Best road.cc Podcasts (2024)

1
“The Tour de France needs to do a proper security review”: Academic behind Shimano electronic gears hacking study on why “it’s hard to tell” if wireless doping has taken place in pro cycling – and why ... 39:46

34m ago39:46

39:46

For episode 84 of the road.cc Podcast, we took a deep dive into one of the more curious, and headline grabbing, cycling tech studies of recent years – which discovered that your bike’s electronic shifters may be susceptible to hackers, who could even be lurking at the Vuelta a España, waiting to sabotage Primož Roglič’s next move to the big ring. T…

1
Ep. 48: AthleteAnalytiX Founder Bjoern Ossenbrink 36:40

4d ago36:40

36:40

In Episode 48 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Emma discuss the Zwift Community Elite 2024/25 season performance verification process changes with AthleteAnalytiX founder Bjoern Ossenbrink. Bjoern is a pioneer in the space. Beginning as a Zwift beta-tester, he progressed from community racer to leading ZADA, the Zwift Accuracy and Data Analys…

1
Can 50% of Brits really not afford to buy a bike? Cycling and affordability discussed, plus how to make a new bike computer with Hammerhead 54:27

5d ago54:27

54:27

For episode 83 of the road.cc Podcast, we decided to don our analytical hats and delve into a recent survey which claimed that 49 per cent of British people do not believe they can afford to buy a bike, and that around a quarter reckon it would take around six months to save up for one. Are bikes, and the accessories commonly associated with cyclin…

1
Ep. 47: Elyse Gallegos is 100% All In For Cycling Esports 38:49

11d ago38:49

38:49

In Episode 47 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Emma welcome elite esports cyclist Elyse Gallegos. The IRONMAN champion and mother to two young boys is proud to represent the USA in the semi-finals of the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship. Elyse shares her experience balancing family priorities while striving for personal athletic go…

1
Was the 2024 Tour de France a bit rubbish? Pogačar’s ghostbusting climbs, podcast poltergeists, and Cav’s Vino problem 46:46

26d ago46:46

46:46

It's episode 82 of the road.cc Podcast sponsored by Hammerhead, a certain big old race across France has ended for another year, and so it's only right that we do a full debrief of Tour de France 2024! What was good and what was not so good about this year's Tour, what have we learnt, and how would we make the 2025 edition even better? Find out wha…

1
Ep. 46: FRR’s Richard Vale on the Groundbreaking MYTIKAS Games & Cycling Esports News Update 47:37

25d ago47:37

47:37

In Episode 46 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Flamme Rouge Racing’s Richard Vale discusses the groundbreaking multi-platform MYTIKAS Games and, along with hosts Chris and Emma, explores the essential cycling esports news that all racers and fans need to know! The MYTIKAS games are the first cycling esports event to unfold across multiple platforms, fe…

1
Mark Cavendish makes history, Dylan Groenewegen’s bizarre (and stage-winning) aero beak, and the weirdest things we’ve ever seen at the Tour de France 1:00:59

1M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

We’re almost a week into the 2024 Tour de France, so to celebrate – and inspired by Dylan Groenewegen’s peculiar, Batman-inspired aero beak – in the latest episode of the road.cc Podcast, we decided to unbuckle the Grande Boucle and focus on the strangest, daftest, and most crazy things, both on and off the bike, that we’ve witnessed at cycling’s b…

1
Ep. 45: The Research Team Leading the UCI's Smart Trainer Standardization Program 48:57

1M ago48:57

48:57

In Episode 45 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, hosts Chris and Emma catch up with the Purdue University College of Engineering team of Prof. Jan-Anders Mansson and researchers Patrick Cavanaugh and Teal Dowd, who are leading the UCI's smart trainer homologation and data manipulation program. The group is currently in Lucerne, Switzerland, preparing to …

1
Ep. 44: Anti-Cheating Esports Researcher Dr. Andrew Richardson and the 2024/25 Zwift Elite Race Book Breakdown 1:01:38

2M ago1:01:38

1:01:38

In Episode 44 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, hosts Chris and Emma welcome Andrew Richardson, Ph.D., a foremost anti-doping cycling esports research associate at Newcastle University, UK. The scientific review "Zwift's Anti-Doping Policy: Is it Open to Cheating?" published in the International Journal of Esports in early 2022 was one of the first to t…

1
Cycling and the General Election: Do the UK’s political parties care about cycling and active travel? We take a deep dive into the 2024 manifestos 59:34

2M ago59:34

59:34

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or become adept at turning off the TV as soon as you hear Question Time’s twinkly theme, then you’ll be well aware that the next UK general election is fast approaching. And with under two weeks to go until the polling stations open, all of the main parties have launched their manifestos, setting out the key …

1
road.cc CANCELLED by Ineos! What happened when we tried to take pics of the new Pinarello Dogma + Does cycling policy need a reset after the election? 1:13:24

3M ago1:13:24

1:13:24

Oi, you there! You can’t record your podcast around here… We’ve got a special bonus Dauphiné and election edition of the road.cc Podcast this week, because surely you didn’t think we were going to ignore THAT incident, involving a seemingly super top secret new Pinarello Dogma and a stubborn British team at the key pre-Tour tune-up race, did you? S…

1
Ep. 43: Aussie Cycling Esports Indoor Specialists Kate Trdin and Josh Harris 45:42

2M ago45:42

45:42

In Episode 43 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, hosts Chris and Emma welcome the Aussie “Indoor Specialist” power couple Kate Trdin and Josh Harris. Josh held the World Record for the Beer Mile multiple times (four beers and four laps in 4:51), won the Zwift Grand Prix Epic Points Race, finished fourth in the 2024 Zwift Games Overall Championship, and t…

1
Making our way around the National Cycle Network (and why it’s really all about the people you meet) with Laura Laker + Is active travel in Britain heading in the wrong direction? 1:16:56

3M ago1:16:56

1:16:56

For episode 78 of the road.cc Podcast, we donned our reading glasses, grabbed our bikes, and headed over to the National Cycle Network, that underfunded, unwieldy, often fractured, but very important collection of routes used by cyclists across the UK and which forms the subject of Laura Laker’s brilliant new book, Potholes and Pavements. Part one …

1
Ep. 42: indieVelo's Dr. George Gilbert, Watts Aren't Watts in the Present and Future of Defining Virtual Sport 46:31

3M ago46:31

46:31

For Episode 42 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Emma welcome back indieVelo founder Dr. George Gilbert for the third time for their first time together as co-hosts. Quickly after the Apple TV release, which makes indieVelo accessible to a broad range of users and devices, he explains why "Watts Aren't Watts" when defining the future of virtua…

1
"You’re not going to legislate away these sort of incidents": Martin Porter KC on cycling and the law + cycling and mental health for Mental Health Awareness Week 1:18:56

3M ago1:18:56

1:18:56

It's episode 77 of the road.cc Podcast, and arguably one of our most thought-provoking episodes to date. In part 1, Jack and George sit down with leading barrister Martin Porter KC on the same week that the Government announced tougher laws are set to be introduced for 'dangerous cyclists' who kill or injure. Highlighting recent high profile and ex…

1
Ep. 41: The Virtual Velo Podcast Ushers In a New Era 56:22

3M ago56:22

56:22

In Part One of Episode 41 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Si welcome elite cycling esports racer and award-winning cycling journalist Aaron Borrill. "Captain South Africa" shares how Cycling South Africa supports their National Cycling Esports team as a unique cycling discipline and how he plans to help get his teammates ready for the 2024 U…

1
Is cycling treated fairly in the media? BBC AntiSocial goes cycling discussed with ‘the cyclist' + the future of indoor bike racing with IndieVelo's founder 1:04:38

4M ago1:04:38

1:04:38

In episode 76 of the road.cc Podcast, we're talking about... another podcast! Well, we'd like to think it goes a bit deeper than that, because our discussion with Lauren O'Brien - representing 'the cyclist' in a recent debate title 'Should cyclists stay in their lane?' with researcher and journalist James Woudhuysen - delves into how cycling is gen…

1
The history of folding bikes with Mark Bickerton (+ the real story behind THAT very 80s TV ad) plus a weekend in Hell: Tales from Paris-Roubaix 1:17:05

5M ago1:17:05

1:17:05

It's time for episode 75 of the road.cc Podcast, a two-parter that is as chalk and cheese as we've ever recorded in cycling terms... but that's how we like it! Part 1 is all about folding bikes, and more specifically a fascinating chat with Mark Bickerton, whose father Harry invented arguably the first properly practical, lightweight folding bike i…

1
Ep. 40: Ex-Zwift Performance Team Employee Flint McInnis 1:28:21

4M ago1:28:21

1:28:21

In Episode 40 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Si welcome former Zwift employee Flint McInnis for an insightful, forward-thinking conversation on the state of racing on the platform. Flint, a Zwift competition team member and forum moderator, played a vital role in developing the Zwift Racing Score before being affected by Zwift’s recent rest…

1
“It’s Paris-Roubaix!” Zoe and Magnus Bäckstedt on “blood, mud, and tears” at the Hell of the North, plus cycling and climbing from the lowest to the highest point of each continent (and avoiding getting ... 1:04:36

5M ago1:04:36

1:04:36

With Paris-Roubaix, arguably the most hotly anticipated weekend on the pro cycling calendar, approaching fast around the next cobbled bend, episode 74 of the road.cc Podcast features two representatives of the past, present, and future of the Queen of the Classics: Canyon-Sram’s father-daughter duo Magnus and Zoe Bäckstedt, 20 years on from Magnus’…

1
Ep. 39: Lionel Vujasin and Ollie Jones, Zwift Games Championship or MyWhoosh Sunday Race Club? And In-Person Performance Testing in Abu Dhabi 1:30:14

5M ago1:30:14

1:30:14

For Episode 39 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, cycling esports pioneers Lionel Vujasin and Ollie Jones join the discussion with Chris and Si. Lionel made a splash with a thrilling win at the CVR Cup live event in Vancouver in 2018, while Ollie claimed victory at Zwift Academy the same year and went on to success on the road and beyond. Reflecting on t…

1
Why is it so hard to get a bike on a ferry? Why is Strava's 'Weekly Snapshot' annoying cyclists? 1:13:02

5M ago1:13:02

1:13:02

On episode 73 of the road.cc podcast, we hear from two cyclists who tell us their trials and tribulations of trying to get their bikes on the ferry... something that appears to be a tad more difficult that boarding one by car! Our original story about Elaine Baker's ordeal with Irish Ferries ignited much debate, so we thought it was only right to f…

1
Mike Ashley buys Wiggle CRC: Ex-employee talks “shock” at retail giant’s demise and staff’s “hard and fast goodbye”, plus THAT Visma Giro helmet discussed 1:06:33

6M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

While the two topics discussed on episode 72 of the road.cc Podcast are both high on the cycling world’s list of talking points this week, they notably sit at opposite ends of the seriousness spectrum (unless you take your time trial helmet debates very seriously, of course). In part one, George and Ryan are joined by a former Wiggle Chain Reaction…

1
Ep. 38: Live From The Birthplace of Zwift Cycling Esports with Brian Duffy 1:06:38

5M ago1:06:38

1:06:38

For Episode 38 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Si journeyed over 8,000 miles to Long Beach, CA, the birthplace of Zwift Cycling Esports, to record live together for the first time. They had the opportunity to interview Brian Duffy, the 2024 USA Cycling Esports National Champion from NeXT eSports pb Enshored, and share a ride and insightful c…

1
“Our sport will wither and die if we refuse these sponsors”: Sportswashing and pro cycling’s carbon footprint discussed, plus LTNs vs dodgy data 1:15:28

6M ago1:15:28

1:15:28

In episode 71 of the road.cc Podcast, we’ve got two great guests and two great topics to discuss… namely sportswashing and low traffic neighbourhoods. We’re arguably missing a debate about helmets, but otherwise it doesn’t get much more road.cc Podcast than this! In part 1 Ryan is joined by Darach McQuaid, the former chairman and current advisor to…

1
Ep. 37: Why MyWhoosh, not Zwift? The UCI Answers. The Reaction with Zach Nehr! 1:38:06

6M ago1:38:06

1:38:06

In Episode 37 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Si and Chris invite freelance cycling writer and multi-platform elite esports star Zach Nehr to a roundtable discussion. Don’t let the length of this episode scare you off. It’s packed full of exciting cycling esports news and inside information. Zach has jet-setted worldwide, competing in live esports eve…

1
“We’ve learnt to normalise rubbish behaviour”: What stops women cycling? Abuse, intimidation, and how to make cycling safe for everyone 49:11

7M ago49:11

49:11

At the start of 2024, the London Cycling Campaign’s Women’s Network, a coalition of cycling groups in the capital, published a report, titled ‘What Stops Women Cycling in London?’, which detailed the shocking extent to which women riding their bikes in the capital face a barrage of verbal and physical abuse, sexual harassment, and intimidation from…

1
Ep. 36: 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships & SRC Annulments Update with MyWhoosh’s Matt Smithson 1:06:10

7M ago1:06:10

1:06:10

In Episode 36 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, MyWhoosh's Race Control and Events Manager Matt Smithson gives the first look into the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship. The format, courses, dates, qualifications, and all the specifics the community has been anxiously awaiting. The MyWhoosh platform is the home of the World Championship for th…

1
“Some drivers see safe cycling as a character flaw”: the fight for fewer close passes + the UK's booming gravel scene 1:14:53

7M ago1:14:53

1:14:53

On episode 69 of the road.cc Podcast, we delve into the reasons and behavioural patterns that underpin most, if not all, of the 887 (and counting) examples of close passes and dangerous driving that make up our Near Miss of the Day series, aided by a road safety expert currently undertaking a PhD study on the relationship between motorists and cycl…

1
Bike industry chaos, part 2: What lies ahead in 2024? More expert analysis plus our Cycling Sgt. Pepper image discussed 1:00:14

8M ago1:00:14

1:00:14

It’s episode 68 of the road.cc Podcast and we’re turning our attention once again to the troubling state of the bike industry and its worryingly shaky prospects for the year ahead, following the news that Orange Bikes – one of the UK’s most iconic cycling brands and a staple of the mountain bike scene – has appointed an administrator. To discuss wh…

1
Seeing the person behind the cyclist: More Than A Cyclist Campaign aims to inspire behaviour change with powerful new film, plus our top cycling Christmas gifts 48:44

8M ago48:44

48:44

It's episode 67 of the road.cc Podcast, and we're turning our attention to cycling safety ahead of the festive season. It's perhaps not the cheeriest of subjects, but a crucial one - and there is hope for the future thanks to hard-working activists such as the folks at the More Than A Cyclist Campaign. We speak to Rob Anderson, who tells us the mai…

1
Ep. 35: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Cycling Esports’ First World Champion and Role Model 1:00:11

9M ago1:00:11

1:00:11

In episode 35 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Si chat with Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio. She took time away from training camp with her UCI Women’s Continental AG INSURANCE – SOUDAL TEAM (AGS – BEL) to share what being the first UCI Cycling Esports World Champion on Zwift still and always will mean to her. Ashleigh is a purpose-driven athlete with…

1
Is cycling ‘woke’? Cycling and culture wars discussed with a Conservative aide, plus Lucinda Brand and Eli Iserbyt on the future of cyclocross racing 1:13:22

9M ago1:13:22

1:13:22

The two subjects we're discussing on episode 66 of the road.cc Podcast are arguably chalk and cheese, but equally as interesting we hope you'll agree! In part 1, Jack and Ryan are joined by Jack Gebhard, Chief of Staff for the Conservative MP for Worcester, Robin Walker, about cycling's curious relationship with 'wokeness'. With 'woke' having morph…

1
Ep. 34: WTRL’s Martin Carew Talks Zwift Racing League 1:11:50

9M ago1:11:50

1:11:50

The Zwift Racing League is quite possibly the largest community-based racing league in the world. Does it also have the most cheaters, cruisers, and sandbaggers? WTRL’s Martin Carew is here to say he’s doing things on his end, but can he and is Zwift doing enough? In episode 34 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Si ask those questions and more!…

1
Why the 20mph zone time trial ban could be the “tip of the iceberg” for British racing + Chris Froome’s bike set-up mystery explained 57:39

9M ago57:39

57:39

Could the widespread implementation of 20mph speed limits across the UK spell the end of Britain’s long and venerable history of time trialling? On episode 65 of the road.cc Podcast, Ryan and Dan are joined by solicitor and club chairman Jonty Gordon to discuss Cycling Time Trials' recent refusal to sanction courses that feature 20mph zones, and th…

1
Ep. 33: MyWhoosh Speaks Publicly For the 1st Time and The Zwift Games 1:03:04

9M ago1:03:04

1:03:04

In Episode Thirty-Three of the Virtual Velo Podcast, on the day that virtual platform MyWhoosh and the UCI released details about the 2024 Live Cycling Esports World Championship Final in Abu Dhabi, Race Control and Events Manager Matt Smithson chose the Virtual Velo Podcast to speak publicly for the first time and make the announcement. Chris and …

1
Broken bikes, riding the wrong way, and losing track of time: Tales from the 2023 Transcontinental Race ultra-distance cycling epic! 55:09

10M ago55:09

55:09

For episode 64 of the road.cc Podcast, Ryan is talking to the intrepid and indefatigable Han Lu, who has many a story to tell from her epic Transcontinental adventure. When many others would have 'scratched', Han carried on despite many setbacks and finished the mammoth Transcontinental Race route across Europe after a whole month of riding, and ap…

1
Ep. 32: Echelon Racing Returns to Zwift, USA Cycling National Championships, and Zwift Grand Prix Round One Controversy 52:32

10M ago52:32

52:32

In Episode Thirty-Two of the Virtual Velo Podcast hosts Chris and Si sit down with Project Echelon Racing’s Eric Hill. USA Cycling has just unveiled the plans for its third-annual Cycling Esports Nationals, and Project Echelon is returning to Zwift to put on the event. Eric has reached out to the cycling esports platform indieVelo for performance v…

1
Wiggle administration shocker: What the hell is going on in the bike industry?? Plus pro cycling's idiot problem 1:02:51

10M ago1:02:51

1:02:51

Episode 63 of the road.cc Podcast is coming at you a week early, because hot off the press are shocking reports regarding the future of Wiggle Chain Reaction Cycles. What happens if the cycling and multisport retail giant folds, and are we surprised about the reports considering the turmoil the whole bike industry has found itself in throughout 202…

1
"It's a mess": A solicitor's take on Shimano crankgate + Tony and Dave talk us through the history of road.cc! 1:07:46

11M ago1:07:46

1:07:46

It's the unfortunate saga that just keeps rolling on (or coming to a very abrupt halt if you're one of the unfortunate cyclists affected), and on episode 62 of the road.cc Podcast we've got the view of a specialist product recall solicitor on Shimano's failing cranksets and the "mess" that has ensued since. Thomas Jervis of Leigh Day Solicitors doe…

1
Investigating Shimano's snapping cranksets with a report from an engineering expert + hardcore bearings chat! 51:35

11M ago51:35

51:35

Episode 61 of the road.cc Podcast is slightly different to what we had planned originally, because Shimano has finally acknowledged that there might be an issue with some of its previous generation Ultegra and Dura-Ace cranksets... We discuss what happened, how it compares to other big bike industry recalls in the past, what Shimano has had to say …

1
Ep. 31: From Virtual to Real-World Victory with Kristen Kulchinsky, the $100,000 Zwift Grand Prix, and Exciting News From the UCI 47:22

11M ago47:22

47:22

In Episode Thirty-One of the Virtual Velo Podcast, hosts Chris and Si sit down with elite cyclist and Indoor Specialist Kristen Kulchinsky and her coach, Josh Lipka, to discuss her recent triumphs on the road. Kristen’s victories are not just a personal milestone but also a legitimization of the impact of indoor specialists in real-world cycling co…

1
The Campag Kid on building retro masterpieces, trickle-down tech, and getting hit by a car you helped design 50:16

12M ago50:16

50:16

It’s something of a nostalgia fest on the 60th episode of the road.cc Podcast this week, as we’re joined by retro bike restorer extraordinaire and leading proponent of the lost art of ‘drillium’, the Campag Kid, for a fascinating discussion about the roots of his obsession for classic bikes and illustrious Italian components, the lengths to which h…

1
Ep. 30: This Season on Zwift-The Racer's Edition 48:00

11M ago48:00

48:00

In Episode Thirty of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Si dive into some hot topics following attendance at the “This Season on Zwift” press conference. Here’s a quick rundown of what they discuss: Zwift is All-In on Racing: The duo breaks down what this renewed focus means for the racing community within Zwift and what changes racers can expect …

1
Ep. 29: MyWhoosh, Zwift, the UCI, & the Esports World Championships—Wuht just happened? 46:48

12M ago46:48

46:48

In Episode Twenty-Nine of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Si and Chris discuss the news that hit like a bomb, sending waves of shock and “wuh?” reverberating through the virtual cycling and esports community. On August 17, 2023, the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI) announced that it awarded the Cycling Esports World Championships to the cycling esports…

1
Will ULEZ get more people on bikes? + Getting back on the bike after hip surgery with a cycling physio expert 1:13:43

12M ago1:13:43

1:13:43

In episode 59 of the road.cc Podcast, George, Jack, Ryan, and Simon gathered around the table to discuss the week’s big news story – the much-debated extension of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, which after months of often toxic political and online discourse, finally came into force on Tuesday in outer London. While the extended ULEZ only affect…

1
Around the world without a motor + How to save serious watts with Aerocoach’s Xavier Disley 57:39

1y ago57:39

57:39

For episode 58 of the road.cc Podcast, we’re turning our attention to two very different ends of the cycling spectrum, by exploring what it would be like to completely give up on any and all forms of motorised transportation – and to circumvent the globe in the process – before going in-depth on all things aerodynamics, and why a more efficient jer…

1
road.cc at the Super World Championships! Rain, rivalries, protests, new bikes and exclusive interview with Aussie pro Michael Matthews 53:58

1y ago53:58

53:58

For this special bonus edition of the road.cc Podcast in association with Hammerhead, our 57th episode, we’re coming at you live from the inaugural ‘Super’ UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow! Ryan and Jamie discuss the crazy men’s road race, and ‘that’ big not-so-secret bike launch from Specialized, with Remco Evenepoel and numerous others …

1
Ep. 28: Zwift’s Winningest Elite Esports Racer James Joseph Barnes 1:01:39

1y ago1:01:39

1:01:39

In Episode Twenty-Eight of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Si and Chris sit down with cycling esports nice guy James Joseph Barnes. James’ passion for Zwift and cycling esports is palpable as he describes his ideals for elite racing, community integration, engagement, and the vision for the future. James shares insight through the perspective of an athle…

1
Rishi Sunak is “on the side” of drivers – What happened to Britain’s “golden age for cycling”? Plus THAT cargo bike parking row! 1:22:13

1y ago1:22:13

1:22:13

It's time for episode 56 of the road.cc Podcast. Last weekend, just in case you were doing your best to avoid the news, Rishi Sunak promised the UK’s motorists that he was “on their side”, as the Prime Minister ordered a review of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in England. The review comes as the debate over green active travel policies continues to sh…

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