Welcome back to Geek Warning. This week, Dave Rome and Ronan McLaughlin talk through Shimano’s new road pedal system, which will eventually supersede the now two-decade-old SPD-SL. Dave has been hands-on with the new pedals and offers insight into how nuanced the differences are.

Dave is then joined by Suvi Loponen to discuss the new Canyon Grail gravel bike along with a number of other standout bits of tech news from the week.

At the end of the episode, and for those listening via a member-only feed, we have an interview with Bill Alcorn of BikeFlights about how air freighting and door-to-door bike delivery have changed, and potentially how to mitigate those increased costs.

Timestamps:

• 02:00 - Shimano SPD-SLR, ridden and explained
• 18:00 - The potential performance gain of lower stack height
• 22:30 - Shimano’s three shoe widths, wide going wider.
• 25:00 - Suvi joins to discuss the new Canyon Grail gravel bike
• 37:00 - Scott’s interesting return to cable routing options
• 41:00 - Specialized goes internal routing with Future Shock
• 43:30 - Wolf Tooth gets into hubs
• 48:00 - Members-only section: Talking bike freight

This week, Caley Fretz returns to Geek Warning alongside Jack Duncan and Dave Rome. It’s been a week full of big new bike launches (all of which Escape Collective attended) and there has been some equally big industry news.

The geeks discuss new bikes from Scott, Factor, and Enve, and how each finds (or doesn't) a balance between performance and enjoyment. Plus, there’s a shift in product from WTB, some somewhat sad news out of an Australian business, and we speculate over why Specialized’s founder has returned to the helm.

As usual, members of Escape Collective have access to the exclusive member-only feeds of the podcast, and in this we answer a number of technical questions in the Ask a Wrench segment.

Happy geeking!

Time stamps:

• 00:02:00 - New bikes, new bikes everywhere
• 00:03:15 - Talking two different approaches to gravel with the Scott Addict Gravel and Factor Elara
• 00:16:30 - Adding the new Enve Melee to the conversation
• 00:20:00 - Feelings or performance. Can it be both?
• 00:29:00 - WTB doing aero wasn’t on our bingo card
• 00:38:00 - Sad news from Fumpa
• 00:44:15 - Big changes at Specialized and a fun theory from a dude
• 01:02:00 - Members-only section and Ask a Wrench
• 01:05:00 - Our thoughts on running mismatched tyres
• 01:11:20 - “Critique my chain waxing”
• 01:12:15 - Gravel handlebar recommendations that keep the levers straight

This week sees a big first for the Geek Warning podcast as the entirety of Escape Collective’s tech crew meet up in person over in Takayama, Japan. With that, we recorded live in front of a select group of Escape members!

It’s certainly been a huge week on the tech front for our entire tech team to be away riding bikes at the annual Member Summit. Not only is the Vuelta a España in its first week (where new Dura-Ace prototypes were seen), we also had the last Mountain Bike World Cup round prior to the World Championships. And if that wasn’t enough, MADE was held over in Portland, Oregon, the past weekend.

Given the special circumstances, our usual member-only ‘Ask a Wrench’ segment was replaced with an ‘Ask us anything’ from the live audience. Be sure to listen on the member-only feed for the full episode.

So with that, join the tech crew of Alex Hunt, Jack Duncan, Ronan Mc Laughlin, and Dave Rome to hear about the week in tech. And yes, Suvi Loponen was there, but sadly couldn’t jump on the recording.

Time stamps:

• 00:03:30 - New Dura-Ace R9300 breaks cover
• 00:23:00 - Leadville wasn’t the expected 32er domination, and that doesn’t matter
• 00:33:05 - Fox is seemingly returning to electronic suspension for cross-country
• 00:35:00 - Abbey Bike Tools’ new budget disc brake mount facer isn’t quite it
• 00:40:30 - Going into the member-only section with a live audience
• 00:42:00 - Ask us Anything!
• 00:44:00 - Are carbon spokes a fad?
• 00:50:00 - Silca’s entry to tires
• 00:53:00 - Can grease be too thick?
• 00:55:00 - Is there any further tech that road should expect from MTB?
• 01:03:30 - How are we addressing the spectrum of gravel?

It’s time for another bonus edition of Geek Warning. This chat is a brief opener to our upcoming coverage of Made, North America’s Custom Bicycle Show.

Held this coming weekend (21-23rd of August), the Portland-based show has grown to be a key event on the calendar for bike lovers, tech nerds, makers, and the like. A show like this also consistently serves as a crystal ball into emerging segments and tech trends.

One such trend is the emergence of custom frame builders offering pre-built options. In the USA, a number of local frame builders have reduced purchase barriers by offering set models and stock geometry options. The likes of No.22, Moots, and Stinner are all examples of this. Meanwhile, one of the most prestigious names in the titanium space has now joined the list - Mosaic.

For this chat, Dave Rome is joined by Mosaic’s founder Aaron Barcheck, along with chief vibe officer (and founder) of Made, Billy Sinkford.

A heads up that the timing of publishing this episode coincides with Mosaic’s announcement of a 32er gravel bike and its accompanying launch of its own carbon component brand – Zero. The news of this only broke after we recorded this episode and so these products aren’t discussed within. We may do a dedicated chat covering those interesting products in the future.

This week on Geek Warning, Dave is joined by Escape’s Suvi Loponen and Alex Hunt to talk about the latest in cycling tech.

Alex was on the ground at the Tour de France Femmes and came away pondering why 1x hadn’t hit the women’s field like it has the men.

Meanwhile, Suvi has spent the past couple of months riding the new Trek Domane endurance road bike. Dave and Suvi discuss why this bike is likely to be a big win for Trek.

Then, as usual, those on our member-only podcast feeds get access to Ask a Wrench. This week Dave is joined by Colin Williams to answer questions related to replicating fit dimensions between bikes, headset changes, and why high-engagement hubs aren’t more popular in road racing.

Time stamps:

• 00:01:20 - Accell group likely to be split up
• 00:08:15 - Tech trends at TDFF
• 00:17:09 - Tyres are growing, slowly
• 00:22:00 - Trek’s new Domane
• 00:33:45 - Bike prices coming down?
• 00:39:30 - The case for semi-integrated cable routing
• 00:43:00 - We’re all having a meet-up
• 00:48:15 - Ask a Wrench with Colin Williams (Members Only)
• 00:50:00 - How to match fit dimensions between bikes
• 01:01:30 - Is it ok to mismatch the headset?
• 01:06:15 - Replacing a proprietary headset
• 01:14:00 - High engagement hubs Crit racing?

This week, Dave and Jack from the Escape Collective tech team talk modern cross-country bikes and where the nuance between race and downcountry sits. Plus, Dave shares why he believes remote lockouts are a race-day product.

Meanwhile, the geeks discuss why rounded bolts are most often user error and how to avoid them (also check out Dave’s Threaded #15 article on the topic).

Like every week, members of Escape Collective (on the exclusive member-only feeds) get access to the full episode, including Ask a Wrench. This week Colin Williams is back on the mic to answer questions from our members, including tips for washing bikes with waxed chains and removing stubborn hub end caps.

Time stamps:

• 00:02:00 - Santa Cruz updates the Blur
• 00:12:00 - The difference between XC race and downcountry
• 00:16:30 - It’s in the lockouts
• 00:20:00 - Differences in spec
• 00:28:30 - A reminder why MTB tech matters to all listeners
• 00:30:00 - A little Clarifications Corner for last week’s PSA
• 00:36:30 - Rounded bolts are a you problem
• 00:43:45 - DT Swiss updates its budget 1800 wheel range
• 00:46:00 - Silca updates its saddle bags
• 00:47:45 - Giant and Liv’s new premium shoes
• 00:51:15 - Ask a Wrench (members only)
• 00:53:00 - How to wash a bike with a waxed chain
• 00:57:45 - How to remove stubborn hub end caps
• 01:06:20 - How to become a bicycle mechanic

This week we got new Shimano R9300 Dura-Ace, although not quite the release many had wished for. Escape’s senior tech editors, Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin, talk through this new release, the details that are easily overlooked, and where Shimano could do more.

Ronan then shares what he saw while covering tech at the Tour de France and how perceived trends can often be false. Dave then raises the increasing problem of Large Language Models (aka, Ai answers) leading people astray in topics that have limited information available online.

There’s also a bit of interesting tech news from Silca and Tune.

As per usual, members of Escape Collective also get Ask a Wrench. This week, Zach Edwards of the Boulder Groupetto joins Dave to cover topics such as noisy drivetrains, why aero isn’t more prominent in downhill racing, and what we look for in good headset cable routing.

Time stamps:

• 00:02:21 - Shimano’s new Dura-Ace R9300, sorta
• 00:19:01 - How pro bike fit is and isn’t progressing
• 00:34:20 - PSA related to using Ai for tech help
• 00:41:15 - Silca’s new Super Secret 2.0
• 00:45:00 - Tune’s interesting approach to carbon spokes
• 00:51:00 - Ronan’s got some Record to build
• 00:52:30 - Ask a Wrench (Members Only)
• 00:53:00 - Chain noise in more extreme angles
• 01:02:45 - Where’s the aero in downhill?
• 01:11:20 - What to look for in good headset cable routing

We’re going back to basics in this week’s episode. While Geek Warning is usually for tech-obsessed cyclists, this edition covers the common conversations a bicycle mechanic would have with a client. It’s for everyone and anyone who does a little of their own bike maintenance.

Many road cyclists are still relatively new to disc brakes, so Jack Duncan and Dave Rome start the episode with a deep dive into many facets of ownership. The basics of chain lube and drivetrain wear are covered later on, as are some thoughts about tyre wear and who tubeless may be right for.

After all that, members of Escape Collective get the usual Ask a Wrench segment, this time with the return of a familiar voice.

Time stamps:

• 00:03:45 - The biggest red flag for when something is wrong
• 00:06:20 - Brakes usually shouldn’t squeak or squeal
• 00:16:00 - Disc brake pad wear
• 00:20:00 - Pad spacers and travel
• 00:24:00 - Burning brakes is questionable at best
• 00:26:15 - The importance of brake bed-in
• 00:29:20 - Why brakes need scheduled bleeding
• 00:35:00 - Shifting to chain lube basics
• 00:43:00 - How a drivetrain wears
• 00:50:30 - Tubeless is great, but not for everyone
• 00:57:30 - Don’t ignore your front tyre wear
• 1:05:00 - Ask a Wrench (members-only podcast feed)
• 1:05:30 - Welcome back to Zach Edwards
• 1:06:15 - Chasing a forward-offset seatpost
• 1:14:20 - A weird sound in older AXS front shifting
• 1:21:45 - Pedals with a top-out knock