Velo Chumps

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 their new Tarmac SL9. It sounds impressive when you read it, but we tell you why it doesn't really say...

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 through his garage, and we end with an exceptional listener factoid.

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 telling us these days. Eric has a PSA, and Ryan is back with a factoid to close out the show.

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 Chad gives a great product review for Chumps, we have a listener factoid, and Ryan is back...

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 from our storyline last week about the Vuelta Espana Feminina, and we have another listener submitted fa...

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 a factoid, and, as usual, if you don't like our factoid, submit your own!

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 storyline for the Vuelta Espana Feminina, and Chad ends the show with a banger of factoid!

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 storyline to share for the upcoming La Vuelta Feminina, and then we end with a factoid that we had to co...

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 another listener factoid that is close to Chad's heart.

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 feedback, and we have yet another listener submitted factoid! Listen to the end for that and keep...

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 wider than the previous new tires, because new tires are always wider these days (This is the part whe...

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 the pros. Then we share some sad news about Paragon Machine Works and why that might impact Ch...

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 title topic, the recently spotted updated Canyon Endurace.

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 races. We do talk about how the evolution and professionalization of gravel racing will affect us Ch...

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. But is it still? Finally, the factoid will really stretch your perception of things that could be true,...

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 week there are two factoids (sort of) - one that might be true, and one that is definitely not true.

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 episode! Anyway, the references might be a bit dated, but it was a fun show with a surprise contributor!...

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 promise to have a lot of good ones is season 4. See you next year!

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 objects to print and what you might want to steer clear of. Chad suggests a new product line that Chris may...

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 rumored to be moving to Specialized. Chad ends with a factoid about what this move might mean f...

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 open for that!

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!

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 of course, but also about visiting Galena. You will have to listen to all the details, but this is not...

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.

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 community was swift and unambiguous. Kai and Tyler take us through that, but they also talk about the bigger pi...