Success, we are learning, comes in many forms. At Rodeo this year, we've had a successful year –&nbsp;by some metrics, it's been our best year –&nbsp;but from another perspective, it has been a year of immense challenge. Those challenges have extended all the way to the holidays, with new hurdles around every curve. Yet, as we tend to do, we are set on taking the wins and losses in stride as we flip the page to 2026. To process the past year, both for Rodeo Labs and our host, Logan, who is going on a parallel odyssey of his own, we talked about it here on this podcast episode. Lastly, thank you for your support this year. We have enjoyed slowly building this podcast up, and we plan to continue with pace in 2026! Hosts: Logan Jones-Wilkins and Stephen Fitzgerald Editor and producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

The Trailside Chat – a status check heading into the new year 

Cyclo-cross has never not been a part of the Rodeo story, even if it hasn't been front and center. For a company that doesn't not make cyclo-cross-capable bikes, all these double negatives leave us pondering the sport every time we hear #crossiscoming. This year, Stephen answered the call of cyclo-cross, and so too did Cam Little, a Rodeo rider from West Virginia and Marian University. Now that the season has wrapped up, it was time to podcast about it, even if Logan, our host, is somewhat of a cyclo-cross skeptic. Host: Logan Jones-Wilkins Guests: Stephen Fitzgerald and Cameron Little Editor and Producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

The Rodeo Cyclo-Podcast 

What even is a road bike? We investigate with Tyler Simon, an engineer, cyclist, and the mind behind the most road-optimized Rodeo Trail Donkey we have ever been a part of. Plus, Stephen and Logan get into the question of all-road bikes and why Logan is all over this new cycling trend. Host: Logan Jones-Wilkins Guests: Tyler Simon and Stephen Fitzgerald Editor and producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

Tyler, The Road Bike Creator 

It is finally time to talk big tires. The subject is all the rage these days, but we've been here for a while – riding our thick gravel tires on rigid drop bar bikes for years. Nevertheless, we are intrigued by a lot of what is coming to the discourse, especially some of the quantitative testing we are seeing from certain corners of the internet. Most notably, John Karrasch, a.k.a @flexfitbyjohn on Instagram. The bike fitter, a turned-off-road rolling resistance guru, has refined a form of the Chung method for testing to objectively measure the rolling resistance of countless tires, posting comprehensible graphs that demonstrate the comparative value of each. Karrasch also has a Patreon where he goes deeper into the data and breaks down the nuances of the different traits of the tires he tests. Now, he is a niche-expert who has become a legend in the small corner of the internet that is interested in going fast on gravel. He is also a frequent pen pal with the Rodeo Labs crew, so we had to have him on the podcast to really get into the nitty-gritty details. If you want to learn more about John's testing, <a href="https://www.patreon.com/MTBandGravelPerformanceTestingbyJohnKarrasch?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">check out his Patreon account here</a>. Logan has also written some pretty detailed stories on the subject. Here is a story he did for Cycling Weekly on <a href="https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/bigger-is-better-the-gravel-tyre-test-you-should-all-be-paying-attention-to-in-2025-i-put-6-mtb-tyres-through-12-months-of-testing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">some of his favorite options</a>. Hosts: Logan Jones-Wilkins, Drew Van Kampen, Stephen Fitzgerald Guest: <a href="https://www.johnkarrasch.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John Karrasch</a>

Big Tire Talk – what is behind the shift to mountain bike tires on gravel? 

When Dave Pryor started <a href="https://unpavedpennsylvania.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UnPAved of the Susquehanna</a>&nbsp;in 2018, gravel cycling was crystallizing into a discipline in cycling. It was reserved for the real hipsters, early movers, and the dreamers. Since then, gravel has changed, as has UnPAved. Now, the race is part of Pryor's full-time job, an institution in Pennsylvania cycling, and also unique in the landscape of gravel cycling. In our most recent mini-episode on our Rodeo riders, we spoke to Pryor to learn more about a few things. Mostly, we chatted about the power of Pennsylvania's vast gravel goods, the strange place gravel racing holds on the East Coast, and what gravel means to him and his Flaanimal. Enjoy! Host: Logan Jones-Wilkins Guest: Dave Pryor Producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

Rodeo Rider Files – Dave Pryor and the curious case of East Coast gravel 

This week, we spoke to Will Hart, product marketing manager at Cane Creek, to consider the topic of suspension forks on gravel bikes

Suspension forks on gravel bikes is a dividing line in the cycling world. For many, they are a tool that expands the use of the bike and reduces the stress associated with the rugged terrain that gravel biking revolves around. Others dismiss the tech as reinventing mountain bikes from the 1990s.&nbsp; We’ve been wanting to dig into this topic for a while because Rodeo Labs bikes could be well-suited for a little suspension, if that is your thing. This summer, Logan finally got enough time on two different fork options to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of gravel suspension. Stephen, who has been trying suspension forks for the last year, joined in on the podcast to add his two cents. Nevertheless, we wanted this podcast to be more than simply Stephen and Logan breaking down their experiences. So, we called up Will Hart, the product marketing manager at Cane Creek, to get into the gritty details of their Invert gravel fork and muse on the philosophy behind building specific gravel tech.&nbsp; If you are interested in investigating this further, Logan tested the <a href="https://www.canecreek.com/products/invert?variant=42000565895247" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cane Creek Invert SL</a> and the <a href="https://www.sram.com/en/rockshox/models/fs-rudy-ult-a2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rock Shox Rudy Ultimate XPLR</a>. Both options had 30mm of travel, with the Rock Shox priced at $929 compared to the Cane Creek Invert SL at $1,099. Stephen tested the <a href="https://www.canecreek.com/products/invert?variant=42000565862479" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cane Creek Invert CS</a> and <a href="https://ridefox.com/products/fox-32-factory-tc-grip-sl" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fox 32 TC – Grip SL</a>. Both forks had 40mm of travel, with the Fox priced at $999 and the Cane Creek at $1,199.&nbsp; Host: Logan Jones-Wilkins and Stephen Fitzgerald&nbsp; Guest: Will Hart&nbsp; Producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

In Pursuit of Super Smooth Cycling – Inside the gravel suspension movement with Cane Creek 

At Rodeo Adventure Labs, adventure is in the name of our company, so our side quests are quite crucial to what we do. These quests have shifted over the years – from Silverton, to Florida, and recently to the Dolomites – but the goal behind the travel has remained the same: bring people together to ride bikes in great places.&nbsp; In this episode of the Rodeo Labs Podcast, Drew, Stephen, and Logan delve into the traveling Rodeo has undertaken, both locally and abroad. Where have we gone, what have we learned, and why does it mean so much independent of economic returns?&nbsp; Lastly, Drew and Stephen break down the most recent trip to the Dolomites and explain why Italy’s northeast might be a Trail Donkey “Dreamland.” Host: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ljoneswilkins/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Logan Jones-Wilkins</a> Guests: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vankrampen/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Drew van Kampen</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stevetheintern/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stephen Fitzgerald</a>&nbsp; Producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

Donkey Dreamland – Why we take the trips we do

Drew and Logan pick their favorite news stories from the summer 

We are back with a new season of the Rodeo Labs Podcast, as the summer and all of its hecticness turns to fall. With the Intern off in LA, it was down to Drew and Logan to bring us up to speed on a few key topics that saw significant developments over the last few months.&nbsp; The podcast is a three-parter. We start off with a look at several new group-sets that were released in a steady drip this June (3:38), then shift to the recent release of two new bikes with very different takes on chainstay length (25:00). We then close with a quick breakdown of the development of 750d wheels (49:00). Or was it actually a way for Logan to get on his favorite soapbox and defend the 650b standard? Listen, or you may never know.&nbsp; We plan on having a consistent output of episodes for the next four to five weeks. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform.&nbsp; Host: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ljoneswilkins/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Logan Jones-Wikins</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vankrampen/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Drew van Kampen</a>&nbsp; Producer and Editor: Logan Jones-Wilkins&nbsp; Executive Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stevetheintern/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stephen Fitzgerald </a>

That's the Way the News Goes! 

If there is one thing that you should know about Rodeo, it is that you get to make it your way. <a href="https://wovebike.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nick from Wove</a> took that to heart and cooked up a bike that really pushed the limits of what is possible. The build was launched and was written up on Escape Collective with contributions from Nick, Steve the Intern and the rest of the bike companies that contributed to the build. You can <a href="https://escapecollective.com/joy-rides-a-wove-and-rodeo-labs-td4-2-custom-gravel-bike-collab/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">read that story here</a>. Nevertheless, this particular bike was worth much more than a few thousand words, so we took the discussion to the podcast! Between Logan, Stephen, and Nick, all the big questions were asked, answered, and deliberated. You won't want to miss it! Host: Logan Jones-Wilkins and Steve the Intern Guest: Nick From Wove Producer/Editor: Logan Jones-Wilkins

Wove Be Gone – Inside the Choices of the Wildest Trail Donkey of them All 

The official podcast of Rodeo Adventure Labs. We're here to talk about what it is to be a growing custom bike builder but we're also here to talk with and learn from the amazing and interesting people that we meet and learn from along the way.

The Rodeo Labs Podcast

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