The road.cc Podcast

On episode 47 of the road.cc Podcast, we’re joined by Chris Dixon, co-founder and director of training at the cargo bike logistics company Pedal Me, to talk all things cargo bike. Inspired by a column from a certain British broadcast and writer claiming modern cargo bikes costing in the region of £4,000 are “pedalled by (obviously) affluent parents”, we take a deep dive into the world of cargo bikes for personal use and business, with Chris explaining how Pedal Me’s cargo bike delivery service is far from just a flex, and genuinely the quickest and most affordable option for carting stuff across London in many cases. If your cargo bike can replace your car, that four grand price tag starts to seem a lot more palatable! For our second segment, George and Jack are joined by Ryan from the news team to break down our biggest story of the year so far, about a cyclist stopped by the police during a foggy climb on the Isle of Man. Were the police acting on reports of genuine concern for the cyclist’s welfare? Shouldn’t people just drive more carefully? What can we learn from all this? It’s a story that has certainly got people talking!

On this bumper episode of the road.cc Podcast (our longest yet!) we’re joined by car expert James Martin, also known as JayEmm, who you may know from his very popular YouTube channel JayEmm on Cars. A small snippet in one of James’ videos, in which he explains the importance of respecting cyclists as fellow road users, got us thinking about the crossover between car and bike enthusiasts, and who better to talk to about this than the man himself. James says why he thinks the ‘driver vs cyclist’ narrative is actually a surprising one and not necessarily true at all, plus we discuss everything from the general appreciation of cars, bikes and beautiful bits of engineering, James’ “live and let live” attitude to road etiquette and even Jeremy Vine’s Twitter feed! In part 2, Suvi, Dan and Ryan talk women’s racing on International Women’s Day. How far has professional women’s cycling progressed in recent years as a spectator sport, and is enough being done to ensure it gets equal billing compared to men’s races? Up for discussion is how those developments are going right now, what we want to see from race organisers and how broadcasters could do better.

On episode 45 of the road.cc Podcast, we’re going there and talking 15-minute cities… or the incredible amount of misinformation being spread about them anyway! George and Jack are joined by the award-winning transport journalist Carlton Reid to dissect how a quite innocent urban planning concept that recommends amenities should be a short walk or cycle away from people’s homes turned into a bizarre international conspiracy theory, in part claiming that the real motive behind the 15-minute city is to keep people locked in their local areas. How do you convince those who have been sucked in that this is all nonsense? Why are influential people, all the way up to the Houses of Commons, falling for it? Strap in for a no-holds-barred discussion. For our second segment, Ryan and Jack are joined by Kate Ball of Wheels for Wellbeing for a fascinating discussion about access for disabled cyclists. Find out what barriers disable cyclists are currently facing in the UK and beyond, and why those barriers are more than just physical ones.

In this episode of the road.cc Podcast, we’re debriefing after awards season and talking hardcore virtual racing on Zwift. George is joined by Jack, tech editor Mat Brett and senior road.cc reviewer Stu Kerton to break down how road.cc does the road.cc Recommends awards, and bike industry trends of the past year are discussed. We also address some of the wilder theories about how we select our products of the year! In part 2, George and Jack are joined by off.road.cc editor Aaron Borrill and e-sports expert Chris Schwenker. We’re very proud that our colleague Aaron is representing South Africa at the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships on 18th February, and in this chat he tells us all about how he got into it, virtual race tactics and how to balance a demanding work schedule, family life and elite racing. Chris, who runs The Zommunique.com virtual cycling blog, tells us how the sport has evolved from enthusiasts racing underground on Zwift to a fully pro set-up, and what’s in store for the future.

Recently, road.cc published a video and feature diving into the rising prices of bikes, components and pretty much everything connected with cycling in the last few years… and we definitely ruffled some feathers! In this follow-up podcast episode, we’re joined by Colin Williams from FLi distribution to talk about the current situation, and why many things beyond the control of the bike manufacturers, distributors and shops are pushing prices up. Is Brexit solely to blame for most of the price rises we've seen in the UK? Is the situation getting better, both in the UK and worldwide? Strap in for a fascinating discussion…

It’s the first road.cc podcast of 2023, and we have some very special guests to kick us off! First up, George and Jack talk to the legendary founder of Brixton BMX Club, Ken Floyde, who has rightly been recognised with a British Empire Medal for his decades of tireless voluntary service to the South London BMX scene. Ken started the club way back in 1981 in the midst of the Brixton riots, nurturing the talents of elite riders such as Charlie Reynolds in their youth and helping countless youngsters to discover cycling through the sport of BMX. As you’ll find out in the podcast, Ken’s influence has stretched far beyond South London and he’s not planning to stop any time soon. In part 2 Simon catches up with Gersh Kuntzman of Streetsblog New York, who is proving to be a real nuisance for naughty NYC drivers obscuring their number plates to avoid picking up fines for indiscretions. Find out why Gersh is on a mission to make the streets of the Big Apple safer for cyclists and pedestrians with “criminal mischief”, a term coined when the NYPD remarkably decided to arrest a friend of Gersh’s for un-defacing an offending vehicle.

Episode 41: A Christmas cracker with Jo Burt, including which cycling-themed presents would be welcome – and which ones most certainly would not! The final full episode of the road.cc podcast for 2022 is here, and with just a week and a half to go until Christmas Day, we have a festive treat for you as Jo Burt sits down with George and Jack for a chat about gift-giving; that at times goes off on a wild tangent, but never fails to be entertaining.Jo, the artist who created the Mint Sauce comic strip that follows the adventures of a mountain-biking sheep, has regularly blogged for road.cc under the nom de plume VecchioJo ever since the site began in 2008 – sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant, his posts are always worth reading.For a number of years now he’s also penned two of our most popular seasonal gift guides – what NOT to buy cyclists for Christmas, and what to buy the discerning cyclist, and those form the basis of the chat in this episode covering everything from cushions that bring to mind voodoo dolls, odd bits of chain you might find in your toolbox, and of course the Park Tool pizza cutter, plus much more besides.The trio clearly had a lot of fun making this episode – so grab a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine and sit back and enjoy.Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

Episode 40 of the road.cc podcast in association with Laka is here, and features a long chat with British ultra-distance cycling legend Steve Abraham.The exploits he’s perhaps best known for – the highest distance ridden in a month, and his attempts at the Year record – take a back seat here, however, as he talks to Jack about his work as a food delivery rider in Milton Keynes.It’s a fascinating discussion, covering everything from why, despite Steve’s ability to stay in the saddle for longer than most mortals, short hops are preferable for him to longer trips in this role, the relationship between companies like Deliveroo and the people who ride for them, his thoughts on cycling infrastructure and, the reason he doesn’t undertake deliveries that include alcohol.We also have a round-up of road.cc staff talking about what their go-to bike tools are – including a heartfelt plea from podcast host George for whoever happens to have his Lezyne Classic Pedal Spanner these days to please reunite him with it forthwith.Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the “dehumanisation” of cyclists on social media as well as on radio phone-in shows and in the comments sections of online newspaper articles, with British Cycling warning last week that such abuse increases the danger for people riding bikes, adding that the problem seems particularly acute in London and the south east.In the latest episode of the road.cc podcast in association with Laka, we talk to north London cyclist Carla Francome – who has just been named as one of Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling 2022 – about how she manages to stay calm in the face of the abuse she receives online, often highly personal in nature, as well as revealing how she engages with the people making such posts to try and defuse the situation and find some common ground.We also speak with Andrew Feather, who recently won the National Hill Climb Championship for the third time in five years and who shares his training tips as well as his specific preparation for the events – as well as providing advice on what you can do to become a better climber on the bike, whether for competition or just on a local ride.Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

Last week’s BBC Panorama ‘Road Rage: Cars v Bikes’ documentary got plenty of attention on social media, with the divisive title (which put some cyclists off watching it altogether, assuming it would be a re-run of previous takes on the subject) not reflecting the content of a programme that at times did a reasonably good job of highlighting the dangers cyclists all too often face from drivers on Britain’s roads – but which also failed to challenge some myths about cyclists aired by guests including newspaper columnist Rod Liddle, whose appearance on the programme overshadowed some of the more positive elements .In this bonus podcast episode, road.cc’s Jack and Simon sit down with host George to discuss what they think the programme got right, what it got wrong, and where perhaps it had missed opportunities to give a more rounded picture, or to challenge some of the assertions made in it. They also discuss whether such documentaries, intended after all for a mainstream TV audience, will inevitably end up reinforcing assumptions held by non-cyclists about people who ride bikes, and what can be done to overcome that.Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

Some of you might have spotted in the Beeb's TV listings recently that a Panorama episode titled 'Road Rage: Cars v Bikes' has been floating about on iPlayer for a week or so now. It was supposed to be broadcast sooner then some minor political things happened, but we can finally reveal that road.cc, along with some victims of dangerous close passes who have appeared in our Near Miss of the Day series, lent a hand in the production of the show. We sat down with the presenter Richard Bilton to talk about why the show was made, what he hopes viewers will gain from watching it and what he thinks about some premature negative reaction to the title on social media. Are shows like this inflammatory, or is it important that the public sees what cyclists are subjected to on a daily basis to raise as much awareness as possible? We'd recommend listening to this pod then watching the episode to form your opinion. Part 2 is something completely different, as Liam talks to former racer and cycling coach Matt Rowe about indoor training and training zones. How should you structure your indoor training over the winter? Is zone 2 training all it's cracked up to be? Get some top tips from one half of Rowe and King to set you on the path to being fitter and faster in 2023. Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

We’re cutting to the chase and delving straight into the controversy surrounding British Cycling’s shiny new eight-year partnership with oil conglomerate Shell in this episode of the road.cc Podcast. George is joined by Jack, Dave and environmental campaigner Caspar Hughes to discuss the deal that has led to a fierce backlash among the cycling community, including the cancellations of many memberships and an open letter with thousands of names calling for British Cycling to rethink the partnership. Is it even that surprising? Do British Cycling deserve this barrage of abuse? Did they expect it? What kind of message does the Shell deal send out? There’s only so many ways we can speculate over this, so we’ll let you listen and make up your own minds. If we didn’t see British Cycling getting pally with Shell coming, you’ll certainly see us coming in part 2 as we discuss the never-ending debate that is bike lights. How bright is too bright? Should you ride with a dipped, German-style beam? How about flashing lights, or is that just plain rude? We can’t really agree, you probably can’t either but it’s a fun discussion all the same… enjoy! Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

On episode 35 of the road.cc Podcast in association with Laka, George is joined by editor Jack Sexty and road.cc's resident record breaker Matt Page to discuss an issue that is less about losing out on Strava leaderboards, and everything to do with preventing danger on our roads. It all started when Matt noticed some of his own KOMs were getting stolen by Strava users posting rides with absurd average speeds, and top speeds as high as 112mph... and when it came to flagging this to the world's largest social fitness platform, he discovered there was no way of reporting the activity for what it really is: putting other road users in danger. Should Strava be doing more to stop their platform from being used in this way? Could they even work with local authorities? We discuss what we'd like to see happen. Part 2 of this episode is also part 2 of Dave's extensive interview with Josh Poertner, CEO of bike accessories and technology maestros Silca, and if it's an epic bike tech nerd-out you're after then you've come to the right place! Find out why Josh thinks 3D printing is "100% without a doubt the future of how everything will be made", hear some predictions on what decade you'll be buying your first 3D-printed bike and eavesdrop on some hardcore tyre pressure chat... Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

After a short break we're back for Season 3 of the road.cc Podcast, and it's a packed episode to kick us off!Those nights are drawing in and the temperatures are dipping, so it’s time to think about prepping that bike and yourself for the winter again. George is joined by Pat, Liam and Jamie to share their best advice for training and commuting through the winter, such as lighting recommendations, tyre choices and that burning question of whether to brave the great outdoors year-round, or stick to fair weather riding. In our second segment Dave is joined by Josh Poertner, ex-technical director of the legendary wheel brand Zipp, who bought Italian tools and equipment maestros Silca from their Italian family owners back in 2013. How have Poertner and Silca continued that legacy and tradition while continuing to innovate? Just don’t call Silca “the lube people”… they’ve been making pumps for a fair bit longer ya know! Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

As we come to the end of season 2 of the road.cc Podcast, we’ve put together a special episode looking at some of the highlights from the last six months. Listen back to some of the best bits of our chat with Chris Boardman shortly after he became the Active Travel Commissioner for England, the discussion around fake news surrounding the Highway Code changes that came into force in January, and why larger people are not well served by the cycling industry. For our second segment we’re lucky enough to be joined by Laurence Hunter, VP Insurance for specialist cycle insurer and road.cc Podcast sponsor Laka. We speak about the future of cycling, the trends Laka is seeing in the market right now, and all about how bike insurance is changing.Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

It’s been a strange old week for cyclists in the UK, as some rather infuriating comments from the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps published in a certain tabloid led to a vicious and sometimes disturbing narrative playing out on social media, radio and even nation television. Why on earth has Shapps seemingly sought to undo the good work done by the Government to encourage cycling since the start of the pandemic by whipping people up into a frenzy about cycling registration, insurance and even (though he now denies having said this) number plates? We’re joined by Cycling UK’s Duncan Dollimore to dissect this disappointing diatribe. For our second segment, we’re talking to our own Matt Page and Stepan Aubrecht, two hardy souls who recently completed the brutal London Edinburgh London audax cycling event. How do you get yourself through a 1,500km ride? If you fancy taking on some serious cycling endurance challenges yourself then we’d recommend listening up… Matt was the first to finish in a staggering 69 hours, while Stepan broke his bike at the halfway point, bought a new frame, built it up and still finished with time to spare! Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

On episode 31 of the road.cc Podcast, we’re writing some strongly-worded letters to the bike industry. Bottom brackets, headsets, mounts, tubeless wheels/tyres, chargers… nothing seems to fit nowadays, and it seems like we need different bits for every single bike, component and accessory we own. Why is this? George is joined by the road.cc tech team to discuss the lack of standardisation in the bike industry, the environmental impact, and what could be done to improve the current situation many cyclists find themselves in. In part two, George, Jack and Mildred are joined by Steven May of Knaap e-bikes, a bike brand catering specifically for larger riders. Up for discussion is how some people looking to get into cycling might feel excluded by the usual bikes on offer when they walk into a shop, and the sizing offered by many cycling apparel brands, which is often on the small side. How do we get people who aren’t into bikes, on to bikes?Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

What on earth do you do if your bike is lost somewhere in the airport baggage solar system? There’s a global crisis with luggage going walkies right now, and unfortunately that includes bikes. We speak to Nick Sutton of Laka about what you should do if you find yourself in the unfortunate position where your bike is ‘lost’ by an airline. Listen on for some top tips and make sure you give yourself the best chance of being reunited with your pride and joy should the worst happen.  We’re also talking about aluminium bikes, and why they’re here to stay. Just how good are they compared to the tooth-rattling early examples of the 1990s, and can an alloy bike ever be as good as carbon? George, John and Dave discuss… Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

The Tour de France has been well and truly blown open after yesterday’s events on the Col du Granon, so it’s only right that this episode of the road.cc Podcast in association with Laka is (loosely) Tour-themed! First up, George, Liam, Mat and Jamie talk about the current ‘lightweight aero’ bikes that are now dominating the Tour de France peloton. Is aero and lightweight rolled into one the thing we all need, or is the UCI’s pesky weight limit stifling consumer choice? We can’t agree, we’re pretty sure you all won’t be able to agree, but in any case it’s certainly an interesting debate about the way road bikes are progressing. off.road.cc staff writer Suvi also catches up with Joram Kolf, co-founder of EatMyRide, and Lisa Nijbroek, who is currently the nutrition expert for the world’s number one-ranked pro cycling team Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl: how much more energy do you need for rides of three hours and beyond compared to ‘shorter’ rides? Is there any difference between fuelling for road vs off-road riding? Get your burning nutrition questions answered by some of the most knowledgeable people in the biz. Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)

We’ve got a bumper episode of the road.cc Podcast for you, coming a day early to coincide with the road cycling product launch of the year so far… that’s right, Shimano 105 –  the component giant’s third-tier groupset that it said would never go electric –  has gone… well, electric! Does it bother you that 105 has killed off rim brakes and mechanical shifting (not to mention a hefty bump up in price) or are 12-speed shifting, modern disc brakes and electronic gears all things well worth paying the premium for? George is joined by Mat, Liam, Tony and Jack to discuss the controversial upgrade. Or maybe it isn’t controversial at all? For our second segment George and Jack are joined by environmental psychologist (and record-breaking endurance cyclist) Dr Ian Walker, who talks about travel habits and how we change them. With petrol prices through the roof, why aren’t more people ditching the car and taking up cycling and walking? Listen in for a fascinating insight into habits and routines, and how we can break them to change behaviour. You’ll realise even more how the pandemic really was a massive missed opportunity to cut car use, and Ian has some top tips for policy makers should a similar, routine-breaking situation arise in the future… Laka bicycle insuranceCollective bicycle cover by Laka exists to rewrite the rules of insurance so it's something people stand with, not against. Laka has been voted best cycle insurance provider for the last four years running - no excess, no depreciation, no contract, no funky fine-print and a 5-star-customer service.To find out more visit: Laka.coOffer code: ROADCCPOD30 for 30 days free bicycle insurance (new customers only)