Velo Podcast

Factor's Wild Geometry Gamble and What It Says About the Future of Road Bikes

With Mike Levy out, tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross take over the Velo podcast to unpack some of the biggest stories in cycling right now, including one bike that calls itself the lightest bike in the world, and another that calls itself the fastest in the world. Big day. Of course, we had to start with the news. Specialized just busted $1.5 million worth of counterfeit gear with help from AliExpress and the Chinese police. So why now? And what does this bust mean for cycling gear? Spoiler: probably not much. Campagnolo is in a bit of a financial crisis, reportedly having laid off 40 percent of its workforce and lost 24 million euros over the last few years. There is hope yet, though. We discuss why. Then it's time for bike reviews. Josh breaks down the XDS X-Lab RT-9, the lightest disc brake road bike you can buy, at just 550 grams. It's a super light frame with some spec quirks, and nearly impossible to find in the US. Finally, we discuss the Factor One review, a bike that makes some heady claims and has the performance to back it up. But the aero shaping isn't the most interesting part of the bike: it's the geometry. Further reading: -⁠⁠⁠We Rode the ‘Fastest UCI-Legal Bike Ever Made.’ The Best Part of the Bike Is Hiding Under the Surface.⁠⁠⁠ [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/factor-one-first-ride-review/]  -⁠⁠⁠The World’s Lightest Production Bike Is an Engineering Marvel At a Discount Price⁠⁠⁠ [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/xds-rt9-review/]  -⁠⁠⁠Specialized Seizes $1.6M in Fake Tarmac Frames and Roval Wheels – With AliExpress’s Help⁠⁠⁠ [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/specialized-roval-counterfeit-seized/]  -⁠⁠⁠Campagnolo Lays Off 40% of Staff After €24 Million Losses⁠⁠⁠ [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/campagnolo-lays-off-40-percent-of-staff/]  00:00 Intro 1:23 Specialized's counterfeit bust 8:36 Campagnolo responds to reports of layoffs 25:03 Riding the XDS X-Lab RT9 44:09 Riding the Factor One

Can Rider Airbags and Licenses Make Pro Cycling Safer?

In this episode of the Velo Podcast, host Mike Levy sits down with tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross to tackle one of cycling's hottest debates: how do we make professional racing safer? Jim Cotton brought up the valuable question of whether or not skills tests and rider airbags – two suggested solutions to make pro cycling safer – would actually make cycling safer for folks. Bib shorts equipped with automatically inflating airbags are proven in MotoGP to protect riders during high-speed crashes, but are they practical for the pro peloton? What about a licensing system, one that CPA president Adam Hansen has hinted at in the past? The team discusses weight penalties, comfort concerns over long stages, and whether clothing sponsors would embrace the technology. Further, they debate whether proficiency tests make sense for athletes who live on their bikes, what such courses should teach, and whether the bureaucratic hurdles are worth the potential safety gains. Finally, the crew discusses their predictions for new gravel bikes that will be predicted in 2026, as well as what gravel bike trends Alvin hopes fall by the wayside in the new year. Is there a new Specialized Crux coming, and if so, how different will it be in the future? There are nine in total, and we talk about the biggest and best of them all. Want to join Josh and Levy at their group ride? See the info here [https://www.zwift.com/events/view/5149237]. See previous episodes of the Velo Podcast here [https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/velo-podcast]. Further reading: * 9 New Gravel Bikes We Predict Will Be Updated in 2026 [https://velo.outsideonline.com/gravel/gravel-gear/9-new-gravel-bikes-2026/] * Why Skills Tests and Rider Airbags Might Actually Solve Pro Cycling's Safety Crisis [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/could-airbags-fix-pro-cycling-safety-crisis/] * Don't Buy Your Kid a Crappy Bike for Christmas [https://velo.outsideonline.com/urban/urban-gear/5-reasons-buy-quality-kids-bike/] 00:00 Intro 6:10 Are airbags in bib shorts going to make things safer? 28:10 Solutions off the cuff 32:45 Is a ‘Super License’ a good idea? 41:00 New gravel bike predictions for 2026

Meaghan Hackinen on Winning the Silk Road Mountain Race, Moroccan Adventures, & Sketchy River Crossings

After winning the 2024 Tour Divide, Salsa Cycles' Meaghan Hackinen set her sights on the three-part Mountain Race Series that spans Africa, Europe, and Asia. Meaghan not only became the first female finisher of the wildest race series on the planet, but she also won both the Hellenic in Greece and arguably the most remote and challenging event of all, the Silk Road Mountain Race that travels through the isolated mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Today's episode sees Meaghan explain the challenges of tackling the most difficult ultra series out there, from logistical concerns to trouble at armed border crossings, from sleeping at elevation to wading through dangerous rivers, and how her bike setup evolved from being rigid with a drop handlebar to using a suspension fork and taking a more mountain bike-esqe approach. See the latest from Meaghan Hackinen: https://meaghanhackinen.com/ [https://meaghanhackinen.com/] See the latest from Velo: velo.outsideonline.com/featured [https://velo.outsideonline.com/featured] See prior episodes of the Velo Podcast: velo.outsideonline.com/tag/velo-podcast [https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/velo-podcast]

Finding Speed for Less Money & the 150 km Wheelie World Record Explained

Velo tech editors Alvin Holbrook and Josh Ross teach Levy how to find more speed on the cheap, from $1,000 wheels from China to relatively inexpensive power meters and aero helmets that make sense. The crew also lays out their budget speed-enhancing picks for $500, $250, $100, $50, and especially our favorite price point: zero dollars. Alvin has been testing Factor's new Monza, which he argues is a "good value" at $7,200 USD when compared to other aero road bikes. He defends this claim by breaking down the specs, features, and ride impressions versus the competition. Lastly, doing 150km is a big day on the bike for most of us, but can you imagine spending that entire time on only your rear wheel? Frenchman Oscar Delaite just broke the wheelie world record by doing exactly that, and the guys discuss their wheelie skills... or lack thereof. Want to join Josh and Levy at their group ride? See the info here [https://www.zwift.com/events/view/5149237]. See previous episodes of the Velo Podcast here [https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/velo-podcast]. Further reading * Factor's Least-Expensive Road Bike Might Be Its Best. Here's Why. [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/review-factor-monza/] * The Wheelie World Record Is Absurdly Long [https://velo.outsideonline.com/news/reinventing-wheelie-frenchman-rode-150km-one-wheel/] * Mathieu van der Poel Just Ran an Insanely Fast 10K [https://velo.outsideonline.com/news/mathieu-van-der-poel-latest-pro-cyclist-running-talent/] * Are You Taking High-Carb Too Far? Fueling Experts Warn against 800-Calorie Hype [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-training/high-carb-fueling/]

Why Mike Levy Switched Gravel Bikes After 20,000 km and the Meta AI Glasses in Review

Sure, we've reviewed the fastest World Tour aero road bikes and the newest gravel machines, but what about an off-road capable folding bike? Variety is the spice of life, and Velo tech editor Alvin Holbrook has been getting spicy on Brompton's G Line, a bike that should be more capable than any of the legendary UK brand's previous offerings, thanks to larger wheels and much better tires and brakes. Alvin rode the G Line on his usual gravel test loop and reports back on how it performed and what type of rider it makes the most sense for. Would you wear AI on your face? Josh Ross has been in the shape of Oakley's new – and very expensive – Vanguard glasses that come with a video camera, mic and headphones, and a connection to artificial intelligence that's ready to answer *almost* any question you might have. Josh answers our questions, without any AI help, about what the Vanguards are like to live with, why they might have the best mic and headphones for cycling, and explains how they can actually cost less than buying separate glasses, headphones, and a camera. Levy has that new bike fizz after buying an Allied Able and shares some of his early ride impressions, as well as how it compares to his much-loved Santa Cruz Stigmata that he's lived on for the previous two years. Is it love at first ride, or might there be some regrets? Further reading * Q36.5’s New Cold-Weather Jackets Fit Like A … Condom? [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/q36-5-condom-jacket/] * How Strava Traded User Goodwill for Nothing [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/strava-missteps/] * Mathieu van der Poel Spotted on an Unreleased Canyon Prototype Road Bike. Here's What We Know. [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/van-der-poel-testing-canyon-aeroad-ultiamte/] * Vittoria’s New Gravel Tire is Faster AND Better for the Environment | This Week in Bike Tech [https://velo.outsideonline.com/gravel/gravel-gear/vittoria-lezyne-coros-moots-this-week-in-bike-tech/] * Can a Folding Bike Actually Handle Gravel? We Pushed the Brompton G Line to the Limit. [https://velo.outsideonline.com/urban/urban-gear/review-brompton-g-line-folding/] * Garmin Teamed Up With Oakley and Meta to Make Smart Glasses We Actually Want to Wear [https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/oakley-meta-vanguard-glasses-review/] 0:00 Intro 2:02 Alvin and Josh: Are the Meta x Oakley glasses good for cycling? 30:00 Brompton G-Line 41:20 Are the new Vittoria gravel tires greenwashing? 46:35 Levy’s new bike day! 1:08:20 We want your input on a new Zwift ride!