Velo Podcast

Velo
  • 4.3 (4)
  • Sport
  • Updated weekly

The Velo Podcast brings you inside the world of gravel and road racing with Velo's team of reporters and commentators.

  1. 1 day ago

    Big Dumb Rides, Aero Gravel Tires, and the Enve Melee V2

    Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins We answer your questions, debate the real-world value of aero bottle cages, and discuss why it makes sense to ride 500km for tacos. We’ve had some major topics on the show the last few weeks, so this week we are taking a step back a little and answering some questions. We read every comment, and Logan Jones-Wilkins, Lisa Charlebois, and I will often jump in to respond. Mike Levy also reads them, but he actually brings the comments to the show so we can answer them out loud, so to speak. Before we get to that, though, Levy starts with a question: Have you ever done a ride just for the sake of going somewhere dumb and unimportant? I’ve (Josh Ross) had this idea for years to ride from Los Angeles to the Mexican border for tacos, then back. It’s a 500km ride, and there’s no real point other than to ride a bike. Lael Wilcox once rode all the roads in Alaska for a similar reason. The whole crew is on this week, so we get to talk about our silly reasons for big rides. Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever done anything like that. Or, if you are like Logan and just ride for training, let us know that too. We also have some news to talk about. Mostly, it comes down to Logan and me (Josh Ross) trying to convince Lisa and Mike that aero matters. For Logan, it’s all about aero gravel tires. He went very deep into the weeds in his article, and there's a good reason for that. Then it’s my turn to talk about the Enve Melee V2 and why it features aero bar tape and aero bottle cages. I also have a question that I am hoping you can help me answer. To participate you'll have to jump to the [Velo website], but the question is: Would you choose a bike that is 1.6 watts more aero or a bike that is 1kg lighter? Give me the Factor One. I will gladly take a 1kg weight penalty to gain 1.6 watts of aero efficiency. Give me the Enve Melee. Saving 1kg is far more important to how I ride than 1.6 watts of aero efficiency. I am choosing the Enve Melee purely based on aesthetics. Regardless of the aero advantage, I would not pick the Factor One because of how it looks. I am choosing the Factor One. I want the 1.6 watts of free speed, and I actually prefer the aggressive aero styling over a traditional frame. The Velo Podcast wouldn’t happen without subscribers. We’re offering listeners of the show a special 25% discount on an Outside+ membership. Enter the code velopod at checkout to score these savings, and thank you for your support! 00:00:00 - Intro & Vel Membership Code 00:02:08 - Bond Almond Ultra-Endurance Story 00:06:03 - Big Adventure Rides Discussion 00:13:19 - Arrow Gravel Tires from WTB 00:28:02 - Envy Melee V2 & Aerodynamic Handlebars 00:31:38 - Desert Ride Plans (Vegas to Death Valley) 00:41:34 - Q&A Segment Begins 00:42:46 - Front Derailleur Q&A & Comments 00:47:02 - Shimano vs Sram Brakes Debate 00:54:44 - Environmental Impact of Bike Materials 00:58:35 - Gravel Bike vs Mountain Bike Comparison 01:04:16 - Arrow vs Lightweight Bike Poll 01:13:38 - 32-Inch Wheel Comments & Discussion 01:21:16 - Suspension Fork Question 01:22:32 - Closing Remarks & Listener Poll WTB's New Stromm Collaboration Aero Tires Are Exactly What Gravel Tires Should Be The Story of a Cyclist, 32 NFL Stadiums, and One Very Important Football ENVE's New Melee V2 Proves Hyperbikes Don’t Need to Look Insane

  2. 11 Sept

    Are 32-Inch Wheels Actually Faster? (with Jan Heine & John Karrasch)

    Featuring: Mike Levy, John Karrasch, and Jan Heine Does a 32-inch wheel actually save watts, or is the testing methodology broken? We put Chung Method advocate John Karrasch and vocal critic Jan Heine in the same room to hash out the reality of rolling resistance. This week, the usual crew steps aside to host a direct debate between two of the most outspoken voices in tire tech. John Karrasch (aka flexfitbyjohn) has generated massive datasets using the Chung Method, recently claiming that adopting 32-inch wheels can improve rolling resistance by up to 10%. On the other side, Rene Herse CEO Jan Heine—a pioneer of supple gravel tires—argues that wheel size ultimately doesn't matter for speed, pointing to historical roll-down tests and potential flaws in the Chung Method's precision. After a long series of online blog posts and rebuttals, we brought them together to debate the physics, the testing protocols, and the future of gravel geometry face-to-face. Support The Velo Podcast This show wouldn’t happen without our subscribers. We’re offering listeners a special 25% discount on an Outside+ membership. Enter the code velopod at checkout to claim your savings. Episode Timestamps 00:00:00 - Episode Intro & Guest Backgrounds 00:07:51 - Setting Up the 32-Inch Test Bikes 00:12:12 - Understanding the Chung Method for Tire Testing 00:16:18 - The Results: Do 32-Inch Wheels Roll Faster? 00:25:01 - Analyzing the Physics and Approach Angles 00:29:32 - Jan Heine's Counterargument: Wheel Size Doesn't Matter 00:36:58 - The Debate: Is the Chung Method Too Precise? 00:42:36 - Defending the Data and Real-World Variables 01:03:15 - Tire Design Priorities: Casing, Compound, and Pressure 01:17:11 - Tire Inserts and 36-Inch Wheel Possibilities 01:18:57 - 2030 Gravel Bike Predictions & Outro

  3. 4 Sept

    The 1x vs. 2x Road Bike Debate and 13-Speed Shimano

    Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins This week is easily one of our favorite recent episodes. All four Velo podcast hosts—Lisa Charlebois, Logan Jones-Wilkins, Mike Levy, and myself—are together in the virtual studio, and things get incredibly spicy. Expect a lot of passion and plenty of heated back-and-forth as we debate drivetrain futures, prototype spy shots, and the true definition of bikepacking. We kick things off with listener questions. What starts as straightforward bike-buying advice quickly devolves into an argument over whether bikepacking is strictly a gravel activity and if camping is actually required. Josh also gets a chance to double down on why there is more to a bike than its spec sheet, specifically making the case for the Cannondale CAAD14. Next, the conversation shifts to the newly spotted 13-speed Shimano Dura-Ace prototype. Because the system still relies on wires, the analysis quickly spirals into a broader SRAM vs. Campagnolo vs. Shimano showdown. The crew splits on what matters more: Shimano’s shifting precision or the glaring gaps in the rest of the brand's ecosystem. Finally, the main event. Following a week of dueling op-eds, Logan and Josh bring the drivetrain battle to the microphone. Is 1x the inevitable future of road bikes, or will the slow-to-change road market ensure 2x remains superior? Listen to the arguments, read the articles on the site, and vote in the Velo poll to settle the score. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:52 - Listener questions: Bikepacking definitions and the Cannondale CAAD14 00:25:45 - Shimano 2x13 prototype and the great drivetrain brand war 00:53:41 - 1x vs. 2x on the road Read More on Velo Front Derailleurs Are Living on Borrowed Time: Why 1x on the Road Is the Inevitable Future Opinion: You Can Take My Front Derailleur When I am Dead The Velo Drivetrain Poll: Is 1x or 2x the Future of Road?

  4. 28 Aug

    The Vuelta’s Influencer Misstep and Why Silca Ditched Aero

    Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins The Vuelta a España is in full swing, and this week the whole crew is in the house to break down the racing, new tech, and the latest industry chaos. Host Mike Levy is joined by Logan Jones-Wilkins, Lisa Charlebois, and Josh Ross to cover: Vuelta a España Wackiness: The race has a reputation for the unexpected, and Logan and Lisa walk us through the organizers' questionable decision to hire a specific influencer. It seems nobody vetted the content before handing over the credentials, and the resulting shock was entirely predictable. New Silca Tires: Logan gives the rundown on Silca's latest rubber and the inevitable claims of being the absolute best. Josh jumps in with intel directly from Josh Poertner, who he caught up with at the MADE show, to explain why the master of marginal gains chose to make a road tire that explicitly isn't aero-optimized. The Best of the MADE Show: Josh spent the week shooting rolling art and picked his five favorites. We dive into his absolute top choice. No spoilers, but it features exposed cables, is built for ultra-endurance distances, and comes from fellow Oregon resident Rob English, who builds highly functional steel frames just down the road. Van Rysel Gravel Reviews: Lisa drops two reviews covering the newly launched Van Rysel gravel line. We look at the adventure model that somehow maxes out with only a 50mm tire, and the crew gets into the weeds on why the "racy" version should probably be categorized as an all-road bike rather than a dedicated gravel racer. Timestamps:  00:00 - Intro  02:47 - Pogacito  14:32 - Silca tires  33:45 - MADE bike show  44:22 - Van Rysel EDR-G and RCR-G review

  5. 22 Aug

    Confessing Our Toxic Cycling Traits and Defending the Cannondale CAAD14

    Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, and Lisa Charlebois We air out our worst group ride habits, explain why the CAAD14's aluminum vibe beats cheap carbon, and tackle reader questions. In this episode: Toxic Cycling Traits: What's the thing you do on the bike that the group ride probably hates? Levy admits to half-wheeling, I talk too much, and Lisa... well, you'll have to let us know if her trait is actually a big deal. The Cannondale CAAD14: I’ve had this bike all summer and absolutely love it. We discuss how a mistake by Cannondale made the bike better, why it's an incredible value, and why other reviewers are entirely missing the point. It doesn’t matter that there are cheaper, faster carbon bikes out there; the CAAD14 has an undeniable vibe. Reader Q&A: With Logan Jones-Wilkins off at Leadville playing at high altitude, Lisa, Levy, and I take over the mic to answer your questions. Would Logan have suggested a Trek endurance bike instead of the gravel bike I recommended? We also touch on the massive new 32-inch Mosaic that launched this week. We want to hear from you: What is your toxic cycling trait? Also, have you ridden a CAAD bike and know exactly what I'm talking about, or am I off my rocker and people should just buy cheap carbon instead? Let us know! Articles covered in this episode: Review: Cannondale Made a Mistake and the CAAD14 Is Better for It The New Trek Domane is Too Good to Call an Endurance Bike The New Mosaic 32 Gravel Bike Fixes 32-Inch Gravel Bikes' Biggest Problem

  6. 14 Aug

    220 Miles on an Aero Race Bike, Seven Straight Centuries, and the 14-Pound Trek Domane 5

    Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins The Velo tech team breaks down a week of massive summer rides, including fueling disasters on a 1x Factor One and why Trek’s endurance labeling might be entirely wrong. It is the height of summer, and right now, we are doing some massive rides. We are all here this week—including Lisa Charlebois, Logan Jones-Wilkins, Mike Levy, and Josh Ross. This week we talk about how Logan just did a century on a new bike, but before we get to that, it was Josh's turn to discuss a “big dumb ride.” The 220-Mile Aero Experiment: Last weekend, Josh took the Factor One to the beach and back from Portland. It’s a 220-mile ride with 14,000 feet of elevation, and the base build of the One wasn’t extreme enough. To set things right in the aero world, he swapped the wheels for a staggered Zipp 858 NSW / 454 NSW setup and paired that with a SRAM 1x XPLR groupset. We start by talking about how that 13-hour ride went, including the fueling mistakes that led to violently retching on the side of the road. Seven Centuries in Seven Days: Last week, Lisa declared she’d be doing a century a day for seven days. She crushed it and recorded the numbers. She rode for 52 hours, but how many pounds of sugar did she consume during that time? We discuss the fueling, and Levy reveals why the number of people she rode with is actually the most surprising part of the whole thing. Testing the Trek Domane 5: We bring home the discussion with Logan and the century that was just a small part of the 650 miles he spent on the Trek Domane 5. Trek calls it an endurance bike, but is that what it actually is? It weighs only 14 lbs and will take up to a 40mm tire. Is there a better name for it? Logan walks us through his thoughts on the bike, including why he loves it so much. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:35 - 220 mile ride on a 1x aero race bike 18:52 - A century a week results and figures 28:27 - Trek Madone review Articles covered in this episode: The New Trek Domane is Too Good to Call an Endurance Bike

  7. 7 Aug

    The Aero Math Behind "Bra Maxxing" and the Reality of 32-Inch Wheels

    Featuring: Mike Levy and Lisa Charlebois How much time does "bra maxing" actually save in a pro peloton? This week, we dive into the Tour de France Femmes tech controversy that could alter podiums, look at the brutal reality of 32-inch gravel bikes, and check in on a 700-mile Century Week. With Josh and Logan out this week, Lisa Charlebois and Mike Levy hold down the studio to discuss the big, dumb rides they are both doing and the biggest aero news of the week. First up: Mike’s ongoing saga with 32-inch wheels. He tackled a 160km Fraser Valley “gravel” epic in continuous rain on his Salsa Fargo 32. He breaks down why the massive wheels continue to impress him, where a rigid fork falls short, and how a stranger's campfire saved his ride. Then, a welfare check on Lisa. She is in the middle of a self-imposed "Century Week"—riding 100 miles a day for seven days straight. She gets into the reality of surviving a 700-mile week while trying to maintain basic human functions off the bike, plus the unexpected rig she chose for this crazy challenge. Finally, the pair tackle the "bra maxxing" (or bra doping) controversy. They run the math on exactly how much time a rider stands to gain with a chest fairing and debate whether the UCI should step in or consider it fair game. Chapter Markers: 00:00 - Intro 02:13 - Mike Levy does a huge ride on a 32-inch bike 11:22 - Lisa and the daily century week 28:37 - Bra doping at the TDFF

  8. 31 Jul

    Marketing vs. Engineering and the 32-Inch Bike Debate

    Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins Episode Description: We rank the fastest aero road bikes, discuss Lisa’s plan to ride 700 miles in a week, and unpack how the giant Salsa Fargo actually handles in the woods of BC. We missed last week because we were all deep in the woods in British Columbia testing, among other things, a 32-inch bike. We actually recorded a podcast while together but you will have to wait for that one. For now, the team is back in our home studios to discuss some of what we found in the forest. We get rolling with news that Charlebois is riding seven centuries next week. That’s right, she had a surplus of fitness after a planned event fell through, so… why not? Think you could do seven centuries in seven days? We talk to her about how she plans to motivate for it and we all go around the room to share our much lower highest-mileage weeks. Next we answer listener questions but it’s primarily about the big three aero bikes. I’ve ridden the Factor One, the Cervelo S5, and the Colnago Y1RS, plus we throw the Specialized Tarmac SL9 into the mix. One of you out there wanted to know what I would choose to ride and why given those choices. The team graciously gave me a chance to sit in my happy place and discuss those aero bikes. Not for too long though. Pretty soon we rolled into questioning marketing vs. engineering in terms of bike design. We all have pretty strong feelings about who drives the conversation and why. Which is, of course, a perfect segue into discussing the 32-inch Salsa Fargo that we rode in Squamish. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Introductions 00:00:50 - Lisa and 7 centuries 00:13:30 - Riding in British Columbia 00:29:55 - Listener questions and aero bikes 00:41:20 - More listener questions and marketing vs. engineering 01:00:00 - Riding the Salsa Fargo 32

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4.3
out of 5
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About

The Velo Podcast brings you inside the world of gravel and road racing with Velo's team of reporters and commentators.

Information

  • Creator
    Velo
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    673
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Velo Podcast

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