Love hearing from producer Emily. She is super likable and brings interesting points to the conversation. The three of you have great chemistry too. More Emily, please!
Jimmi, I wanted to thank you for being open about your own mental health challenges - even just acknowledging that they exist and talking about some of the things you have done is, imo, a big deal. I think it can really help people out there to know that someone as cool, accomplished, and seemingly together as yourself can face challenges. And, I think your level headed discussion of how your recovery has interacted with your cycling will help to normalize getting assistance.
Thanks Jimmi. As someone obsessed with riding long distances often, countless times throughout the year, TCR, PCR, PBP, audax and all those kinds of events - during the working week I often struggle and talk myself out of small rides - with - "What's the point of going out for ONLY a couple of hours? Where's the challenge? Where's the bikepacking etc etc..?" Am I the only one out there feeling this way? I pretty much live for the weekend, setting some small little goals in an evening after work sounds like a great idea. Great until you start thinking - it's now October. 😅 Oh and someone said - do it for your health - it's not just about fitness - and that really resonated with me, that's a very clear distinction. So again, thank you to whoever made that comment.
45:14 You are spot-on with this one! British cycle lanes are overrated (generally councils simply meeting "active travel" quotas without any real thought or planning). The other issue, related to what Francis said, is that drivers think that cycles having their lane means that they can pass you as they'd pass any other vehicle, at whatever speed. So while you're grovelling in the gutter, dodging potholes and manhole cover slots that align with your wheels, you have cars passing you at high speed inches from your elbow. Personally I'd be happier if the painted (non-segregated) cycle lanes were done away with altogether. Paint cycle symbols at regular intervals in the middle of the lane, and let the cyclists take primary position or move aside as they feel comfortable.
As bad is painting a bike symbol on a pavement. Junctions are the most risky bit of cycling, and these simply implant that risk onto kids and inexperienced riders.
I have to pull up Francis on the - have to give way to cars comment crossing over driveways. This all changed in January 2021 whereby drivers now have to give way to cyclists and pedestrians "going straight on" at junctions - which also extends to cycle tracks. That's why in some towns you are now starting to see more toucan crossings being built and raising the road up to the kerb and proliferation of markings which more clearly define that the road user has to yield. Admittedly this is not commonplace (yet), but we HAVE to start somewhere.
Hey Jimmi, I had a rough day, was supposed to go for a ride, but didn't really feel like it. And then you said "Because it's still good for me, that's the point". And I went for a ride. Thank you, Jimmi!
Yours are the only 1-hour long videos that I look forward to watching and make it all the way to the end. It’s the variety of topics that intrigues me. Good job
I valued the segments on cycling coaches and on regaining your fitness. I think those contained great points for me personally, thanks. The mental aspect is often ignored in amateur racers such as myself. I also find myself looking back 4-6 years way too much. That's the other side of having power data for years and years. There is always this objective measurement telling me I'm shit. But I am not shit, not compared to last year and the year before that.
As someone new to the channel, this was a great episode to go back and watch. It was especially good for me to watch at the end the discussion on fitness/health after a period of decline. I am personally coming back from mental health issues and trying to get back on the bike and get healthy again (though my issue is lost weight/muscle mass, fatigue, etc.).
Another quality chat from the team. Great to see Emily having more talk time. Really good question from Harry and subsequent discussion from you all. Have a good weekend everyone 👍👏
I have met Rob English several times, we used to live in the same town. He rode and raced the blue and white bike for years. The brakes on that bike are still one of the coolest things I've ever seen. He made the crank, fork, front hub, basically if it doesn't have a logo, Rob made it. The front hub is really cool too, the flanges are super narrow for better aero. All of the tubing is custom formed. That bike is far more gorgeous in person, and the pictures are phenomenal. I believe he still runs a B&B out of his farm and you can stay there and pic up your bike in person. Stand up guy, he is also English by birth.
As someone who has majorly struggled with mental health challenges, the thing that has gotten me out cycling was getting an urban e bike, I have a road bike that honestly has been sitting in my shed for years because I couldn’t ride it (mentally the hurdle was too high, and then I ended up out of shape) and getting an e bike and replacing car journeys I would otherwise be driving has made a huge difference (and the step to e bike for purely transport purposes made the mental hurdle much easier) and just regularly going out on a few miles every day or two has made me much more able to tackle longer rides and improved my mental and physical health
Expensive good stuff -- if you don't already have a properly rigid pair of wide-rim wheels, go out and get some. I put HED Ardennes+ wheels on my 2007 Cannondale aluminum Synapse about six years ago and it's the best bike improvement I've ever bought, first time I've ever done something aftermarket to a bike that's more than the standalone cost of the frame. Went from a 13mm internal rim width to a 21, and the grip, ride, handling and rolling resistance are so clearly improved, and they are bombproof, never come out of true. And it would be nice to be able to not have to worry about refilling tires on the road given that the 90psi pump that never used to be enough can now handle the 77 or so psi with ease, but the combination of Michelin butyl tubes, Michelin Pro 4 and HED Ardennes+ has yet to throw a flat. The Ardennes+ wheels required longer-reach rim brakes on the bike in order to clear the rim, but so worth it....fortunately Shimano's 5800 brakes were the ticket, I didn't need to go for anything rare or unobtanium.
As an American Mt biker who never rides his road bike I still love your podcast. I am in everyway the opposite of Jimmy and his take on most things but can appreciate another view. And I agree having Emily is a welcome addition. Francis your killing it!
Some of my favorite bike products of my lifetime: combination brake/shift levers, square-taper BB (finally cotterless), wireless computers/GPS units, strapless (what we tend to call "clipless") pedals, TPU tubes. If Cav wins another stage of the Tour it will only be due to being gifted it, in which case it will be an empty "win."
You’re so right. With what happened this year, Cav is going to be the main focus for every flat stage. And to answer Emily’s question. I think his popularity has gone up over the years. Now it has potential to go full Rocky Balboa
that thing about wanting to get healthier, without letting the prospect be so daunting or somehow embarrassing that you don't . A couple of things that I have done that worked : 1. going for rides to explore, where the length and intensity were not the focus- one winter I did a thing where i did counter clockwise loops, each time going out the way I had come in the time before. 2. doing something where there are people who will say hi- like participating in a hiking series.
Here in Blackburn we had a cycle lane split with the footpath. The council in their wisdom added a glass bus shelter in the centre of the bike lane !! Luckily they have since remove the bike lane to add another live trafic lane 😂😂😂😂. Excellent show as always. 👍👍
I restarted cycling too. Got myself an ebike and had the goal to do 600km a month. Since I can't do a long commute that's quite a lot. Therefore I did not manage to do it. Now I just try to get the maximum km per month in. During the week that means 2 rides with minimum 1hr and 2-3 longer ones on the weekend. My motivation is the minimum speed I get with the motor. Even if I don't want to do a hard training after a workday I am super fast and the bike also rides well without motor. So I use it without motor as just a heavy bike when I ride with friends. Usually the big hurdle is the decision to ride on a day. The ebike makes this a lot easier. Volume of training counts so I am very happy when I'll achieve 5500km in the first year.
Expensive stuff I can't do without: - tailfin rack and panniers: use them almost every day between two bikes. Allows me to do without a car. I go shopping, travelling, visit places, take my sailing kit, etc. - heated socks: no more chillblains in Winter, even in 0 degrees. - a good digital pressure gauge: any pump does the job with one of these, as adjusting the pressure becomes independent from whatever gets the air in. - TPU tubes: better ride feel without the tubeless faff
To consider Unbound, you have to go back in the history of the race. When it first started back in the late 2000s (and called Dirty Kanza), the ONLY distance was 200 miles. That's why the 200 is the main event. The 100 and other distances were added on to make it more "accessible" and grow the rider count. Consider that for the first two or three years, the total field size for the 200 was well under 100 racers total.
Your discussion that some bike lanes are overrated made me think of ‘sharrows’. I don’t know whether you have these in the UK. They are symbols painted on the road, two chevrons and a bicycle, indicating that bikes and cars will be sharing a lane. They were originally intended to direct cyclists to lower speed roads and to alert auto drivers that bikes may be on the road, but they are often (usually) misused. When towns and cities are under pressure to make their roadways more bike friendly, rather than go through the political and engineering challenges of making good bike lanes or separated bike paths, there is a huge temptation to slap some ‘sharrow’ paint on the roads, including high volume and high speed streets, and declare victory.
I quite like the phrase "Paint isn't infrastructure." Even fully greened out painted bike lanes don't do shit. Protected bike lanes with bollards, strip on-street parking (to avoid dooring) and arrest terrible drivers and revoke their licences.
I am still using the pump from my 1982 Koga Miyata which originally came with the bike. It wasn't clamped under the top tube but between the top tube and the bottom bracket, parallel to the seat tube. But now it is clamped onto my carbon frame along the seat tube with two releasable cable ties. It is a "pleasure" to pump up the tires with this pump and I get to 6 bar with just a few strokes. With a mini pump I am struggling to get to 5 bar because I only get to this pressure over the last 1 inch of the stroke, so get only a tiny amount of air into the tire per stroke. AND its is the same weight as a lezyne mini pump.
I couldn't help but wonder if Francis has a new haircut; I can't recall ever seeing him without his signature cap. On another note, it's a shame that Cav won't have a chance to win on Champs-Élysées due to the Olympics, which means no stage finish in Paris. Thanks for another fantastic episode! 🙌
Oh man. I rode a new route the other day that involved bike lanes along a busy street here in Oklahoma. The "bike lane" was literally the gutter on the side of the road. There were parts that were basically washed out with gravel and felt super unstable on my road bike, and the speed limit was 45mph, so the fact of the bike lane really just gave drivers license to blow by me at ridiculous speeds like 2 feet away. The segments where I was riding in the road proper felt safer because people would actually slow down and give me space.
As someone who has been in the shoes of the person who had to deal with mental health issues, weight gain, loss of fitness (I lost 160lbs cycling), my advice would be this: Start out slowly of course, set small, attainable goals, but more than that, if you can find someone to ride/walk/run/workout with, it'll help you stay on track. I've always found that if I had someone counting on me to show up, I'd always show up, whereas if I was just supposed to train by myself that day, I might be able to talk myself out of it. Best of luck.
I was pretty excited about the "road feel" feature of my Tacx trainer before I tried it. On Zwift riding on the gravel sections makes it make a weird metallic grinding sound. I thought it was broken and was dreading having to send it back. The wooden panels feel nice though. Cobbles, not so much. On the subject of cobbles, the worst ones I've experienced are in northern Germany. Proper cat head sized ones which are a nightmare on a road bike.
a) did not know Francis had human hair underneath a cap b) you and Jimmi are obviously friends as you've let him wear the team hat c) glad the podcast/chat style video is back and you're not whining about stuff people dislike - the world has some rubbish events going on at the moment and your content which focuses on chat or positive things is definitely a good thing IMO Keep up the awesome content everyone!
It’s an interesting topic the psychology of the pressure we put on ourselves as cyclists to perform whether comparing to others or our previous fitness. Never heard the expression comparison is the thief of joy - it’s so true! And I also think Jimmy is right, focus on health should be the priority
For me shokz openrun is top of my list of unnecessary products I would replace in an instant if they broke, listening to music and being able to talk to people and hear cars/other rides is just incredible
Bought them initially for running, ended up using them for days on a solo bikepacking trip, and now I basically don't leave the house without them ! Amazing product
The Silca Imperio is every bit as good as Francis drools about 🙂 It feels great and works great. Oozes quality. It follows the decades of background with the classic Silca pumps but is made MUCH better. The only miss is that they didn't put the internal short tube like on the Silca Tattico. That flex tube would make it perfect (and still Gucci priced)
I like the long length of gravel races/events here in the States and I would liken it to super challenging road fondos for which riders pay real money to ride on public roads in a group event. And the gravel length is akin to the big rides of adventurers and vacationers and if you are going to spend the time and money for Kansas, as an example, why not make it a 12-hour day and return home with lots of laughs and memories, better that than a quick ride which doesn't really feel like it was worth the effort. On the other hand, if I were a local in Kansas and there was a year that I was stationed at Ft. Leavenworth, I could see driving over and simply doing the 100-mile length or whatever as it would be more a combination of a local ride and a world-class sporting event. Plus, historically, we in the States have been enthusiastic over off-road motor-sports such as Baja and desert races. And that form of racing for motorcyclists was initially based on big British scramblers.
My cool, expensive thing is handmade tyres from brands like Dugast or FMB. I used to love the paris-roubaix special tyres from these brands that are less common now, but they do have a very special ride quality
I think the other thing the person just getting back to cycling should consider is getting cycling to be part of their life (commuting etc) rather than a just an exercise thing. Gives you volume and time on the bike and just builds a healthy more active lifestyle.
Watching you talk about mountainbikes is so funny! And the fact that all roadies believe that XC riding is MTB...and that is hardcore is even more funnier. Don't get me wrong, doing a 10k climb on a road bike is insane for us too!
Growing up in Stevenage New Town in the 70s and 80s, the system of cycle lanes there were a separate but parallel paved road system dedicated to bikes and mopeds with underpasses to go under the roads. You could literally ride from one end of town to the other without crossing a road. Clearly underrated or rather undervalued as that kind of stuff doesn't happen when they build new stuff now. I haven't been back in decades. I suspect its been left to rot.
The gravel world championships should be all on gravel. Or perhaps the only pavement should be getting in and out of the sponsoring town. Great comment Jimmi.
Yeah, I can understand some short segments on road may be necessary to connect off-road portions of the racez but they should be minimal. The beginning and end of the race need to be off-road, in my opinion.
Lifting weights might be the most underrated thing you can do for mental health. Cardio targets different parts of the brain, also amazing for you. Lift weights. Your 70 year old self will thank you someday.
@29:56 'I'm pretty certain that nothing is faster than something'! Guru Jimmi 2023. Note: This wisdom was proffered in regards to aero and should not be applied to any others areas, such as HS2.
I have friends who race/raced ultras in the US. They are different in their core being, lol. I feel like the early days of gravel here was nice at the 100k to under 200k distance. When I did Almanzo100, there were a lot of people like me running tires that were just too small. That race really beat me up. If I knew then what I figured out later...
To Harry:- Read this book:- Mini Habits by Stephen Guise (there’s also a weight loss sequel which I haven’t personally read, but may be appropriate - Mini Habits for Weight Loss)
The Cade Show 😎👍 Me as a beginner must say, i subscribed the Francic Cade Channel cause of the Travel Vlog's. The rebrand pi..... me off but must now say the Cade Channel is at least as good as Francic Cade! 👍👍👍 good Job, keep on going 👍😎👍😎👍
Bought a Howler bike from the much missed LBS Cloud9 in January this year Completed Newcastle to Edinburgh wild camping trip and London to Brighton off road ...Fantastic bike and more of headturner than my overpriced road carbon bike
Me likey that Cube. I have a 2018 cube nu road on turbo permanently. A giant tcr as main road bike, giant revolt as main gravel bike. Think 2025 nu road could be perfect commuter bike. Like the clean look nice paint no cables showing and 1x. You have sold me.
No not top tube pumps they were the ali ones that sat between a pair of pegs, they were originally seat tube pumps but then now we all have two bottle cages, for anyone still using rim brakes you can feet the pump on the seat stay at the drop out to the seat clamp, still have two original silka pumps (well over 50’s rider)
I deal with mental health. I was up to 315lbs. I set my goal as 50 miles a week. Very achievable. I have not made it every week but have most weeks. Started Feb 21st, I am now at 260 and still riding. Riding is my woosaa. Find your your happy place and do it.
fun fact, the air on a plane is incredibly clean. because it is recycled/recirculated so much modern planes have incredibly impressive air filtration and purification systems
I think the e-bike answer was obvious after Jimmi said in an earlier episode that he would literally fight people on behalf of the listener who got grief for owning one.
Bike lanes are something that can be so useful, but if they aren't maintained well with frequent sweeping, they are useless. I used one the other day in the US and it is separated from cars - great, but there was so much debris on the road - walnuts in their shells, large and medium size branches and a dead deer. How could I use that?
I got hit by a car on the wY yo work in a bike lane. You can see my track on strava suddenly shift. Bike lane was beside a divided road. A driver pulled up at an intersection and only looked in the opposite direction because that is where cars come from and then drove straight into me. It was seven miles to work from there which took about 25 mins. The ride home though I thin I averaged under 10 mph.
![Super Bike Vs... [2 Hour+ Compilation]](/img/1.gif)
Love hearing from producer Emily. She is super likable and brings interesting points to the conversation. The three of you have great chemistry too. More Emily, please!
Jimmi, I wanted to thank you for being open about your own mental health challenges - even just acknowledging that they exist and talking about some of the things you have done is, imo, a big deal. I think it can really help people out there to know that someone as cool, accomplished, and seemingly together as yourself can face challenges. And, I think your level headed discussion of how your recovery has interacted with your cycling will help to normalize getting assistance.
Glad you appreciate. That is specifically why I talk about it. :)
@@Jimmidoesstuff same with me as well. I thought you deserved a call out on that. It's really important and a service to humanity
I wholeheartedly agree!
Thanks Jimmi. As someone obsessed with riding long distances often, countless times throughout the year, TCR, PCR, PBP, audax and all those kinds of events - during the working week I often struggle and talk myself out of small rides - with - "What's the point of going out for ONLY a couple of hours? Where's the challenge? Where's the bikepacking etc etc..?" Am I the only one out there feeling this way? I pretty much live for the weekend, setting some small little goals in an evening after work sounds like a great idea. Great until you start thinking - it's now October. 😅
Oh and someone said - do it for your health - it's not just about fitness - and that really resonated with me, that's a very clear distinction. So again, thank you to whoever made that comment.
@@BikepackingAdventures anytime outside on a bike is therapy for me. even if i am on a bmx bike.
45:14 You are spot-on with this one! British cycle lanes are overrated (generally councils simply meeting "active travel" quotas without any real thought or planning). The other issue, related to what Francis said, is that drivers think that cycles having their lane means that they can pass you as they'd pass any other vehicle, at whatever speed. So while you're grovelling in the gutter, dodging potholes and manhole cover slots that align with your wheels, you have cars passing you at high speed inches from your elbow. Personally I'd be happier if the painted (non-segregated) cycle lanes were done away with altogether. Paint cycle symbols at regular intervals in the middle of the lane, and let the cyclists take primary position or move aside as they feel comfortable.
Agreed! If you cant imagine your granny or child cycling the cycling infrastructure than its not cyclist infrastructure but a marketing stunt...
@@sempi8159 that's an excellent way of putting it! 👌👍
100%
As bad is painting a bike symbol on a pavement. Junctions are the most risky bit of cycling, and these simply implant that risk onto kids and inexperienced riders.
I have to pull up Francis on the - have to give way to cars comment crossing over driveways. This all changed in January 2021 whereby drivers now have to give way to cyclists and pedestrians "going straight on" at junctions - which also extends to cycle tracks. That's why in some towns you are now starting to see more toucan crossings being built and raising the road up to the kerb and proliferation of markings which more clearly define that the road user has to yield. Admittedly this is not commonplace (yet), but we HAVE to start somewhere.
Hey Jimmi, I had a rough day, was supposed to go for a ride, but didn't really feel like it. And then you said "Because it's still good for me, that's the point". And I went for a ride. Thank you, Jimmi!
We need Emily on every Podcast.
Agree
hundred percent agree
Definitely!
Replace jimmy
Agreed
I’m American and my family and I are big Cav fans. We’ll be pulling for him again next year to do it.
Francis, no cap. 😮
"... ecstasy, it pushes you into ecstasy.
I was going to say trees " 🤣🤣🤣 funniest internet quote of the week 👍
💯
Yours are the only 1-hour long videos that I look forward to watching and make it all the way to the end. It’s the variety of topics that intrigues me. Good job
I valued the segments on cycling coaches and on regaining your fitness. I think those contained great points for me personally, thanks. The mental aspect is often ignored in amateur racers such as myself. I also find myself looking back 4-6 years way too much. That's the other side of having power data for years and years. There is always this objective measurement telling me I'm shit. But I am not shit, not compared to last year and the year before that.
I’m with Jimmy. Give me technical up hill any day. Technical downhill is sketchy AF.😅
The 3 of you make a great team. Well worth watching. Keep it up, lads (and lasses).
As someone new to the channel, this was a great episode to go back and watch. It was especially good for me to watch at the end the discussion on fitness/health after a period of decline. I am personally coming back from mental health issues and trying to get back on the bike and get healthy again (though my issue is lost weight/muscle mass, fatigue, etc.).
Another quality chat from the team. Great to see Emily having more talk time. Really good question from Harry and subsequent discussion from you all. Have a good weekend everyone 👍👏
I have met Rob English several times, we used to live in the same town. He rode and raced the blue and white bike for years. The brakes on that bike are still one of the coolest things I've ever seen. He made the crank, fork, front hub, basically if it doesn't have a logo, Rob made it. The front hub is really cool too, the flanges are super narrow for better aero. All of the tubing is custom formed. That bike is far more gorgeous in person, and the pictures are phenomenal. I believe he still runs a B&B out of his farm and you can stay there and pic up your bike in person. Stand up guy, he is also English by birth.
Yet again I feel the need to say. I've really enjoyed the tour coverage pods/videos. Do more. Thank you
As someone who has majorly struggled with mental health challenges, the thing that has gotten me out cycling was getting an urban e bike, I have a road bike that honestly has been sitting in my shed for years because I couldn’t ride it (mentally the hurdle was too high, and then I ended up out of shape) and getting an e bike and replacing car journeys I would otherwise be driving has made a huge difference (and the step to e bike for purely transport purposes made the mental hurdle much easier) and just regularly going out on a few miles every day or two has made me much more able to tackle longer rides and improved my mental and physical health
Expensive good stuff -- if you don't already have a properly rigid pair of wide-rim wheels, go out and get some. I put HED Ardennes+ wheels on my 2007 Cannondale aluminum Synapse about six years ago and it's the best bike improvement I've ever bought, first time I've ever done something aftermarket to a bike that's more than the standalone cost of the frame. Went from a 13mm internal rim width to a 21, and the grip, ride, handling and rolling resistance are so clearly improved, and they are bombproof, never come out of true. And it would be nice to be able to not have to worry about refilling tires on the road given that the 90psi pump that never used to be enough can now handle the 77 or so psi with ease, but the combination of Michelin butyl tubes, Michelin Pro 4 and HED Ardennes+ has yet to throw a flat. The Ardennes+ wheels required longer-reach rim brakes on the bike in order to clear the rim, but so worth it....fortunately Shimano's 5800 brakes were the ticket, I didn't need to go for anything rare or unobtanium.
Great advice Jimmy. Thank you for your honesty about your mental health struggles. ❤
As an American Mt biker who never rides his road bike I still love your podcast. I am in everyway the opposite of Jimmy and his take on most things but can appreciate another view. And I agree having Emily is a welcome addition. Francis your killing it!
Brilliant to hear you talking about comparing yourself to others. Great saying from Emily!!!
Favourite cycling products, disappointed the duck from a previous episode didn’t get a mention😂
I have the same rubber duck on my handlebars as a gag
I don't even ride road bikes but love the podcast. I'm a mountain biker but you guys cover cycling really well and I love your banter.
Some of my favorite bike products of my lifetime: combination brake/shift levers, square-taper BB (finally cotterless), wireless computers/GPS units, strapless (what we tend to call "clipless") pedals, TPU tubes.
If Cav wins another stage of the Tour it will only be due to being gifted it, in which case it will be an empty "win."
I think if he gets a lead out from G and wins, that would be a feel good story and not a gift.
I'm in Seattle. I bought one of those shoe dryers on your recommendation. It's been a game changer the last few years.
something underrated af: winter shoes. no stupid overshoes, dry very quick since only surface is wet. fast to put on. great
You’re so right. With what happened this year, Cav is going to be the main focus for every flat stage.
And to answer Emily’s question. I think his popularity has gone up over the years. Now it has potential to go full Rocky Balboa
that thing about wanting to get healthier, without letting the prospect be so daunting or somehow embarrassing that you don't . A couple of things that I have done that worked : 1. going for rides to explore, where the length and intensity were not the focus- one winter I did a thing where i did counter clockwise loops, each time going out the way I had come in the time before. 2. doing something where there are people who will say hi- like participating in a hiking series.
Here in Blackburn we had a cycle lane split with the footpath. The council in their wisdom added a glass bus shelter in the centre of the bike lane !! Luckily they have since remove the bike lane to add another live trafic lane 😂😂😂😂.
Excellent show as always. 👍👍
Good ol Lancashire county council eh 🤣
I restarted cycling too. Got myself an ebike and had the goal to do 600km a month. Since I can't do a long commute that's quite a lot. Therefore I did not manage to do it. Now I just try to get the maximum km per month in. During the week that means 2 rides with minimum 1hr and 2-3 longer ones on the weekend. My motivation is the minimum speed I get with the motor. Even if I don't want to do a hard training after a workday I am super fast and the bike also rides well without motor. So I use it without motor as just a heavy bike when I ride with friends.
Usually the big hurdle is the decision to ride on a day. The ebike makes this a lot easier. Volume of training counts so I am very happy when I'll achieve 5500km in the first year.
Totally agree on coaching.
So much truth spoken in this episode. Great 'cast.
Expensive stuff I can't do without:
- tailfin rack and panniers: use them almost every day between two bikes. Allows me to do without a car. I go shopping, travelling, visit places, take my sailing kit, etc.
- heated socks: no more chillblains in Winter, even in 0 degrees.
- a good digital pressure gauge: any pump does the job with one of these, as adjusting the pressure becomes independent from whatever gets the air in.
- TPU tubes: better ride feel without the tubeless faff
To consider Unbound, you have to go back in the history of the race. When it first started back in the late 2000s (and called Dirty Kanza), the ONLY distance was 200 miles. That's why the 200 is the main event. The 100 and other distances were added on to make it more "accessible" and grow the rider count. Consider that for the first two or three years, the total field size for the 200 was well under 100 racers total.
comparison is the thief of joy... that is brilliant I never heard that before
Your discussion that some bike lanes are overrated made me think of ‘sharrows’. I don’t know whether you have these in the UK. They are symbols painted on the road, two chevrons and a bicycle, indicating that bikes and cars will be sharing a lane. They were originally intended to direct cyclists to lower speed roads and to alert auto drivers that bikes may be on the road, but they are often (usually) misused. When towns and cities are under pressure to make their roadways more bike friendly, rather than go through the political and engineering challenges of making good bike lanes or separated bike paths, there is a huge temptation to slap some ‘sharrow’ paint on the roads, including high volume and high speed streets, and declare victory.
I quite like the phrase "Paint isn't infrastructure." Even fully greened out painted bike lanes don't do shit.
Protected bike lanes with bollards, strip on-street parking (to avoid dooring) and arrest terrible drivers and revoke their licences.
I am still using the pump from my 1982 Koga Miyata which originally came with the bike. It wasn't clamped under the top tube but between the top tube and the bottom bracket, parallel to the seat tube.
But now it is clamped onto my carbon frame along the seat tube with two releasable cable ties. It is a "pleasure" to pump up the tires with this pump and I get to 6 bar with just a few strokes. With a mini pump I am struggling to get to 5 bar because I only get to this pressure over the last 1 inch of the stroke, so get only a tiny amount of air into the tire per stroke.
AND its is the same weight as a lezyne mini pump.
I couldn't help but wonder if Francis has a new haircut; I can't recall ever seeing him without his signature cap.
On another note, it's a shame that Cav won't have a chance to win on Champs-Élysées due to the Olympics, which means no stage finish in Paris.
Thanks for another fantastic episode! 🙌
It threw me off too at first, then I realized he wasn't wearing a ball cap for once.
It’s the epitome of Tyneside barnet.
Leather saddle tip: Spa cycles. I have one on my Brompton AND a bottle holder too.
That shoe dryer looks amazing. As a Person of Scotland, i need it.
WTF !? an Everest on a bmx bike. That's some serious madness! BRAVO
Oh man. I rode a new route the other day that involved bike lanes along a busy street here in Oklahoma. The "bike lane" was literally the gutter on the side of the road. There were parts that were basically washed out with gravel and felt super unstable on my road bike, and the speed limit was 45mph, so the fact of the bike lane really just gave drivers license to blow by me at ridiculous speeds like 2 feet away. The segments where I was riding in the road proper felt safer because people would actually slow down and give me space.
About bike lanes. They are underrated, end of discussion. I live in the netherlands and cant live without them.
I think what they mean is yost paint on the road not the seperated proper cycle lanes that are common in your area
The focus on the Shure logo is an interesting choice :D
As someone who has been in the shoes of the person who had to deal with mental health issues, weight gain, loss of fitness (I lost 160lbs cycling), my advice would be this: Start out slowly of course, set small, attainable goals, but more than that, if you can find someone to ride/walk/run/workout with, it'll help you stay on track. I've always found that if I had someone counting on me to show up, I'd always show up, whereas if I was just supposed to train by myself that day, I might be able to talk myself out of it. Best of luck.
SO glad to hear Cav is coming back to have another go at Le Tour. I really hope he's able to add #35!
I was pretty excited about the "road feel" feature of my Tacx trainer before I tried it. On Zwift riding on the gravel sections makes it make a weird metallic grinding sound. I thought it was broken and was dreading having to send it back. The wooden panels feel nice though. Cobbles, not so much.
On the subject of cobbles, the worst ones I've experienced are in northern Germany. Proper cat head sized ones which are a nightmare on a road bike.
a) did not know Francis had human hair underneath a cap
b) you and Jimmi are obviously friends as you've let him wear the team hat
c) glad the podcast/chat style video is back and you're not whining about stuff people dislike - the world has some rubbish events going on at the moment and your content which focuses on chat or positive things is definitely a good thing IMO
Keep up the awesome content everyone!
It’s an interesting topic the psychology of the pressure we put on ourselves as cyclists to perform whether comparing to others or our previous fitness. Never heard the expression comparison is the thief of joy - it’s so true! And I also think Jimmy is right, focus on health should be the priority
For me shokz openrun is top of my list of unnecessary products I would replace in an instant if they broke, listening to music and being able to talk to people and hear cars/other rides is just incredible
Bought them initially for running, ended up using them for days on a solo bikepacking trip, and now I basically don't leave the house without them ! Amazing product
I got the Pros. ‘Shokingly’ poor max volume for running on streets.
"Comparison is the Thief of Joy" - excellent quote.
Ti road bike (Naked Bikes, BC, Canada) with Chris King headset and Enve fork. Three favourites and one bike.
14:46 maybe because they have to be able to put a finish line, podium, parking and public somewhere?
Awesome episode again. Quick question. Would you recommend the tail fin rack or aero pack?
Yes shout out top Puffa Jones.... great work.
thank you for the video whatever happened to Harry getting a new bike🤔
My frame pump always would fall off and get in the pedals. I have one that clips behind my bottle cage and never have problems with it.
The Silca Imperio is every bit as good as Francis drools about 🙂 It feels great and works great. Oozes quality. It follows the decades of background with the classic Silca pumps but is made MUCH better. The only miss is that they didn't put the internal short tube like on the Silca Tattico. That flex tube would make it perfect (and still Gucci priced)
I bought that shoe dryer because of you! Thank you!
I like the long length of gravel races/events here in the States and I would liken it to super challenging road fondos for which riders pay real money to ride on public roads in a group event. And the gravel length is akin to the big rides of adventurers and vacationers and if you are going to spend the time and money for Kansas, as an example, why not make it a 12-hour day and return home with lots of laughs and memories, better that than a quick ride which doesn't really feel like it was worth the effort. On the other hand, if I were a local in Kansas and there was a year that I was stationed at Ft. Leavenworth, I could see driving over and simply doing the 100-mile length or whatever as it would be more a combination of a local ride and a world-class sporting event. Plus, historically, we in the States have been enthusiastic over off-road motor-sports such as Baja and desert races. And that form of racing for motorcyclists was initially based on big British scramblers.
My cool, expensive thing is handmade tyres from brands like Dugast or FMB. I used to love the paris-roubaix special tyres from these brands that are less common now, but they do have a very special ride quality
I think the other thing the person just getting back to cycling should consider is getting cycling to be part of their life (commuting etc) rather than a just an exercise thing. Gives you volume and time on the bike and just builds a healthy more active lifestyle.
I think you are right, plus little incidental trips to the shops etc
Nice one Mike! (That's a real Mike Jones - he's the husband of a mate of mine, they're lovely people and been doing this for a long time)
Watching you talk about mountainbikes is so funny! And the fact that all roadies believe that XC riding is MTB...and that is hardcore is even more funnier. Don't get me wrong, doing a 10k climb on a road bike is insane for us too!
Growing up in Stevenage New Town in the 70s and 80s, the system of cycle lanes there were a separate but parallel paved road system dedicated to bikes and mopeds with underpasses to go under the roads. You could literally ride from one end of town to the other without crossing a road. Clearly underrated or rather undervalued as that kind of stuff doesn't happen when they build new stuff now. I haven't been back in decades. I suspect its been left to rot.
Top tube pumps are so old. My first bike, which was a hand down from my dad, had one. I was about 7 years old, like 55 years ago.
Cool stuff the best, crazy but fun🎉
I hit suscribe when I heard the words everesting and BMX in the same sentence
The gravel world championships should be all on gravel. Or perhaps the only pavement should be getting in and out of the sponsoring town. Great comment Jimmi.
Yeah, I can understand some short segments on road may be necessary to connect off-road portions of the racez but they should be minimal. The beginning and end of the race need to be off-road, in my opinion.
Lifting weights might be the most underrated thing you can do for mental health. Cardio targets different parts of the brain, also amazing for you. Lift weights. Your 70 year old self will thank you someday.
Francis without a cap and Jimmy with. The world is all wonky 😊
If Jimmy buys the bottle holder Francis, I will send over some NZ wine again.
@29:56
'I'm pretty certain that nothing is faster than something'!
Guru Jimmi 2023.
Note: This wisdom was proffered in regards to aero and should not be applied to any others areas, such as HS2.
I have friends who race/raced ultras in the US. They are different in their core being, lol. I feel like the early days of gravel here was nice at the 100k to under 200k distance. When I did Almanzo100, there were a lot of people like me running tires that were just too small. That race really beat me up. If I knew then what I figured out later...
To Harry:- Read this book:- Mini Habits by Stephen Guise (there’s also a weight loss sequel which I haven’t personally read, but may be appropriate - Mini Habits for Weight Loss)
Your favourite products were close to mine but that shoe dryer looks like a lifesaver! Why didn't I know about that?
40:04 PEBSAH - Problem Exists Between Saddle and Handlebars
If it isn't too personal: what is going on with Daisy? The talk of your everests reminded me of her being in videos very often.
The Cade Show 😎👍
Me as a beginner must say, i subscribed the Francic Cade Channel cause of the Travel Vlog's. The rebrand pi..... me off but must now say the Cade Channel is at least as good as Francic Cade! 👍👍👍 good Job, keep on going 👍😎👍😎👍
Bought a Howler bike from the much missed LBS Cloud9 in January this year Completed Newcastle to Edinburgh wild camping trip and London to Brighton off road ...Fantastic bike and more of headturner than my overpriced road carbon bike
YEEESSSS
Me likey that Cube. I have a 2018 cube nu road on turbo permanently. A giant tcr as main road bike, giant revolt as main gravel bike. Think 2025 nu road could be perfect commuter bike. Like the clean look nice paint no cables showing and 1x. You have sold me.
Shoe dryer link please!
No not top tube pumps they were the ali ones that sat between a pair of pegs, they were originally seat tube pumps but then now we all have two bottle cages, for anyone still using rim brakes you can feet the pump on the seat stay at the drop out to the seat clamp, still have two original silka pumps (well over 50’s rider)
Priory Lane 😂 my mind went straight to this when bike lanes got mentioned
Great to hear Cav s not retiring
You needed to have Sturdy cycles on your list. UK made 3D printed Titanium bikes and parts. Insanely cool but expensive obvs.
I deal with mental health. I was up to 315lbs. I set my goal as 50 miles a week. Very achievable. I have not made it every week but have most weeks. Started Feb 21st, I am now at 260 and still riding. Riding is my woosaa. Find your your happy place and do it.
Great progress! Keep it up! Take care of yourself
Thats a pretty big goal to start! Glad its going well.
@@johndef5075 I started out with 30 min rides, 3 to 4 days a week. Basically my doctor challenged me to quit making excuses not to ride or exercise.
I have never found a link/footage of chasing legends doc if anyone has some you would make my day
fun fact, the air on a plane is incredibly clean. because it is recycled/recirculated so much modern planes have incredibly impressive air filtration and purification systems
Jasper will never let up
I think the e-bike answer was obvious after Jimmi said in an earlier episode that he would literally fight people on behalf of the listener who got grief for owning one.
We already saw G lead out Cav last year so it is possible other teams will help at the Tour.
No Hat Francis in the House!
Bike lanes are something that can be so useful, but if they aren't maintained well with frequent sweeping, they are useless. I used one the other day in the US and it is separated from cars - great, but there was so much debris on the road - walnuts in their shells, large and medium size branches and a dead deer. How could I use that?
Yes Jimmy, 90% of Dutch bike lanes are underrated!! 😆
I got hit by a car on the wY yo work in a bike lane. You can see my track on strava suddenly shift.
Bike lane was beside a divided road. A driver pulled up at an intersection and only looked in the opposite direction because that is where cars come from and then drove straight into me.
It was seven miles to work from there which took about 25 mins. The ride home though I thin I averaged under 10 mph.
Astana had Contador and Nibali...two big gc legends..
I can see Jimmi riding up a flowy uphill trail and riding the gravel track back down to do laps 🤣
Champs Elysees? Somebody forgot that the Tour 2024 will finish with a TT in Nice, South of France :-)
Regarding shoe drying, why not just buy classic cedar shoe trees? They work and doesn't cost a whole lot either.