Velo Podcast

Svein Tuft, Canadian ex-pro cyclist and 13-time national champ turned bikepacker and author. He recounts pulling a 60-lb dog on epic trips, train-hopping tales, and how introversion fueled his European career. He talks old-school race days, ultra-endurance tips like why gaining weight can help, and a strange UFO-like sighting in the backcountry.

Logan Jones Wilkins, Velo’s new tech editor and Phoenix-based gravel racer, breaks down gear and race drama. He recounts a scary lead-vehicle near-miss at Mid-South. They debate single-sided gravel pedals, compare Look vs Wolf Tooth, and dissect tire, gearing, and frame-storage trends in modern gravel setups.

They unpack recent pro peloton tempers and on-bike confrontations with vivid personal stories. They debate driver behavior, taking the lane, and intersection safety tactics. They compare two major bike launches, scrutinizing Giant's bold 18-watt aero claim and Cannondale's surprising CAAD14 apology and showstopper brushed-aluminum model. They also trade creative mid-ride snack strategies.

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, among many others. They're super-human performances, no doubt, yet it's the Slovenian's willingness to race with his heart and gamble it all that sets him apart, especially in this era of relatively risk-averse specialists.Today's podcast sees Levy speaking with Velo contrinutor Andy McGrath, author of "Tadej Pogačar: Unstoppable," a biography of the modern era’s greatest cyclist. They dig into Pogačar's early days as a junior, his family life and his mother's concerns, and how he's able to remain so calm and positive even when it's not going to plan. Oh, and might Pogačar have a secret tractor collection? 

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 breaking down all the action from Belgium and answering Levy's questions about how to stop MVDP's dominance at the classics, why there were so many huge crashes, and when a podium feels like a victory.Hoody and Levy also get into the action from Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, where 20-year-old Matthew Brennan's dominating sprint form has finally given Visma–Lease a Bike some good news. They also preview this weekend's Strade Bianche and weigh in on the chances of anyone beating Tadej Pogačar for his fourth win on the white roads, something that Tom Pidcock and Paul Seixas will be doing their best to prevent. 

They rant about a new Ironman rule that smells more like corporate spin than safety. Garmin’s ecosystem and the Edge 1050’s screen-versus-battery tradeoffs get a long, candid takedown. Home-mechanic headaches from T47 BBs and hookless rim marketing earn heated critiques. Jersey pocket placement, gravel geometry missteps, and useless electric mini pumps round out the grievances.

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 explains why at $10,000 for the Hi-Mod (and more for the Lab71), the SuperSix has essentially become a clone of the Specialized Tarmac SL8 without actually hitting the same high marks. The crew discusses the "Tarmac-ification" of the all-around race bike and why the real winner of this launch is actually the $3,000 mechanical 105 build at the bottom of the range. The SuperSix launch is just the start of the episode. Mike Levy, Lisa Charlerbois, and Josh dive into the polarizing news of the upcoming Lance Armstrong movie starring Austin Butler. Does another big-screen biopic help or hurt the sport’s image? The crew also tackles your listener questions, including the rise of Chinese wireless drivetrains, Mike’s story of being chased through the dark by a "squadron" of squirrels, and whether radar is actually ruining the purity of the ride. Finally, Josh doubles down on the take that set the Velo comments section on fire: Hi-viz clothing is victim blaming. He explains why he's rejecting the "common sense" argument and why we need to stop shifting the burden of safety onto cyclists. 00:00 – Welcome to the show  01:53 – The Austin Butler/Lance Armstrong Movie Debate  08:17 – Listener Q&A  30:58 – Trek Check-Out Long Term: Ditching the "Dorky" Rack  36:07 – SuperSix EVO Gen 5: What Actually Changed, how the Lab71 compares to the Tarmac SL8 and Cervélo S5, and why the 105 mechanical build is what you be buying 50:13 – Wrap up and a tease about the Garmin 1050 and how it's possible the company made a mistake

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 discussion on whether the push for hi-viz apparel is actually a form of victim blaming that ignores the real dangers of the road. Plus, we discuss the new Garmin RearVue 820 and how its same-speed tracking effectively turns it into a high-tech drafting sensor for catching wheel-suckers. 00:00 – Intro  00:35 – Wildlife Chaos: Donkeys and Gazelles in Oman  04:25 – Wildlife Chaos: Kangaroos at the Tour Down Under  05:53 – Hazardous Animal Encounters: Dogs and Bee Stings  08:09 – Hazardous Animal Encounters: Locusts and Tarantulas  09:26 – Levy’s Mystery Woods Encounter (The Bigfoot Story)  13:55 – Listener Q&A: The Cost of Campagnolo Batteries  17:41 – Listener Q&A: Electronic Drivetrains and "E-Waste"  23:53 – Listener Q&A: Lower Tier and Chinese Group Sets  29:54 – Garmin RearVue 820: The Drafting Sensor Hack  47:15 – The Ethics of Safety: Is Hi-Viz Just Victim Blaming? 

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 personality. We also discuss: Trek Check-Out: Lisa gives her early impressions of Trek’s genre-bending new gravel platform. Pro Safety: The fallout of the 100kph Alula Tour crash and the debate over peloton speed limits. Listener Q&A: We answer your questions on everything from aero bras to the struggle of skin suits.

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 down the physics of why "Weight Weenie" upgrades fail where aerodynamics succeed, and how you can find these same "free" watts on your next ride. Also in this episode: The Vingegaard Incident: A deep dive into Jonas Vingegaard’s recent crash in Spain involving a "stalker" fan and the reality of pro/fan interactions on open roads. Gravel Suspension Shootout: Is the Lauf leaf-spring fork actually better than the Cane Creek Invert? We answer listener Q&A about upgrading the Salsa Cutthroat. The Leadville Ban: The crew debates LifeTime’s decision to ban drop bars at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. Tech Hot Takes: A defense of the critical take on Pinarello’s new Grevil MX mountain bike conversion. Pro Encounters: Lisa and Levy share their own awkward moments with pros in Girona and F1 drivers.