Velo Podcast

Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins

This is a spooky week to talk about bikes. Logan Jones-Wilkins, Lisa Charlebois, host Mike Levy, and Josh Ross are all committed to the Halloween bit, but they don't let it distract from the tech.

The crew starts off by diving into listener questions, chatting about why weight has fallen out of the top spot in specs over the last few years, and exploring the reasons why you might decide to care about weight more than aero—even if it makes you slower overall. Plus, Logan shares insight into why the pros don’t care as much about aero as it seems like they should.

The big question still looming is about the crew's failed desert adventure. Lisa can’t stop thinking about it, and the debate continues over going back for unfinished business versus just letting it die, alongside some epic failed-ride stories from listeners.

From there, it’s time to talk about bike computers. The chat starts with whether anyone actually needs an $800 head unit, but quickly devolves into the ultimate wardrobe debate: jorts versus spandex, including Josh's hot take that the casual jorts crowd is actually the least welcoming group in cycling.

The real meat of the tech discussion is the polarizing new Coros Dura 2. We answer your questions, break down why the Coros ecosystem is a major selling point, and mourn the loss of the first generation's scroll wheel. After that, it’s the Levy and Logan show as the gravel boys take on the new Öhlins GXF30 Suspension Fork, debating whether a well-designed gravel fork ever actually needs a lockout.

Finally, we get to the big topic of the week: Halloween. The crew shares their spookiest, unexplained bike stories from the darkest night rides.

Listener Perks:

The Velo Podcast wouldn’t happen without subscribers. We’re offering listeners of the show a special 25% discount on an Outside+ membership. Enter the code velopod at checkout to score these savings, and thank you for your support!

Episode Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:38 - Listener Q&A: Weight vs Aero

00:12:02 - Do You Have to Redo a Failed Adventure?

00:20:12 - Comments: Does Anyone Need an $800 Computer?

00:29:50 - Coros Dura 2 Review: What’s New

00:39:37 - The Ecosystem Problem

00:45:37 - Dislikes & the Price Question

00:50:10 - Öhlins GXF30 Gravel Suspension Fork

00:58:41 - Spooky Bike Stories

01:19:05 - Wrap-Up & Listener Prompt

Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, and Lisa Charlebois

We headed into the desert for a massive route, and the desert won. This week, Mike Levy, Lisa Charlebois, and Josh Ross (Logan Jones-Wilkins is still away) recount the war stories from our brutal trip through Death Valley. We’re talking 109-degree heat, heat exhaustion, and gale-force hurricane winds—which makes for a very interesting day when you are riding an aero bike with 65mm wheels.

We break down exactly how the ride fell apart, including why Lisa dropped us on the first major climb and what caused her husband to end up puking on the side of the road.

Before we get into the survival stories, we tackle your listener questions. I explain why I never give exact numbers when quoting aero savings, we offer up some new bike recommendations, and we listen to a gnarly crash recounting. Plus, we debate the new Garmin Edge 1060 and whether voice control on a bike computer actually makes sense.

This week's poll: A big goal goes unfinished. Do you plan a revenge ride, or move on to the next adventure? Let us know in the comments.

Listener Perks:

The Velo Podcast wouldn’t happen without subscribers. We’re offering listeners of the show a special 25% discount on an Outside+ membership. Enter the code velopod at checkout to score these savings, and thank you for your support!

We tally up our most memorable on-bike disasters, look at why World Tour riders are ditching BOA dials for laces, and debate the true cost of the sport. Let us know your worst cycling mistake in the comments!

About This Episode:

This week, Lisa Charlebois, our host Mike Levy, and I (Josh Ross) will be riding in Death Valley when you watch this. With that in mind, we had a discussion—including Logan Jones-Wilkins who will only be on the ride in spirit—all about the mistakes we’ve made.

It starts with Logan giving me a bit of a hard time. The problem is that I’m so risk-averse I don’t actually have a ton of examples. If left to my own devices, I tend to move slowly and plan things carefully to avoid disaster. Mistakes do happen though, and I have a few. Lisa has a few more, and Logan has a few more too. Pretty soon though, this just devolves into the Levy show. Mike is far from risk-averse, and the number of things he’s done with his body moving faster than his ability to contemplate the results is pretty extensive.

We do have some other things to chat about this week before we get into all the Mike Levy disasters, though. Did you know that laces are more aerodynamic than BOA dials? Logan noticed a lot of riders at Worlds seemed to be into laces, so he jumped into why and has some interesting details to share. I also get a chance to share why I suggest that anyone looking for budget-focused shoes might want to think twice about BOA dials.

Then we take some time to answer listener questions, including a dive into why Mike is adamant that cycling isn’t an expensive sport. That discussion happens right around when we also talk about the $6,500 Partington wheels that Pidcock was riding at Worlds. Clearly, the two things are not related. Same story with the 12-speed Dura-Ace Di2 rim brake groupset that apparently still exists for sale.

Support the Channel:

The Velo Podcast wouldn’t happen without subscribers. We’re offering listeners of the show a special 25% discount on an Outside+ membership. Enter the code velopod at https://www.outsideonline.com/membership/ to score these savings, and thank you for your support!

Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins

Inside the Rapha corporate fallout, a boots-on-the-ground Worlds recap, and the strategy behind selling $6,500 wheels.

This week, we dive into road tech, racing drama, and the cycling industry's biggest shakeups. Logan Jones-Wilkins brings us inside the race for the rainbow stripes, while Josh and Logan debate the business logic behind some of the sport's most polarizing gear.

In this episode:

Worlds Recap: Logan’s on-the-ground breakdown of Brandon McNulty’s win and the ridiculous positional rule that nearly upended the women’s race with Kate Courtney.

The Rapha Meltdown: Is its financial restructuring a textbook marketing fail, or was the CEO’s departure actually a calculated, voluntary exit?

High-Dollar Bling: Why a custom Firefly rim-brake bike makes no logical sense but still commands attention, and how $6,500 Partington wheels prove a Western brand can maintain appeal against cheaper Eastern competition.

Listener Q&A: We address the Canyon mounting system corrections, Logan answers for his Haro bike, and Josh shares advice on balancing mileage goals with raising kids.

Listener Perks:

The Velo Podcast wouldn’t happen without subscribers. We’re offering listeners of the show a special 25% discount on an Outside+ membership. Enter the code velopod at checkout to score these savings, and thank you for your support!

Chapter Markers

00:00:00 - Intro: Lisa's Heat Training for the Desert

00:02:17 - Logan at the Montreal World Champs

00:06:21 - A Road-Only Episode Challenge

00:08:53 - Listener Q&A: Grail Mounts, Motivation, Water Bladders & the Old Haro

00:19:58 - Firefly Bicycles: Titanium Rim-Brake Art

00:30:23 - Fran Miller Steps Down & the Rapha Story

00:37:34 - Manufactured Scarcity & Cycling Fashion

00:43:25 - World Champs: The Men's Race & McNulty's Win

00:48:41 - Should Pogačar Be Unbeatable?

00:53:48 - The Women's Race: Vollering vs Kopecky

00:56:35 - Demi's UCI Fine & the Puppy-Paw Rule

00:59:33 - Kate Courtney & the Crash

01:01:56 - Trade Teams vs National Teams

01:05:42 - Tom Pidcock's Partington Wheels

01:14:45 - Wrap-Up & Listener Questions

Featuring: Mike Levy, Josh Ross, Lisa Charlebois, and Logan Jones-Wilkins

This week, we have a full house with Logan Jones-Wilkins, Lisa Charlebois, Mike Levy, and Josh Ross. We kick things off with a massive week in gear news before diving deep into the psychology of ride motivation.

In this episode:

Shimano's Pedal Controversy: Shimano just dropped new pedals, shoes, and cleats that break backward compatibility. Are we excited, or stocking up on new-old-stock?

Canyon Grail Critiques: The latest Grail seems like a great bike in many ways, but Josh brings some sharp criticism regarding a “fun” surprise with the handlebars.

MVDP's Latest Feat: Logan breaks down Mathieu van der Poel's recent achievement and how it might impact the World Championship race. (Plus, an inevitable tangent on aero gains).

The Motivation Equation: How do you get out the door when you just don’t feel like it? After years of riding through major life changes and terrible weather, the crew shares what actually gets them out of bed.

Support the Show:

The Velo Podcast wouldn’t happen without subscribers. We’re offering listeners of the show a special 25% discount on an Outside+ membership. Enter the code velopod at checkout to score these savings, and thank you for your support!

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro & Episode Overview

00:02:10 - Josh's Early Impressions of the Envy Melee V2

00:04:18 - Shimano's New SPD-SL Pedals & Cleats

00:14:39 - The Third-Gen Canyon Grail

00:23:40 - Van der Poel's 174km Solo Breakaway

00:30:40 - Pogačar & World Championships Preview

00:36:26 - Poll Results: 1.6 Watts vs 1 Kilogram

00:38:05 - Josh's Melee vs Factor 1 Aero Testing

00:43:58 - Listener Comments on Aero vs Weight

00:51:19 - Electronic Shifting on Long Rides

00:53:24 - Where Does Cycling Motivation Come From?