…
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Wider is Better, Right?
This week the Chumps take on the wide tire craze that is gripping the bike world. Do you need to throw out your current gravel bike? Also, some pros (or at least one) are experimenting with 150mm cranks. Does that mean us Chumps need to run to the bike shop for a switch? Answers to your most...
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The Oracle of Canton?
This week the Chumps take a trip down memory lane to a past episode where Chad made a prediction. We listen to his old prognostication and discuss how close his prediction matches reality, and also the implications now that we have seemingly arrived in the future. We also talk a little racing and...
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James Huang Talks to the Chumps!
This week we have tech industry connoisseur James Huang on the show! James talks about the state of cycling media and his new independent publication, N-1. He also tells us a little bit about what it is like to be a tech editor in the cycling space in general. We then get some of James' insights...
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Who Made These Rules Anyway?
This week, for the first time, we have a guest Chump on the pod. Jonathan Toups joins me, to talk about some of cycling's "rules". This comes off the heels of the last episode where we gave Ryan some grief for running so much, and we wanted to address the reality that, like most of cycling's...
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Guess who's back?
The Chumps are back for 2025, just in time for the start of road racing season. Eric and Chad talk about being fans of the professional sport of road cycling, and what the people running the show are doing, both good and bad, to impact the fan experience.
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Frank Overton Talks to the Chumps
This week special guest Frank Overton from FasCat coaching talks about the past present and future of coaching and training for cyclists. Being chumps, we had an approachable conversation that is science based without overwhelming science talk. Frank shares some of his incredible knowledge around...
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Strava Did What Now?
*EMERGENCY EPISODE* Strava announced some changes to their API access and how third party applications would be able to use data going forward. This ruffled a lot of feathers, so the Chumps decided we needed an Emergency Episode to discuss this from the Chumps perspective. This emergency epidsode...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
This is a podcast about bikes by some chumps who ride bikes. We are not industry experts or insiders, but we are seriously into riding bikes. This gives us extensive experience in being the target of bike marketing. We talk about all things bikes, but from an everyday person point of view. Velo Chumps Instagram: https://instagram.com/velochumps?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==
HOSTED BY
Eric Poli
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Velo Chumps have?
Velo Chumps currently has 104 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Velo Chumps about?
This is a podcast about bikes by some chumps who ride bikes. We are not industry experts or insiders, but we are seriously into riding bikes. This gives us extensive experience in being the target of bike marketing. We talk about all things bikes, but from an everyday person point of view. Velo...
How often does Velo Chumps release new episodes?
Velo Chumps publishes regularly with 104 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Velo Chumps?
You can listen to Velo Chumps on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Velo Chumps?
Velo Chumps is created and hosted by Eric Poli.
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