Velo Podcast

Power meters are everywhere, but do we actually understand how they work or what they actually do for us as cyclists? For this episode of the tech podcast, we talk with Pat Warner of Stages Cycling. He helps us understand the basics of how power meters work, from the strain gauges to what bike component houses the power meters. He also delves into questions about watts per kilo, how to effectively...

Our man in Europe Andrew Hood Skypes in to talk about what he learned at Movistar's team camp. Plus, he remembers the late Paul Sherwen, who died unexpectedly Sunday night. We discuss if Nairo Quintana can turn things around after a disappointing 2018 season, whether Mikel Landa is cut out to be an outright grand tour GC leader, and how Alejandro Valverde is handling the spotlight of being world c...

In today’s episode, we start by asking our expert guests that simple question: Do we need a coach? Next, we’ll talk about the relationship athletes have with their coaches — what makes a good relationship and what makes a bad one. After we’ve defined that relationship, we’ll ask our panel what to look for in a good coach. And, conversely, how to identify a bad coach. Finally, we’ll talk briefly ab...

Two interesting storylines are developing in the world of cyclocross. In the U.S., the door is opening for a newcomer to win men's nationals. Abroad, the elite women's field is more competitive than ever. We lead off with a conversation about the domestic scene and the litany of injuries taking top riders out of the picture. We call up Kerry Werner to hear about how this changes the races and his...

Are you shocked at how common e-bikes have become? We decided to learn more about the basics of how electric-assist bikes work. To help us understand e-bikes, we called up Jonathan Weinert, sales and marketing manager at Bosch. He explains how the motors give you that tailwind sensation, the technology behind the batteries, and how e-bikes have evolved. All that and much more on this episode of th...

After four years at the helm, Derek Bouchard-Hall is stepping down from his role as USA Cycling's CEO. Fred gave him a call to evaluate the state of America's governing body. What is USA Cycling doing well? Where is it falling short? And what does the future hold? Also, Bouchard-Hall evaluates his own work as leader of USAC. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a...

In episode 60 we're discussing trainers. For those who hate them, we get it, but stay tuned, as we’ll tell you why you shouldn’t completely ignore them. For those who love them, we’re going to tell you why riding outside every once in a while is a really good thing. For those in between, today’s episode will offer a wealth of knowledge on how to get the very most out of trainer time. Now, one thin...

Cyclocross is here! But it doesn't seem like it is as wildly popular as it was back when Tim Johnson was racing. We talk to the former national champion about the state of U.S. cyclocross. What will keep people stoked on racing in the mud every autumn? Also, Johnson talks about one of American cyclocross's top riders, Kaitie Keough as well as the divide between European 'cross and the American Wor...

We have noticed a trend: Riders are opting for shorter saddles with pronounced cutouts. What's the explanation for this shift? On this episode, we bring on Chris Jacobson, Shimano North America's product line manager for Pro Components and BikeFitting.com. He answers our many questions about how riders can (or should) select saddles, what are some common bike fit issues, and why saddles have evolv...

News leaked out this week that SRAM is developing a new 12-speed eTap component group. We bring tech editor Dan Cavallari on the show to discuss its likely features and what it takes to increase the size of a cassette. Then, we serve up some takes on the 2019 Giro d'Italia route. Will the mountainous back half of the race make up for what seems like a boring start? Who will win it? And finally we...

In this episode of Fast Talk, we speak with the guru of cycling medicine and ergonomics, Dr. Andy Pruitt, about cycling's most common injuries and how to prevent them. The discussion includes: 1)What used to be the most common over-use injury — knee problems — why they are no longer the most common problem, and how it’s possible for most of us to go through the rest of our cycling careers without...

Tour de France organizers boasted that the 2019 route was the "highest Tour ever" — does that mean it will be exciting for fans? We analyze the mountainous route and debate whether they should have included more time trial kilometers. Also at the Tour presentation, race director Christian Prudhomme had some strong takes on power meters — he thinks they should be banned from racing! Is that right?...

American Robin Carpenter found himself in the deep end of the European peloton this past season. His Rally Pro cycling team made a big push to race more in Europe, and Carpenter has plenty of exciting stories from the experience. He explains how he manages to find breakaways that succeed, what it is like to be up against WorldTour heavies, and why pro cyclists always get married in October. This e...

In episode 56, we talked with Colby Pearce about what it takes to make an attempt at the hour record on the track. Not long after, Pearce set the master’s 45-49 world record with a scorching 50.245 kilometer effort. For this special episode, we caught up with him to discuss his successful attempt, the training he did, the difficulties of selecting gears and training on a track that was different f...

This episode features two controversial guests. First, we have Thomas Dekker, a retired pro who recently wrote a book that gave an in-depth look at the rampant doping in the early 2000s. We hear from him on why an honest look at that era is important to him and whether other ex-dopers should be involved in the sport. Then, we talk to Dr. Rachel McKinnon who just became the first transgender rider...

So, you think you know bicycles? Well, think again. Today we’re sitting down with a legend of the cycling industry to talk about a variety of factors in frame design that most cyclists have never heard of. Yet these design elements — things like fork offset, trail, and head tube angle — have a bigger impact on a bike’s performance and ride quality than frame material, or any of the things we focus...

Remember when rims had hooks to hold on the tire beads? Well, that is changing. Hookless rim designs are everywhere in the world of mountain bikes and now they're coming to road wheels. The design is lighter and offers performance benefits. We talk to Alto Cycling's Bobby Sweeting about this evolving technology. He also expands on carbon rim technology, rim brakes, and why pro riders don't like di...

With Il Lombardia approaching, it's a great time for the VeloNews podcast to take a closer look at the final monument of the season. There's plenty to discuss: Newly crowned world champion Alejandro Valverde is hungry for his first win in the rainbow stripes, and riders like Thibaut Pinot and Mike Woods are eager to put their late-season form to good use. We pick a few favorites for Saturday's rac...

Best worlds ever? The Innsbruck edition of the UCI World Road Championships certainly had tons of exciting action. We hear from Team USA rider Coryn Rivera on how the action played out and what it was like for her to make that bold breakaway in the elite women's race. Then, we discuss Alejandro Valverde. He won the rainbow jersey with magnificent cunning, but for some, he is a symbol of the bad-ol...

The Hour. Those two words represent many things to many people. Some believe it to be the ultimate test of man and machine: out there on the track, with nowhere to hide, an athlete must come to terms with what they’re truly capable of. Others know it as a form of torture, a crucible for understanding one’s ability to cope with pain, suffering, or madness. If you’re lucky, the Hour is a hard way to...

How fast have you gone on a bike? Denise Mueller-Korenek hit 184 miles per hour! We hear from her about her wild ride. But first, we have an in-depth preview of UCI World Road Championships. It's a climber's course, but will it suit a pure climber? We discuss the favorites of the men's and women's races and analyze the course. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get...

The 2018 grand tour season was a British invasion! Simon Yates made it a clean sweep by winning the Vuelta a España. Was it a good edition of the Vuelta? What does it mean for Yates? How do we rank this year's grand tours? We unpack the action from Spain. Then, Fred talks to Gregor Brown who followed the race on the ground and he speaks to Mitchelton-Scott team director Matt White via Skype after...

The best riders understand … mindset wins races. And controlling your thought patterns in races is one of the most powerful things you can do. Mindset in cycling is an important and frequently neglected side of our training and racing. It's avoided because it seems unclear, inconsistent, and, let's face it, can be too new-agey for the likes of us "tough guys." In reality, mindset is often all that...

Wow. Kate Courtney won world mountain bike championships, breaking a 17-year drought for the U.S. We call the champ to hear firsthand about the exciting race in Switzerland. But first, Andrew Hood catches us up on all the key storylines from the Vuelta a España — the budding Colombian rivalry, Simon Yates's chances of winning the overall, that terrible crash at the finish of stage 12, and whether...

What’s up with all the “standards” in bottom bracket technology? Tech editor Dan Cavallari talks to Jay Sycip from Chris King to find out why there are so many different bottom brackets today, what happened to threaded bottom brackets, and whether we’ll ever see the end of creaky press-fits.