Marginal Gains Cycling Podcast, Presented by Silca
115 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 days ago - ★★★★★ - 254 ratingsThe Marginal Gains Podcast, presented by Silca is the show that makes a big deal about the little things, and how those little things...can be a big deal. Josh Poertner of Silca, along with Hottie and Fatty, talk about all aspects of cycling — design, manufacturing, marketing, riding, racing, management and more, all from a thoughtful perspective. It's a podcast for the thinking cyclist.
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Episodes
Time's Tony Karklins and Josh Talk Bike Shops and Carbon Manufacturing
April 11, 2024 18:03 - 43 minutes - 40 MBTony Karklins is the founder of Allied Cycle, is currently the founder of Time, and has deep knowledge of all aspects of the cycling industry, all the way back to when as a teenager he owned a bike shop. He's the perfect match for a conversation with Josh about bike business, manufacturing, racing and more.
John Cobb-Wind Tunnel Pioneer
March 27, 2024 23:20 - 57 minutes - 53.1 MBJohn Cobb may be best known for his bike saddles, but his experience and innovation go much deeper. John may be the first person to take a bike to the wind tunnel, and is likely the only person to crank up the tunnel to 70mph...with a rider in it. Enjoy this great episode with a cycling innovator
Kimo Seymour and the Life Time Grand Prix
March 13, 2024 00:01 - 59 minutes - 55.1 MBLife Time puts on what is arguably the biggest and most important pro bike racing series in the US: The Life Time Grand Prix. And one man is in chage of it all: Kimo Seymour. Fatty and Hottie talk with Kimo changes in the race, the "Call of a Life Time" series, aerobars, Keegan's Swenson's chances for dominating the event for a third year running, and much more.
AJA #33: Wind Tunnels and Wax
February 23, 2024 21:33 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBOur recent wind tunnel episodes have triggered a LOT of aero questions from our listeners, and Josh -- with hand hovering over the "It Depends" button -- takes them on. From IRL Burrito Powerups (IYKYK) to the StripChip and the Chain Waxing System to aero chainrings to leg hair stubble as a potential aero advantage to shoe aerodynamics, Josh will — apparently — answer anything. Enjoy!
Ask Josh Some More About Wind Tunnels (Wind Tunnels Series Part 3)
January 23, 2024 14:00 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBJosh answers more of Fatty & Hottie's pressing questions about the surprises people are in for when visiting a wind tunnel for the first time, what happens when key learnings from a wind tunnel session are ignored, how often follow-up questions triggered by a wind tunnel session are actually followed up on, whether it's worth it to bring anyone but a top-pro into the wind tunnel, how bike companies twist wind tunnel results, and much more. If there's anything more Marginal-Gain-y than our fa...
Marginal Gains And Windtunnels, Part 2: An Interview with Mark Cote
January 09, 2024 15:54 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBAn argument can be made that Mark Cote is the father of the Specialized Wind Tunnel. During his tenure at the Big S, he convinced the powers that be that the Big S needed its own wind tunnel — an amazing story Mark shares with Josh. Enjoy this deep dive into Mark's backstory and conversation between Mark and Josh as they swap stories on how they've found marginal gains with this one powerful tool
Ask Josh Anything...About Wind Tunnels (Part 1)
December 18, 2023 14:39 - 55 minutes - 51.3 MBJosh's experiences in wind tunnels have come up in dozens of episodes of Marginal Gains, and we always find ourselves with more questions. In this episode, we're finally giving ourselves permission to ask them, from the essentials of using a wind tunnel to a day in the life before, during, and after testing in a windtunnel. Look, we'll be honest here: we brought way more questions to this conversation than Josh had time to answer, and at some point during the recording, we realized we wer...
Darren Murphy: Developing and tuning high-end suspension products
November 29, 2023 13:45 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBWhen it comes to bikes, Josh is usually the smartest person in the room. But Josh will tell you, when the topic turns to mountain bikes and suspension, Josh turns to Darren Murphy of Push Industries. Josh and Darren talk about Darren's journey in the industry, as well as a dive into how advanced bike products are developed, tested and brought to market.
Data and Downhill Racing with Nick Lester
November 17, 2023 23:03 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBWith World Cup races being decided by tenths or even hundredths of a second, many racers and teams are now using sensors and data acquisition to dial their setups. Our guest this show is a leader in this area: Nick Lester and Josh get deep into how Nick and his Downamics team help the world's fastest downhillers get the most out of their suspension.
AJA #32: Marginal Gains for Commuters, Big Riders, and Motorcycle Chains
October 30, 2023 14:33 - 43 minutes - 60.3 MBWould your motorcycle chain benefit from an afternoon in the chain wax spa? If you use a gel packet as an improvised tire boot, how much will it affect your bike's performance? When using the Rule of 105, should you be using the rim width at the brake track, or the widest point of the rim as your measurement? And for those of us carrying lunch, clothes, and a computer to the office as we commute by bike, how can we be more aero? Josh bravely answers all these questions...and for one of them,...
Xavier Disley with Aerocoach
October 16, 2023 16:30 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBAerocoach's business is to help athletes improve their aerodynamic performance, through testing, coaching, and equipment. Josh and Xavier Disley get into a wide-ranging discussion of aerosensors, hype vs data, the need for wind tunnel standards, and so much more. This is an in-the-weeds episode you Marginal Gainer supernerds will not want to miss. NOTE: A prior version of this episode gets cut off partway through the episode. If it shows in your podcast feed, please skip it and listen to t...
Russ with Path Less Pedaled
October 03, 2023 10:00 - 56 minutes - 52.4 MBRuss Roca - founder and host of the YouTube Channel the Path Less Pedaled - is our guest. The Path Less Pedaled has become a place to learn about the non-competitive side of the cycling world . Russ has produced hundreds of videos that focus on using bikes to carry stuff, explore, cruise, travel, ride comfortably and yes he has a couple on chain waxing and finding the right tire pressure. We talk with Russ on how he went from 2-packs a day to two wheels, the search for the right gearing, wh...
Rob Britton does Badlands
September 21, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBRob Britton is an accomplished pro road cyclist who has turned to the off-road scene in the second half of his career. He’s been doing the Lifetime Grand Prix and other mass start events but he is also taking on ultra endurance challenges. This summer it was an event called Badlands: Longer than Unbound XL, more climbing than an Everest Challenge and a landscape that blows the mind. Rob takes us through the unique challenges to body and bike this race presented. He talks about trying to s...
AJA 31: Chain Guards, Speed Wobble, and Why We Can't Have Nice Things
August 31, 2023 00:07 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MBJosh, Hottie, and Fatty take on your questions in this, our 101st episode of the Marginal Gains Podcast (we forgot to check that we hit 100 episodes -- and 1,000,000 listens -- last time). From contemplating the aerodynamic benefits of chain guards to analyzing terrifying moments of physics in action when riding a high speed descent, to raising our collective eyebrows at the new 750d wheel size, we continue to give credence that we will take on any cycling question and boldly answer, "it dep...
The Stromm Track Bike: It's All About the Marginal Gains
July 31, 2023 15:18 - 54 minutes - 50.6 MBIndustry legends Dave Koesel and Stephen Doll join Josh for a discussion about the Stromm track bike, a frame and fork aiming to take advantage of recent UCI tube shape restrictions being lifted. If you love wind tunnels, marginal gains, and engineers getting into the weeds with other engineers (and let's face it, we know you love all these things), this is the episode for you.
Kristen & Nick Legan: Mud, Mayhem, & Marginal Gains
July 12, 2023 21:34 - 1 hour - 58 MBIf you think the stories you've heard about the 2023 Unbound are crazy, wait 'til you hear Kristen Legan's story of her XL win. She focused on this race this year, and her preparation and dedication will resonate with any endurance Margingal Gainer. Kristen's joined in this episode by Nick Legan: author of the popular book Gravel Cycling, Unbound vet, top-tier mechanic, and Road Brand Manager with Shimano. Enjoy this is deep dive into bike setup, mental marginal gains and thick, sticky mud.
AJA 30: Debunking the Valve Stem Location Myth
June 19, 2023 20:16 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBWe take our mission of making a big deal about the little things very seriously in this episode, where we talk about whether there's any actual basis for the superstition behind where you rotate the wheel to before inflating a tire. We then move to the admittedly more pragmatic questions of how much of a draft an aero rider provides to the riders behind them, the low-hanging gains for DH racing, and the problems with racing a 1X setup on the road. And that's not even remotely close to all (e...
Travis Takes on Unbound
June 06, 2023 22:29 - 58 minutes - 54.5 MBFor Silca’s E-commerce manager, Travis Verhoff, the 2023 edition of Unbound has been a bit of an ongoing science project. In this episode of Marginal Gains, we dig into Travis' expectations, last-minute changes, and key learnings from this experiment...and after all is said and done, what he would change and whether he'd ever race this monster again.
Dan Empfield: Slowtwitch, Quintana Roo, Tri Hall of Fame...and Marginal Gains
May 30, 2023 14:58 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBYou've no doubt heard Josh mention Slowtwitch.com many times on this show. It's one of the key places he goes to share ideas and get feedback. But Slowtwitch is more than just a place. It’s a person too. The site was founded by Dan Empfield in 1999, and remains publisher to this day. But before Slowtwitch even existed, Dan was a competitor. He did his first Triathlon in 1978 and competed in the first Ironman Kona in 1981. You may also know Dan as the man behind Quintana Roo. That stack a...
AJA 29: Hot Wax on a Hot Day
May 15, 2023 22:40 - 55 minutes - 50.5 MBIt's an Ask Josh Anything episode! We talk about The Rule of 105, the extent to which "bigger is better" is true for fairings, whether tire inserts need to be factored in when using air pressure calculators, why you might get conflicting recommendations from different air pressure calculators, how many watts a slow-turning old derailleur cog might cost you, the challenges a hot day might bring to your waxed chain, and more. So much more. Some people might say too much more, but we are not th...
Making it Personal: Silca's Travis Verhoff Looks for Marginal Gains at Unbound
May 01, 2023 14:50 - 55 minutes - 51.8 MBSilca's own Travis Verhoff has an unusual work assignment: plan, train for, and execute the most Marginal Gain-y Unbound possible. If you've been following the Silca YouTube channel, you've been tracking his progress. In this episode, we catch up with his bike setup, key learnings and surprises from time in the wind tunnel, using the Chung method on course to select tire pressure just days before the race, his nutrition, and a lot more. If you're a nerd about Marginal Gains (and we know you ...
The Fiercest Panda: A Conversation with Cyclist, Promoter & Advocate Amanda Nauman
April 17, 2023 14:47 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MBAmanda Nauman has one of the most disarming nicknames in all of cycling: she is affectionately known as Panda. But make no mistake: behind the woman named after a docile creature is a fearless person, both on and off the bike. Amanda has taken on the toughest gravel events — and the toughest questions — that face our sport. She has won Unbound Gravel twice and taken 2nd in the 350 XL. She has won Mid South and BWR San Diego and is the 5X-champ at Rock Cobbler in Bakersfield, CA. Amanda is co...
USAC CEO Brendan Quirk: The Past, Present, and Future of USA Cycling
April 05, 2023 15:50 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBJosh and USAC CEO Brendan Quirk share a love of the history of cycling, as well as a deepseated desire to move it forward. In this wide-ranging conversation, Josh and Brendan talk about their love of bike racing, wind tunnels, and the complexities of cycling product development and retailing. Most importantly, they have a candid discussion of the difficult position USAC is in and Brendan's plan to move it forward.
Alison Tetrick and the Who's Who in Women's Pro Cycling
March 22, 2023 21:48 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MBWith three Gravel World's Championships, an Unbound victory, an induction into the Gravel Hall of Fame, a bronze medal in UCI Worlds Road Championship TTT, a win in the Tour de San Luis, and more than a decade as a pro, Alison Tetrick has proved she's among the best in the world on pavement and dirt. As it turns out, she's also right at the top in analysis of the current women's pro peloton. In this episode, Ali (as her friends call her) details who to watch this year, talks about the overal...
AJA 28: When are 2X drivetrains NOT worth aero, chainline and aero costs?
March 08, 2023 13:28 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBIt's a no-topics-barred Ask-Josh-Anything episode of Marginal Gains, and (as usual) Hottie and Fatty get their own burning questions to the front of the line. Hottie desperately wants to talk about F1 porpoising and its connection to Hopf bifurcation. Josh accomodates. Fatty overheard a rocket scientist proclaim he wouldn't trust a repaired carbon fiber hardtail for technical mountain biking and now Fatty's scared about whether he's OK to ride. Josh reassures Fatty with the sage advice that ...
Olympic Gold Medalist Gwen Jorgensen: Training, Responsibilities, & Bold Decisions
February 20, 2023 13:40 - 39 minutes - 35.9 MBIn the early and mid 2010s, Gwen had a winning streak that astonished both the Tri world and the sports world at large. She won an unmatched 13 races in a row, capped off with Olympic gold in Rio. She then stepped away to focus on running for a time, but is now back, again with a focus on the Olympics. We catch up with Gwen between training sessions and taking care of her kids to talk about what is driving her as she begins chapter two of her amazing career.
Alex Dowsett: Marginal Gains Jedi
February 07, 2023 15:23 - 1 hour - 75.3 MBAlex Dowsett has been a Marginal Gainer since he started riding with his dad on the roads of his hometown in England. He quickly became a time trialist and then pro, riding for a handful of teams and racking up more than a dozen wins before finally hanging up his wheels after the 2022 season. But the fact that Alex became a sportsman at all is a major win. You will not want to miss this great conversation with an amazing Marginal Gainer!
Selene Yeager: Athlete, Author, Podcaster & Advocate
January 15, 2023 00:15 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBYou may know her by her nickname in Bicycling Magazine (The Fit Chick) or you may know her by others' names (she's ghost-written and co-written scores of books), but you almost certainly know her work in one way or another: Selene Yeager is as well-respected as she is prolific in the cycling world. And now she's the host of "Press Play Not Pause" -- a popular podcast that brings candor and wisdom to menopausal athletes. No matter what kind of athlete you are, you do not want to miss this epi...
Michael Marckx & the Belgian Waffle Ride(s)
December 09, 2022 01:28 - 1 hour - 56.8 MBMichael Marckx — the head of the Belgian Waffle Ride series — has guided clothing brands, sunglass companies and magazines on his way to making his dream classic. This is a great conversation about vision, instinct, survival, the future of american racing...and if you’re looking to do a Belgian Waffle Ride, there are some tips in here for you too.
Dylan Johnson: Offroad Endurance and Marginal Gains
November 24, 2022 00:03 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBAnyone who's ever spent any time watching Dylan Johnson's popular Youtube channel could be forgiven for thinking it and the Marginal Gains show were separated at birth. In this episode, we get together with this incredibly smart, incredibly fast cyclist to talk about not just his achievements in racing, but the little things he does to beat the competitoin. Don't miss this episode!
AJA 27: The Hour Record...On the Moon?
November 10, 2022 23:56 - 1 hour - 61 MBIt's always fun to find out what questions are going to really catch Josh's attention. In this episode, we talk about tiny marginal gains, postulate why mountain bikes are not particularly aero, follow up on the best gases to fill your tires (and why), and much more. But the question that really grabbed Josh has to do with a crazy hypothetical: how would you optimize your bike and track for an hour record attempt...on the moon? It's an intriguing question and one we're far from done with. We...
Alexey Vermeulen: Racing, BWR, Grand Prix Postmortem, & Mental Marginal Gains
October 28, 2022 13:19 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBAlexey Vermeulen is exhausted. He deserves to be, having just taken a hard-fought podium spot in the Life Time Grand Prix. And wins in multiple BWR races. And producing a show where he mentors novice cyclists. And much more. But he still found time — hours after flying home from Big Sugar and hours before he flies out to his next event — to get together with the Marginal Gains crew to talk about how he doesn't just survive in this demanding environment, but actually thrives. Don't miss this ...
AJA 26: Sunglasses, Nitrogen, Tire Temperature, and Cyclocross
September 20, 2022 14:35 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBWe rely on Marginal Gains listeners to provide intelligent and provocative questions, and as always, our listeners do not disappoint. In this Ask Josh Anything episode, we re-open the question of hour record attempts, this time considering pros and cons of a negative-split effort. We talk about Nitrogen and its merits of using it instead of air for tires with sealant. We talk about the aerodynamic penalty of tucking your glasses into your helmet vents. Plus tire temperature talk, cyclocross ...
Getting Marginal Gains on Dirt, with Jeremiah Bishop
September 08, 2022 14:48 - 55 minutes - 51.1 MBJeremiah Bishop proclaims he is a "nerd in recovery," but we know better. Bishop was a crucial member of 2015's Team Topeak-Ergon, which set a record Leadville 100 time that stands to this day. And this was not just a story of strong legs and lungs; it was a Marginal Gains story, through and through. Whether you race road, mixed surface, or dirt, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.
AJA 25: Leadville, New Hour Record, and the Gravelero
August 27, 2022 18:41 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBAfter a nice long summer break, we're back with more questions for Josh. Josh, Hottie and Fatty met IRL in Leadville last month, so we spend a good chunk of this episode talking about the LT100 MTB race -- altitude, aerodynamic speed minimums, and other marginal gains available two miles above sea level. We also make time to talk about Dan Bigham's amazing new hour record, aerometers, and the story behind the new Gravelero pump. Don't miss this episode!
Phil Gaimon and the Best Worst Retirement Ever
June 29, 2022 19:39 - 56 minutes - 52 MBPhil Gaimon takes on serious topics, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He uses his social media to document is KOMs and occasional Everesting attempts, but also takes us on interesting rides and shows us how cyclists and motorists can get along on the same piece of tarmac. Phil is a fantastic climber, an advocate, a humorist, a Silca athlete and a newlywed. It's a pleasure to have him join us on Marginal Gains
AJA 24: Making Hydration Aero, Carbon Wheel Failures, & Wireless Braking
June 14, 2022 16:33 - 55 minutes - 51.4 MBJosh answers a batch of listener questions, from the extremely practical to the fascinatingly hypothetical. Are pros flatting more than they used to? Has the balance between strong and light swung too far toward light? How do you make your hydration as aero as possible? What air pressure should be used for the back wheels on a competitive trike? And how good would electronic / wireless brakes have to be before you could trust them? We get into all this and more in this Ask Josh Anything epis...
Dan Bigham: Aerodynamics Guru
June 01, 2022 17:55 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBDan Bigham's job title — Performance Engineer — for Team Ineos really undersells his value. Dan is a through-and-through marginal gainer, with a special gift for figuring out how to beat the wind. And as such, he's the perfect guest for a one-on-one chat with Josh. Don't miss this episode of Marginal Gains!
Aerometers: CDA Testing for the Masses?
May 18, 2022 15:57 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MBWhat if CDA measuring were brought to the masses via some sort of attachable device? Michael Liberzon—an engineer and triathlete coach—has field tested an aerometer and researched several others. In this episode, we talk with Michael to get an overview of where we are with aerometers and whether real-time CDA will ever become a thing.
Cycling Icon Tom Ritchey
May 04, 2022 17:49 - 57 minutes - 71.3 MBPutting 50 years of Tom Ritchey's history and knowledge would be nearly impossible, so for this conversation, we focus on some of Tom’s game-changing ideas and innovations, as well as how he got there. You’ll also hear some great stories, a little family history, and how this pioneer's ethos turned into one of the world's most-respected bike brands.
Talking with 4Km Record-Holder Ashton Lambie
April 21, 2022 15:35 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBHopefully you've seen Ashton’s gutsy world record effort and his killer performance for the rainbow jersey. Now Josh gets the inside scoop on what it took to succeed at both, even as his partner is working on going to outer space.
Handmade in Namibia: An Interview with Dan Craven
April 04, 2022 13:26 - 46 minutes - 42.2 MBIf you're looking for something to make you feel good about something happening in the world right now, you have found the right episode. Josh talks with Dan Craven — Olympian and owner of Onguza Bikes (onguza.com): beautiful steel bikes, handmade in Namibia and shipping across the world. This is an inspiring episode of Marginal Gains you will not want to miss.
AJA 23: Tubeless Sealant Deep-Dive
March 25, 2022 00:24 - 55 minutes - 51.4 MBSilca has a new tubeless tire sealant out, and Hottie and Fatty have some questions about it. A whole hour's-worth of questions, in fact. From the recycling aspect of it to setup strategies to keeping carbon fiber from clogging your valve stem, this is the episode that shows what happens when Josh starts thinking about plugging up holes.
Andy Hampsten Part 2: Giro d' Italia, Eddy Merckx, and Bike Touring
March 11, 2022 20:27 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBPart 2 of our chat with Andy Hampsten picks up right where we left off in part 1: With Hampsten in the Maglia Rosa. Andy finishes this incredible story, and from there we get into a wide range of topics with this iconic cyclist: Cinghiale Tours, Titanium bikes, Eddy Merckx, "Huffy" bikes, and much more. Don't miss this issue of Marginal Gains!
Amity Rockwell and Marginal Gains
February 22, 2022 15:31 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBAmity Rockwell is not afraid to speak her mind, which makes for a fast, fun, and thoughtful conversation with this Unbound champ. We talk diversity, equity, social media and most recently, plans for a Gravel Hall of Fame. You will not want to miss this episode!
Bike Club NFT
February 10, 2022 19:17 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBThe Bike club has been operating under the same model for years -- decades. Bike Club NFT seeks to change that by turning memberships into digital assets. Some things under the old model are still true but as Josh finds out, Bike Club NFT has some new twists too.
Andy Hampsten and Marginal Gains
January 10, 2022 20:54 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBPossibly the nicest living cycling legend, the one and only Andy Hampsten joins Josh to talk both about the early days of his career and to give an account of what is easily one of the most extraordinary performances ever in cycling: Andy's unbelievable day on the Gavia in the 1988 Giro D' Italia.
Canadian Road Champ Guillaume Boivin and Marginal Gains
December 27, 2021 15:33 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBIf you saw Paris Roubaix this year, there’s a good chance you saw our guest — Candadian Road Champ Guillaume Boivin — in action. And thanks to the laws of supply and demand (Guillaume needed a chain, and Hottie had a Silca Hot-Waxed Chain available), we were able to nab this interview with this road star about how "G" (as his Istrael StartUp Nation teammates call him) started biking, his fixation on bike tech, and his very intense day at Paris Roubaix.
Lennard Zinn and Marginal Gains
December 14, 2021 02:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBIf you are a student of cycling — and the fact that you listen to this show means you are — you have no doubt read a fair amount of Lennard Zinn’s work, from books to being the tech editor at VeloNews, Zinn has written thousands of pages about cycling. And in this episode, he joins Josh to talk about his days as a skier, how he got talked into writing books, Hopf Bifurcation and bike shimmy, rolling resistance and Lennard's latest venture: E-bikes. We guarantee you’re going to love this thin...
Leonard Zinn and Marginal Gains
December 14, 2021 02:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBIf you are a student of cycling — and the fact that you listen to this show means you are — you have no doubt read a fair amount of Leonard Zinn’s work, from books to being the tech editor at VeloNews, Zinn has written thousands of pages about cycling. And in this episode, he joins Josh to talk about his days as a skier, how he got talked into writing books, Hopf Bifurcation and bike shimmy, rolling resistance and Leonard’s latest venture: E-bikes. We guarantee you’re going to love this thin...