Geek Warning

It’s common for everyone to chase the simple answer for what the best product is. In this week’s Geek Warning, Dave and Ronan discuss why those chasing the best of something may be landing upon fiction. 
 
 Additionally, you’ll hear about the differing paths in aero road wheel design between the latest from Princeton Carbon Works and Cadex. Of course, there’s a PSA. And our Good Thing segment returns. 
 
 As with every week, members of Escape Collective get access to our Ask a Wrench segment. This week, Zach Edwards joins Dave to discuss greasing principles, whether to lube electronic derailleurs, mixing-and-matching SRAM brakes, and more. 
If you like the show, then please consider leaving a review. It’s much appreciated. 
 
 Happy geeking! 

Time stamps:
 

1:20 - Princeton Carbon Works’ research into rim widths

10:50 - Cadex’s new aero combo 

20:00 - SRAM’s new gravity MTB products

22:55 - Ibis has a new XC bike 

24:00 - On our mind: There is no best 

36:50 - PSA: Know when you don’t know  

46:00 - Good thing: Sync Ergonomics Aerobar Three

51:00 - Ask a Wrench (Members only)

51:30 - Do you lube the pivots of electronic derailleurs? 

59:20 - Shimano MTB vs Road on an indoor trainer 

1:04:00 - Mixing SRAM dropbar shifters with four-piston calipers 

1:09:30 - Applying grease to a thread and how much to use

Oh hi, Dave Rome here. It’s time to get geeky about spokes. 
 
I recently wrapped up a long-term review (now live on Escape Collective) where I compared two identical gravel wheelsets, one built with bladed steel spokes and the other built with Berd spokes, a spoke made from a Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, aka, Dyneema. 
Those white Berd spokes have been growing steadily in popularity, and off the back of Tom Pidcock and Pauline Ferrand Prevot winning the last Olympic games on them, I was ever more curious. To help with that curiosity, Tristan Thomas of the New Zealand-based wheel company, WheelWorks, lent me some wheels in order to get some answers to questions I had. 
 This episode is a sit-down with Tristan to discuss spokes and the considerations around an interesting polymer product like Berd. Happy geeking!

Think of recent times when Apple, Samsung, or Google have once again claimed to change the phone, just for you to find out that you can now photograph everyone’s wrinkles a little more clearly. Ronan believes we’re in an age where performance bikes are like phones, and of course, the geeks discuss it.
On Geek Warning this week, Dave and Ronan discuss Cannondale’s latest bikes and what they may spell for some other emerging trends. Meanwhile, the PSA segment returns with a warning regarding increasingly common hood slippage.
 All of that is free to all, while members of Escape Collective also gain access to our popular Ask a Wrench segment at the end of the episode. From our favourite bearing greases to headset woes, there’s plenty answered and discussed this week. 
Happy geeking! 
Time stamps: 

1:45 - Cannondale SuperSix Evo 4.5

12:50 - TT frames as aero road bikes? 

24:00 - Favero doubles battery longevity, for free

25:50 - Trek turns 50 

26:30 - New Factor Ostro Gravel spotted 

30:30 - RIP King Liu 

31:30 - Performance bicycles are like phones 

45:00 - PSA related to slipping hoods 

54:30 - Ask a Wrench with Boulder Grupetto (member only)

55:48 - Mixing and matching SRAM Transmission with other cassettes

 1:00:15 - Specialized Crux headset loosening woes

1:10:00 - Quick connectors for fully integrated drop bar bikes? 

1:17:20 - Servicing versus replacing bottom brackets, and our go-to bearing greases

It’s time for another bonus episode from the geeks. Hosted by Dave Rome, this episode is a dive into the world of torque wrench usage. Oh yes, it’s time to get nerdy.

Anyone who uses a torque wrench should find value in this episode that covers the do’s and don’ts in using a torque wrench. To help with this topic, Dave is joined by Alex Boone, an aerospace engineer who works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Formerly a quality control engineer, and before that, a bike shop rat, Alex knows the ins and outs of using a torque wrench and how best to apply that in bicycle terms.

For more on this topic, head on over to EscapeCollective.com for Dave’s latest edition of Threaded that summarises and shows many of the concepts discussed within.

The full version of this episode is only available to members of Escape Collective. Those on the free feed will hear approximately half the episode. If independent journalism matters to you, you want access to all that we offer (and without ads), or you just want a website that’s not trash to look at, then please consider joining at escapecollective.com/geekwarning .

Have you experienced certain models of Shimano 12-speed chains rusting more easily than expected? It’s one of many topics in this week’s Geek Warning, the cycling tech podcast from Escape Collective. 
This week, Suvi, Alex, and Dave also discuss limitations and concerns regarding the fast-arriving 32in wheels. There’s talk of new bikes. And what we carry for fixing tubeless punctures. 
Those on our member-only feeds also get access to Ask a Wrench, where this week Colorado-based pro mechanic Colin Williams joins Dave for the first time. 
Happy geeking! 
Time stamps:

1:40 - Trek’s new XC bike has been spotted

6:40 - Big (32”) wheels continue to gain momentum, but maybe we should pump the brakes? 

18:00 -  Basso’s new gravel bike 

22:30 - Do 12-speed Shimano chains have a rust issue? 

31:00 - Tubeless tyre plugging 

42:30 - What we’ve finished working on 

45:00 - Ask a Wrench (Member-only, with pro mechanic Colin Williams) 

46:00 - When cutting carbon goes wrong 

51:00 - Are there short-cuts to setting up SRAM Transmission? 

58:40 - Tips for gravel racing in sand 

1:04:00 - Specialized FutureShock headset tips