PODCAST · sports
Velo Podcast
by Velo
The Velo Podcast brings you inside the world of gravel and road racing with Velo's team of reporters and commentators.
Episodes
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The 1x vs. 2x Road Bike Debate and 13-Speed Shimano
Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins This week is easily one of our favorite recent episodes. All four Velo podcast hosts—Lisa Charlebois, Logan Jones-Wilkins, Mike Levy, and myself—are together in the virtual studio, and things get incredibly spicy. Expect a...
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Confessing Our Toxic Cycling Traits and Defending the Cannondale CAAD14
Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, and Lisa Charlebois We air out our worst group ride habits, explain why the CAAD14's aluminum vibe beats cheap carbon, and tackle reader questions. In this episode: Toxic Cycling Traits: What's the thing you do on the bike that the group ride probably hates? Levy...
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220 Miles on an Aero Race Bike, Seven Straight Centuries, and the 14-Pound Trek Domane 5
Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins The Velo tech team breaks down a week of massive summer rides, including fueling disasters on a 1x Factor One and why Trek’s endurance labeling might be entirely wrong. It is the height of summer, and right now, we are…
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The Aero Math Behind "Bra Maxxing" and the Reality of 32-Inch Wheels
Featuring: Mike Levy and Lisa Charlebois How much time does "bra maxing" actually save in a pro peloton? This week, we dive into the Tour de France Femmes tech controversy that could alter podiums, look at the brutal reality of 32-inch gravel bikes, and check in on a 700-mile Century Week. With...
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Marketing vs. Engineering and the 32-Inch Bike Debate
Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins Episode Description: We rank the fastest aero road bikes, discuss Lisa’s plan to ride 700 miles in a week, and unpack how the giant Salsa Fargo actually handles in the woods of BC. We missed last week because we were all…
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The Tarmac SL9 "Win Fin," a Shrinking Eurobike, and Tour de France Hype
In this week's episode, we question whether the Specialized Tarmac SL9 is a true upgrade or just an iPhone-style micro-update, look at the shrinking footprint of Eurobike, and talk Tour de France storylines. Show Notes: This week is a big one for me. Logan is out doing the Tour de France thing…
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The "GRXTR" Mashup: Why 12 Speeds Might Be All You Need
wash lines, and why the UCI is suddenly policing your jersey pockets and screen size. This week on the Velo Podcast, it's lonely! I was away doing an interview, and Mike Levy is out in the wilderness doing a big ride. That left just Logan Jones-Wilkins and Lisa Charlebois to cover the week's...
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Team Tactics, Peeing on Chains, and 32-Inch Wheels: The Unbound 2026 Debrief
Logan Jones-Wilkins is back from the mud in Kansas to break down a wild 26-mph crash, the dominant Specialized Crux 5 debut, and why gravel racing might never be the same. As we mentioned last week, Logan was in Emporia, Kansas covering Unbound 2026. Now he’s back in the studio and Mike Levy and…
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The Great Gravel Debate, 32-Inch Wheels, and Ride Audio Confessions
We dive into the controversial Scott prototype at Unbound, argue over what makes the perfect gravel bike, and reveal the top picks from our new Road Bike Buyer's Guide. Last week Josh missed the pod, but this week it's Logan Jones-Wilkins’ turn. He is currently on the ground in Emporia, Kansas…
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When is Course Cutting Cheating? + Giro Water Bottle Fines and Strava Feuds
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…
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Radical TT Designs, the UCI's Tech Controversy, and Chris Froome
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...
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Dueling Over 32-Inch Wheels and Testing Two Polar-Opposite Gravel Bikes
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...
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The 32-Inch Wheel Debate, $6,500 Wheels, and the Wildest Tech at Sea Otter
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…
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Free Speed for 3,000 Miles: Joe Nation's Extreme Bikepacking Aero Hack
This week the Velo team is at Sea Otter covering the latest tech and Mike Levy is holding down the fort. In this episode, Levy sits down with New Zealander Joe Nation, a rider who possesses one of the most uniquely varied racing resumes in the sport. Nation spent years following the mountain bike...
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Stop Under-Tiring Your Gravel Bike (and Other Hot Takes)
I went to Taiwan, but the show must go on. While I was away covering the Taipei Cycle Show, Mike Levy, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins had plenty to talk about. Predictably, things got heavily focused on gravel tire pressure, but that wasn’t all. This week, the podcast crew debates why...
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A $31,000 Titanium Bike, 32-Inch Wheels, and Breaking the Factor One
Five minutes after walking in the door from the Taipei Cycle Show, I sat down with Mike Levy to unpack what it was like being there. We immediately dive into the wildest tech from the show floor: what a $31,000 3D-printed titanium road bike actually looks like, whether those budget power meter...
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Why a Former Tour de France Pro Recommends Gaining Weight
Legendary Canadian racer Svein Tuft joins Mike Levy to chat about stories from his book, We Will Never Be Here Again. The two cover wild stories ranging from epic bike-packing trips while pulling Tuft's 60-lb dog named Bear in a homemade trailer, to winning stages at the Tour de France and Giro....
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The Truth About One-Sided Gravel Pedals: Brilliant Upgrade vs Industry Scam
We debate whether dumping half your pedal is actually worth the cash, unpack a terrifying lead-vehicle disaster at the Mid-South gravel race, and explain why buying price-point carbon is a mistake. 0:00 - Intro 0:00:35 - Welcome Logan and Mid-South 0:18:10 - Listener questions 0:34:18 - CAAD14...
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How to Steal Giant’s 18 Free Watts, the CAAD14 Apology, and Pro Peloton Road Rage
There has been an alarming amount of physical assault and middle fingers flying in the pro peloton lately. Last weekend, UCI race officials disqualified NSN Devo rider Kiaan Watts after he reached out and struck a competitor in the head mid-race. Just days later, British time trial champion Ethan...
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Pogačar Deep Dive with Andy McGrath, the Man Who Literally Wrote the Book on Pogi
What does it take to be considered one of the greatest of all time? A boatload of major wins doesn't hurt, of course, but how a racer wins can be just as important. Tadej Pogačar's list of victories includes four Tour de France titles, two World Championships, and a remarkable ten Monuments…
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MVDP and Vollering Dominate at Opening Weekend
Opening weekend in Flanders saw chaos, carnage, and the inevitable, with Omloop first-timer Mathieu van der Poel taking a dominating win and Demi Vollering showing some impressive early-season strength. This episode of the Velo podcast has European editor and race correspondent Andrew Hood…
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The Garmin Trap, Garbage Geometry, and Hookless "Marketing BS"
In this episode of the Velo podcast, we're doing some collective venting about the stuff that grinds our gears, but we don’t start there. Instead, we open with some breaking news from Lisa about Ironman of all things. We don't usually spend much time on triathlons, but this is less about the…
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The $10,000 SuperSix EVO Reality Check (and the $3,000 Sleeper Hit)
Senior Tech Editor Josh Ross has spent the last month living with the 5th generation Cannondale SuperSix EVO, and he’s come to a blunt conclusion: either he’s jaded, or the flagship "superbike" just isn't that exciting. While the marketing suggests this is a category-defining machine, Josh…
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Bigfoot, Hi-Viz Victim Blaming, and the Garmin Drafting Hack
From donkeys in the Oman desert to a kangaroo take-down at the Tour Down Under, the 2026 racing season is off to a wild start. But the real creature chaos starts when Levy tells the story of being hunted through the woods by something he can't quite explain. This week, we also have a heated...
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The 2026 Drivetrain Shootout & Trek Check-Out First Impressions
This week, Velo tech editor Josh Ross dives deep into the "Big Four" road groupsets. After months of testing SRAM Red AXS, Shimano Dura-Ace, Campagnolo Super Record 13, and the TRP Vistar // Classified partnership, Josh argues that the "best" groupset doesn't exist—only the one that fits your...
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30% More Efficient? The Math Behind Aero vs. Steel
We dug into the data to find out. After a 20-minute head-to-head test between a modern aero setup and a classic steel bike, the results were staggering: The aero setup was 30% more efficient, requiring just 221 watts to outpace a rider pushing 288 watts. In this episode, the Velo tech team breaks...
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Gravel Suspension Fork Shootout (Cane Creek vs. Fox vs. RockShox) + The Leadville Drop-Bar Ban
Do you actually need a damper on a gravel bike? Logan Jones-Wilkins joins the show to discuss his massive suspension shootout comparing the Cane Creek Invert, RockShox Rudy, and Fox 32 TC. We break down the winners, the losers, and where the "upside-down" tech actually makes sense. Then, we…
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Testing Litespeed's $16,500 Titanium Dream Machine & the Best Winter Jackets
“Owning the Litespeed Coll dels Reis isn’t smart," according to Velo tech editor Josh Ross, but sometimes you have to go with your heart rather than your head. Today's episode sees Josh describe how the lightest titanium disc road frame performs, and he explains that there's much more to this...
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Dangerholm: The Mad Genius Behind the World's Most Boundary Pushing Bikes
Best known for heavily modifying carbon fiber mountain bike frames and components to shave grams and hide every cable, Dangerholm set out to create two wild gravel machines based on Scott's Spark RC and Scale frames. But the real talking point is the wheels used on both bikes: fully custom carbon...
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Factor's Wild Geometry Gamble and What It Says About the Future of Road Bikes
With Mike Levy out, tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross take over the Velo podcast to unpack some of the biggest stories in cycling right now, including one bike that calls itself the lightest bike in the world, and another that calls itself the fastest in the world. Big day. Of course, we...
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Can Rider Airbags and Licenses Make Pro Cycling Safer?
In this episode of the Velo Podcast, host Mike Levy sits down with tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross to tackle one of cycling's hottest debates: how do we make professional racing safer? Jim Cotton brought up the valuable question of whether or not skills tests and rider airbags – two...
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Meaghan Hackinen on Winning the Silk Road Mountain Race, Moroccan Adventures, & Sketchy River Crossings
After winning the 2024 Tour Divide, Salsa Cycles' Meaghan Hackinen set her sights on the three-part Mountain Race Series that spans Africa, Europe, and Asia. Meaghan not only became the first female finisher of the wildest race series on the planet, but she also won both the Hellenic in Greece…
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Finding Speed for Less Money & the 150 km Wheelie World Record Explained
Velo tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross teach Levy how to find more speed on the cheap, from $1,000 wheels from China to relatively inexpensive power meters and aero helmets that make sense. The crew also lays out their budget speed-enhancing picks for $500, $250, $100, $50, and especially...
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Why Mike Levy Switched Gravel Bikes After 20,000 km and the Meta AI Glasses in Review
Sure, we've reviewed the fastest World Tour aero road bikes and the newest gravel machines, but what about an off-road capable folding bike? Variety is the spice of life, and Velo tech editor Alvin Holbrook has been getting spicy on Brompton's G Line, a bike that should be more capable than any…
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Predicting 2026 Gravel & Road Trends & How Prepared Are You for a Mid-Ride Disaster?
Tech editor Alvin Holbrook fires up Velo's crystal ball to make some predictions about what the road and gravel world might look like in 2026. He makes his case for peak tire width combined with improved casings, more integrated pressure-monitoring systems (and more batteries), Chinese gravel…
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What We've Learned After 32,000 Miles on Indoor Trainers, Campy's Gravel Drivetrain, and the New Rivian E-Bike
Campagnolo’s Super Record X evolved from their 13-speed wireless road drivetrain and employs an off-road-specific rear derailleur with their Nano Clutch and race-focused gearing, but can it compete against GRX and Red? Velo tech editor Josh Ross explains the just-released Italian gruppo and their...
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Is UCI Gravel Worlds Harder Racing Than Life Time Grand Prix? Santa Cruz Stigmata Review, and More
No one thinks “race bike” when I say Santa Cruz Stigmata, yet it’s probably the winningest pro gravel bike over the last bunch of years. It’s not light, but why might that not matter? KILLER livability No aero anything, forget about integrated shit, external seat post clamp (replaceable), and the...
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Virtual Roads, Real Sweat: Rouvy’s Vision for the Future of Indoor Cycling
It’s cold. It’s wet. Maybe it’s even snowing. Outside is always the best side, of course, but sometimes the only realistic option is to put your Bike on the trainer and get after it inside. Today’s sponsored podcast sees Levy sit down with Marek-Martin Matyska, Product Director at Rouvy, to chat...
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UCI Gravel Worlds Tech, Debating Your Strava Data, & 3T’s Racemax 2 Italia
How different is European and North American gravel racing? Velo was at the Gravel World Championships in the Netherlands to inspect the bikes used by Marianne Vos, Tom Pidcock, and many others, with the relatively fast and smooth course necessitating some interesting equipment choices.…
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The Sury Straggler Reviewed, The Argon18 Nitrogen, Pre-Ride Rituals and Why They Matter | Velo Podcast
Some of the best athletes in the world employ pre-game rituals out of superstition, habit, or to “get into the zone,” but you don’t need to be Michael Jordan or Maria Sharapova to benefit from such a routine. It turns out that those rituals, be it your lucky socks or that one song you just have…
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Trek’s Full-Suspension Gravel Bike Explained & Getting to Know Will Tracy
Gravel bike? Adventure bike? Bikepacking rig? With a drop handlebar but wide tires, proper suspension on both ends, and geometry that makes sense for good times on dirt, the just-released Trek CheckOUT looks like it’s ready for... well, just about anything, be it a quick singletrack rip or a race...
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Riding the New 13lb Specialized Aethos & the Limit of Lightness
Velo Senior Tech Editor Josh Ross has been testing the second-generation Aethos and explains what’s changed and how it performs out on the road. We also talk about that kinda mostly hidden cable routing, the advances in FEA software that allow more grams to be shaved, and the new Roval Alpinist…
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SRAM VS the UCI & Why Illegal Drivetrains Might Affect You
Will lower gearing make for safer racing? The UCI thinks so, but it could also make all of SRAM's 1X drivetrains verboten at the highest level of competition without affecting Shimano or Campagnolo. SRAM disagrees, obviously, and has begun legal action in Europe, citing reputational damage and EU...
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Riding the 13-Pound Cervelo R5 & Specialized's New Diverge Goes All In on Suspension
Aero is... not everything? Forget about the wind tunnel, kammtail tube shapes, and 65mm deep rims because Cervelo's just-released R5 proves that light isn't just right, it's also fun. Alvin has been testing the new climbing-focused R5 and tells us what it's like to ride and why it might make more...
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Getting to Know Velo Tech Editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross
Do you dream about reviewing the newest bikes and equipment? In this episode, Levy goes behind the curtains at Velo to find out how Alvin and Josh ended up testing the latest (and sometimes) greatest gear, and what it's like to ride a different bike every other week. We dig into Josh's origin...
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Shimano's $480 Gravel Shoes, Zwift Partners On Headphones, & MADE Bike Show Highlights
This week’s Velo Podcast takes a tech-heavy turn while Mike Levy is away, while Josh and I (Alvin Holbrook) dive deep into the latest gear, updates, and trends shaping cycling. We kick things off with Wahoo’s firmware updates. Credit to Wahoo, here, as they pushed a series of updates to its...
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Lessons from Riding 610 km in Three Days & Real-World Aero Testing
On this week’s Velo Podcast, we’re asking the hard questions: Why would anyone pay $50 to effectively suffer through a 20 km FTP test? And who rides 610 km in three days on a race road bike… on purpose? Alvin Holbrook did the former, signing up for a local time trial with less than 48 hours to...
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Hookless Rims: Lighter, Faster, & More Dangerous?
If hookless rims weigh less while being more aero and stronger than the antiquated and surely inferior hooked rim design, why are some of us so hesitant about using them? Today's show features Velo editors Josh Ross and Alvin Holbrook debating which rim design makes the most sense, while Levy...
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Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's Madeleine Masterclass – Tour de France Femmes Wrap-Up
Three years to win the Tour de France Femmes? Not so much. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot had said that it would take that long for her to transition from World Cup MTB competition to the very different challenges of multi-day road racing, but stage 8 showed that she's far ahead of schedule. Andrew Hood...
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How to Race the Tour Divide in Under 12 Days & Look After Your Bum While Doing it, with Robin Gemperle
How does 370 km (230 miles) a day, every day, for eleven days sound to you? That's what it took for Robin Gemperle not just to win this year's Tour Divide but to arrive at the Antelope Wells finish line, otherwise known as the Mexican border, quicker than any other rider in the history of the…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Velo Podcast brings you inside the world of gravel and road racing with Velo's team of reporters and commentators.
HOSTED BY
Velo
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Velo Podcast have?
Velo Podcast currently has 672 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Velo Podcast about?
The Velo Podcast brings you inside the world of gravel and road racing with Velo's team of reporters and commentators.
How often does Velo Podcast release new episodes?
Velo Podcast releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 672 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Velo Podcast?
You can listen to Velo Podcast 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 Podcast?
Velo Podcast is created and hosted by Velo.
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