Geek Warning

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?

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?

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?

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

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