Geek Warning

It’s the week of the Tour de France Grand Départ, and with it have come a few big bike launches. Escape’s senior tech editors, Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin, jump on to discuss whether Specialized’s new Tarmac hits the mark. 
There’s also a new bike from Orbea. Plus Dave asks Ronan to confirm just how progressive his fit is, and as it turns out, the answer is not very. Ronan then jumps on a call with Daan Teugels from Belgian Cycling Factory to discuss how Eddy Merckx’s reduced-frame-size options can still meet racers' needs. 
As always, members of Escape Collective don’t just support independent journalism; they get access to everything we have to offer. For Geek Warning, that means access to the weekly Ask a Wrench segment, where pro mechanics answer our member’s tech questions. 
And apologies for the audio this week, as Dave accidentally landed on his backup microphone. 

Time stamps:
 

 00:01:39 - Specialized’s new SL9 is a little too familiar 

00:19:50 - Kinky steerer tubes aren’t as naughty as they sound 

00:23:45 - Orbea’s new Orca Aero 

00:32:00 - How progressive is Ronan’s position? 

00:40:00 - An aero-optimised run at the Tour Divide

00:45:20 - Giant’s new Revolt Advanced SL (and the Liv Devote Advanced SL)

00:48:50 - Campagnolo and Zipp’s new price point wheel options 

00:53:45 - Chatting reduced frame size options with Eddy Merckx 

01:13:15 - Back to Ronan and Dave 

 01:15:00 - Ask a Wrench (members only) 

01:17:00 - Bearing maintenance after a big event 

1:26:30 - Can an event like Unbound ruin a new chain?  

1:32:00 - MTB disc brake caliper alignment woes 

1:42:30 - A fix for leaky ProMax brakes

It's time for a Geek Warning crossover episode! Ronan Mc Laughlin and Jack Duncan join Caley Fretz ahead of this year's Tour de France to break down how bikes and gear are changing and highlight what our tech reporters think will be the most important equipment of a modern Tour.

The tech crew at Escape Collective have been paying close attention to the progression toward 32in wheels in gravel and mountain bike, and while the conversation has come up a few times, it felt time to dedicate some real time to the topic.
This week, Escape tech staffers Dave Rome, Ronan Mc Laughlin, and Alex Hunt chat about 32ers in the news, whether the UCI’s potential involvement will slow things, and if a new wheel size is of positive net gain for the wider industry. 
In addition to big wheels, the geeks also talk about some other new products. Meanwhile, members of Escape Collective get Ask a Wrench, the weekly segment where our members’ technical questions get answered.

Time stamps: 

00:02:15 - 32ers in the news 

00:03:00 - Thömus gets the first World Cup podium 

00:07:00 - Canyon’s Lux Era concept 

00:10:20 - A few big wheels at Spoken 

00:12:30 - The UCI’s involvement 

00:23:00 - Brands preparing for the next big thing

00:28:30 - Complications in 32er suspension 

00:36:00 - It’s a high-risk time for more stock 

00:39:30 - Cheaper bikes will be worse 

00:42:00 - Why didn’t it start with gravel bikes? 

00:49:00 - Wolf Tooth’s lower cost range of products 

00:51:50 - Black Inc’s new Hyper wheels. So many carbon spokes

00:59:00 - Ask a Wrench with Colin Williams (members only) 

01:01:00 - Should you service new suspension and talking bushing clearances 

01:14:24 - Fighting stuck tubeless tyres. How to deal with them on the trail? 

01:26:00 - A recall-related question

This week, Dave, Ronan, and new guy Jack chat about Eddy Merckx’s new bike and why it’s surprised Ronan. The bike provides good fodder for diving into more serviceable cockpits and for understanding why only fashion may limit the uptake of progressive road geometry. 
There’s good news for those who prefer cable-actuated shifting, as Shimano has updated its mountain bike offerings. Dave has other things on his mind, too, including Australia’s Spoken bike show and how downhill is teasing future puzzling for disc brakes.

Of course, there’s plenty more than that, and members of Escape Collective also get Ask a Wrench at the end of the episode (members-only feed).

Time stamps:

00:01:30 - The new Eddy Merckx and an exploration into progressive road geometry 

00:22:45 - Shimano’s mechanical shifting update

00:29:00 - Shimano updates a real classic 

00:31:45 - Don’t miss Overnight Success 

00:33:50 - Downhill tech is on Dave’s mind and the pursuit of heat-regulated brakes 

00:39:15 - Dave makes a case for why Australia’s builder scene is world-class 

00:46:00 - Cannondale’s nostalgic Team Dream CAAD14s 

00:47:15 - Bianchi’s new Specialissima 

00:51:45 - Ask a Wrench with Colin Williams (Members Only) 

00:54:00 - A Shimano mechanical dropbar shifter that’s coming undone 

01:03:00 - Inconsistent Torx tooling 

01:13:45 - Noisy eccentric bottom bracket challenges 

01:21:20 - Disc brake pads for high elevation bike packing

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