In this week’s episode of the Cyclist Magazine Podcast James is joined by Phil Burt, former head of physiotherapy at British Cycling and Team Sky and the man who literally wrote the book on bike fit. They discuss micro adjusters and macro absorbers, how riders’ needs and wants are changing, and the affect of indoor cycling on the body.

Phil also explains the theory behind the use of shorter cranks, the advantages, and how Bradley Wiggins was already on 165mm cranks at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Interview starts at 10:38.

Head to philburtinnovation.co.uk to find out more about Phil’s work and to make an assessment or bike fit booking.

• Listen to Phil Burt on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

This episode is brought to you by Trek’s custom Project One programme, which offers full custom paint, components and setup on every Trek bicycle. Check out Trekbikes.com to start designing your dream bike now.

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast: Phil Burt, the king of bike fit appeared first on Cyclist.

In this week’s episode of the Cyclist Magazine Podcast, James is joined by Spanish ultracyclist and runner, Juan Dual. As a teenager, Juan was diagnosed with familial adenomatous polyposis, a rare form of cancer that attacks the digestive system, and in the decades since he’s had his stomach, colon, large intestine, rectum and gallbladder removed. And yet he continues to compete in some of the most gruelling ultra-events on the planet, including El Kilometro Cero, a journey of 920km from Madrid to Cape Finisterre in under 100 hours.

In this candid chat, Juan explains how he rides such huge distances despite not being able to feel hunger, absorb calories efficiently or control how often he needs to go to the toilet. He explains how he’s cheated death, opens up on his relationships with friends and family, and expands on how surviving cancer and taking on ultra-endurance events has given him a whole new perspective on life that he’d love to share.

Interview starts at 8:56.

Follow Juan on IG here, and check out his exploits with sponsor Vielo here.

• Listen to Juan Dual on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

This episode is brought to you by Trek’s custom Project One programme, which offers full custom paint, components and setup on every Trek bicycle. Check out Trekbikes.com to start designing your dream bike now.

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast: The ultra-cyclist missing half his organs, Juan Dual appeared first on Cyclist.

In this week’s episode of the Cyclist Magazine Podcast, Robyn and Will are joined by ultracyclist Lael Wilcox, who set the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle in September 2024, cycling over 29,100km in 108 days, 12 hours and 12 minutes.

Lael explains how to plan such a feat, the highs and lows of solitude on a bike, their fear, resilience and growth, and the unexpected emotional responses after achieving such a goal.

Interview starts at 13:36.

• Listen to Lael Wilcox on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

This episode is brought to you by Trek’s custom Project One programme, which offers full custom paint, components and setup on every Trek bicycle. Check out Trekbikes.com to start designing your dream bike now.

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast: Lael Wilcox, the fastest woman around the world by bike appeared first on Cyclist.

This week on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast, James is joined by Michael Crawley, doctor of anthropology, sub-2h 20min marathon runner and award-winning author. In this episode, we discuss Michael’s latest book, To the Limit, which explores the meaning of endurance – why we do it and what it means to us culturally – through the eyes of Mexican running tribes, fell runners and professional athletes.

We talk about the Enhanced Games – one man’s bid to an all-drugs-allowed ‘Olympic Games’; the pros and lamentable cons of sleep tracking and smartwatches; the culture of doping – or not – across the globe; the pitfalls of the biological passport anti-doping system; how community and spirit is just as important as altitude in creating great endurance athletes in places like Ethiopia; and voluptuous panic – you’ll have to listen to find out about that one.

To the Limit: The Meaning of Endurance from Mexico to the Himalayas by Michael Crawley is published by Bloomsbury and available here as well as all good bookshops.

Interview begins at 8:14.

• Listen to Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 122 now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast: Why we do it? with Dr Michael Crawley appeared first on Cyclist.

This week on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast James and Will are joined by Andy Schleck, Tour de France winner, brother to Fränk and victim in the infamous chaingate affair, in which Alberto Contador rode past a stricken Schleck – the yellow jersey wearer having suffered a dropped chain – to snatch the 2010 Tour de France top step. Two years later, Schleck was retroactively awarded the win after Contador was banned for doping, but how does that sit with the 39-year-old Luxembourger today?

In a wonderfully candid chat, Schleck explains his thoughts then and now, plus what it meant to race with his brother, his special bond with teammates forged off the road, the doping scene in the early 2000s, his stunning 2009 Tour and his bittersweet experience in 2011, the injuries that led to retirement, the personal crisis he faced once he hung up his wheels, and what he really thinks about Bjarne Riis, Johan Bruyneel, Chris Froome and, of course, Christmas.

Today, Andy Schleck runs several successful cycling shops in Luxembourg and is ambassador for the Kitzbüheler Radmarathon, a gruelling sportive that takes place in Austria in September 2025.

• Listen to Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 121 now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 121: Andy Schleck on Chaingate, Contador, Bruyneel, doping and the brotherhood appeared first on Cyclist.

Cue Noddy Holder: it’s Christmas. Yes, this is our final In the Drops before the big day, so it’s almost definitely too late to order one of these things for a gift, but cycling is for life, so that’s fine.

Despite a festive wind-down (it’s not really a wind-down behind the scenes there’s a magazine to produce), we’ve had some good content on the website this week, including our new guide to the best winter cycling jackets plus a big rejigging of our best road bikes guide.

We’ve also had reviews of the Ribble Allroad SL R, Rouvy app and the reasonably priced Coospo bike computer, and we went behind the scenes at Giant’s factory in Taiwan.

The pro side has been ticking over too, with our Pro Log news round-up, Jayco-AlUla’s incredible new Maap kit and Ewan’s big analysis on the state of every men’s WorldTour team. We still have a couple of articles to come on the Vuelta 2025 route and whether the pros have lost their work-life balance.

Let’s get in the drops.

Albion Zoa Mountain jacket

One of my favourite things to come through the door this year has hit late. Albion’s new Zoa Mountain jacket is an insulated jacket for on and off-bike use that is both lightweight (claimed 365g for a medium) and packable, it has four zip pockets, a rear pocket the jacket packs into (which Albion says can turn it into a great pillow – an adjustable hood, a double front zip and reflective details.

Deep breath.

But with all of that considered, I’ve not even got to the most impressive highlights, and that’s in the materials themselves.

The Zoa Mountain jacket is made using Pertex Quantum NetPlus fabric, which is produced using 100% recycled fishing net – it’s 100% post-consumer recycled net and 100% traceable. Find out more about NetPlus here, and find out more about the incredible technical details of the lightweight, windproof and water-resistant Pertex Quantum here.

It also uses Primaloft Gold Active insulation, which helps keep the weight down and insulation up and maintains its thickness even with repeated squishing to pack it away. And because it’s synthetic it can keep its warmth when wet too.

• Buy the Zoa Mountain jacket now from Albion (£240)

Sella Italia SLR Boost 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow saddle

Yes that is a long product name but for good reason. Sella Italia = brand. SLR = ‘neutral-shaped’ saddles that support riders whether they move a lot or not at all. Boost = short nose saddles. Kit Carbonio = carbon rails. Superflow = the big hole in the middle. Oh and of course 3D means it’s 3D printed.

What more is there to say?

Well, plenty. Sella Italia’s proprietary 3D printed pattern has a double-layer of padding with differing cushioning zones throughout for what Sella Italia calls ‘progressive absorption’ to balance comfort and support. The 3D printing itself is done with Carbon DLS technology, which is resin-based and uses ultraviolet light to cure the liquid into form. This method is supposed to produce fully dense material, which a powder-based method doesn’t, and it uses less water too. Find out more about Carbon DLS 3D printing here.

The 10mm longer carbon rails help with strength, comfort and adjustability – and it’s raw carbon so it looks cool.

It comes in two widths, S3 or L3 depending on which width – 130mm or 145mm – is better for you (3 is just indicating it’s a Superflow saddle with the big hole).

This S3 is only 169g too by my kitchen scales.

• Buy the saddle now from Sella Italia (£409.99)

Universal Colours Sweatshirt

On the other end of the naming spectrum, this is a new sweatshirt from Universal Colours.

It’s part of a wider move by most cycling clothing brands to expand into casual or semi-casual clothing, so you can represent cycling off the bike too (and because of fashion and that).

Made in a oversized fit and with a heavier cotton, it’s very comfy – just what you’d want to change into post-ride. It also had ribbed side panels for an extra bit of stretch.

Universal Colours is another company that is ethically conscious. The sweatshirt is made with organised cotton, which is biodegradable, and the logos featured are made with a biodegradable reflective film. It’s made in Portugal in a factory approved for good social and environmental practice.

As well as third ‘wasabi green’, the jumper comes in ‘hard purple’ and ‘charcoal black’, and you can get it in hoodie form too, which has different colour options.

• Buy the sweatshirt now from Universal Colours (£70)

What we’re into this week: the Cyclist Magazine Podcast in video! Plus playlist #25

It’s been a long time coming but the Cyclist Magazine Podcast is now on YouTube!

For those of you who prefer to watch things all our new episodes will now be available in video form too, and we’re uploading some of our recent interviews to get things moving.

So you can now watch our interviews with Tom Pidcock (recorded pre Q36.5 move) and Tadej Pogačar, and we’ve got our first brand new to YouTube episode going live on Boxing Day with a very special guest. It’s going to be off the chain.

If you prefer audio-only, we’ll still be in all the same places as before.

Speaking of audio, I’ve gathered my last new music playlist of the year. This time of year is always short on new releases, so it’s a pocket-sized playlist but that doesn’t mean it’s not brimming with good stuff.

Highlights include the new Kendrick Lamar album, new stuff from Sam Fender, a Wunderhorse song I didn’t appreciate enough first time around so I’ve brought it back, a new album from Good Morning and my favourite song of the moment from Julia Jacklin and Faye Webster.

I’ve also included the best three-song run on an album all year from Doechii, the album’s not new new but I only listened to her for the first time on her amazing Stephen Colbert performance. Listen to these three in order.

• Listen to In the Drops #25 on Spotify
• Check out all my In the Drops playlists

We’ve got one more In the Drops of the year coming next week, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

The post In the Drops: Albion’s NetPlus jacket, Sella Italia lightweight 3D printed saddle, Universal Colours sweatshirt and the podcast goes video appeared first on Cyclist.

Pitchforks at the ready. On this week’s episode Will is joined by Cyclist‘s own Ewan Wilson and writer Felix Lowe to review the 2024 pro cycling season and look forward to what may come next.

Along the way we find out the lucky winners of some of Felix’s annual alternative awards – which you can find in full in Cyclist magazine issue 159, out now – including ‘The Manchester United Bin Fire Award’. No prizes for guessing the recipient of that one.

They also discuss whether Tadej Pogačar can repeat his historic 2024 season, what’s going on with Ineos Grenadiers, the exciting status quo in the women’s peloton, the future of the Tour de France’s final stage and how to improve safety in races.

Discussion with Felix begins at 11:36.

• Listen to Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 120 now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 120: 2024 pro season review + 2025 predictions with Felix Lowe appeared first on Cyclist.

This week on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast Will is joined by two-time Olympic gold medallist and World Champion in three different disciplines Tom Pidcock after a turbulent season that included highs at Amstel Gold Race and Paris 2024 as well as very public lows after falling out with Ineos Grenadiers management in October.

Will sat down with Pidcock in November to talk about his rapid rise to power and his rapid descending skills as well as what’s on his agenda for 2025: full road focus or more mountain bike side quests?

Pidcock also discusses how the media – and Netflix – portrays him, his ‘down year’ and how things could’ve gone differently, plus his self-imposed pressure at the Olympics.

Interview begins at 8:42.

• Listen to Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 119 now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 119: Tom Pidcock talks 2025 focus, Olympic ups and downs, descending and more appeared first on Cyclist.

This week Robyn and Will are joined by track superstar Joanna Rowsell. Joanna was picked up in 2004 by British Cycling’s Talent Team, which visited her school looking for new talent, and just four years later she won her first World Championships in the team pursuit.

Three more team pursuit world titles followed plus a fifth in the individual pursuit, but it was the Olympics that made Joanna a household name. Riding alongside Laura Trott (latterly Kenny) and Dani King (latterly Rowe), she won two consecutive team pursuit golds, the first at London 2012 and the second at Rio 2016 Games. Retired from competition since 2017, Joanna is still firmly embedded in the sport as pundit and commentator, appearing across the BBC’s Olympic coverage this summer.

In this episode, Joanna discusses the Olympics and the impact it had on British cycling; coming back from successes and medals to face real life; the emotional connection she still feels with riders from the commentary box; Matthew Richardson’s switching nationalities from Aussie to Brit to compete for Team GB; plus she looks back at a stellar career that helped change the face of the sport in Britain and the popularity of women’s cycling worldwide.

Interview begins at 18min 06sec.

• Listen to Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 118 now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 118: Joanna Rowsell, double Olympic gold track superstar appeared first on Cyclist.

This week on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast James and Will are joined by Spartacus himself, Fabian Cancellara.

Over a career spanning two decades, Cancellara established himself as arguably the greatest Classics rider and time-triallist of his generation, winning multiple Monuments, world, national and Olympic titles and Grand Tour stages. With a cool demeanour and effortless riding style, the Swiss cemented himself as the patron of the peloton, the guy everyone looked up to, listened to and wanted to impress.

Today Cancellara owns ProTour team Tudor Pro Cycling, which this year raced its first Grand Tour as a wildcard at the Giro d’Italia, finishing a highly respectable tenth with Aussie rider Michael Storer.

Among a sprawling conversation, Cancellara discusses why he never talks tactics with his own team; the importance of rider safety, especially in light of the death of would-have-been Tudor Pro rider, Gino Mäder; his rivalry with Tom Boonen; if and when Tudor Pro Cycling will race the Tour; the importance of failure – and where he hurt most; and the effect of social media on young riders and cycling.

Interview begins at 9min 27sec.

• Listen to Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 117 now on Acast
• Check out all episodes
• Also available wherever you get your podcasts

Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.

The post Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 117: Fabian Cancellara: Classics king, Tudor Pro Cycling owner, patron of the peloton appeared first on Cyclist.