Velo Podcast

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 story, which includes long-distance rollerblading epics, because of course it does, and how his love of photography led him from commercial car shoots in LA to press camps for new bikes in Europe. Alvin talks about how his time working at bike co-ops shaped his appreciation for the cycling community at large, his background in urban planning, and how he went from covering Sacramento Kings games to Italy to cover Campagnolo's Super Record. The crew also gets into Alvin's weekend crit race, Josh forcing himself to spend time on 50s, and Levy's four-day mission just to ride a single gravel road.

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 first-generation bike computers, experiencing mass file corruptions and problems, a long eight years after the first Elemnt computer was released. Next up are the new Shimano S-Phyre RX910 gravel shoes, the brand’s first gravel-specific model under its flagship line. At $480, they promise elite-level performance with a supple upper, serious stiffness, and clever pontoons that offer road shoe-like stability. Still, their pedal sensitivity and premium pricing sparked a lively debate on whether “gravel-specific” is worth the investment. We also tested Zwift’s new over-ear headphones, boasting 50-hour battery life, sweat resistance, and active noise cancellation. At $249, they’re aimed squarely at serious indoor riders, but are they really better than in-ear buds? From there, Josh shares highlights from the MADE Handmade Bike Show in Portland. Standouts included the fillet-brazed artistry of Ira Ryan, the aero-focused, 3D printed titanium No.22 Reactor, and a bold paint scheme from Black Magic. The show reinforced that road and gravel continue to dominate, but also showcased fresh experiments, like Moots’ monster-cross machine. Finally, we wrap with a bit of talk before Alvin's last criterium of the season. What bike, wheel, and tire combo should he roll with this weekend? With options like the Canyon Aeroad, Factor Monza, and Specialized Tarmac SL8, plus the latest Roval Rapide CLX III wheels, there's a lot to discuss. Further reading Shimano Makes Its Biggest Change to SPD Cleats in Decades and MAAP Collaborates with a Record Label | This Week in Bike Tech Review: The Shimano S-Phyre RX910 Gravel Shoes Makes SPD Feel Like Road Pedals Black Magic Paint Creates a Wild Pink and Blue Enve Melee No. 22 Reactor v2 3D Printed Aero Race Bike Shown at MADE MADE Show: It Doesn’t Get More Portland Than a Fillet Brazed Ira Ryan Bike Moots Adventure Bike With Suspension Teased at MADE Bike Show Updated Roval Rapide Wheels Add Carbon Spokes, New Sprint Model, And… Are Shallower Than Before? 00:00 Intro 01:18 Early Wahoo devices are still being updated 03:26 Experiences riding with Shimano's new S-Phyre Gravel shoes 17:20 Zwift has new (branded) headphones 28:20 MADE Bike Show: Josh's favorite bikes 55:15 Waffling about pre-crit gear choices

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 prepare. Instead of tapering, he went full aero-nerd — swapping wheels, testing tires, fiddling with bars, and even breaking out the Chung Method to measure aero drag to find the fastest setup. Did it actually make him faster, or was it just a way to distract himself from the inevitable pain of the start ramp? Meanwhile, Josh Ross redefined commitment to aero. Not only did he ride the Swift Summit 200 (that’s 328 km in a single day) but he also rode 150 km to the start and 150 km home. Over three days, that’s over 610km on a Colnago Y1RS, topped off with a time trial helmet worn for nearly 24 hours. Why? We’re not sure either, but he’s here to explain. We also talk about the Fara Gr4 gravel bike, a race bike with a weird handlebar/stem setup and 57 mm tire clearance that has really piqued Alvin's interest. Free speed on the bike, CdA calculations, endless miles, and maybe a touch of madness: this week’s episode has it all. Further reading Review: The Colnago Y1Rs Rides Better Than It Has Any Right to I Had 48 Hours to Prep for My First Time Trial. Here’s What Happened. This Week in Bike Tech: No. 6 Lets You Quickly Swap Between Rigid and Suspension Forks, Ornot Goes Billboard, Fara Launches Big Clearance GR4 0:00 Intro 4:00 Fara Gr4 talk 9:49 Testing to find the fastest gear for a time trial 34:05 Josh does the Swift Summit 200 1:09:09 What's coming next

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 questions whether changing from the proven hooked system is even worth the hassle. The guys also dig into loose-fitting tires, ever-changing compatibility lists, and whether pressure limits matter or not. 00:00 intro 02:30 Josh got a nail through his rim 13:00 Hook vs hookless on the road 22:10 dimensional consistency and tire pressure choice? 30:10 Why is there fuzziness in compatibility? 35:00 Claimed benefits of hookless 47:00 Issues with secondary and tertiary owners 1:01:20 conclusion Further reading ‘When Riders Express Concerns, It Worries Me:’ Hansen Welcomes Urgent UCI Review of Hookless Rims and Tires No Really, the Point of a Hookless Wheel Is Safety Riders’ Association President Calls For Further Action Relating to Hookless Tires and Rims UCI Announces Initial Findings in Its Urgent Review into Hookless Rims and Tires

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 and Shane Stokes discuss her historic performance on the Col de la Madeleine that saw the Jumbo-Visma rider tempo away from Vollering and the other GC contenders in dominant yet measured fashion, and Levy wonders just how much danger she was in after being distanced the following day. They also get into why the TdFF doesn't finish in Paris, adding more stages, and why it might be better to hold the Femmes race before the Tour de France. Further reading: ‘It Isn’t What We Expect From Her’: Vollering Cites Lack of Power During Tour de France Femmes Defeat Ferrand-Prévot Talks Up 2027 Retirement After Femmes Success: ‘It Could be Beautiful, Extraordinary’ Tour de France Femmes Prize Money: Ferrand-Prévot Won Big, but It’s a Fraction of What Pogačar Got How Mountain Biking Made Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Unbeatable at the Tour de France Femmes See the latest from the Tour de France Femmes from Velo

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 race. The latest episode of the Velo Podcast sees Mike Levy question Robin about his self-imposed sleep rules, tricks to deal with saddle sores, and the very first thing he does when he gets to a hotel. Robin also explains how he briefly considered using a full-suspension bike, his relatively simple Divide race plan, and why his laid-back approach on the bike could be his superpower. Whether you're into ultra-distance racing, enjoy the odd bike packing weekend, or just love an all-day ride, this is a conversation that you'll likely learn a thing or three from that you might be able to apply to your adventures, Tour Divide or otherwise.  Don't forget to see the latest from Velo!

Who had money on Wout van Aert dropping Pogacar on a climb during this year's Tour? With fans lined ten-deep and hanging out of apartment windows, the stepped and cobbled pitches of the Montmartre ascent looked more like a soaking wet spring Classic than the final stage of the La Grande Boucle. It's also where the Visma–Lease a Bike rider did the near-impossible by opening a gap on the yellow jersey (and everyone else) with only a death-defying descent and the Champs-Élysées between him and what has to be one of the sweetest wins of his career. The final episode of this year's Tour de France podcast coverage sees Mike Levy and Peter Cossins talk about whether too many HC climbs hurt the racing, that epic final stage, and why there were so many crashes the previous day. They also recount their favourite moments from a Tour that was never short of excitement. Further reading Emotional Van Aert Paris Win Turns Tour Fortunes Around for Visma ‘Highest and Lowest Levels I’ve Had’: Vingegaard Bittersweet on Tour de France After Demolishing the Tour de France, Tadej Pogačar Just Wants to Chill: ‘Maybe I Can Burn Out’ Tour de France Stage 21: Inspired Van Aert Wins in Paris, Pogačar Takes Fourth GC Victory Tour de France Prize Money: How Much Did Pogačar Win?

The end is near, and the overall win is, barring a Pogi disaster, essentially wrapped up. That doesn't mean that the closing stages of this year's Tour de France have been boring, however, with Milan trucking towards Paris in green and Visma doing their best over the last two mountain stages to force a comeback for the ages. This episode sees Levy and Peter Cossins dig that idiotic fan trying to poach the stage 17 finish on his bike before a security guard knocked him into next week, and why Lenny Martinez (deservedly) lost the polka dot jersey after not one but three of the stickiest bottles. They also get into Ben O'Connor's emotional win on top of Courchevel, and Thymen Arensman's big-brain moves that allowed him to barely beat Vingegaard and Pogacar to the line for his second solo masterpiece of the Tour. Also, do you know how the French cows managed to shorten stage 19? Outrageously Sticky Bottles Bury the Polka Dot Dreams of Martinez at the Tour de France ‘All About Managing Your Efforts’: Ben O’Connor’s Resounding Queen Stage Win at Tour Tour de France Stage 19 Shortened Due to Contagious Disease Outbreak Amongst Local Cattle ‘I Ran Out of Energy’: Lipowitz and Red Bull’s Tactical Gamble Fails at Tour de France The Cruel Realities of Racing the Tour de France, the Hardest Endurance Event on the Planet UPDATE: More Sources Point to Evenepoel-Red Bull Move: Will the Blockbuster Deal Finally Happen? See the latest from the Velo Podcast up now, or the latest from the Tour de France. Further reading

The new Colnago Y1RS and Cervelo S5 have already won stages in this year’s Tour de France, but what are the latest (and some of the most expensive) aero road bikes like to ride and work on when you’re not a GC contender? Velo’s Josh Ross has been putting huge miles on both hyperbikes, and today’s podcast sees Levy and Alvin Holbrook question him about how they compare on the road, why the S5 feels so different from the Y1RS, and which bike makes the most sense for who and where. The crew also gets into the Colnago’s surprising build quality and the S5’s gorgeous paint, and Levy tries to understand how having to remove the bottom bracket to access the Di2 battery is acceptable. See the latest from the Velo Podcast, including the Tour de France, up now. Further reading: Colnago V5Rs Review: This One Is for Tadej, Not You Colnago Y1Rs vs Cervélo S5: Battle for Aero Supremacy Swiss Side Says UCI Rim Depth Ban Is ‘Counterproductive.’ Here’s Why. Cyclists’ Association President Adam Hansen Urges Patience With UCI Handlebar Width Rule Every Marginal Gain Made to Tadej Pogačar’s Stripped-Down Colnago Y1RS For Stage 13 of The Tour

Mike Levy and Pete Cossins return to unpack a wild stretch of Tour de France action from stages 14 to 16, plus all the bizarre, brilliant, and brutal stories behind the racing. Jonas Vingegaard has said many times that he's not at the Tour to race for second, and that's exactly what it looked like as he attacked Pogacar again and again on the slope of Mount Ventoux. Peter Cossins and Mike Levy are back to discuss stages 14, 15, and 16, where we saw the new version of Vingegaard, Mattias Skjelmose's nightmare front-flip over a road sign, and Quinn Simmons taking issue with possible motorbike interference. Julian Alaphilippe is also in the headlines for a wild day that started with a dislocated shoulder and ended with what he thought was a sprint victory over Wout van Aert... But that's not how it worked out, even if everyone would love a Loulou win. The duo also discusses a gutsy solo ride by Thymen Arensman and Tim Wellens’ surprise win as Belgian national champion. Michael Woods offered an honest look at the brutal reality of Tour rest days, and the guys break down weird moments: puke, poop, KOM crashes, and rogue socks. Heading into the final week, UAE looks dominant with five stage wins, and the yellow jersey looks more secure than ever. But can Jonas pull off a miracle in the Alps? See more from the Tour de France from Velo Listen to the latest from the Velo Podcast See more from Velo