The BikeRadar Podcast

The BikeRadar Tech Q&A is back, with Jack Luke, Simon von Bromley and special guest Vicky Balfour answering your most pressing bike tech questions. In this episode, we cover: Why do we always seem to test such expensive bikes? Spoiler: we don’t Helping a 70-year-old rider with Parkinson’s find the perfect lightweight e-bike for mixed-terrain riding Can you use the same disc rotor with two different brake callipers? Are ebike tuning kits legal, safe – and will they wreck your e-bike? Can non-Boost wheels be converted to fit a Boost frame and fork? As ever, it’s a lively mix of practical advice, industry insight and a few strong opinions thrown in for good measure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Jul 42min

Josh Poertner, the former chairman of the Bicycle Wheel Technical Committee, dropped a bombshell recently when he issued a powerful rebuttal of the case for hookless road rims – one of cycling’s most controversial topics in recent years. Specifically, Poertner claims “Hookless rims are a scam”, with “zero performance advantages”, and that they are “a safety risk” with too little margin for error. In this episode of the BikeRadar podcast, Jack Luke sits down with Simon von Bromley – BikeRadar’s most learned correspondent on this topic – to discuss Poertner’s comments, and why this debate refuses to die. "Hookless rims are a scam," claims former chairman of Bicycle Wheel Technical Committee Hookless rims explained | How new standards have finally improved compatibility Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Jul 16min

On the first rest day of the 2025 Tour de France, we’re joined by cycling journalist and longtime Tour veteran Daniel Benson, who brings his trademark insider insight direct from the roadside in France.Alongside BikeRadar’s Simon von Bromley and host Jack Luke, Daniel breaks down the key talking points from the race so far: What’s going wrong at Ineos? Can Visma crack Pogačar? Who’s been the best Brit at the Tour? Is racing actually actually any less safe in 2025? Plus, a behind-the-scenes look at life as a solo reporter on the world’s biggest bike race, and why Daniel had a Snickers for dinner.  Don’t forget – Daniel’s exclusive dispatches are running throughout the race on BikeRadar.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15 Jul 31min

The Tour de France is in full swing, and with it comes a flood of tech news, wild bikes and even wilder French car park encounters with pros and rival journalists. In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, Jack Luke is joined by Simon von Bromley – fresh from the grande départ in Lille – to unpack this year’s biggest tech stories so far. Top of the list is Jonas Vingegaard’s brand-new Cervélo R5, which Simon was first to spot. It’s lighter, sleeker, and could be key in the GC battle. They also dig into Tadej Pogačar’s possible mountain time trial machine, the new Merida Reacto, and the surprising trend-bucking ENVE SES 4.5 Pro wheels ridden by Pog. There’s also a peek behind the curtain at how BikeRadar covers the Tour, plus a look at last week’s top-performing story and our weekly ‘rant’ courtesy of Michael Woods, who thinks pro riders should be wearing hockey-style protective gear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10 Jul 55min

We're on the ground at the Tour de France Grand Départ in Lille, hunting out the latest and greatest tech ahead of cycling's biggest race. Simon von Bromley and Ashley Quinlan have spotted an unreleased Cervélo R5, ENVE's trend-defying SES 4.5 Pro wheels and the new Continental Archetype tyre.   Read more: Cervélo R5: https://www.bikeradar.com/news/new-cervelo-r5-2025-tour-de-france-matteo-jorgenson ENVE SES 4.5 Pro wheels: https://www.bikeradar.com/news/enve-bucks-wider-is-better-trend-with-narrower-ses-4-5-pro-wheels-for-pogacar Continental Archetype tyre: https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/road-bike-tyres/continental-archetype-tyre-review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

4 Jul 39min

It’s Tour time! BikeRadar’s Simon von Bromley will be at the Grand Départ in Lille this week but, before heading out to northern France, Simon joins George Scott in the pod studio to run through his Tour de France tech predictions for 2025. Listen to hear why aero bikes are back, tyres are getting wider, cranks are getting shorter and plenty more. Buy the Official Tour de France Guide (UK only): https://www.ourmediashop.com/products/specials/2025-tour-de-france-standard-edition-516599 Read more about the UCI’s rule changes: https://www.bikeradar.com/news/uci-tech-rules-2026 Read more about the new Continental Archetype tyre: https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/road-bike-tyres/continental-archetype-tyre-review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

29 Jun 58min

High on pretzel fumes and delirious from two days trapsing the chasm-like halls of Frankfurt Messe, Jack Luke is joined by Stan Portus and Tom Marvin to run down on the key trends from Eurobike 2025. From the dominance of DJI to the bewildering growth of the German e-mobility market, the trio distill the key news from the world’s biggest cycling trade show. Check out all of our Eurobike 2025 coverage here: https://www.bikeradar.com/events/eurobike Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

27 Jun 29min

Senior technical editor Alex Evans sits down to discuss Fox's new upside-down fork, the Podium, the first from a mainstream brand of this size in decades.   Together with technical editor in chief, Rob Weaver, they talk through the reasoning behind Fox's move into the inverted fork world, along with the pros and cons of such a design, including how it feels on the trail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

24 Jun 34min