Escape Collective

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Channel • 9 Shows

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Updated 14/01/2025
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Updated weekly
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Every two months
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Updated twice weekly
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Updated 4 days ago
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Updated 25/10/2025

14/10/2025

Special ep: In for review, October 2025

It’s a rare occurrence that timezone align for Escape’s entire tech team to get together and casually chat about what’s keeping each of them busy. For this bonus episode of Geek Warning, Dave, Ronan, Suvi, Josh, and Alex discuss some of the test products and testing that has been on their minds as of late. Enjoy! Time stamps:3:00 - The bikes we rode last5:00 - Early thoughts on the Cervelo Aspero 58:00 - Canyon Grizl12:00 - Trek CheckOut18:00 - Stinner Refugio Ti and Salsa Spearfish21:00 - A long-awaited Basso review23:00 - A tangent (rant) into how we do and don’t get review bikes to fit us37:30 - PFAS-free waterproof and cool-weather kit (Members Only)44:00 - Wolf Tooth’s entry to SPD pedals53:00 - Ronan’s power meter pedal deep-dive56:00 - Josh’ Dynamo adventures58:00 - Not feeling the difference in Shimano’s new cleats1:07:00 - Ronan thinks he’s owned a Tarmac SL8 for 7 years. Alex praises the Scott Addict RC.1:13:00 - THE electric inflator test is coming this week!

14/10/2025

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38 min
24/10/2025

WorldTour rumours and a split in aero bikes

Warning, geeks inbound. This week, Dave and Ronan catch up to discuss WorldTour rumours and a few of the bigger stories in tech. One of which is Wilier’s new aero bike, and while it wasn’t what Ronan had expected, it raises questions about whether the new crop of Hyperbikes are a consumer-friendly option. Of course, there’s a PSA and Dave shares a ‘Good Thing’ that was on his mind from earlier in the day. And as per usual, members of Escape Collective get an extra half an hour of geekery as submitted questions get answered. Time stamps: 1:00 - A little bit about electric tyre inflators10:45 - Wilier’s new Filante SLR aero bike isn’t so radical17:15 - WorldTour tech rumours31:00 - Strava wants to be friends with Garmin again34:00 - PSA to preventing stuck tubeless valve nuts37:00 - Good Things for bleeding brakes44:00 - Ask A Wrench (Members Only)44:30 - Maintenance time versus durability in chain lubes52:00 - Wedges in cycling shoes1:01:00 - How to know when a slick tyre is worn1:05:00 - Finding a 160 mm crank for use with 2x GRX

24/10/2025

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44 min
21/05/2025

Special ep: Why is kit so expensive?

You don’t have to look far these days to find a jersey and bib short that costs more than my first road bike, or one that costs less than lunch. In this episode, I sit down with Steve Smith, Brand Manager at Castelli and Sportful, to unpack what really drives the cost of cycling kit. From €1.50 chamois pads to €300 retail tags, we explore the full supply chain, manufacturing realities, sponsorship costs, direct-to-consumer myths, and why a €30 short might look the part and what it might be missing, if anything. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re really paying for, if it's marginal gains or just all margins for the manufacturers, this episode has answers.

21/05/2025

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45 min
16/01/2025

When AI simply isn’t AI and new bikes galore

In this week’s Geek Warning, the tech team — Dave Rome, Alex Hunt, Ronan McLaughlin, and Suvi Loponen — explore AI’s role in cycling tech, from training and design to marketing, while questioning even is truly “AI” and what’s just advanced machine learning – or marketing. Whether we’re all sick of hearing about it or think it has a place in some applications, you’ll find out. As the off-season is over (and keeps Dave busy at TDU), it seems we’re starting to see more and more new tech drops. This week, the geeks talk through new pedals from OneUp, short cranks from RaceFace, as well as new bikes from Giant and Liv, Stinner, Basso, and Chapter2. There’s also chat about some more industry headwinds that have affected REI and Raleigh. And as usual, Brad Copeland joins the pod to answer a few wrenching questions from Escape members with Dave. Maybe it’s the Christmas break effect still and we’ve got a lot of chat in us, but like last week, this episode is longer than usual, but we hope you enjoy it nevertheless. 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: 2:40 – On Our Minds: What is AI anyway – and is it being unleashed in the cycling tech?23:50 – Not a Pick One but info on a new Collective Favourites series24:55 – Cycling industry news from REI and Raleigh28:15 – OneUp clip pedal31:15 – New 160mm cranks from RaceFace32:15 – Wolf Tooth tyre pressure app update34:12 – The Cool Bottle36:45 – New Giant Trinity and Liv Avow TT/triathlon bikes42:15 – New Basso SV45:46 – Chapter2 Rira bike47:25 – Stinner Refugio Select adventure bike49:30 – Ask a Wrench with Dave & Brad01:19:00 – Outro

16/01/2025

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1h 24m
17/10/2025

Saddle positioning and Campagnolo goes Ultra

Gravel World’s, Bespoked Dresden, and new products have kept Escape’s tech team busy over the past week. In this episode of Geek Warning, Dave and Ronan discuss a few of the bigger tech sightings and why they may prove to be irrelevant. There’s talk of Campagnolo’s latest products, plus Ronan further explains the role of saddle positioning tools. Members of Escape Collective also get access to the Ask a Wrench segment (this week with Boulder Groupetto). Of particular interest for many is a question related to the use of grease versus anti-seize versus threadlocker. Happy geeking! Time stamps: 2:20 - Tech at UCI Gravel Worlds8:00 - Ultra-wide wheels from Dangerholm19:00 - Campagnolo goes Ultra27:30 - Good products, inspired by another podcast33:30 - Pet peeve meets PSA related to saddle positioning45:00 - Ask a Wrench with Boulder Groupetto (Members Only)47:00 - Tech that less tech-savvy riders should avoid58:30 - Grease vs Anti-Seize vs Threadlocker1:12:00 - A member-submitted tip1:15:00 - Omnium tyre choices

17/10/2025

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46 min
12/03/2025

The first ’In for Review’ special episode

It was an idea teased in a previous episode of the Geek Warning podcast, and we’ve finally done it! Welcome to a pilot episode of In for Review – a special and approximately-monthly edition of Geek Warning that chats about some of the bikes and products we’re actively testing, the things on our minds related to those products, and the tangents that follow. This episode is entirely free for all to hear, but the upcoming content that we discuss will largely be exclusive to members of Escape Collective. This was a first draft, and we already have ideas for making it better. Still, we’re all ears if you have ideas, praise, or criticism. Time stamps: 1:20 - The new Scott Addict Ultimate and Schwalbe Aerothan tyres10:20 - Another Scott as Ronan is wrapping up the Foil15:00 - Testing the Enve MOG through a Scottish winter21:00 - Tangent into swapping between dropbar shifter brands24:00 - Swapping between bikes27:30 - Suvi is down the Rear Radar rabbit hole37:40 - Fizik’s custom 3D printed saddle49:15 - Ronan is trying to find a shoe he actually likes53:00 - Just a pure shameless plug from Ronan58:30 - Dave’s heaviest delivery in recent memory

12/03/2025

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1h 5m
16/05/2025

Tech so smart it’s dumb

This week we’ve got wireless shifting on our minds. Campagnolo’s new 13-speed wireless continues to be seen out in the wild, now at the Giro d’Italia. Dave has had his hands on WheelTop’s latest wireless mountain bike derailleur and shifter. And SRAM has an option to upgrade its new mechanical T70/T90 system to wireless, and nope, we’re not joking. Additionally, Ronan is feeling misunderstood. We warn about using modern Ai-type tech in your repair endeavours. And of course, there’s plenty more. As always, Escape Collective members will hear our popular Ask a Wrench segment. This week, Zach Edwards (Boulder Groupetto) and Dave Rome answer member-submitted questions related to fixing tubeless punctures in road tyres, the complications of Cannondale’s Ai asymmetry, and we provide some thoughts on the best tyre setups for amateur racing across multiple disciplines. As a reminder, you’ll need to be a member of Escape Collective (go here) in order to access this popular segment of the podcast. Members can submit new questions here. Time stamps:2:50 - Ronan’s feeling misunderstood8:15 - Thumb shifter all-but-confirmed for next-gen Campagnolo Wireless13:30 - Dave’s first impressions of WheelTop wireless (EDS OX2.0)23:00 - a PSA about using Ai to help you wrench27:00 - SRAM’s new mechanical shifting can be upgraded to wireless32:00 - Canyon updates the Ultimate and Endurace road bikes38:00 - Rocky Mountain secures new Canadian owners39:20 - Where to for Felt Bicycles?42:00 - Threaded this week45:00 - Time for Ask a Wrench (member’s feed only)49:00 - How to properly fix a cut tubeless tyre57:00 - Cannondale Ai crank woes1:04:00 - Best tyre setups by disciplines

16/05/2025

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52 min
10/10/2025

Fancy bottom brackets and adjustable crank lengths

Come get geeky with Dave, Ronan, and Zach (Boulder Grupetto), as they add context to the latest cycling tech. This week you’ll hear about adjustable crank lengths, whether fancy bottom brackets are worth the expense, and if modular mechanical rear derailleurs will succeed. Members of Escape will also hear a non-safety-critical PSA, and of course, Ask a Wrench. That Ask a Wrench is a little different from the usual, with a long chat about whether the review bikes we get are given special treatment by the brands. Time stamps: 1:50 - Adjustable length cranks return with SRM10:15 - A dive into fancy fancy bottom brackets via CeramicSpeed’s overhaul29:30 - Did Specialized get the new Aethos right?37:30 - Debating premium, modular, mechanical rear derailleurs.44:00 - PSA - Check your hex keys for wear (Members Only)51:00 - Ask a Wrench (Members Only)53:00 - Do we get special bikes to review?1:04:00 - Solving mystery air in disc brakes

10/10/2025

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44 min
06/06/2025

A Week of Wireless

June has started with a bang when it comes to new cycling tech. This week we’ve seen the long-awaited release of new Shimano XTR Di2, the next generation Super Record from Campagnolo, and a welcomed new power pedal from Favero. All are new products that Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin discuss, in addition to being covered in more detail on Escape Collective. In addition to all that, Unbound gravel saw a whole bunch of unreleased bikes being raced, which Dave and Josh Weinberg (US tech and culture editor) discuss. Of course, there’s also the usual PSA, Ronan has something on his mind, and the episode wraps with the member-only Ask a Wrench segment (with Zach Edwards of Boulder Groupetto helping to answer questions). Members can submit new questions here. As a reminder, this week also brought a special episode of Geek Warning where Shimano’s North American MTB product manager, Nick Murdick, was interviewed about all things related to new XTR Di2. Timestamps: 2:30 - New Shimano XTR7:50 - Campagnolo’s new Super Record WRL 1319:15 - Favero Assioma Pro RS road power pedals27:45 - PSA on eye safety32:00 - On Ronan’s mind, uh oh40:00 - Unbound tech42:30 - Specialized’s new Diverge45:30 - A name suggestion for the new Pinarello gravel racer47:00 - Factor’s two new unreleased gravel bikes51:50 - Orbea’s also got two new gravel bikes going around54:00 - And Vos on a new Cervelo gravel race bike?55:00 - Euro versus US gravel racing seen in bike design1:00:30 - A pre-installed backup tube1:04:30 - Ask a Wrench (member-only)1:06:15 - How to adjust eccentric bottom brackets on single-speeds1:11:30 - A tip for finding dropped items1:15:40 - Our favourite hand cleaner? Hello gloves.1:22:00 - Removing the impossibly stuck crank

06/06/2025

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1h 5m
15 JAN

Wear items don’t just suddenly become worn

Welcome to a new year of Geek Warning, the cycling tech-focused podcast from Escape Collective.This week, Ronan and Dave get back into the swing of things by covering some fresh products from Cane Creek, SRAM, BBB, and more.It seems Ronan and Dave both had PSAs on their minds, so we have two this week. One is about watching wear on what are common wear items. The other is about how to perform a basic safety check on any bike.Unfortunately, we hit audio issues with the member-only Ask a Wrench that only showed up during editing. For some reason, the recording device decided to give Dave a lisp and mute him off-and-on. Sorry.Time stamps:4:00 - Cane Creek answered Dave’s wish15:30 - BBB’s CoreCap19:20 - SRAM goes shorter in cranks22:30 - Tailfin’s bottle cage mount where you want it24:30 - Garbaruk breaks SRAM’s rules28:00 - RIP Joe Montgomery29:00 - Mechanic crystal balling is on Dave’s Mind38:30 - A basic safety check procedure43:00 - Ask a Wrench with Brad Copeland (Members Only, with some audio issues, sorry!)43:30 - SRAM eTap rim brake shifters50:30 - Draining a bike and warding off corrosion1:04:30 - Can 3D printing save me from a new Wahoo speed sensor?1:08:00 - How to make toe spikes last longer

15 Jan

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44 min

Welcome to Escape Collective, your home for independent cycling journalism.

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