Escape Collective

Pretty Serious Bike Racing: Gino Mäder and the Tour de Suisse

On this week's Pretty Serious Bike Racing Podcast, we remember Gino Mäder, who tragically lost his life at the Tour de Suisse. We also discuss the race, where Mattias Skjelmose took a surprise GC win on the men's side and where SD Worx has been continuing their run of success at the women's race.

Placeholders: Tune-up talk and race radios on the Tour broadcast

This week, the Placeholders crew talks more takeaways from the Critérium du Dauphiné and the ongoing Tour de Suisse, as well as discussing Ronan Mc Laughlin's latest big ride and race radios coming to the Tour de France broadcast.

Geek Warning: SRAM Apex goes wireless, Commencal gets into gravel, a big BB blowout, and Ronan’s big bike ride

SRAM’s new Apex redesign brings AXS wireless electronic shifting to the masses, but there’s also a new mechanical version, and it’s all 1x12 – and we’ve got all the details. Commencal has announced its first gravel bike that’s “not just another gravel bike” (even though it mostly is), RockShox’s Flight Attendant automatic electronic suspension is coming to XC, someone lost something in Lenzerheide, and Ronan outlines some of the tech decisions from his recent record-setting ride in Ireland. And finally, is UDH coming to road bikes now? (Hint: yes, it is).
12:45 – New SRAM Apex!31:30 – Commencal gets into gravel37:33 – RockShox’s updated SID spotted in the wild43:46 – A big oops on the start line in Lenzerheide48:17 – Ronan optimizes everything for his 15-hour time trial1:02:15 – SRAM’s UDH is now coming for road bikes, too

Unchained Binge E3: The Weight of a Nation

In today’s episode, we go to … France. Deep, deep into France. This is the Frenchest of episodes, focused on national hero Thibaut Pinot, eccentric manager Marc Madiot, and a lonely Australian badly in need of some real-life subtitles, Ben O’Connor. Let’s get into it.

Wheel Talk: A weekend of controversy in France and Q&A, part 2

This week on Wheel Talk, we discuss the controversy at CIC-Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées with a special guest, Cynisca Cycling DS Gillian Ellsay. Matt de Neef also chats with Chloe Hosking about her decision to sue the owners of the B&B Hotels team that fell apart prior to the season. In the episode’s second half, we answer a few more of your questions.

Pretty Serious Bike Racing: Dauphiné done and dusted, Suisse starts

On this week's Pretty Serious Bike Racing Podcast, Ruth Winder joins Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano to discuss:
Vingegaard doing what he needed to do at the Critérium du Dauphiné
How mostly everyone else didn't really even attempt to take him on on the climbs
Whether Van Aert and Pidcock could challenge Evenepoel at the Suisse?
What the heck happened at the Tour des Pyrénées?

Unchained Binge E2: Welcome to Hell

Episode 2 is focused on the team of the Tour, Jumbo-Visma. We get an at-home visit with Wout van Aert, plus a training day with Primoz Roglic, and then a glimpse into the tension between Van Aert’s desire and ability to win stages and his role working for Jonas Vingegaard for the overall. Plus Kit's Grand Lord of the Rings Theory of Unchained. Let’s get into it. 

Unchained Binge E1: The Grand Départ

Welcome to the Unchained Binge Podcast, where we'll go deep on all eight episodes of Netflix's new Tour de France docuseries.
This first episode comes in fast and crashy, focusing on EF's time trial, a farmer's son, and the incredible return of Fabio Jakobsen.

Placeholders: Early Dauphiné takeaways and a Luke Rowe fanclub

On this week's Placeholders, Jonny Long, Kit Nicholson, and Dane Cash join Caley Fretz (with Iain Treloar also making an appearance) to cover:
What we've learned so far from the Dauphiné
Whether Roglič and Evenepoel should race the Tour
Scam websites in cycling
Luke Rowe vibes

Geek Warning: Shimano GRX going 12, and a flurry of new bikes

There is so much new stuff to talk about this week! Unbound Gravel was a smorgasbord of fresh gravel good, including new bikes from Canyon and Santa Cruz, and a sneak preview of Shimano’s new 12-speed GRX groupset.
We’ve also recently spotted new road bikes from BMC and Factor, and Silca aims to make chain waxing (a lot!) easier. And speaking of Unbound, what was the true material cost of entry for this year’s event? Hint: It's almost certainly much, much more than most participants expected.
Timestamps:
6:40 – What’s this new BMC race bike?13:20 – Will the new Factor 02 VAM be even lighter?17:44 – Shimano GRX 12-speed spotted at Unbound, plus our thoughts on 1x vs 2x for gravel.28:05 – A more mountain bike-like Santa Cruz Stigmata on the way?30:05 – Canyon Grail is due to get one less handlebar.34:30 – Silca’s new Chain Stripper, the future of chain lubes, and why Caley is back on wax.45:15 – Highlights of the Handmade Bicycle Show Australia.54:12 – On your mind, and over the head of your family: Caley gives a shout-out to modern mountain bikes.58:42 – James asks whether event participants consider the true cost of entry.1:08:32 – PSA for your spare inner tube.