The Paceline Cycling Podcast The Cycling Independent

We can laugh at ourselves, yes? Robot takes aim at cycling costumes, our seriousness, ridiculousness and functionality all being poked, prodded and panned. And maybe justified, too. This week Padraig takes on helmet mirrors. Are they a good idea? What does brain science have to say about them? He digs into that and discusses what we can do to increase the odds that a driver won't go thump-thump over us.

This week John takes a look at a watershed event in Shimano's history. They have discontinued mechanically operated drivetrains on their Dura-Ace and Ultegra groups. The new versions of these groups we should see before the end of the year will be electronic-only. One of the biggest retailers in the country recently announced their sale to a Dutch holding company. As a result, Specialized severed their relationship with the 12-store chain of Mike's Bikes in Northern California. The big question on everyone's mind is, what were they thinking? Patrick talks to industry veteran and former Specialized marketing director Rick Vosper to get some insight.

John is just back from vacation in New Hampshire's White Mountains. He went glamping with the fam and says it was better than staying in a hotel. Patrick takes on a listener question about strategies to fit more training time in preparation for some long gravel events that he hopes take place next year.

Just what is humidity? For a cyclist, relative humidity can make the difference between a lovely day on the bike and a session of abject suffering. But what does that number really mean and how should we interpret it. Our man Robot goes full nerd. It wasn't too long ago that most roadies were decrying the advent of disc brakes on road bikes as unnecessary technology and a cynical effort to make us all buy new bikes. But they sure seem popular now. Patrick takes on a bit of why.

In this episode of the Paceline Tandem, we speak with Phil Cavell, author of The MidLife Cyclist, a book that shows the way forward for middle-aged riders (and athletes). Cavell is co-director of Cyclefit, an internationally known fit studio in Central London. With co-founder Julian Wall, Cavell has fit Pro Tour riders, Olympians and legions of aspiring middle-aged cyclists. The MidLife Cyclist is much more than a simple how-to guide. It outlines the specific physical (and mental) challenges we face as we grow older on the bike.

This week John considers his diet. He likes eating all the things, including kale. But is that really good for the environment, he asks. Patrick wonders what the delta variant means for doing bike events and travel. Is buying a hazmat suit the answer?