Velonews Podcasts

Mountain bike rear suspension technology has changed drastically in the last decade or two. Do you even understand how your bike works? Luckily, today we talk to Dave Weagle, father of the DW Link suspension design and a prolific engineer in the world of mountain bikes. He helps us understand concepts like anti-squat, anti-rise, and more. Things get a little nerdy, but don't worry, Weagle has a very common-sense approach: Ride a mountain bike, and if you like it, it is good.

At the start of this week, we were stunned to learn the news of Kelly Catlin's tragic death. The Olympic silver medalist and three-time world champion took her own life overnight on Thursday, March 7. In this podcast, we hear from her twin brother Colin, who remembers her quirky personality and her drive to be the best at whatever she set her mind to. Also in this podcast, we recap Strade Bianche and discuss Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico.

if you want to be at your strongest and, more importantly, if you want to ride a bike for a long time, off-the-bike, functional training is the work you can’t skip. Whether you’re 21 or 51, if you don't add strength and mobility to your routine, it’s going to come back to haunt you, as Trevor and our guest today will testify to. In episode 69, we take a deep dive into functional training… literally. Trevor and I both get down on the floor of the studio to do some exercises, all in the name of getting this important message across. We'll cover: - What is functional training? And why this buzz phrase is often misunderstood, and why cycling seems to be way behind the curve. - The two main benefits of functional work: improving your neuromuscular performance on the bike and preventing injury. - Why functional training and staying healthy aren’t simply a matter of stretching or picking up the periodic heavy weight. Proper movement and form are key. - Then, Trevor and I will get on the floor and embarrass ourselve

Fred is back from a trip to the United Arab Emirates ... Why? Because WorldTour bike racing made its annual pilgrimage to the desert. He explains why the UAE Tour exists, what challenges it faces, and what the racing action was like. Also, we recap Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. We dig into the details of this emerging doping scandal in Austria, and finally we look ahead to Strade Bianche. This episode is sponsored by Floyd’s of Leadville. Athletes, wherever your training takes you, Floyd’s of Leadville CBD products can ease your pain and get you back in the game. Combat muscle soreness and inflammation with Floyd’s arsenal of premium CBD products - transdermal skin cream, penetrating balms, protein, hydration, softgels, and oil. Check out all of Floyd’s of Leadville CBD products at www.floydsofleadville.com.

Get psyched ... the spring cobbled classics start Saturday with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad! We look ahead to the two Belgian races this weekend. To do that, we take a quick look back at the action from last week's flurry of one-week races. Plus, we catch up with Brent Bookwalter at the UAE Tour. He talks to Fred about the transition to Mitchelton-Scott, his motivation to keep racing, and the Australian culture.

In this episode we’re taking a step back — way back — to see the forest for the tress. Let me explain: Many of you have been fascinated by our recordings with scientists and coaches like Stephen Seiler, John Hawley, Iñigo San Millan, and Joe Friel. Now, we’ve sifted through hours of Fast Talk recordings with our many distinguished guests to bring context to what we hope is a simplified, unified message about the fundamental principles of these previous shows: there are just three types of rides. Yes, that’s a simplification. Yes, you’re getting our bias. So, if you want that high level of detail, please return to those past episodes. In this episode, we’re talking about the forest. We’re hoping to give you a framework to understand all that scientific detail. And we’re going to keep it simple. We’ll discuss: - First, when you take away the complexity, training boils down to three ride types in most training models. - We’ll give a simple zone system, based on physiology, and explain why that’s important.

Sad news for fixed-gear crit fans: Red Hook Crit will not take place in 2019. We discuss what this means, how the iconic race series will move forward, and what made it so successful to begin with. Then, we talk about one of the last remaining 24-hour mountain bike races, 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. Every year, more than 4,000 people come to the Arizona desert for this party that devolves into a bike race. We hear from special guest Dave Million who has raced all 20 editions of this event. This episode is sponsored by Floyd’s of Leadville. Athletes, wherever your training takes you, Floyd’s of Leadville CBD products can ease your pain and get you back in the game. Combat muscle soreness and inflammation with Floyd’s arsenal of premium CBD products - transdermal skin cream, penetrating balms, protein, hydration, softgels, and oil. Check out all of Floyd’s of Leadville CBD products at www.floydsofleadville.com.

There are a few factors that slow us down when we ride a bike: aerodynamics, gravity, and friction. Today, we're searching for ways to reduce the friction on our bike without breaking the bank. To do this, we speak with Jason Smith chief technology officer at Ceramic Speed. He explains the many things we can do to make our bikes run faster. Is factory chain grease slow? Which bearings on our bike stand to gain the most from an efficiency upgrade? And what's the deal with ceramic bearings. Smith answers these questions and much more to help us find ways to save a few watts.

U.S. bike shop chain Performance Bicycle is shutting down all of its brick and mortar stores, leaving 1,700 people out of jobs. We talk to Steve Frotheringham, editor in chief at Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, to learn the backstory. After that, we discuss USA Cycling's recently announced selection criteria for the cross-country mountain bike races at the 2020 Olympics. How will the team get picked? Which riders are likely to represent Team USA in Tokyo?

For years, we have used VO2max to measure the maximal rate of our aerobic system. But how do we measure the rate of our anaerobic system? Over the past two decades, renowned physiologist and coach Sebastian Weber has developed the anaerobic equivalent to VO2max, which he calls Vlamax, or the maximal rate of lactate production. Today we take a close look at this sometimes complicated concept, but be patient as there are several points that we address that could have a significant impact on how you train, and how quickly you progress. In this episode, we discuss: - First, we define FTP, and why it may not be the be-all-end-all of training. If you have an FTP of 350 watts, you should be proud. But the more important consideration, particularly for how you train and where you may excel as a cyclist, is how you produce those 350 watts. - What are VO2max and VLamax, and why is the cross-over point of lactate production and lactate clearance so important. - The issues with lab testing: yes, it’s inconvenient, i

Geraint Thomas's new tell-all book, "The Tour According to G" comes out in America this week. Ahead of this, we spoke with the 2018 Tour de France champion himself about the book, the race, and much more. Before we get to that, we analyze an exciting weekend of racing at UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Denmark. This episode is sponsored by Strava, which has a new podcast, Athletes Unfiltered. Give it a listen for inspiring, in-depth stories: http://podcast.strava.com/

What happens when a bike company sends its "aero" bike to a wind tunnel? What do we need to know about bike aerodynamics as everyday cyclists? We speak with Geoff Eaker, manager and operator of the A2 wind tunnel, about these topics and much more. He answers questions about CFD testing, how to pick an aero bike, and why wind tunnels should suck not blow.

The biggest weekend of cyclocross season is here! Worlds start Saturday in Denmark. We preview the action and pick a few key riders you can expect to reach the podium. But first, we talk about Elia Viviani, recent winner of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race. How does he fit into the pantheon of modern sprinters, and what will he be able to achieve now that he is the number one sprinter on Quick-Step. And we finish off with a chat with Daam van Reeth, a.k.a. Professor Cyclocross. He is an expert in TV viewership trends in Belgium. Unfortunately, the trends are not looking good for 'cross. This episode is sponsored by Strava, which has a new podcast, Athletes Unfiltered. Give it a listen for inspiring, in-depth stories: http://podcast.strava.com/

Periodization is, in many ways, the pinnacle of advanced training. Taking the step to periodize graduates you to a professional approach, one with purpose, long-term vision, and organized planning. But periodization can also be confusing and, frankly, a little scary. Periodizing your training means diving into a world of new concepts, things like training blocks, mesocycles, and increasing specificity. For those of us with jobs, families, who have to deal with inclement weather, it’s harder to plan ahead, to know on Monday what we might fit in on Friday, let alone how to plan our next four-week transition phase. Looking at it in that context, it’s hard to fault those who just hop on Zwift and start smashing it when they have a rare spare hour. The question is, does periodization need to be that complicated? And, while it may be a necessity for pros, can it help those of us with only seven or eight hours to train each week? For answers to those very questions and many more, let’s take a deep dive with the m

Caleb Ewan's Tour Down Under head-butt ... Was it too dangerous or just part of racing? We discuss, and also we hear from Luke Rowe who was racing in Australia. He talks about Geraint Thomas's Tour win and more. Plus, we hear from Svein Tuft on his move to Rally-UHC and how he'll shepherd young riders through the European peloton. This episode is sponsored by Strava, which has a new podcast, Athletes Unfiltered. Give it a listen for inspiring, in-depth stories: http://podcast.strava.com/

The 2019 WorldTour is officially underway this week at the Tour Down Under, and a few big names have made the trek to Australia to race in the summertime heat. We hear from one of those marquee riders — EF's Mike Woods — as he gets his season going at an event that should suit his skill set. We also talk Giro vs. Tour start lists, McLaren's arrival as a cycling sponsor, and EF's new kit — it will certainly stand out in the peloton. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Strava. Want to try Strava Summit and its wealth of analysis, training, and safety features? Go to www.strava.com/summit and use this promo code for a free month of Strava Summit: velonews

Those who take their training and racing seriously are always looking for something to give them an edge — that marginal gain — including nutritional supplements. So much has been promised to us in pill form, it’s created a multi-billion-dollar industry. Those promises carry into enhanced endurance performance. And many athletes have resorted to the morning supplement cocktail believing it will make them better cyclists. But there’s a dark side. Those cocktails can actually hurt performance, certainly affect health, and lead to even darker, ethically-challenged places. Today, we’re going to talk about supplements and our concerns with them, and then cover a few foods that actually do work. We’ll discuss: - We thought about bashing all the supplements that don'’t work, but then realized we only have an hour. So instead, Trevor will read a description of every supplement that does work. That list combined with a discussion of its sources will cover the first three minutes. - We'll talk about supplements i

New year, new ... USA Cycling CEO? That's right the American governing body just announced its new boss, Rob DeMartini, who comes from an unconventional background. We discuss the move. Also, Fred Dreier talks to Ben Wolfe about the rocky off-season that domestic pro riders had to endure. With four major teams either closing down or changing significantly it was a time of stress and unrest. Plus, we discuss the 90-year-old (yep, that isn't a typo) rider who was recently sanctioned by USADA and the upcoming Santos Tour Down Under. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Strava. Want to try Strava Summit and its wealth of analysis, training, and safety features? Go to www.strava.com/summit and use this promo code for a free month of Strava Summit: velonews

Don't be such a Dan! A Dan?! That's right, our tech podcast host Dan Cavallari is a bit timid about riding in foul weather. Not to worry because today he is talking with Rob Pickels, physiologist in advanced development at Pearl Izumi. They discuss how breathability works (and why that is a misnomer), how waterproof your cycling kit really needs to be, and why zippers actually don't work that well if you need to cool off. Pickels has plenty of insight on how different fabrics work in different conditions and advice to help you layer more effectively this winter.

In episode 64, we ask the question: What does it take to stand on the podium at the world championships? It’s a simple question without a simple answer. Strength buys you a seat at the table, but playing a winning hand takes effective training, teamwork, near-perfect strategy, and an incredible mindset. In today's episode we take a deep dive into all of the elements that are needed for a podium placing at worlds with two of the members of the Canadian team — Mike Woods and Rob Britton. The two of them, along with their team of coaches, asked that simple question over a year before the 2018 world championships. Canada doesn't have the biggest reputation, nor the best-funded team, but they found the answers and earned Mike the bronze medal. So, how did they do it? Today we'll cover: - How the race played out to put Mike in a position to fight for the podium - Rob Britton's all-day breakaway that helped put Mike in that position - The final “hell climb” as Rob calls it, how it was central to Mike’s strategy,