Dialed Podcast 381 - Digging into the state of local bike racing, team culture, and what it takes to it all alive

Send us a message!After four months away, the guys are back at the mics, and they're recording from the brand new Dialed Cycling Lab studio!Ian and Lance just got home from a week climbing the French Alps: Alpe d'Huez, the Télégraphe, the Galibier, and a handful of balcony roads too narrow for the Tour to ever use. They break down what the trip actually costs, how much time you need, the Airbnb that came without sheets or towels, and why riding those climbs gave them a whole new respect for the pros.Lance is 36 races deep since the last episode, has a video for nearly every one of them on his YouTube channel, and is down more than 25 pounds. Ian sprinted to 8th in an 81-rider field at PIR. Jake recaps watching the Tour de France roll through Barcelona, with a few thousand photos to show for it. Then the guys get into Brandon McNulty's rainbow jersey, the first for an American man in 33 years, and how the US team raced for it together.Plus listener questions on racing the day after a big climbing trip and how to explain a high-end bike to your non-cycling friends, a first look at the Dialed Garage, where donated and pre-owned gear finds new riders and the proceeds support Bikes for Kids and the juniors program, and a preview of Matt's upcoming deep dive into Apple's new heart rate study. Subscribe to his YouTube channel so you catch it when it goes live.Dialed Cycling LabCheck out the Dialed Cycling Lab for all of your cycling needs! Use Code: DCpodcastDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!The guys are back after a month off, and they came loaded. Lance breaks down nine races in four weeks, including a Belgian Waffle Ride California podium that put him in the running for the series. Ian returns from five hard days riding in Mallorca, and the racing talk only heats up from there.The big one: Unbound. Keegan Swenson handed his rear wheel to a teammate and rebuilt a freehub in the gravel to save his race, while the Specialized squad swept the podium. That leads into the question hanging over the sport. Is bike racing actually dying? Promoter fees, calendar fatigue, and shrinking fields paint a tough picture, but there is a path forward. Plus a SRAM surprise that left Jake speechless, the science behind leg cramps, the rise of gravel team tactics, and whether 32-inch wheels are the future or a fad nobody asked for.Grab a coffee and settle in. This one runs long, and it earns it.Support the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!PIR is back, Banana Belt brought the bunch sprint, Mud Slinger brought the mud (and a couple of crashes), and a look back at how Paris-Roubaix delivered one of the most exciting races in years. The crew breaks down a wild week of racing, including Ian's lap-counting mishap that turned hero into zero in about 100 meters, Lance's road race tactics, and Wout van Aert finally getting his Roubaix win.Then the conversation turns to the real economics of putting on a bike race: what it actually costs, why entry fees keep climbing, and whether grassroots events should chase a premium experience or stay no-frills. Ian shares why he's leaning toward passing Barton Park on after this year, and Matt makes the case for raising prices.Plus: cycling bucket lists, the Lifetime Grand Prix at Sea Otter (and a huge ride from Dialed's own Kylie Hanel!).Support the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!The guys are back after a short break with plenty to unpack. Matt takes the family to DC for spring break and walks them into the ground. Lance survives the week from hell after a root canal goes sideways (seven days of Strava zeros, zero sleep, maximum misery). Ian is quietly cooking up race fitness for Barton Park despite some nagging knee pain.Then it is classics season. Pogačar just took Flanders for the third time and the guys break down who wins Paris-Roubaix on Sunday. Van der Poel going for four in a row? Pogačar going for history? Mathieu the safe money? Everyone locks in a pick.Hot Seat gets spicy. Do shallow climbing rims have any place on a modern road bike when the pros are racing mountain stages on 60mm deep sections? Then the guys dig into the new 500-gram airbag vest that is being pitched for the pro peloton. Safety innovation or another thing waiting to malfunction at 40 mph?Big question of the week: are Pogačar, Van der Poel, Van Aert, and Remco really that much better than every generation before them, or does it just look that way? The guys get into genetics, talent scouting, Zwift racing as a recruiting pipeline, and why the best cyclists in the world are probably playing soccer.Plus: a deep dive on AI in cycling. Coach Kat, LLM's for race nutrition plans, Strava's famously useless AI summaries, and whether Ian is going to be replaced by a chatbot.Ian is promoting his Barton Park Road Race on May 9th. Sign up, show up, support local racing.Dialed Cycling Lab. Vancouver, WA. dialedcycling.comSupport the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!The crew is back and fully disheveled. Jake, Lance, Ian, and Matt kick things off with backpedals that cover Lance's last-minute solo van trip to El Tour de Scottsdale (3,000 riders, great legs, followed immediately by an emergency root canal), Ian's Michael Myers Memorial Time Trial recap and lessons learned.Then the classics talk heats up. Milan-San Remo goes to Pogacar by inches over Vanderpoel. Strade Bianche delivers MVP with jaw-dropping numbers (446 watts normalized power for the final 90 minutes of a five-hour race). Flanders and Roubaix are on deck. The crew also breaks down Vingegaard's Giro d'Italia setup and what it could mean for his Tour de France.A listener from Portland asks about moving up to Cat 3 on the road. The crew gives a real-world answer covering safety, upgrade rules, and why Cat 3 might actually be the sweet spot for most amateur racers.The back half gets honest and personal. Jake, Lance, and Ian dig into the state of local bike racing, team culture, what it takes to keep amateur cycling alive, and why DCT's 10-year anniversary in 2026 is going to be something sweet. Support the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!Lance just returned from five weeks in Arizona: racing, riding Mount Lemmon, getting pulled from a crit (it happens), surviving a skate park shortcut at the start of a gravel race, and somehow dragging Ian down with him. Ian bounced back from a nasty chest infection to race his first event in a while - and won his age group. Jake has been clocking ridiculous hours of work since the last episode, visiting college campuses with his son, and watching the new Dialed Cycling Lab  inch closer to completion (studio space included). And Matt? Matt's been swimming. A lot.**In this podcast:**- Lance's 5-week Arizona recap: Belgium Waffle Ride, Tucson Bicycle Classic, the Real West Gravel Race, and the skate park incident that launched Ian into the grass- Ian's comeback race: 15th out of 188, age group win, and still coughing- Jake's 65-day debrief: 750 hours of work, college tours for his son (U of Utah vs. Michigan business school), and the new Lab is almost ready- Matt in Boise, running the Oregon Trail, and a new e-bike incoming- Listener Q: How to prep for Mallorca with two weeks notice and less-than-peak fitness- Milan-San Remo predictions and who's got the legs at the Cipressa- Luckiest moments on the bike - close calls, near misses, a cone at 38mph, and one very helpful sapling tree- Ian updates us on the MMM Time Trial is this weekend... go sign up!Chapters:00:00 — Intro / St. Patrick's Day energy02:00 — Lance's 5-week Arizona recap08:00 — Belgium Waffle Ride Arizona10:00 — Real West Gravel Race & the skate park incident15:00 — Ian's comeback race: age group win after 3 weeks sick23:00 — Jake's 65-day debrief: 750 hours and college tours30:00 — The new Dialed shop update35:00 — AI, content creation, and podcast cadence43:00 — Listener Q: Mallorca prep with 2 weeks notice47:00 — Alaska Air routes to Europe55:00 — Milan-San Remo predictions1:07:00 — Luckiest moments on the bike1:20:00 — Wrap-up and what's coming nextSupport the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!When is too much Tadej Pogačar too much Tadej Pogačar? Which bike are you taking to your next TT and are TT bikes on life support? The new Factor ONE - Hot or Not? Support the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!We share all the crap we want for Christmas and probably won't get for obvious reasons. We also recap our personal 2025 highlights and why they were special to us. It was a fun one, so enjoy... Happy Merry Holidays and thanks for listening!Support the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!We recap the 2025 El Tour de Tucson - it was a good one! We also discuss a great listener question regarding what seems like a decrease of youth in cycling and how the cycling community can help change this for the better. Thanks for listening!!Support the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.

Send us a message!Dealing with the moments in time when life gets in the way of riding and racing your bike and how to rebound once things return to normal. Support the showThe Dialed Podcast is the sometimes weekly podcast from Dialed Cycling Lab in Vancouver, WA. Four guys who have spent a long time racing, wrenching, and talking about bikes, with no script and no sponsors telling us what to say.Episode recaps, show notes, and the full archive live at dialedpodcast.com. You can also watch episodes on YouTube.Got a question for the EPO Chain Mail? Hit "Send us a message" at the top of this episode and we might answer it on the show.About the lab: Dialed Cycling Lab is a full-service bike shop for road, gravel, and mountain riders. We build bikes, service them, and stock the gear the guys talk about on the show, and we ship it nationwide from dialedcycling.com. If you're local, bring your bike by or just come hang out. Whether you're on your first bike or your fifth, you're welcome here.Thanks for listening.