Loved the episode, had me laughing out loud on several occasions. I agree with @mcneese.chad, the FKT discussion was amazing (tire pressures, tires, tire inserts, …). I noticed in the video Hannah was using a Fox 34 fork rather than a Fox 32, but I still was super amazed who well she navigated the terrain.
@IvyAudrain
You made a joke about putting your socks over your jeans. I do this on literally every commute to avoid grease on my jeans. I tried other methods such as elastic bands with velcro, but they all failed after a while. My socks have never failed me!
I loved Hannah’s “unwritten rules” hot take, and Jon nailed it on the complaining aspect as well.
Cycling racing has had them seemingly since inception. But “the spirit of gravel” and its attempt to live on both side of being racing that’s not really racing (seriously, were not that serious) makes the unwritten aspect even more laughable and annoying.
Around 57 minutes in, Jonathan asks Garmin to build the possibility of ‘just being able to write something that can be shown on your device’ (feature request) complaining that Keegan sticks pieces of paper to his stem.
@Jonathan , it’s a common misconception but you still shouldn’t put biodegradable soap in a water source. Dump it in the soil well away from the water (preferably in a hole like you would with the washing up water from cook dishes).
In my experience this depends greatly on the size of the water source and sensitivity of the surrounding area. Always check with the ranger or relevant public land stewards in the area you will be visiting.
For example, in Idaho it is much more common to disperse wastewater on land whereas most desert rivers I’ve been on request everything go into a large flowing river.
Counter hot take: Unwritten rules contribute to road racing being interesting. The complexity and intrigue of road tactics stem from the need to make and break alliances across teams and riders throughout a race, and this needs relationships to form. Road racing is a microcosm of life, and as with life relationships aren’t just defined by legislation. Time trialing is about written rules and athleticism. Road racing is about unwritten rules and cunning!
Also, I LOVED @Jonathan ’s take on encouraging body weight strength. So many people talk about it in a way that sounds like “if you don’t go to the gym (or buy your own equipment) and do super heavy deadlifts and squats then you’re not getting any benefit”, so I think a lot of people just skip it.
Ditto, I plan to re-listen this morning but I was encouraged by this as well. I added in 2 sessions of body weight strength training last season and was happy with the results. I did end up adding a hip pack with weights (as well as using hand weights for some movements) to kick up the loading without needing lots of equipment. That along with single leg exercises maximized loading on each leg with minimal gear.
That and the upper body work I did help me be ready for BMX racing and Trials riding again, as well as all my other cycling events this last year. I know that may fall short for some riders, but I think it is something that is beneficial and shouldn’t be ignored by those that can’t get or don’t want to step into the heavier side of lifting.
) you are about socks and leg warmers.
