I am shocked no one posted about @Slowman Dan’s interview with Josh et al on the Marginal Gains podcast. I was impressed to learn all that Dan has had a hand in changing in the world of triathlon and bike fitting etc. Very good listen and informative. Nice history lesson as well.
A great listen. Two guys with a history of outside the box thinking. They didn’t say it explicitly, but I found it interesting how Dan was able to take pretty radical ideas (wetsuits, tri-specific geometries) and find the technology embraced quickly in triathlon. Contrast that with Josh’s stories of trying to get cyslists to ride carbon wheels at Paris Roubaix or trying to run lower psi. Idk why the two otherwise similar sports are so different in this way.
This was my first listen to this particular podcast - and wow what an amazing podcast. Defo on my regular listen list now…
A great listen. Two guys with a history of outside the box thinking. They didn’t say it explicitly, but I found it interesting how Dan was able to take pretty radical ideas (wetsuits, tri-specific geometries) and find the technology embraced quickly in triathlon. Contrast that with Josh’s stories of trying to get cyslists to ride carbon wheels at Paris Roubaix or trying to run lower psi. Idk why the two otherwise similar sports are so different in this way.
I think the difference is age of each sport, triathlon is new and so everything is on the table, road racing has heritage which can encumber it with " that is the way we always did things" or “it works why fix it”??? Maybe that is the difference?
A great listen. Two guys with a history of outside the box thinking. They didn’t say it explicitly, but I found it interesting how Dan was able to take pretty radical ideas (wetsuits, tri-specific geometries) and find the technology embraced quickly in triathlon. Contrast that with Josh’s stories of trying to get cyslists to ride carbon wheels at Paris Roubaix or trying to run lower psi. Idk why the two otherwise similar sports are so different in this way.
I think the difference is age of each sport, triathlon is new and so everything is on the table, road racing has heritage which can encumber it with " that is the way we always did things" or “it works why fix it”??? Maybe that is the difference?
That’s a great point. There’s not really triathlon heroes in the old school mold of Merckx or Coppi. The oldest tri pictures I can find still look pretty futuristic.
A great listen. Two guys with a history of outside the box thinking. They didn’t say it explicitly, but I found it interesting how Dan was able to take pretty radical ideas (wetsuits, tri-specific geometries) and find the technology embraced quickly in triathlon. Contrast that with Josh’s stories of trying to get cyslists to ride carbon wheels at Paris Roubaix or trying to run lower psi. Idk why the two otherwise similar sports are so different in this way.
I think the difference is age of each sport, triathlon is new and so everything is on the table, road racing has heritage which can encumber it with " that is the way we always did things" or “it works why fix it”??? Maybe that is the difference?
That’s a great point. There’s not really triathlon heroes in the old school mold of Merckx or Coppi. The oldest tri pictures I can find still look pretty futuristic.
In fact I have heard Josh say he has had to contend with that problem where the evidence is there that this (insert tech here) is better but the mindset was old school. There are teams in the World Tour who are not encumbered by finances but are encumbered by their mindset and old school approaches to racing.
Yea. I’ve been following Josh for a long time. It’s so funny to hear about pro team riders who won’t listen, regardless of data.
IMO Josh is one of the top 5 smartest people in cycling.
Dan created the first bike company webpage?! That was interesting.
It’s so funny to hear about pro team riders who won’t listen, regardless of data.
IME, it’s not the riders, it’s management.
Day to day activities is 98% run by ex cyclists. I would guess 1995-2015ish. They believe in what they were doing.
Then you have the whole challenge of sponsors. Big big bucks involved here
Then you have politics of a larger organization
Triathlon is nimble. The athlete makes the decision.
WT is bureaucratic, political, slow…
And let’s not forget, they have been fed so much BS with new fads and promises, they are always skeptical.
There is a trend right now where new riders will not go to a team, or you would have to pay them more if the team is not innovative. This is good !
The peloton getting younger is having an impact. Many of the young riders geek out more that STers.
Triathlon is all about innovation. Cycling is all about tradition.
A great listen. Two guys with a history of outside the box thinking. They didn’t say it explicitly, but I found it interesting how Dan was able to take pretty radical ideas (wetsuits, tri-specific geometries) and find the technology embraced quickly in triathlon. Contrast that with Josh’s stories of trying to get cyslists to ride carbon wheels at Paris Roubaix or trying to run lower psi. Idk why the two otherwise similar sports are so different in this way.
I think the difference is age of each sport, triathlon is new and so everything is on the table, road racing has heritage which can encumber it with " that is the way we always did things" or “it works why fix it”??? Maybe that is the difference?
That’s a great point. There’s not really triathlon heroes in the old school mold of Merckx or Coppi. The oldest tri pictures I can find still look pretty futuristic.
In fact I have heard Josh say he has had to contend with that problem where the evidence is there that this (insert tech here) is better but the mindset was old school. There are teams in the World Tour who are not encumbered by finances but are encumbered by their mindset and old school approaches to racing.
This is really not true anymore. There’s still a bit of it out there with Spanish and Italian teams and/or manufacturers, but Sky/Ineos changed the game a long time ago and there’s been nothing but innovation since from the cycling side despite the restrictions they face from the governing body. I’ve certainly experienced my fair share of the stubborness of “this is how we’ve always done it” but those folks have largely been left behind. Results have dictated the change…the days of aging tires in wine cellars is over. Really, when it comes to positioning and finding marginal gains, cycling has led the way over triathlon for the past few years.
Really enjoyed this podcast. Made my time on the treadmill go by fast…
Day to day activities is 98% run by ex cyclists. I would guess 1995-2015ish. They believe in what they were doing.
The focus in those years wasn’t on equipment marginal gains because the biggest gains were from doping.
Day to day activities is 98% run by ex cyclists. I would guess 1995-2015ish. They believe in what they were doing.
The focus in those years wasn’t on equipment marginal gains because the biggest gains were from doping.
Still are?!?!? Too soon?