Geek Warning

Whoa, what a week to be a cycling fan. And for the nerds among us, Roubaix rolling into Sea Otter is always great.

This week Ronan, Alex, and Dave discuss some of the bigger tech finds and blunders of Roubaix and what they may spell for future products and trends. Many tangents are had. Ronan got to ride the new Colnago C72 and shares why he’s always dreamed of owning a C-Series.

Of course, the geeks also cover some tech news, and there’s a PSA. It’s a long one, but we think it’s a good one! As usual, members of Escape Collective get Ask a Wrench (via the member-only podcast feeds). It’s perhaps one not to miss for the chain waxers among us.

Time stamps: 

3:55 - New Shimano SLR pedals break cover

7:48 - MVDP not on that new Endurace

16:42 - 1x everywhere from Shimano and SRAM 

25:30 - Tyres wider than first assumed? 

29:00 - What's going on with all the punctures? 

34;10 - Inflatable inserts from Odyssey Optis 

41:30 - On your mind: The Roubaix-specific bike may still have its day again

49:15 - Roubaix’s most intriguing tech picks (glue)

57:00 - Colnago’s new C72 

1:06:15 - Shimano finally adds crank options to GRX

1:07:15 - Dave’s Tool Lust (Cushcore) 

1:11:35 - Sea Otter Classic is here

1:12:15 - PSA: Be careful not to make a candle

1:17:30 - Ask a Wrench with Zach Edwards (Escape members only) 

1:18:40 - Chain wax for ultra endurance applications 

1:28:00 - Fixing a stuck brake hose olive 

1:32:20 - Time XC pedal creak

1:39:55 - Why isn’t Nitrogen used in tyres?

A recent review comparing SRAM XPLR AXS to Shimano GRX Di2 1x brought up an interesting comment from a reader: does electronic shifting kill the soul of a bicycle? It’s a topic of discussion in this week’s episode. 
Also in this episode, tech editor and industry reporter Suvi Loponen rejoins Geek Warning to talk about Canyon’s somewhat confusing new Endurace CFR release. You’ll also hear about some other bits of new tech. Meanwhile, the PSA this week doesn’t mince words, calling out a new product on Kickstarter as one to avoid. 
 
 Of course, members of Escape Collective also get access to Ask a Wrench, where this week Dave is joined by pro wrench Colin Williams to answer a number of your questions. 
Time stamps: 

02:41 - Is electronic shifting lacking a soul? 

16:36 - New Canyon Endurace CFR isn’t an Endurace 

31:59 - New things from Easton, Vittoria and Surly

41:28 - PSA: You can’t lube a chain with nonsense

50:00 - Ask a Wrench with Colin Williams (Member’s Only) 

52:00 - Should I clear coat raw aluminium? 

57:35 - Mystery Di2 chain dropping issue 

1:05:00 - SRAM dropbar sticky pistons 

1:10:20 - Bringing a bike out of winter storage

Ronan and Dave return to chat through the week of cycling geeking. From emerging trends in one-piece cockpits to the latest in tech news, this episode has plenty of information nuggets. 

As usual, members of Escape Collective have access to the member-only podcast feeds where they receive the full versions of our episodes. Every week, this includes the bonus section of Geek Warning – Ask a Wrench, where you’ll hear pro mechanics answer technical questions from members. This week, the mechanics answer questions related to restoring an older rim brake bike and the reasons to do it; tubeless sealants and dehumidifiers; and a handful of questions related to new disc brake setup.
 
 Time stamps:
 

 4:20 -  Mixing and matching cockpits 

18:00 - Do modern handlebar measurements measure up? 

24:40 - Escape Explained 

25:45 - Prologo joins the pressure mapping game 

34:45 - Safety first: Pikio Labs’ Si helmet 

39:00 - New Canyon spotted 

41:00 - A PSA for crummy pump heads

46:00 - Ask a Wrench (members only) 

46:30 - Bringing an old CAAD9 back to life and whether to upgrade the drivetrain

53:30 - The Chisel dropbar conversion continues

58:30 - Storing bikes with tubeless 

1:02:45 - A fussy and sticky SRAM hydraulic disc brake, plus some sneaky tips

This week, we have tech editors Ronan Mc Laughlin and Josh Weinberg coming in from opposite ends of the world, both in dimly lit hotel rooms, and without their usual podcast recording equipment. It’s only up from here!
 
In the first section, Dave Rome chats to Ronan about his previous day touring Pirelli. Then Dave reminds us of the real-world compromises that 1x shifting continues to battle. Also, you’ll hear a rant, and Ronan has a Good Thing that many probably already own.
 
Next stop is Dave catching up with our US tech editor Josh Weinberg, who finds himself in Taiwan for the Taipei Cycle Show.
 
And finally, members of Escape Collective (who get access to everything we do at Escape Collective), can tune in for our popular Ask a Wrench segment, where Dave and pro mechanic Zach Edwards answer technical questions from members. 
Finally, the day has come for Geek Warning to be a motion picture. You’ll now find episodes on YouTube, too. 
 
 Happy Geeking!
 
 
 Time stamps:
 

 4:40 - Touring Pirelli HQ 

12:00 - Pirelli’s new flagship race tyre

18:00 - Wolf Tooth’s new flagship Mark Zero range

21:40 - The real world compromises of 1x shifting 

34:00 - Content creation that has Dave ranting 

40:20 - Ronan’s Good Thing that you may already own -

44:45 - Taipei Cycle Show with Josh 

52:00 - 32er manufacturing is brewing, 3D printing, and other trends

1:07:00 - Ask a Wrench (members only) 

1:08:00 - Shimano brakes gone bad if not used 

1:17:30 - Stuck tyre bead on rim. Solutions? 

1:26:00 - Re-using old brake hoses during re-routing

This week, Ronan and Dave discuss Muc-Off’s much-delayed entry into premium drip wax lubes. Better late than never? 
With some new gravel wheels from Swiss Side and Scope hitting the market, the conversation turns to how hooked rims are quickly becoming a sales feature even in disciplines where hookless is perfectly fine. The geeks also chat about rim widths and wheel choices. 
Of course, there’s a PSA, while the free episode wraps with Ronan sharing a new app for the watts-obsessed – wattsthedifference. 
Something you'll be missing in this free feed is that members of Escape Collective get the full episode, including Ask a Wrench. This week, Dave is joined by pro mechanic Colin Williams to answer questions related to torque, DOT fluid, and picking one grease. 
Time stamps: 

02:45 - Muc-Off does the thing they debated against 

17:20 - Swiss Side’s budget gravel performance and 

20:16 - Hooked is a selling feature

22:30 - Scope enters the wider rim space and a rabbit hole down the rim width tunnel 

31:15 - Wolf Tooth joins the nice semi-internal headset game

35:00 - Sapim expands beyond steel spokes 

41:00 - PSA for the eyes 

43:30 - Ronan’s good thing 

1:00:00 - Ask a Wrench (members only) 

1:00:40 - More on torque, dry threadlocker, and carbon paste 

1:08:00 - Worry about a frame repair 

1:11:00 - How long does DOT fluid keep for? 

1:14:00 - Picking one grease for general use