The Rodeo Labs Podcast

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, check out his Patreon account here.Logan has also written some pretty detailed stories on the subject. Here is a story he did for Cycling Weekly on some of his favorite options.Hosts: Logan Jones-Wilkins, Drew Van Kampen, Stephen FitzgeraldGuest: John Karrasch

When Dave Pryor started UnPAved of the Susquehanna 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

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. 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. If you are interested in investigating this further, Logan tested the Cane Creek Invert SL and the Rock Shox Rudy Ultimate XPLR. 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 Cane Creek Invert CS and Fox 32 TC – Grip SL. Both forks had 40mm of travel, with the Fox priced at $999 and the Cane Creek at $1,199. Host: Logan Jones-Wilkins and Stephen Fitzgerald Guest: Will Hart Producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

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. 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? 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: Logan Jones-WilkinsGuests: Drew van Kampen and Stephen Fitzgerald Producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

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. 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. 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. Host: Logan Jones-Wikins and Drew van Kampen Producer and Editor: Logan Jones-Wilkins Executive Producer: Stephen Fitzgerald

If there is one thing that you should know about Rodeo, it is that you get to make it your way. Nick from Wove 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 read that story here. 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

When Luis decided to ride from his home in the Bay Area to his grandmother's home in Guadalajara, Mexico, he didn't know much about the journey ahead. What he did know, however, was that it required more than just his Flannimal. Being a sucker for a good story, Steve the Intern wanted to help him problem solve and thought it would be a good idea to make a prototype Show Pony available for Luis' trip south. What resulted was a trip of a lifetime that brought so much joy, adventure, and understanding to Luis, not only as a cyclist but also as a first-generation American of Mexican heritage. In this edition of the Rodeo Rider Files, Logan and Luis talk about his journey, unpack the intrigue, and delve into how to accurately reflect Mexico's deep cultural facets without ignoring the danger that would be naive to ignore. Host: Logan Jones-WilkinsGuest Luis Orozco SanchezEditor and Producer: Logan Jones-Wilkins

The Classified Powershift Hub, with its internal gearing that makes a 1x chainring work like a 2x, has always been a point of curiosity around the Lab. However, without a full groupset to give the shifting a proper home, there has always been hesitation. That is, until Logan got his hands on the brand new collaboration between the Belgian company and the brake specialists at TRP for a full review at Cycling Weekly. From that testing, it was clear we needed to delve into it here. In this episode, Logan ceded the hosting chair to Stephen Fitzgerald, our Intern/CEO, and we brought Drew Van Kampen, our resident Always Trying New Things Guy, to pepper Logan with questions around the new groupset and explore a few tangents along the way. Host: Stephen Fitzgerald Guests: Drew Van Kampen and Logan Jones-WilkinsProducer: Logan Jones-Wilkins