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Geek Warning

Escape Collective

Welcome to Geek Warning, a podcast focused on deciphering the world of cycling tech, explaining how bikes work, and how to make them better. Hosted by Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin, this weekly show is your fix for tech geekitude, covering the latest tech news, industry trends, answering mechanical questions, and whatever else is on our minds. Escape Collective is member-funded. If you like this podcast please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/geekwarning/

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32 episodes
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Avg 55 min
English

Episodes 32

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June 11 · 1 hr 1 min
New climbing bikes are being seen, but rarely raced
New bikes are now rolling in from all directions with both the road and mountain bike race seasons in full swing. In this week’s episode, Dave chats with new hire Jack Duncan about what he’s been seeing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (aka, the Dauphine). Later in the episode, Jack and Dave discuss new cross-country mountain bikes from Orbea and Lapierre. Then Alex Hunt joins to talk about his experience with the new Scott Spark. Not even prompted by Dave, the geeks also cover space and weight-efficient tools for travel. And as per usual, members of Escape Collective get access to our popular Ask a Wrench segment at the end of the episode. Time stamps: 00:01:10 - Pre-Tour tech at the Dauphine 00:09:00 - A tangent on big brand wheels 00:14:00 - Mystery new shoes 00:15:20 - New climbing bikes are being seen, but rarely raced 00:23:30 - How to pack tools for travel is on our mind 00:41:00 - It’s a week of new 29er XC MTB, starting with the Orbea Oiz and Lapierre XR 00:49:30 - Alex Hunt joins to talk about Scott’s Spark update 00:59:00 - RIP Charlie Cunningham 01:01:40 - Ask a Wrench with Colin Williams (members only) 01:03:00 - Small electric inflators where low pressures matter 01:13:00 - Discontinued pedal lubes and PFAS’ 01:20:30 - What on saddles makes them a wear item? 01:27:00 - Pondering a handlebar that turns more freely 01:30:30 - Talking about our mechanical work
June 5 · 49 min
Inner soles, 20 grams, and a new voice
Geek Warning gets a new voice as Escape’s new US tech editor - Jack Duncan - joins the motley crew. Together with Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin, the geeks cover a broad range of topics from Unbound tech, UCI doing UCI things, Ronan’s custom inner sole journey, and hubs that allow cassettes to fall off. Of course, members of Escape Collective also get Ask a Wrench. This week, Dave is joined by Jack Duncan to answer a number of questions from our members. Also, Dave sends his apologies to members listening to Ask a Wrench as his mic settings had changed without warning. Time stamps: 00:00:00 - An introduction to Jack Duncan 00:04:30 - Unbound tech wrap 00:16:25 - Disqualification over 20 grams 00:28:00 - Cassettes that fall off and Dave’s Public Rambling Rant 00:33:00 - Carbon inner soles are on Ronan’s mind 00:49:30 - Ask a Wrench (members only) 00:51:00 - Running a 12-speed chain on a 11-speed cassette 00:57:45 - battery drain issues in an AXS shifter 1:04:00 - How to add grip to a slippery brake lever
May 28 · 50 min
The Crux is now a DirtMac
Howdy geeks! It’s Unbound race week, and with that, we’ve seen an expected amount of fresh new tech in the gravel space. This week, Escape’s senior tech editors Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin discuss Specalized’s long-awaited update to the Crux. There’s, of course, a bit of big wheel chatter. A fun new project product from Wheels Manufacturing. And plenty more. As a reminder, members of Escape Collective also get access to Ask a Wrench, where member questions are answered by Dave Rome and a quest mechanic (this week, Colorado-based Colin Williams returns). If you liked this episode, please leave us a review. It helps like-minded cyclists discover us. Time stamps: 00:00:30 - Ronan went racing 00:07:15 - Ronan rides the new Specialized Crux 00:14:50 - But is it actually aero? 00:23:47 - Are pure aero gravel bikes what we need? 00:30:05 - Scott’s 32in gravel bike for Unbound 00:36:50 - Wheels Manufacturing’s better mud stick 00:42:29 - Paragon Machine Works has been acquired 00:43:56 - Good thing: Mechanics you can trust 00:51:00 - Ask a Wrench (Members-Only feed) 00:52:30 - Weird pulley wheel wear 1:03:00 - When is it time to replace a wheel? 1:12:00 - A Dangerholm-inspired Full-Suspension gravel bike?
May 22 · 49 min
Going further on gravel
With Unbound on next week, and the Gralloch on last weekend, it felt timely to talk about going further on gravel. For this, Escape’s tech and industry reporter, Suvi Loponen, joins Dave Rome. Also joining this week is special guest (and occasional Escape contributor) Kevin ‘Benky’ Benkenstein, a familiar face in the ultra world. There's also talk of whether the trend in wide gravel rims is a good direction. And of course, there’s plenty more. Just a quick note that Kevin did have some internet issues, so we apologise for the occasional delay in the recording. Members of Escape Collective get the full episode (and no ads!), where mechanic Colin Williams joins Dave to answer technical questions. Time stamps: 00:01:31 - Suvi's time at the Gralloch 00:10:48 - How to get comfortable when going far on gravel 00:17:13 - New Specialized and Canyon spotted at the Gralloch 00:18:29 - What benefits the pros doesn’t always benefit us 00:20:33 - Unbound is coming 00:35:07 - New Enve gravel wheels 00:41:49 - Is wider really better, or is this just a trend? 00:45:55 - Niner bikes goes on pause 00:49:00 - Ask a Wrench (member-only feed) 00:50:30 - How long does a bag of wax last? 00:55:15 - Running a road cassette with mountain bike derailleurs 00:59:30 - Building a tool to stress relieve a wheel 1:06:04 - Does suspension need servicing after storage?
May 14 · 44 min
Will beep boop suspension come to gravel?
In a rare treat, Caley Fretz (aka, The Hammer) makes a return to Geek Warning. Joined by Escape's Senior Tech Editor Dave Rome, this week’s chat covers electronic suspension on mountain bikes and whether it makes sense for future gravel bikes. Time stamps: 00:00:00 - Intro, Caley is back 00:02:01 - Caley is a fan of Flight Attendant 00:25:30 - Electronics for gravel suspension? 00:34:30 - Endurace CF range 00:41:00 - Rotor in trouble 00:42:00 - Why Escape Collective 00:44:56 - Ask a Wrench (members only) 00:45:50 - Can you fix a creaking saddle? 00:50:10 - How to find info on older bikes? 00:56:30 - More Cannondale Ai oddness 01:02:20 - Why don’t mechanics provide their own tools?
May 7 · 1 hr 1 min
Aero gravel bikes are not always the fastest choice
Are full-blown aero gravel bikes all they’re cracked up to be? Dave and Ronan share some strong thoughts on why this may be the wrong path, or at least, why it’s still early days for these being the faster choice. For those in the workshop, Dave shares the importance of good lighting and some of his favourite hand-held options for seeing better. Alex Hunt then jumps on to talk about XC tech from the opening round of World Cup racing, including why the conditions caused so many dropped chains. Of course, members of Escape Collective get Ask a Wrench, this week with guru Colin Williams. Dave and Colin answer a handful of questions, but a chunk of the time is spent chatting about their most underrated and overrated tools. Time stamps: 00:02:13 - A Traka load of new, unreleased gravel bikes from Factor and Ridley 00:06:46 - Cervelo Aspero 5 where it’s good and where it’s really not 00:13:41 - Has gravel learned everything it knows from XC? 00:18:03 - Is the Factor Sarana Ronan McLaughlin’s bike for ultras or just confusing? 00:29:42 - A good thing to share about lighting 00:41:47 - Alex joins to talk MTB World Cup 00:43:51 - New bikes spotted in South Korea from Scott and Lapierre 00:51:56 - Lots of mud and 1x drivetrains aren’t a good match 01:01:15 - Ask a Wrench (member-only feed) 01:02:40 - Best mechanical shifting options for dropbar? 01:12:10 - Chainline variance and e-bikes 01:17:30 - Squeaky shoes with SPD 01:22:00 - Our most overrated and underrated tools
April 30 · 1 hr 2 min
Campagnolo is oh so back
It’s an episode of three parts this week and there’s been lots of big tech releases to chat through. Things kick off with Ronan Mc Laughlin and Dave Rome chatting about Campagnolo’s new Record 13 release and why it may prove to be the move to put Campagnolo back in the minds of many. There’s chat of where Zipp may be gone wrong with its latest 202 wheel release, and Ronan shares some thoughts of BMC’s new gravel racer, the Kaius. Then Dave gets tech reporter Alex Hunt on the phone to talk about two new cross-country bike releases - the Specialized Epic 9 and Canyon Lux World Cup. Finally, and as per every episode, members of Escape Collective get Ask a Wrench. Zach Edwards and Dave offer their insights to three member-submitted questions. Happy geeking! Time stamps: 00:00:00 Introduction, Ronan’s knackered, he’s been testing. 00:02:40 Campagnolo release Record 13, cheaper than Super Record, still more expensive than most other things. 00:14:17 Zipp 202 wheels for going up hills. 00:25:29 BMC Kaius 01 Gravel Racing Bicycle 00:37:53 Alex is here to talk about new MTBs 00:40:54 The new 2026 Canyon Lux Word Cup 00:48:30 The 2026 Specialized Epic 9 has arrived with a big price tag and no frame storage 1:02:00 - Ask a Wrench (members only, audio only) 1:04:00 - Headset loosening woes and the Ring of Death 1:14:00 - Over-preloaded hub woes 1:21:10 - Our choice of tubeless tapes
April 23 · 1 hr 2 min
No questions asked warranties aren’t all upside
It’s the week after the Sea Otter Classic, and the geeks speak surprisingly little of the products shown there. Instead, Ronan and Dave cover new budget drivetrains from SRAM and Shimano. Dave is thinking about unsustainable warranty policies. And there’s plenty more covered from the world of cycling tech. As a reminder, members of Escape Collective also get access to Ask a Wrench (at the end of the free episode). This week, Zach Edwards joins Dave in answering a variety of questions from members. Happy geeking! Time stamps: 00:01:29 - Should you grease headset spacers? 00:05:39 - Lifetime warranties on wear items 00:16:14 - Sea Otter - lots of 32” wheels and the rise of Chinese brands 00:31:38: - SRAM S-Series, where 9 becomes 3 00:39:54 - Shimano CUES 2x11 overlapping with Tiagra 2x11 00:45:37 - UCI vs SRAM. The UCI will make everything safer with limit screws 00:56: 11 - Ronan’s nipples are sore, but it’s in the name of unlocking performance 1:00:00 - Ask a Wrench (member-only) 1:02:00 - How does new Campagnolo differ in installation? 1:15:00 - Tips for maintaining a full suspension MTB 1:26:00 - Sweat causing Shimano pedal failures?
April 16 · 1 hr 17 min
Roubaix Tech and classic Colnagos
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?
April 9 · 50 min
Is electronic shifting soulless?
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
April 2 · 47 min
Mixing and matching integrated components
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
March 26 · 1 hr 7 min
The continual compromise of 1x shifting
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

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