Ever feel like you’d like a lighter bike? Now imagine what your current bike would feel like if it was half of your body weight. For all too many kids who are learning to ride bikes, that’s exactly what it feels like to them. Premium kids’ bikes are a relatively new category, but also one that’s rapidly growing with more brands, models, sizes, and genres than ever before. Are they expensive? As compared to what you’d find in a big-box store, sure. But when you really think about what your kid might get out of a nicer bike, what actually goes into them, and even what you might get out of them once they’ve outgrown them, the numbers become easier to justify.

Fair warning: The full episode is only available to Escape Collective members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

It’s just a regular week in May, but you can bet the bike industry is its usual buzz of activity. James Huang and Dave Rome offer some strong thoughts related to Shimano’s latest release of GRX Di2. There’s chat about Felt clawing its way back into the spotlight. Of course the geeks can't ignore the return of Kona Bikes. And there are rumblings that the old Interbike tradeshow may be coming back, too.

We’ve got custom bikes on our minds. We fail at picking one saddle. And there’s a PSA for all. The episode wraps with a round-up of new wheel-related things from Reynolds, Zipp, Roval, Chris King, and Hunt.

And then James shares his own news. Indeed this is the last episode you’ll hear James’ voice as he hangs up his digital gauge.

Time stamps:

2:00 - Shimano GRX 12-speed Di2
16:40 - Felt’s new VR endurance road bike
20:25 - Kona is back!
25:45 - Is the Interbike tradeshow coming back?
30:40 - On our mind: would we buy our own fully custom bike?
43:25 - Pick one: saddles
56:45 - You get accustomed to things being crummy
1:01:10 - Talking new wheel-related things from Reynolds, Zipp, Hunt, Roval, and Chris King
1:11:30 - James’ heart sinking news (tear emoji)

Not surprisingly given the big product launch this week, Dave and James have a lot to dive into with SRAM’s new Red AXS wireless road groupset: what’s different about it, what’s not so different, what’s been improved, and what’s stayed the same – and the thing everyone will invariably ask us, whether we’d choose that or the latest Shimano Dura-Ace. We also chat about the neat features embedded into the new Hammerhead Karoo GPS computer, and the significance of the new tire partnership between Zipp and Goodyear, Dave gets his thoughts about road bike cockpit reach off his chest, we choose our favorite tubeless plug kits, and we’re still worried about loose headsets.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Timestamps:

2:05 – A neat detail about Chris King’s new hubs we overlooked
3:51 – A clarification on our position regarding road hookless tubeless wheels and tires
6:04 – The lowdown on SRAM’s new Red AXS road groupset
12:22 – Do we like it?
16:19 – SRAM Red AXS or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2?
21:15 – Don’t call it the Hammerhead Karoo 3
25:45 – Goodyear’s new tires are Zipp-specific, but we’re not entirely sure why
30:02 – Effective reach is an overlooked fit dimension
36:50 – Pick One! Our favorite tubeless plug kits
47:20 – We’re still worried about loose headsets
53:08 – Ratio Technology has a neat cage option for SRAM Transmission rear derailleurs
55:53 – Pirelli has gotten even more Italian

Much leaked and recently teased, SRAM has now officially unveiled the latest iteration of its Red AXS road groupset. This top-tier offering introduces a new approach to shifter ergonomics and braking, along with a number of other smaller changes.

Shile at the product launch, tech editor Dave Rome sat down with a few key members of SRAM’s road product and engineering team to discuss what’s new, what isn’t, and why. Following the chat about new SRAM things, Dave then sat down with the team from Hammerhead to discuss the equally new Karoo computer.

You can also read our thoughts (and see photos) of these new products over at escapecollective.com.

This deep dive is a bonus episode of Geek Warning podcast. Full access to such bonus episodes are typically limited to Escape Collective members, however, this one is free for all to access. If you enjoyed this content then please consider supporting our mission of being a wholly member-funded and independent media outlet. You can join at escapecollective.com/member.

We know, we know, it’s been ages since we did our last Ask a Wrench episode – late January, in fact. Guilty as charged. Better late than never? But as a nice bonus, our panel of geeks had an extra-long list of repair and maintenance questions to answer this time around, like why bedding in your new brakes is important, what not to do with your fancy digital torque wrench, how to diagnose a curious front-end clunk, how to protect your fancy new bike for the long haul, the best way to fix a paint chip, and much more.

Fair warning: The full episode is only available to Escape Collective members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Welcome back to Geek Warning! This week, James and Dave have a varied conversation covering tech related to road, gravel, and mountain bike.

The Giro has begun and Tadej Pogačar took a little tumble that many were quick to blame the equipment for. James and Dave discuss that such finger pointing was not warranted this time.

At the opposite end of UCI disciplines, the conversation then turns to aero gains returning to professional downhill mountain bike racing.

In the tech new front, the geeks praise Chris King’s new Gen 4 hubs and discuss why Forge+Bond entry into the road market may not be hugely successful. Plus there’s discussion of a new Bike Yoke dropper, Zwift’s price rises, and more.

Meanwhile, a new Shimano Di2 patent has surfaced teasing wireless 13-speed shifting. Dave got Terry of BetterShifting.com on the phone to discuss the discovered patent and what it may mean.

Our pick one this week is perhaps better described as a buyer’s guide to selecting a wheelset for gravel. From rim choices, to spoke choices, to hub choices, you’ll hear what our geeks prefer for their own bikes.

Please jump into the comments section on our website for any feedback or questions related to the episode.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Time stamps:

4:00 - Hookless now getting undeserved blame..
9:25 - Downhill mountain bike racing getting aero?
16:30 - Chris King’s new Gen 4 hubs
21:45 - Forge+Bond brings its thermoplastic rims to road
28:40 - Chatting with Terry of BetterShifting.com about a certain Di2 patent
36:07 - e-Cargo bikes being covered by car media is on James’ mind
40:50 - Picking one gravel wheelset, or at least, what we look for
52:00 - A member-submitted PSA
56:15 - 3T’s Strada Italia, made in Italy
57:15 - Bike Yoke’s Revive V3 dropper looks great
59:20 - Wolf Tooth updates its chainguides
1:00:25 - Zwift price increases
1:04:20 – A gimmicky indoor stationary bike on Kickstarter

The Sea Otter Classic just wrapped up literally a few days ago, but clearly someone forgot to turn off the tap of new bikes and gear. Cervelo just announced a redesign of its ultra-popular Aspero gravel bike, and clearly put a lot of thought into what needed to change – and perhaps more importantly, what didn’t. Colnago also just dropped a new gravel bike of its own, the G4X, and Giant finally revamped its Trinity TT bike – no more rim brakes! Dave and James also chat about the eight billion tubeless valve stems out on the market, our favorite mountain bike computer mounts, and some of the latest happenings on the industry side.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/join to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Timestamps:

3:17 – Cervelo’s ultra-popular Aspero gravel bike gets a careful redesign
10:50 – Zwift has added a whole bunch of new features, and some of them sound pretty sweet
15:15 – What’s up with seemingly everyone having their own high-flow tubeless valves now?
28:11 – Pick one! Our favorite mountain bike computer mounts
38:54 – A dirty cassette can easily turn into a skipping chain
43:22 – Colnago announces its new G4X gravel race bike
58:54 – The last holdout of rim brakes in the pro peloton is no more
59:30 – Enve Composites has been sold
1:01:07 – What the heck is going on at Rapha?
1:06:29 – More industry layoffs, this time at Cannondale

In this episode of Geek Warning, James is just back from the Sea Otter Classic and Dave is still thinking about chain lube and tools.

On the Sea Otter front, James and Dave discuss new eco-friendlier tyres from Vittoria, new metal bikes from Ritchey and Digit, parts from 5Dev and Xpedo, along with new tools from PrestaCycle and Stan’s NoTubes. Check out James’ Sea Otter Classic galleries for visuals of what was discussed (and so so so much more).

The conversation then turns to larger questions around Stages Cycling and Kona who were both missing-in-action at America’s largest trade show and cycling event.

On Dave’s mind is a better way to apply chain lube following a recent video from Josh Poertner of Silca. Our PSA is less of a public service announcement and more a basic guide into figuring out where noises may be coming from in order to silence them. And then the geeks bring back the Pick One segment to discuss floor pumps.

The episode finishes up with a new crank-related recall from FSA.

All this and more in this week’s episode of Geek Warning – a podcast created for and funded by the members of Escape Collective.

Time stamps:

3:00 - Sea Otter highlights, including things from Vittoria, Ritchey, Digit, PrestaCycle, 5Dev, Xpedo, and more.
26:00 - Unknowns ahead for Stages Cycling and Kona Bikes
36:00 - Circling back to the HighBar helmet strap as seen at Sea Otter
39:20 - A better way to apply chain lube?
45:15 - Chasing down those noises
52:40 - Picking one floor pump
1:02:30 - An explainer on Time’s revamped pedal range
1:06:00 - FSA recalls some its AGX+ gravel cranks