Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast

Matthew Pioro, Adam Killick, Terry McKall, Matt Hansen

Cycling stories from across Canada and around the world. We talk to pros who ride on the road and the trails. We also talk about gear, riding and training. It's bikes, bikes and more bikes, eh.

  1. 1d ago

    Svein Tuft vs. misguided longevity bros: The Canadian cycling legend’s tips for riding strong in middle age

    In this episode, Canadian cycling legend Svein Tuft shares insights on staying fast and healthy approaching 50, his views on longevity and AI, and his latest adventures in FKTs and remote rides. He draws on his extensive experience in bikepacking and ultra-distance riding, offering insights into route planning and personal resilience. He also delves into his evolving relationship with technology and gear. Plus, updates from the cycling world including concerns about bra doping at the Tour de France Femmes, highlights from Crankworx Whistler and a notable performance at the Commonwealth Games. This episode is supported by Altitude Sports. [This collaboration is part of an advertising campaign managed by the agency Podpass for Altitude Sports.] Save up to 20 per cent off on your first order with code CYCLINGMAGAZINE2026 Shop at Altitude Sports: https://bit.ly/altitude-cyclingmagazine2026 Valid on regular-priced items only. Limited-time offer. One use per customer. Cannot be combined with other promotions or membership discounts. CHAPTERS 10:21 Svein Tuft Introduction and his Jumbo Wild 600 Route 16:55 Tips for Planning Big Bikepacking Routes 23:55 Honing the Critical Skill of Responding to Life-Threatening Situations on the Trail 29:00 Staying Fast and Healthy as 50 Approaches 36:33 True Longevity vs. Longevity Bro Bio-hacks 44:33 Svein Tuft’s Relationship with Gear: Past and Present 52:31 Getting Started in Bikepacking: Equipment Tips

  2. Jul 23

    How to train for ultra-cycling: Fuelling, gear essentials and building peak durability with Meaghan Hackinen

    Meaghan Hackinen has a habit of breaking ultra-distance cycling records. Recently, the Kelowna, B.C., rider set the women’s fastest known time for the iconic Tour Divide route. On this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, Hackinen shares her journey to setting new records in ultra-cycling, training strategies, gear choices and the importance of sleep and sobriety in performance. Check out her insights into managing long-distance rides and preparing for unpredictable conditions. Also, editors Matthew Pioro and Matt Hansen discuss cross country nationals and the Tour de l’Abitibi. There’s up-and-coming talent to look out for. This episode is supported by Altitude Sports. [This collaboration is part of an advertising campaign managed by the agency Podpass for Altitude Sports.] Save up to 20 per cent off on your first order with code CYCLINGMAGAZINE2026 Shop at Altitude Sports: https://bit.ly/altitude-cyclingmagazine2026 Valid on regular-priced items only. Limited-time offer. One use per customer. Cannot be combined with other promotions or membership discounts. Chapters 13:39 Meaghan Hackinen: Training for an ultra-distance ride like the Tour Divide 16:56 Getting started in ultra cycling: Tips for beginners 21:37 The importance of sleep in ultra-racing 31:11 What happens when you give your bike a name 37:07 Where a beginner should start with ultra-cycling gear 39:26 The impact of sobriety on performance 44:20 Safety tips for solo female travellers

  3. Jul 9

    Is bigger actually better? Geoff Kabush and straight talk on the 32-inch wheel hype

    The big 32-inch wheels are coming. They’ve already rolled through multi-stage mountain bike races, XC World Cups, gravel competitions and DH runs. For some, they provoke eye-rolls as the bike industry pursues yet another standard whether you want it or not. But you'll see more of them soon. Geoff Kabush, mountain bike legend, underbiking advocate and long-time gear-head, has seen all this before. He started mountain biking on 26-inch wheels and experienced the rise (and growing pains) of 29ers. With 32s, he’s already been experimenting. In May 2025, he rode a custom-built hardtail with 32”-wheels near Fox’s office in North Carolina to explore bike geometry on the big hoops. He’s also worked with Sam Whittingham of Naked Bicycles based on B.C.’s Quadra Island, where Whittingham made a 32-inch-wheel gravel bike that Kabush is riding. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast features a look at the nuances of the new wheel size. Kabush talks about how geometry is evolving. “Butt clearance,” the room a rider’s rear end needs when their weight is back over the rear wheel, comes up. He also reveals how he can feel a bit of guilt when pushing test equipment to failure, especially with an emerging technology in which spares are in short supply. And Kabush has practical tire tips, too. Have a listen.

  4. Jun 25

    How a Canadian snagged North America’s first Tour de France yellow jersey 40 years ago

    July 5, 2026 is a special date. It will mark 40 years since a Canadian, Coquitlam, B.C.’s Alex Stieda, went on an audacious breakaway and secured the yellow jersey. For a brief moment, Stieda led the Tour de France. He was the first Canadian as well as the first male North American to do so. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast features a close look at Stieda’s historic ride. The discussion starts with his early years in cycling. (“What? Were you bad at hockey?”) In 1980, he won the Tour de l’Abitibi. He took the bronze medal in individual pursuit at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Australia. Then it was on to the 1984 L.A. Olympics for track cycling. By 1986, he had turned pro. That year, his team, the groundbreaking U.S. outfit 7-Eleven, got an invitation to the Tour de France. For the first official stage of the event, Stieda cooked up a plan that he kept mostly to himself. Find out, from the Canadian Cycling Hall of Famer himself, how it all went down.

  5. Jun 11

    Grit, humour and hustle: Inside elite gravel racing with champion Benjamin Perry

    Sometimes, a gravel champion of multiple nations simply finds himself without a floor pump. A few weeks ago, Benjamin Perry was in need of such a tool at Unbound Gravel, the premier gravel race on the calendar. Perry, who’s based in Gerona, wasn’t able to pack a pump for his North American trip. “Then, I was going around the hotel waiting for somebody to come out of a room who looked like a cyclist,” he said. “In Emporia around Unbound week, it's pretty easy to find somebody who has a floor pump, so it's not the end of the world.” Still, having to search for a pump to set his tires for a big event is quite the contrast to his days as a professional road racer, when his teams would take care of all the logistics and maintenance. Elite gravel—it requires a lot of hustle. For the past three seasons, Perry has been making his way as a privateer racing on mixed surfaces. He’s had successes, including his 2025 Canadian gravel championship title. (He’s set to defend in a few days. He faces serious competition.) This year, he competed in the Catalan championships, and won, putting him in the strange situation of being a non-Catalan with that community’s champion’s jersey. He’s also had multiple top-10 finishes at major races this season. Yet sometimes, Perry has to scramble for parts. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast features a deep dive into the world of elite gravel racing with Benjamin Perry. It's a lively chat as Perry brings his trademark humour to the topics of racing, equipment and fuelling. The pro also has top tips for anyone interested in racing the world’s toughest gravel events.

  6. May 28

    Vancouver’s Sidney Swierenga makes her way in the European peloton

    The former bassist of the Sex Pistols, long nails on race day and crosswinds all connect with Sidney Swierenga. Find out how in this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast. In early May, Swierenga landed on the podium of the Grand Prix du Morbihan Femmes in France. While the second-place finish marked her first elite-level result, she’s no stranger to medals. In 2025, Swierenga was second overall at both the Redlands Bicycle Classic (one of her favourite races) and Tour of the Gila. She also won a stage and the GC of the Tour du Gévaudan Occitanie Femmes. Those 2025 results caught the attention of the Liv AlUla Jayco Women's Continental Team, to which Swierenga signed for this season. In this episode, you can find out about what’s ahead for the rider and, you know, what Sid Vicious has to do with it.

  7. May 14

    The psychology of riding better with Prof. (in the making) Haley Smith

    Can you train mental durability? “Yes, 100 per cent,” says Haley Smith. The rider knows her stuff. She’s an Olympian who competed in cross country mountain biking. She’s a Commonwealth Games medallist and a two-time national  marathon mountain bike champion. Smith won the first Life Time Grand Prix series. Recently, she was fifth at the Traka 360 gravel race in Spain. While Smith is a top-level rider, she’s also a PhD student in sports psychology. In her studies, cycling is front and centre. One of her papers even examined the spirit of gravel. In the interview, Smith discusses racing, her academic work, as well as mental strategies that can help you to be a better rider. This season, Smith is on tour. Not a multi-stage event in this case, but a speaking tour that also includes group rides. It’s all part of her Competere project. Competere is aimed at helping more girls and women grow into passionate cyclists. Here’s the schedule: May 14-15: Le Club, Montreal, chat and ride on the 15th May 21: Toronto, Etape 22, chat only June 18: Vancouver, Bici, chat only July 2-3: Cyclesmith, Halifax, chat and ride on the 3rd Oct. 17: Big Sugar Gravel, chat

  8. Apr 30

    How the high-carb craze has changed fuelling, with sport science writer Alex Hutchinson

    In this special cross-over episode with our sibling podcast, The Shakeout over at Canadian Running, host John Gay speaks with sport science writer Alex Hutchinson about the high-carb fuelling revolution that endurance sports are experiencing. Hutchinson remarks that cycling has a notable role in the latest craze. Check out the discussion that applies to marathon runners, Tour de France riders, and even cyclists like you. Also, editors Matthew Pioro, Matt Hansen and James Bunga, who is finishing up his time in northern Europe, look back on the Classics.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Cycling stories from across Canada and around the world. We talk to pros who ride on the road and the trails. We also talk about gear, riding and training. It's bikes, bikes and more bikes, eh.

Information

  • Creator
    Matthew Pioro, Adam Killick, Terry McKall, Matt Hansen
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    147
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2020 Gripped Publishing Inc.
  • Show Website
    Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast

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