Velo Podcast

Do you actually need a damper on a gravel bike? Logan Jones-Wilkins joins the show to discuss his massive suspension shootout comparing the Cane Creek Invert, RockShox Rudy, and Fox 32 TC. We break down the winners, the losers, and where the "upside-down" tech actually makes sense.

Then, we tackle the controversy of the week: The Leadville Trail 100 MTB drop-bar ban. Josh digs into the archives to see if drop bars truly offer an advantage, or if this rule change is purely aesthetic. Finally, we ask if the new Pinarello Grevil MX is a legitimate race bike or just a way to move overstock frames.

“Owning the Litespeed Coll dels Reis isn’t smart," according to Velo tech editor Josh Ross, but sometimes you have to go with your heart rather than your head. Today's episode sees Josh describe how the lightest titanium disc road frame performs, and he explains that there's much more to this US-made metal bike than its lack of heft. We also dig into comparisons to carbon bikes, its 187lb weight limit, and why there's no such thing as the mythical "forever bike." 

Velo contributor and ultra-distance cyclist Lisa Charlebois joins us to report back on her findings after testing a load of women's winter riding jackets, and both she and Josh share their top picks for different conditions and budgets. They also give Levy some pointers on how to stay warm, including a high-tech alternative to the ol' newspaper stuffed down the front of your jersey trick. 

New year, same rider... But fresh goals? Lastly, from 500km epics to simply aiming to get on the bike more often, Will, Lisa, Josh, and Levy talk about their ride plans and goals for the 2026 season.

Best known for heavily modifying carbon fiber mountain bike frames and components to shave grams and hide every cable, Dangerholm set out to create two wild gravel machines based on Scott's Spark RC and Scale frames. But the real talking point is the wheels used on both bikes: fully custom carbon rims with a 45mm inner width, 52mm on the outside, and a stepped height of up to 70mm. In other words, absolutely massive. But are they too wide?Levy has Dangerholm explain how the design is essentially a hidden rim inside of a fairing, tire choices, the upsides that go far beyond aero benefits, and how you'll never know what works if you don't go a bit too far sometimes.

The end of 2025 means that it's time to look back at all of the bikes and gear used by the Velo tech editors and make some difficult decisions.

Today's episode sees Josh Ross and Alvin Holbrook explain the Road Bike of the Year nominees, which included the Colnago Y1RS and Lightspeed's Coll dels Reis, and why neither of those fancy machines took the overall win. We also get a bit heated over the Gravel Bike of the Year, Innovation of the Year, and finally, Product of the Year.

The second half of today's show sees Levy, Alvin, and Josh list out their personal best-of-2025 product picks, which include everything from "budget" power meters, definitely not budget indoor trainer bikes, 13-speed drivetrains from Italy, 12-speed drivetrains from America, an AI assistant, and a whole load of music recommendations.

See prior episodes of the Velo Podcast here.

Further reading

We Tested Over 40 Bikes in 2025. These Are the 7 Best Road Bikes.

The Velo Best Products of 2025: From AI Glasses to $25 Cleats

The Fastest Gravel Bike Wasn’t the Best: Aero Testing at the Velo Field Test

There’s Now a Cheaper Way to Get Shimano GRX Electronic Shifting

With Mike Levy out, tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross take over the Velo podcast to unpack some of the biggest stories in cycling right now, including one bike that calls itself the lightest bike in the world, and another that calls itself the fastest in the world. Big day.

Of course, we had to start with the news. Specialized just busted $1.5 million worth of counterfeit gear with help from AliExpress and the Chinese police. So why now? And what does this bust mean for cycling gear? Spoiler: probably not much.

Campagnolo is in a bit of a financial crisis, reportedly having laid off 40 percent of its workforce and lost 24 million euros over the last few years. There is hope yet, though. We discuss why.

Then it's time for bike reviews. Josh breaks down the XDS X-Lab RT-9, the lightest disc brake road bike you can buy, at just 550 grams. It's a super light frame with some spec quirks, and nearly impossible to find in the US.

Finally, we discuss the Factor One review, a bike that makes some heady claims and has the performance to back it up. But the aero shaping isn't the most interesting part of the bike: it's the geometry.

Further reading:

-⁠⁠⁠We Rode the ‘Fastest UCI-Legal Bike Ever Made.’ The Best Part of the Bike Is Hiding Under the Surface.⁠⁠⁠ 

-⁠⁠⁠The World’s Lightest Production Bike Is an Engineering Marvel At a Discount Price⁠⁠⁠ 

-⁠⁠⁠Specialized Seizes $1.6M in Fake Tarmac Frames and Roval Wheels – With AliExpress’s Help⁠⁠⁠ 

-⁠⁠⁠Campagnolo Lays Off 40% of Staff After €24 Million Losses⁠⁠⁠ 

00:00 Intro

1:23 Specialized's counterfeit bust

8:36 Campagnolo responds to reports of layoffs

25:03 Riding the XDS X-Lab RT9

44:09 Riding the Factor One