Gear and Tech

We talk with Dr. Andy Pruitt and Larry Meyer about how to make yourself as comfortable as possible on the bike and why that helps, not hurts, performance.

Dr. Jamie Whitfield and Dr. Dana Lis discuss the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and practical applications of continuous glucose monitors in elite sport.

There has been an explosion in new metrics on wearable devices including oxygen saturation, sleep analysis, and glucose monitoring, but how much should we rely on them and do they really help us?

Training zones have served an important role for decades, but with the sophistication of training software and portable devices, do they still have a place?

We have a wide range of odd and interesting topics for you in this week’s show.

Cycling gear & tech expert Lennard Zinn explores the most crucial inventions of modern cycling history from e-shifting to fat bikes.

Bike tech journalist Ben Delaney helps us highlight aerodynamic gear and bicycle technology that offers the best return for your investment.

A good bike saddle is one you can completely forget about when riding: no chafing, scarring, or saddle sores. In order to find a saddle that works for you, Colby talks about the anatomy of the human undercarriage and how different saddle shapes can bring you ultimate comfort.

Colby Pearce joins Fast Talk for another Q&A episode to discuss crank length, power imbalance, the potential of CBD, and how to return after an injury.

Jessi Stensland has deeply developed her relationship with her body in the years since competing as a professional triathlete, swimming at the Olympic trials, and winning a bronze medal at XTERRA World Championships. Her ideas about shoes and sleep may be new and unusual to you, but pause and consider her enthusiasm, her agility, and her deep connection to her own body.

We break down the different ways that prefabricated, semi-custom, and custom orthotics are constructed; analyze the pros and cons of the different methods used to cast feet and determine orthotic support needs; offer practical tips and advice on how to find the best podiatrist, and discuss how to determine the quality of the orthotics you’re considering.

There are several questions about your physiology and biomechanics that need to be answered before you can select the ideal shoe for you, and for the purpose of your rides.

Lennard Zinn joins us today to delve into why bike design elements—like fork offset, trail, and head tube angle—have a bigger impact on a bike’s performance and ride quality than frame material, or any of the things we focus on when checking out what our friends are riding.