Geek Warning

Escape Collective
  • 4.9 (301)
  • Sports News
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Geek Warning, a podcast focused on deciphering the world of cycling tech, explaining how bikes work, and how to make them better. Hosted by Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin, this weekly show is your fix for tech geekitude, covering the latest tech news, industry trends, answering mechanical questions, and whatever else is on our minds. Escape Collective is member-funded. If you like this podcast please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/geekwarning/

  1. 5d ago

    New climbing bikes are being seen, but rarely raced

    New bikes are now rolling in from all directions with both the road and mountain bike race seasons in full swing. In this week’s episode, Dave chats with new hire Jack Duncan about what he’s been seeing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (aka, the Dauphine).  Later in the episode, Jack and Dave discuss new cross-country mountain bikes from Orbea and Lapierre. Then Alex Hunt joins to talk about his experience with the new Scott Spark.  Not even prompted by Dave, the geeks also cover space and weight-efficient tools for travel. And as per usual, members of Escape Collective get access to our popular Ask a Wrench segment at the end of the episode. Time stamps: 00:01:10 - Pre-Tour tech at the Dauphine  00:09:00 - A tangent on big brand wheels  00:14:00 - Mystery new shoes  00:15:20 - New climbing bikes are being seen, but rarely raced  00:23:30 - How to pack tools for travel is on our mind  00:41:00 - It’s a week of new 29er XC MTB, starting with the Orbea Oiz and Lapierre XR  00:49:30 - Alex Hunt joins to talk about Scott’s Spark update  00:59:00 - RIP Charlie Cunningham  01:01:40 - Ask a Wrench with Colin Williams (members only)  01:03:00 - Small electric inflators where low pressures matter  01:13:00 - Discontinued pedal lubes and PFAS’ 01:20:30 - What on saddles makes them a wear item?  01:27:00 - Pondering a handlebar that turns more freely  01:30:30 - Talking about our mechanical work

    1h 1m

  2. Jun 5

    Inner soles, 20 grams, and a new voice

    Geek Warning gets a new voice as Escape’s new US tech editor - Jack Duncan - joins the motley crew.  Together with Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin, the geeks cover a broad range of topics from Unbound tech, UCI doing UCI things, Ronan’s custom inner sole journey, and hubs that allow cassettes to fall off.  Of course, members of Escape Collective also get Ask a Wrench. This week, Dave is joined by Jack Duncan to answer a number of questions from our members. Also, Dave sends his apologies to members listening to Ask a Wrench as his mic settings had changed without warning.  Time stamps:  00:00:00 - An introduction to Jack Duncan  00:04:30 - Unbound tech wrap  00:16:25 - Disqualification over 20 grams  00:28:00 - Cassettes that fall off and Dave’s Public Rambling Rant  00:33:00 - Carbon inner soles are on Ronan’s mind 00:49:30 - Ask a Wrench (members only)  00:51:00 - Running a 12-speed chain on a 11-speed cassette  00:57:45 - battery drain issues in an AXS shifter  1:04:00 - How to add grip to a slippery brake lever

    50 min

  3. May 28

    The Crux is now a DirtMac

    Howdy geeks! It’s Unbound race week, and with that, we’ve seen an expected amount of fresh new tech in the gravel space.This week, Escape’s senior tech editors Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin discuss Specalized’s long-awaited update to the Crux. There’s, of course, a bit of big wheel chatter. A fun new project product from Wheels Manufacturing. And plenty more.As a reminder, members of Escape Collective also get access to Ask a Wrench, where member questions are answered by Dave Rome and a quest mechanic (this week, Colorado-based Colin Williams returns).   If you liked this episode, please leave us a review. It helps like-minded cyclists discover us.Time stamps: 00:00:30 - Ronan went racing 00:07:15 - Ronan rides the new Specialized Crux 00:14:50 - But is it actually aero? 00:23:47  - Are pure aero gravel bikes what we need?  00:30:05  - Scott’s 32in gravel bike for Unbound 00:36:50  - Wheels Manufacturing’s better mud stick  00:42:29  - Paragon Machine Works has been acquired 00:43:56 - Good thing: Mechanics you can trust 00:51:00 - Ask a Wrench (Members-Only feed)  00:52:30 - Weird pulley wheel wear  1:03:00 - When is it time to replace a wheel?  1:12:00 - A Dangerholm-inspired Full-Suspension gravel bike?

    51 min

  4. May 22

    Going further on gravel

    With Unbound on next week, and the Gralloch on last weekend, it felt timely to talk about going further on gravel. For this, Escape’s tech and industry reporter, Suvi Loponen, joins Dave Rome. Also joining this week is special guest (and occasional Escape contributor) Kevin ‘Benky’ Benkenstein, a familiar face in the ultra world.  There's also talk of whether the trend in wide gravel rims is a good direction. And of course, there’s plenty more. Just a quick note that Kevin did have some internet issues, so we apologise for the occasional delay in the recording.  Members of Escape Collective get the full episode (and no ads!), where mechanic Colin Williams joins Dave to answer technical questions.  Time stamps:  00:01:31 - Suvi's time at the Gralloch 00:10:48 - How to get comfortable when going far on gravel 00:17:13 - New Specialized and Canyon spotted at the Gralloch 00:18:29 - What benefits the pros doesn’t always benefit us 00:20:33 - Unbound is coming 00:35:07 - New Enve gravel wheels  00:41:49 - Is wider really better, or is this just a trend? 00:45:55 - Niner bikes goes on pause 00:49:00 - Ask a Wrench (member-only feed)  00:50:30 - How long does a bag of wax last?  00:55:15 - Running a road cassette with mountain bike derailleurs  00:59:30 - Building a tool to stress relieve a wheel  1:06:04 - Does suspension need servicing after storage?

    49 min

  5. May 14

    Will beep boop suspension come to gravel?

    In a rare treat, Caley Fretz (aka, The Hammer) makes a return to Geek Warning. Joined by Escape's Senior Tech Editor Dave Rome, this week’s chat covers electronic suspension on mountain bikes and whether it makes sense for future gravel bikes.  Time stamps:  00:00:00 - Intro, Caley is back 00:02:01 - Caley is a fan of Flight Attendant 00:25:30 - Electronics for gravel suspension?  00:34:30 - Endurace CF range 00:41:00 - Rotor in trouble 00:42:00 - Why Escape Collective 00:44:56 - Ask a Wrench (members only)  00:45:50 - Can you fix a creaking saddle?  00:50:10 - How to find info on older bikes?  00:56:30 - More Cannondale Ai oddness  01:02:20 - Why don’t mechanics provide their own tools?

    45 min

  6. May 7

    Aero gravel bikes are not always the fastest choice

    Are full-blown aero gravel bikes all they’re cracked up to be? Dave and Ronan share some strong thoughts on why this may be the wrong path, or at least, why it’s still early days for these being the faster choice.  For those in the workshop, Dave shares the importance of good lighting and some of his favourite hand-held options for seeing better.  Alex Hunt then jumps on to talk about XC tech from the opening round of World Cup racing, including why the conditions caused so many dropped chains.  Of course, members of Escape Collective get Ask a Wrench, this week with guru Colin Williams. Dave and Colin answer a handful of questions, but a chunk of the time is spent chatting about their most underrated and overrated tools.  Time stamps:  00:02:13 - A Traka load of new, unreleased gravel bikes from Factor and Ridley  00:06:46 - Cervelo Aspero 5 where it’s good and where it’s really not 00:13:41 - Has gravel learned everything it knows from XC? 00:18:03 - Is the Factor Sarana Ronan McLaughlin’s bike for ultras or just confusing? 00:29:42 - A good thing to share about lighting  00:41:47 - Alex joins to talk MTB World Cup 00:43:51 - New bikes spotted in South Korea from Scott and Lapierre 00:51:56 - Lots of mud and 1x drivetrains aren’t a good match 01:01:15 - Ask a Wrench (member-only feed)  01:02:40 - Best mechanical shifting options for dropbar?  01:12:10 - Chainline variance and e-bikes  01:17:30 - Squeaky shoes with SPD  01:22:00 - Our most overrated and underrated tools

    1h 1m

  7. Apr 30

    Campagnolo is oh so back

    It’s an episode of three parts this week and there’s been lots of big tech releases to chat through.  Things kick off with Ronan Mc Laughlin and Dave Rome chatting about Campagnolo’s new Record 13 release and why it may prove to be the move to put Campagnolo back in the minds of many.  There’s chat of where Zipp may be gone wrong with its latest 202 wheel release, and Ronan shares some thoughts of BMC’s new gravel racer, the Kaius.  Then Dave gets tech reporter Alex Hunt on the phone to talk about two new cross-country bike releases - the Specialized Epic 9 and Canyon Lux World Cup.   Finally, and as per every episode, members of Escape Collective get Ask a Wrench. Zach Edwards and Dave offer their insights to three member-submitted questions.   Happy geeking!  Time stamps:  00:00:00 Introduction, Ronan’s knackered, he’s been testing. 00:02:40 Campagnolo release Record 13, cheaper than Super Record, still more expensive than most other things. 00:14:17 Zipp 202 wheels for going up hills. 00:25:29 BMC Kaius 01 Gravel Racing Bicycle 00:37:53 Alex is here to talk about new MTBs 00:40:54 The new 2026 Canyon Lux Word Cup  00:48:30 The 2026 Specialized Epic 9 has arrived with a big price tag and no frame storage 1:02:00 - Ask a Wrench (members only, audio only)  1:04:00 - Headset loosening woes and the Ring of Death 1:14:00 - Over-preloaded hub woes 1:21:10 - Our choice of tubeless tapes

    1h 3m

  8. Apr 23

    No questions asked warranties aren’t all upside

    It’s the week after the Sea Otter Classic, and the geeks speak surprisingly little of the products shown there. Instead, Ronan and Dave cover new budget drivetrains from SRAM and Shimano. Dave is thinking about unsustainable warranty policies. And there’s plenty more covered from the world of cycling tech.   As a reminder, members of Escape Collective also get access to Ask a Wrench (at the end of the free episode). This week, Zach Edwards joins Dave in answering a variety of questions from members.  Happy geeking!  Time stamps: 00:01:29 - Should you grease headset spacers? 00:05:39 - Lifetime warranties on wear items  00:16:14 - Sea Otter - lots of 32” wheels and the rise of Chinese brands 00:31:38: - SRAM S-Series, where 9 becomes 3 00:39:54 - Shimano CUES 2x11 overlapping with Tiagra 2x11 00:45:37 - UCI vs SRAM. The UCI will make everything safer with limit screws 00:56: 11 - Ronan’s nipples are sore, but it’s in the name of unlocking performance 1:00:00 - Ask a Wrench (member-only) 1:02:00 - How does new Campagnolo differ in installation?  1:15:00 - Tips for maintaining a full suspension MTB 1:26:00 - Sweat causing Shimano pedal failures?

    1h 2m
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4.9
out of 5
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About

Welcome to Geek Warning, a podcast focused on deciphering the world of cycling tech, explaining how bikes work, and how to make them better. Hosted by Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin, this weekly show is your fix for tech geekitude, covering the latest tech news, industry trends, answering mechanical questions, and whatever else is on our minds. Escape Collective is member-funded. If you like this podcast please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/geekwarning/

Information

  • Channel
    Escape Collective
  • Creator
    Escape Collective
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    216
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Escape Collective
  • Show Website
    Geek Warning

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